Explosions, man-eating zombies, a go-go dancer with a rifle for a leg and Kurt Russell driving down groups of sexy women; it's all part of the thrill for buddies Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez.
Bonding over their love for the B-films "grinded" out by movie theaters during their childhood, these renowned directors have teamed up to create Grindhouse, the best double feature since Dragstrip Girl and Rock All Night -- movies both men admire.
The film, which is split into two feature-length slices, Planet Terror (Rodriguez) and Death Proof (Tarantino), is complete with its own fake trailers before each film (these range from hilarious to brutally gory and are directed by Rob Zombie and Eli Roth, among others). Scratchy and missing reels complete the "grindhouse" effect. Though some might shudder at the thought of sitting through a three-hour film, Grindhouse manages to fly by, keeping you on the edge of your seat -- even if you're not familiar with or a huge fan of either director's work.
Both films manage to make you both shriek and laugh, and the acting is top-notch despite the casting of several unknown stars. In Planet Terror, Rose McGowan, Marley Shelton, Freddy Rodríguez and Bruce Willis star in the throwback to the zombie flick. McGowan makes another small appearance in Death Proof alongside an aging Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Tracie Thoms and Rosario Dawson. The lack of big names, however, contributes to the B-movie vibe, which both Rodriguez and Tarantino were looking to play up.
Side-by-side, the films were both well-done; action-wise, Rodriguez's Planet Terror far outshines and gives you more bang for your buck. Tarantino makes an appearance in this flick that combines a deadly biochemical infection, zombies that boil and bleed from all places (Tarantino experiences this as his testicles melt off) and a bevy of characters who, immune to the infection, stand together to fight off the growing world of zombies. Planet Terror had me clutching at my fellow movie-goer as it showed zombies oozing as they ate the brains of their victims, cheering as Wray and Cherry (F. Rodriguez and McGowan) rekindled their love, and laughing as Wray made Cherry (a former go-go dancer whose leg is bitten off by zombies) a prosthetic leg from a machine gun.
The witty aspects of Planet Terror are Rodriguez's subtle links to life today. The infection comes from a former military base, where Lt. Muldoon's (Willis) troops from Afghanistan have been doused with a biochemical by the government after the troops stumbled upon and accidentally killed Bin Ladin. The subtext behind the plot makes one wonder how close to reality this planet of terror is.
Tarantino's flick, Death Proof was not what I originally expected from the creator of Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction, but looking back, perhaps I should have. The beginning is a little slow and the plot is dulled by excessive dialogue. Enter Russell, a gruff stunt-man (his name is Stuntman Mike) who has some kind of problem with women. A member of the first group of women who are lucky enough to encounter him ends up giving him a lap dance (which the film cleverly omits with a fake "Reel Missing" sign). A few mishaps later, a second group encounters Stuntman Mike. This time, things culminate in an over-the-top, thrilling car chase with three savvy women (two of whom are stunt-women themselves). Let's just say things don't turn out as Stuntman Mike intends, leading to one of the funniest moments in the movie.
Together, Tarantino and Rodriguez make a great pair. Recreating the genre of films that made them want to get into the business, these talented directors have made Grindhouse a buy-one-get-one-free special you won't want to miss.
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