Review: Grindhouse

Genre: Comedy, Horror/Thriller, Spoof
Run Time: 3hrs 10mins
Rating: R - extremely graphic violence, excessive profanity, nudity, too many testicles

Grindhouse is the work of masterminds Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. Basically, it is a double feature spoof of the 70’s horror genre that was so rampant during the time. The two films are Planet Terror directed by Robert Rodriguez and the second is Death Proof directed by Quentin Tarantino. There are four movie trailers that play before the two films. One trailer before Planet Terror and three before Death Proof. These trailers capture the essence of the 70’s perfectly and are hysterical.

Planet Terror

The first feature is a throwback to all of the great zombie movies that have come out over the years. Planet Terror is action packed and more gore filled than any other horror movie I have ever seen. The story is predictable, the characters all stereotypes, but none of that matters because this film is incredibly funny, gross, and exciting. Zombies blow up, blood flies, and a girl with an assault rifle for a leg steal the show. Oh yeah, the pop singer Fergie, you know the one from the Black Eyed Peas, is ripped limb from limb. Easily, one of the most satisfying things I have seen in a movie this year.

Death Proof

Death Proof is the second half of Grindhouse. What we have here is a story of a psychotic stalker/serial killer who uses his muscle car to deal out damage to those he deems unworthy. Tarantino is at full power her with his character development, but it comes at a big cost. The sheer boredom of more than 30 minutes of character exposition after all of the non-stop action that was present in Planet Terror. I could have fallen asleep from sitting in my seat with nothing but women on the screen talking about their personal lives. Anyway, Death Proof does have a big payoff and when it comes it comes big with one of the greatest car crashes and car chases in film history. It’s the characters of Death Proof that make it so powerful. The two sets of three women feel so real its like you could find these people at you local bar. What happens to them and what they do is at the same time shocking and hilarious.

Grindhouse is a mixed bag. On one hand we have a great afternoon at the movies with an intro so powerful you want more. But, on the other hand the 3 hour plus runtime is a downer during the second halves heavy character development sequences. Maybe, if Grindhouse started out with Death Proof I could have had a better time swallowing the whole experience and not felt such boredom during the second half.

Story - ?…Planet Terror’s story is irrelevant it works and thats all that matters, Death Proof thrives with it’s characters, but the story is not as important as the experience, You don’t see a movie like Grindhouse for the story so there is no point in rating it

Visuals - 9…enough blood and gore for any other horror movie to be impressed with, car crash and chase in Death Proof is incredible

Sound - 8…excellent all around, not much to say here except your ears might start hurting after awhile

Overall - 8…should have been split into two movies, but still a very fun, funny, and nostalgic throwback to the 70’s when everything was over the top, if you like nostalgia, 70’s horror, zombies, and car chases then this is the movie for you, just be prepared for a lot of blood and gore