Maybe it’s my love of all things zombie, but it seems that Robert Rodriguez has eclipsed Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof in what was supposed to be a marathon double billing. It could also be that ripping off the zombie genre is a lot easier than re-inventing the cult car flick.
The same visual treatment has of course been used to age the film and make it fit the era that is being exploited, but Rodriguez adds his own social commentary and steals from far and wide, not restricting himself to the confines of typical zombie fare. This juxtaposition and genre bending approach, loaded with over the top action, bucket loads of all too red blood and action for actions sake helps create a movie that allows to you just sit back and soak it all in.
It’s pure cheesy joy, with an all to present element of fear, which plays with your mind offering up both clichés and predictable outcomes with a lively splattering of not really knowing what is going to happen next.
Of course, with Rodriguez and Tarantino trying to out do each other, Planet Terror has plenty that will offend the timid and I would caution against watching if you’re not a horror or zombie fan.
Food for thought: “Who are you really?” Sheriff Hague asks of El Wray, a central character in Planet Terror. No one really knows whom he really is, yet he stays with the survivors, befriending Cherry, an exotic dancer who has just lost her leg, knowing that his time is limited, he encourages Cherry, “I need you to become who you were meant to be.” As Jesus did to his Apostles, So El Wray empowers Cherry to find the lost and bring them to safety.
Reviewed by: Jonathan Read. Rating: R16 – Contains Violence & Offensive Language Duration: 101 mins. Genre: Horror, Zombie. Director: Robert Rodriguez. Actors: Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, Bruce Willis, Rose McGowan, Nicky Katt, Marley Shelton, Freddy Rodríguez, Josh Brolin, Naveen Andrews. Distributor: Roadshow. Release Date: Tuesday 29th April, 2008.
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