Crabs.. die Zukunft sind wir

DEAD END DRIVE IN is set in a sort of post-apocalyptic 1990. That's a bad thing, to date your movie like that. They should've known better, they're from Down Under, for god sakes. This is the land THE ROAD WARRIOR came from! So if you're going to take a chance on this film, try not to think of it as 1990. Also try not to think about the mid-80's synth soundtrack. There's nothing futuristic about it either. You really have to suspend your disbelief on this one.

After you've done that, DRIVE IN moves along a nice pace, getting in some required nudity, violence and car crashes. Crabs and his girl go to the Star Drive-In for some hanky-panky and realize they can't leave. It's a government program that traps the youth inside and shows them exploitation films and feeds them junk food. No reason why, guess it keeps part of the population off the streets. After awhile, social significance starts creeping in with allusions to welfare states and institutional racism. This is where it begins to falter. It's too heavy handed and frankly, quite embarrassing. Trenchard-Smith is a decent B-movie vet, and he should know better to pile it on like this. A great car jump saves the day though and takes you home, and you realize that even though you could've lived without DEAD END DRIVE IN, you really enjoyed the heck out of it. Look for the director's own ESCAPE 2000/TURKEY SHOOT playing on the drive-in screen during the film. If you enjoyed this, you'll dig that too.