carrienations

I am a huge fan of 70s exploitation/grindhouse films from the U.S, Japan and Europe, including slasher, WIP, gang, biker, sleaze, etc. However, I have to state that Deathproof is absolutely wretched. The lazy script doesn't give you any reason to sympathize with any character and chews your ears off with boring, pointless dialog. The long scene with the girls talking endlessly (you know which one I'm talking about) was possibly the worst use of film EVER. I'd rather watch Barbra Striesand in "A Star is Born" again that sit through that single Deathproof scene again. If Quentin Tarantino ever had any talent, it is not evident in this film at all. Avoid at all cost, or stare into the face of boredom.

Unfortunately, the third film in the Sasori series isn't of the same quality as the first two films. The script is vastly inferior to the first two, and in particular, the second film. The pace through the majority of the film is glacial at best, with the first twenty to thirty minutes being almost painfully slow. This is in stark contrast to the energy of the second film, Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41. Kaji Meiko is stellar as usual, but just doesn't have much to work with. Director Ito Shunya utilizes some of the signature visual flare that he demonstrated in the first two films, but not frequently or creatively enough in this effort. On a scale of 1 to 10, this film rates about a 6, with Kaji Meiko earning almost all of that score, while the first film is about an 8 and the second a 10.

This is an interesting film, because it's both putrid and quite good at the same time. The cast, acting, and dialogue are simply horrendous. It might be one of the worst casts ever, playing characters that are completely unsympathetic, with some of the worst dialogue ever written. The character decision making and motivations are so phony and wooden, that it makes the first half of the movie almost impossible to sit through.

HOWEVER...

This film has some redeeming value. The ghost galleon set is simply amazing... a terrific, atmospheric location for this film. I'm curious about whether this set was built specifically for the film, because it's quite convincing. The Blind Dead are some of the best skeleton/zombie-type characters and effects I've ever seen on film. I also love the music and chanting that accompanies the Blind Dead.

If the film had a little more violence by the Blind Dead, some gratuitous nudity, cleaned up sfx of the boat when shot from a distance (a larger model shot in slo-mo would suffice), a complete overhaul of the dialogue, and a better cast, this film would have been a classic. The premise is that good. It's easy to see that almost no additional money could have made this film a great one. This split decision garners a 5/10.