Death Proof (2007)

Genre

Thriller

Director

Quentin Tarantino

Country

USA

Cast

Kurt Russell, Zoƫ Bell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Jordan Ladd, Rose McGowan, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Quentin Tarantino, Marcy Harriell, Michael Parks, Eli Roth, Omar Doom, Michael Bacall, Jonathan Loughran, Marley Shelton, Monica Staggs

Storyline

Two separate sets of voluptuous women are stalked at different times by a scarred stuntman (Kurt Russell) who uses his "death proof" cars to execute his murderous plans.

Opinion

Back in 2012, Tarantino said "Death Proof" is the worst film he's ever made, not a terrible movie, still the worst. I can't argue with that. But I guess it was supposed to be. It's an homage to Grindhouse films after all. 

The plot is pretty simple: Stuntman Mike, a psychotic yet cool scarred stuntman who goes around in a death proof car - those automobiles used in TV Shows to simulate clashed - to pick up and kill girls based on their appearance. Nothing more.  

The style is totally Tarantino's: long and exhausting nonsense dialogue - maybe this time a little bit too long - served with futile and vulgar topics, typical camera movements of the sixties, spectacular chases, vibrant red blood splashing everywhere just to not take this whole thing too seriously. There is all of this. Unfortunately, if it wasn't Tarantino's, the film would have passed completely unnoticed because it doesn't really have anything special.

Okay, maybe the soundtrack is special. I mean, after all nobody manages to use popular music in the way Tarantino does. You gotta give him that.

The casting of Kurt Russell was perfect though. He finally has the opportunity to go all bad again, and man, he goes bad. Even when he is supposed to be friendly, he exudes a sense of menace that doesn't' leave until the end of the film.

1 comment :

  1. You're right, it was supposed to be bad, but in a totally different way. It should be a joyous riff on grindhouse cinema of the 70s. Parts of it are, but it's mostly an overly talky trudge to its finale.

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