Undertow

Sin City previously succeeded with Michael Raven's take on the mainstream hit "Point Break", releasing "Riptide" a year before this even better variation on a theme.

Steven St. Croix stars as a gangster named Rasputin who thrives in the Car culture of L.A., made famous in the Fast & Furious movies. FBI agents Dale DaBone and Hannah Harper arrest him and Dale forces him to go undercover to infiltrate the gang of New Age surfers (!) headed by Evan Stone, who is planning terrorists bombings in the CIty of Angels.

Photographer-director Francois Clousot does a fine job of integrating the sex scenes with solid action footage, focused on Stone and St. Croix's ritualistic Japanese-styled sword fights as Steven proves himself and later battles to the death with the mob boss. St. Croix is especially good at portraying the nuances of a good-bad character, while Stone handles lengthy monologues reflecting his nihilistic philosophy, at one point comparing his goals to that of Charles Manson's fortunately unrealized "Helter Skelter" project to foment a race riot revolution in America.

Harper is not the lead this time, but instead Aurora Snow is empathetic as Stone's moll who eventually is won over to St. Croix's team. Atmospheric location photography on beach backdrops adds to the film's flavor, though Clousot has his cast suit up for surfing but never includes any footage of them riding the waves.