Film review: Death Proof

Death Proof @ IMDB

It's pretty much common knowledge that the original vision of this film was as part of the Grindhouse double bill which flopped big time on it's release. This is despite a machine gun for a leg in the trailer. Stupid Americans. So, for the UK release it has been split into two full length films. Without the fake trailers. And no release date for the second part of Grindhouse, the one with the machine gun for a leg, Planet Terror.

Far from ideal.

But, hey, it's a new Tarantino film which can't be a bad thing. So in this love letter to 70s exploitation films we get Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a crazed psychopath who stalks young women before killing them with his eponymous death proof car.

Which is pretty much the entire plot. Stuntman Mike stalks some people, kills them, stalks some more, they fight back, the end. What you get is a lot of talking. A lot of talking. Remember the diner scene in Reservoir Dogs? The whole bit about Like A Virgin being about big dicks? Imagine that for three quarters of an entire film.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. The dialogue fizzes and flies like you'd expect, the characters voices are nailed down and it entertains. Kurt Russell is great, no one drops the ball performance wise.

But there is a lot of talking. There is a nasty car crash that keeps you going but there is a lot of talking.

But here's the thing. Just as I was thinking "gee, this talking is starting to drag a wee bit", Tarantino brings out one of the most stunning chase sequences in cinema. This is not a joke. This is pure, no CG, lady on a bonnet, high speed car mayhem. I didn't blink for ten minutes. Simply outstanding.

So it's well worth seeing as long as you realize and accept that you have to wait. Just be patient. Listen to the dialogue and the talking and just wait. And you will be rewarded.

The only possible ninja weapon this film can get is a car.