#SavageSeptember2020
My Watchlist for Savage September 2020. (@CampCthulhu)
High action violence, vigilante justice, and just plain ruthless carnage! It's 30 days of that old school sleazy savagery here at Savage September!
High action violence, vigilante justice, and just plain ruthless carnage! It's 30 days of that old school sleazy savagery here at Savage September!
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- DirectorSimon NuchternStarsGeorge KennedyRichard LynchKaren BlackA vicious biker gang is intent on destroying a small town in Arizona. A war veteran visiting an old friend and a few locals with nothing to lose go to war with the gang's ruthless leader.Day 1 - Tuesday the 1st
Mini-Review: A mid 80's action/outlaw biker flick here. This is definitely not what I expected it to be (especially not when judging by that awesome poster). The plot takes its time to setup (establishes the main setting and its inhabitants), and the pacing is mostly decent (it does lag slightly near the end). The story itself is pretty funny and weirdly nonchalant (and actually kind of lighthearted - despite some of the carnage). The cast is pretty standard and serviceable overall (Lance Henriksen and 'Bill' Forsythe seem to be taking it mostly seriously, but some of the villains, like Spyder and Meatrack, are just crazy over the top and campy).
The main villain is William Forsythe's character, Pigiron. He's the leader of the 'Savages M.C.' biker gang. As mentioned, Forsythe seems to be giving a committed performance while his underlings (like all of them - including the women) are very campy. The third act features the climactic showdown and 'final' confrontation between Stryker and Pigiron (which there are plenty of explosions, but the actual final fight is sort of disappointing). There's more after the final battle with Stryker hunting down and dealing with the remaining bikers (this sequence is pretty weird and almost comical - especially when Stryker faces them at that factory).
Final thoughts, I loved the song in the opening credits, which was straight fire. Shout out to the 'Tomkat' bargirls with their 'furry' costumes (ears and tails). This is chock full of pure 80's cheese; from the cheesy fight scenes and special effects, obvious props, and other weirdo stuff like Stryker catching the rubberband in midair or him using that snake as a weapon (LOL). Despite the cheesiness, there is some carnage in here; like most of the kills ('I will tread on you!' is my highlight, but shout out to 'barbed wire brutality' and 'flamethrower fury') and anytime there's gore on screen (like the barbed wire kill or the tractor spike kill). This isn't anywhere near as savage as the title and poster suggest, but it is a good enough start and a pretty good exercise in 80's action cheese.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Ben Stryker (Lance Henriksen)
Carnage Count: 23 (Overall: 23) - DirectorMichael WinnerStarsCharles BronsonHope LangeVincent GardeniaA New York City architect becomes a one-man vigilante squad after his wife is murdered by street punks. In self-defense, the vengeful man kills muggers on the mean streets after dark.Day 2 - Wednesday the 2nd (WISH WEDNESDAY)
Mini-Review: A 70's action thriller/vigilante movie here. It's been a while since my last viewing of this (and its sequels), and it's a lot better than I remember it being. The plot and story are pretty much the classic vigilante setup and structure here (Kersey gets wronged in first act, experiences his 'origin' in second act, and goes full vigilante in third act). The pacing is nearly perfect (only the second act features some slight diversion, which ends up paying off in the end). The cast is all great here with Bronson being my favorite (obviously, but shout out to Ochoa and Jeff Goldblum's cameo as 'Freak #1').
There isn't really a 'main villain' in this one (Ochoa comes close, but he ends up just becoming Kersey's 'Gordon' substitute). Since this is a vigilante movie, Kersey himself could be considered the villain (protagonist), but he isn't really framed that way. Once Kersey becomes the 'Vigilante Killer', it basically turns into a 'reverse-slasher' (complete with Kersey stalking his victims and even chasing them down). There's even kills in here, which are all shootings but are still decently bloody. The climax and ending are basically Gordon letting Batman 'get away with it', and the final scene seems to be a hint that there's more to come (which, of course, there is).
Final thoughts, after the strictly savage opening, the movie gets somewhat lighthearted in the second act (when Kersey goes to Tucson). There's the peacefully mundane scenes of Kersey working his job or him attending the 'Wild West' shootout show. Of course it gets darker once Kersey returns to New York, but that is also my favorite part of the movie (for obvious reasons). Shout out some of the weirdo moments of the movie, like; the thug with the spray paint fetish, the 'Granny Hair pin' defense, or Ochoa and his unending head cold. I enjoyed the kind of groovy and moody soundtrack in here. This is pretty much the king of vigilante movies here, and for good reason. It crafts a masterful and hugely entertaining offering in this genre, which I found a much greater appreciation for after this rewatch.
Rating: 10/10 (Masterwork)
Best Character: Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson)
Carnage Count: 11 (Overall: 34) - DirectorAndy SidarisStarsDarby HintonSybil DanningArt MetranoA womanizing private detective is assigned the task of investigating who is behind the hi-tech computer technology leaks to the Russians.Day 3 - Thursday the 3rd (TRIPLE THURSDAY)
Mini-Review: A mid 80's action/thriller/comedy (I guess?) and the first installment of the 'Triple B' series. I suppose this is about what I (and probably most who take a gander at the poster) would expect it to be, honestly. The plot and story both seem kind of directionless until about the end of the first act (stuff just sort of happens until the actual setup occurs). Despite the structure, the pacing is still pretty decent (there's enough interesting/fanservice-y content before the story takes off). The performances are all over the place here (most of the main cast is decent enough - Beverly is my favorite, but shout out to Cody, Stuart, June Khnockers (yes), and Sybil Danning as Contessa Luciana).
There's a couple of villains, but the 'main' one is 'mysterious' and their identity isn't revealed until the finale. They wear a pretty elaborate disguise (although it doesn't seem like it at first). The other villain is obvious, and their 'evil plan' gets exposed in a straight up Scooby-Doo styled ending montage. Speaking of the ending, apart from the montage, it's mostly satisfying. The final showdown is climactic, but there isn't really a 'final fight' between Cody and the villain (it's him versus some henchmen instead). The final scene ends with a sequel hook (which is the first of many, of course).
Final thoughts, this really gets straight to the point with nudity (within the first couple of scenes). There's plenty of nudity and perv/lewd shots in this (along with skimpy outfits (one of the characters is literally a 'sexy maid' who has a different skimpy outfit in every scene she's in) and gratuitous shower scenes (even Cody gets one)). Speaking of Cody, he's got a lot of internal monologues and audio diaries in the movie (literally all of them are used for pretty clunky exposition). The rest of the script is quite cheesy with lots of 'punny' dialogue. Shout outs going out to the 'digital' opening credits with the 'aroused' computer lady, every weirdo scene with Sally the Sex Phone Operator, the random drag races which come out of nowhere, and the banjo-based soundtrack. This has plenty of the stuff that you'd expect, and want, from something like this, and serves it up in a mostly good and fun package here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Beverly (Lori Sutton)
Carnage Count: 5 (Overall: 39) - DirectorJames GlickenhausStarsRobert GintySamantha EggarChristopher GeorgeA man's best friend is killed on the streets of New York City. The man (Robert Ginty) then transforms into a violent killer, turning New York City into a great war zone, and Christopher George is the only one to stop him.Day 4 - Friday the 4th
Mini-Review: An 80's action thriller/vigilante flick here. This is basically just a more ruthless and graphic version of Death Wish (1974). The plot is more or less a 'vigilante vignette' structure (after the setup, Eastland becomes the titular 'Exterminator' and the rest of the second act is him 'cleaning the streets up' with his arsenal, which, contrary to the poster, doesn't include a flamethrower). The pacing is very brisk which lends itself to a fast watch here (I watched the 'Unrated Director's Cut' here). The cast is adequate for the most part without any real standouts (I like Eastland the most but Christopher George as Dalton is probably the best). Special shout out to the Vietnam War opening, which is pretty awesome and so savage.
This being a vigilante movie means that there isn't really a 'main villain' here (Dalton is basically the 'Ochoa' in this, and comes closest to being the 'main antagonist'). Dalton isn't that determined to capture Eastland (Dalton's got a subplot with him trying to score with a nurse, which seems out of place), but he does do a somewhat better job at 'locating' Eastland than Ochoa (Dalton puts the puzzle together much faster despite not showing as much interest). There's kills in this and they are absolutely brutal with some savage gore (the beheading and the throat slit are both so ruthless, but 'you mess with Eastland and you go in the grinder!' is my highlight). The climax teases a 'final showdown', but doesn't really follow through with it. The ending sort of comes out of nowhere, and seems like a sequel hook (which obviously happens).
Final thoughts, the visual effects look very gruesome and totally savage (seriously slasher-like blood and gore - nice props and exploding squibs - the aftermath of the 'kiss the cook' kill is straight up haunting). I loved the badass chase sequence with Eastland hunting down those gang members (complete with gratuitous explosion). The cinematography reminds me of a Law & Order episode (you'll know it when it happens). There's plenty of cheesy 80's one-liners in here (mostly from Dalton, but Eastland gets a couple, too). Shout outs going out to that weirdo 'sex torture chamber' with Scuffed Frank Reynolds (literally WTF?), the bullet making scene with Eastland (it doesn't have much purpose but it is very cool), and the bizarre hot dog cooking scene with Dalton (LOL). This is clearly meant to be a ruthless riff on Death Wish (1974), which puts this right up my alley. It doesn't really stand up to Death Wish, but it's still highly entertaining and a worthy entry in this genre.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character(s): John Eastland / The Exterminator (Robert Ginty) & Det. James Dalton (Christopher George)
Carnage Count: 20 (Overall: 59) - DirectorMark BuntzmanStarsRobert GintyMario Van PeeblesDeborah GeffnerThe flamethrower-wielding vigilante John Eastland returns to rid New York City of a drug lord and his gang.Day 5 - Saturday the 5th
Mini-Review: An 80's action thriller/vigilante flick, which is a direct sequel to The Exterminator (1980). This leans more into the 'action thriller' genre than the 'vigilante' genre with it having more conventionality than its predecessor. The plot and story are pretty standard action revenge stuff (the war aspects from the first movie are pretty much gone). The story seems somewhat choppy but that's apparently a failure on the production's part. The performances are about the same as before but with a couple of standouts here (Eastland is similar to before but not quite the same - Frankie Faison as 'Be Gee' is my favorite, but shout out to Caroline and Mario Van Peebles as 'X').
Speaking of 'X', he's also the main villain. Van Peebles' performance as him is sort of campy (especially when he confronts Eastland in the finale). He's got something of a 'signature' for his crimes (he marks a red X on his victims). Most of his underlings are pretty monotonous ('Eyes', who barely has any dialogue, is probably the most unique because he's almost always travelling around on roller skates). There's kills in this, just like the first, and they're not really as brutal as the first (they're almost all incinerations - 'Safety First!', which features some gnarly aftermath, is my highlight). The climax and ending are mostly satisfying but the chase scene with Eastland and X is a little extended.
Final thoughts, I liked the soundtrack in this, which is sort of groovy at times (and I especially liked Eastland's new theme, which also plays over the end credits). Speaking of Eastland, as mentioned, he's mostly the same as the first movie, and also primarily uses a flamethrower (staying true to the poster this time). The main issue I have with this is the editing, which is very sharp at times and obscures the story somewhat (as mentioned earlier, this is apparently a problem from the 'troubled production' of this movie). Shout outs going out to the weirdo cult ritual subway murder (is X's gang supposed to be a cult?), the roller skate kidnapping (smooth moves, lol), and the random break for some breakin' (yep, it's the 80's alright). Despite the choppy narrative and toned down nature, this is still a pretty entertaining followup here (and if you like the first, then you'll probably like this, too).
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Be Gee (Frankie Faison)
Carnage Count: 29 (Overall: 88) - DirectorRobert KirkStarsDeborah ForemanClayton RohnerLyle AlzadoA prison riot breaks out at the moment of serial killer Ivan Moser's electrocution, after which Moser is not found. 18 months later, director Robert Edwards and company arrive to film an exploitation film titled Death House Dollies.Day 6 - Sunday the 6th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural (or is it?) / action slasher here. This is pretty bare bones and just seems to ride or die based on the strength of its performers. The plot has a 'movie-within-a-movie' premise and the story is really straightforward (no real twists or turns apart from maybe one - what you see is what you get for the most part). The cast is above average and do a decent job of carrying the movie here (Anthony Perkins as The Director is my favorite, but shout out to David (played by Clayton Rohner who was also in April Fool's Day (1986)) and Lyle Alzado as the killer, Ivan Moser).
The killer, Ivan Moser, as mentioned, has a very colorful performance and is just a total psycho killer (he literally eats the Final Girl's hair at one point). He seems to be somewhat supernatural since he 'comes back to life' after his failed execution (it's explained as Moser being 'half-alive', which somehow increases his resilience). He doesn't have a main weapon (despite the poster showing him with a jackhammer - he only uses it once in the movie). The kills are pretty weak and mostly off-screen ('shock, drop and eye pop!' is my highlight). The climax is a little extended but still pretty cool and the ending itself is satisfying enough (it all wraps up in an expected fashion).
Final thoughts, even though most of the kills aren't very impressive, there are a couple which are quite bloody with the makeup and effects on the gore being pretty nice (and mostly decent in general). The pacing is good in the first and third acts but it's somewhat sluggish in the second. I enjoyed the soundtrack in this, which is dark but moody at times (I especially loved the ending theme which is pretty much Synthwave). The setting of this is pretty confined, and doesn't really utilize the asylum location as efficiently as it could have. There isn't really too much going on here with its lively performances giving it some elevation above the average slasher.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Robert Edwards (Anthony Perkins)
Carnage Count: 12 (Overall: 100) - DirectorWes CravenStarsMichael MurphyMitch PileggiJohn TeshAfter being sent to the electric chair, a serial killer uses electricity to come back from the dead and carry out his vengeance on the football player who turned him in to the police.Day 6 - Sunday the 6th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural slasher from veteran slasher director, Wes Craven, here. This is similar to Craven's previous slashers with it exploring the 'dream' theme and also television-related media. The plot and story get straight to it with the dream stuff (and it happens at almost the same time as Destroyer (1988), which I watched as a double feature with this). There's a few things going on plotwise (the supernatural stuff begins near the end of the first act, the second act has a bunch of body swapping, and the third act has like two 'climaxes'). The pacing is alright overall, but bogs down slightly in the third act. The performances range from good to great (Horace Pinker is my favorite, but shout out to Jonathan).
Horace is also the killer in this. He doesn't wear a disguise (he mostly appears in his prison garb), and doesn't have a main weapon either (he does use 'lightning' several times, though). He's got powers like the ability to 'body swap'/possession (Amanda is the best one, lol), summon electricity (as mentioned), and literally enter a 'TV Land' and manipulate things inside there. The kills aren't particularly impressive or gory (there is some blood in a few of them, though - 'head twist' is my highlight). The finale, as mentioned, features two climaxes with the first one being the showdown at the TV tower (which is just alright), and the battle in TV Land (which is super creative and just straight up awesome).
Final thoughts, there's plenty of fight scenes in this, which are actually pretty great (the rooftop throwdown with Jonathan vs. Pinker is my favorite, which features a hell of a dropkick by Johnny, lol). Although the kills don't have much gore, there is some gnarly gore in injuries and aftermath shots (including a twofer with Pinker literally going Hannibal Lecter on those two prison guards - absolutely fantastic). I loved almost all of the cheesy 80's VFX in this, including; the TV demon that Pinker summons ('you got it, baby!'), the look of Pinker's 'lightning' (the best I've seen so far), and Pinker entire appearance as a 'digital ghost' (just too sweet, LOL). This tries some unique ideas and has a lot to like in it - had the pacing been tighter and the kills been better, then it could've been fantastic. It's still a pretty great and fun showing from Craven here, though.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Horace Pinker (Mitch Pileggi)
Carnage Count: 15 (Overall: 115) - DirectorAbel FerraraStarsZoë LundBogeyAlbert SinkysA timid and mute seamstress goes insane after being attacked and raped twice in one day, in which she takes to the streets of New York City after dark and randomly shoots men with a .45 caliber pistol.Day 7 - Monday the 7th
Mini-Review: An early 80's vigilante thriller / action horror / exploitation film here. I watched another film by the director of this, The Driller Killer (1979), in Slasher Sunday 2019, and enjoyed that. This is way better than that, and I'm not really sure I have much to say about it other than it's one of my new all-time favorites. This plays out pretty much like Death Wish (1974), but with a female protagonist. Thana, like Kersey, becomes a murderous vigilante prowling the streets of New York City for potential 'victims'. The cast is pretty much all great here (Thana is easily my favorite, but shout out to Albert, Mrs. Nasone, who is very contemptible, and even Abel Ferrara's cameo).
Thana is the villain protagonist here, but she starts off as sympathetic. Her turn into vicious vigilante is faster than someone like Kersey, but the trauma she suffers is also probably more damaging (there's a few scenes which show her sanity crumbling over the course of the first act). She mainly uses, as the title suggests, a Star Model .45 pistol, which she acquires from the 'burglar'. When she becomes a vigilante, she gets 'dolled up' in an enticing disguise (in an effort to attract would-be predators). It isn't really shown how Thana gets proficient with the pistol, but she pulls off some pretty flashy moves at times (my favorite being the badass part when she deals with those guys who surround her). The climax and ending have a similar vibe to The Driller Killer and the resolution seems ambiguous (the final scene is somewhat comedic, though).
Final thoughts, I mentioned at the start of this review about this being something of an 'action horror', and I say this because there's a few scenes which are clearly horror-inspired (complete with accompanying soundtrack). There's plenty of blood and gore in this with some sweet squibs and other practical effects (my favorite being the gore in the drain). This isn't a completely dark movie, and does feature some comedic parts (like the aforementioned ending scene, or the bit with Thana stuffing the corpse parts in her fridge). I watched Drafthouse's transfer of this film, which looked and sounded really great (I especially liked the color grading here). I don't really have much to criticize here, frankly. I really loved this movie, and thought it kicked ass (easily one of the best vigilante movies).
Rating: 10/10 (Masterwork)
Best Character: Thana (Zoë Tamerlis)
Carnage Count: 16 (Overall: 131) - DirectorDanny SteinmannTom DeSimoneStarsLinda BlairJohn VernonRobert DryerA teenage vigilante seeks revenge on a group of violent thugs who raped her handicapped sister and killed her best friend.Day 8 - Tuesday the 8th
Mini-Review: An 80's action thriller / vigilante revenge flick here. This is fairly straightforward for the most part, but it does fully live up to its title. The plot has somewhat of a different setup with the 'victims' being the ones who 'wrong' the 'attackers' near the beginning (the girls steal those guys' car and trash it later). It ends up taking some more screen time before Brenda has a reason to get revenge (even after what you'd think would be the inciting incident to get her going, there's still many mundane scenes before then and when she finally decides to go after them). The performances are mostly good and colorful here (Linda Blair as Brenda is my favorite, but shout out to Linnea Quigley as Brenda's sister, Heather, and Marcia Karr, who I also liked in Killer Workout (1987), as Stevie).
Brenda is the 'vigilante' in this. She mainly uses traps and a crossbow. She's very smug and taunts the villains during their confrontation. The main villain is Jake, who is the leader of the 'Scars' street gang that opposes Brenda and her friends. Jake is a pretty standard '80's vigilante villain' (full leather getup and crazy over the top performance). His underlings are just as sadistic as him. Their reasoning for pursuing the girls is basically to get revenge for being pranked (as mentioned, they get their car stolen, but they find it later and it's full of garbage). They're all total scumbags, which makes them nice and contemptible. The climax and ending are both quite satisfying with a 'fiery' finish (which is preceded by a decent chase sequence in that warehouse).
Final thoughts, speaking of the final confrontation, shout out to the obvious and crazy 'face' mask that Jake wears in his last scene (straight up box head, lol). Also shout out to Brenda smoking in school (too kewl for skool). There's kills in this and they're good enough ('...then I took an arrow to the throat' is my highlight). There's also plenty of nudity, skimpy outfits, and gratuitous 80's spandex in this (pretty much during the entire gym workout / shower sequence). That said, I did enjoy most of the costuming here (very 80's). The screenwriting is pretty standard and is mostly cheesy, but there are a couple of clever one-liners and funny lines. The likable cast carries the plot nicely during the more mundane sections with the entertaining climax and other exploitation goodness making for a pretty awesome package here.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Brenda (Linda Blair)
Carnage Count: 6 (Overall: 137) - DirectorMichael WinnerStarsCharles BronsonJill IrelandVincent GardeniaArchitect Paul Kersey once again becomes a vigilante when he tries to find the five street punks who murdered his daughter and housekeeper, this time on the dark streets of Los Angeles.Day 9 - Wednesday the 9th (WISH WEDNESDAY)
Mini-Review: An early 80's action thriller / vigilante flick, and the first sequel to Death Wish (1974). This is basically more of the same from the first Death Wish, but with more action and violence. The plot has a way more violent and vicious inciting incident in here than in the first (even more rape and murder). The story still does a great job of alternating between its plot threads here (the vigilante stuff and the architect stuff). The pacing and runtime are both nearly perfect. The cast is about the same as before with some of them returning from the first (Bronson is still the best, but shout out to Ochoa and Laurence Fishburne's cameo as Cutter).
There isn't really a 'main' villain here, just like the first movie, with the primary antagonists being a random street gang ('Nirvana' probably comes the closest to being the main antagonist, though). This gang is mostly your 'typical 80's ruffians'. When Kersey returns to his vigilante lifestyle, he sort of adopts an alter ego (he uses disguises in here, and favors a 'vagabond' outfit for most of the movie). He pretty much becomes a hitman (yes, like Agent 47) at the end of the movie when he goes after his final victim (seriously, that whole sequence is basically a mission from Hitman). Speaking of the ending, the climax and final confrontation are both fantastic, and the ending itself seems to suggest that there's more to come (which there is, of course).
Final thoughts, the kills in this are a bit more bloody (still all gunshots) and Kersey now gives quips before he blasts his victims ('boombox headshot', which features some nice gore, is my highlight). The action overall gets an upgrade in here as well (the all-out shootout in the memorial point (park?), which includes a pretty gratuitous car explosion, is my favorite). Stray shout outs going out to Cutter's crazy shades (he wears his sunglasses at night), Ochoa and his perpetual cough (seriously, what's up with that?) which makes a comeback from the first movie, and the soundtrack which is pretty decent. This doesn't change much from the first, but it does serve up an entertaining dose of 80's vigilante justice while still being an awesome chapter of Kersey's saga.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson)
Carnage Count: 14 (Overall: 151) - DirectorAndy SidarisStarsRonn MossDona SpeirHope Marie CarltonIn Hawaii, an undercover DEA agent and her civilian friend stumble upon a drug trafficking operation, and have to enlist the help of all their colleagues/friends to go after the vicious drug kingpin.Day 10 - Thursday the 10th (TRIPLE THURSDAY)
Mini-Review: A late 80's action thriller and the second installment of the Triple B series. This is definitely an upgrade from the first movie - even though it is essentially more of the same from the first. The plot and story here are very bizarre and outlandish - even more so than the first (there's two threats mixed up into this here - one is with a 'contaminated' snake, which is infected by 'cancer-infested' rats (uh-huh), and the other is a diamond smuggling plot with a strange and murderous cartel). The cast are all super campy and gratuitous (pretty much just like the first movie - Donna and Taryn are my favorites, but shout out to J.J. Jackson, and his weirdo pill scene, and 'Michelle', who is played by the guy who played 'Stuart' in Malibu Express (1985)).
There's like three main villains here; Seth Romero (who probably qualifies as the main antagonist), Mr. Chang (Seth's 'boss'), and, of course, the contaminated snake (yes). Seth and Chang are both stereotypical 80's bad guys (right down to the way they dress). The snake is the ringer here, and has a neat-looking design (literally a rabid viper). The kills are much better in this; more elaborate, gorier, and just flat out absurd ('bazooka blowup' and 'razor frisbee' are my highlights - both are just so awesome and extravagant). Speaking of absurd, the climax and 'final fight' with Donna and Seth is increasing weird and gratuitous (Donna throws everything but the kitchen sink at Seth, and then the snake enters the fray and it gets real). The ending is pretty hardcore with them just rolling up at Chang's office and facing off with him (they just didn't care, LOL).
Final thoughts, the soundtrack, just like the first movie, is very 80's, and I especially liked the theme song here. The screenplay is, once again, very cheesy with lots of punny dialogue (I liked the quips more in this, though). There's still plenty of nudity and skimpy outfits in here (which is always fine by me, and one of the main appeals of these movies). Stray shout outs to the opening (and ending) credits sequences which used shipping crates (pretty creative), the random nunchuck / muscle show from that henchwoman (I enjoyed it, but it was very strange), and the various movie poster cameos from other Andy Sidaris films (like Stacey (1973), Seven (1979), and even, strangely enough, Malibu Express (1985)).
Speaking of the Malibu Express poster, this is definitely a sequel to that movie, but they treat it like Malibu Express is a 'fictional retelling' of the actual events of that movie (and apparently Cody becomes a movie star or something). In this movie, which has so much bizarre stuff in it already, that meta 'explanation' for why Cody is absent from this just adds a whole other layer of weirdness to the plot and story as a whole (it's just bewildering to think about, frankly). This takes all of the ingredients from the first movie and cranks them up several notches. It's an improvement over the first movie in almost every regard and is certainly quite a sight to behold.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character(s): Donna & Taryn (Dona Speir & Hope Marie Carlton)
Carnage Count: 15 (Overall: 166) - DirectorRobert Vincent O'NeilStarsCliff GormanSusan TyrrellDick ShawnMolly, a high schooler, secretly earns her living as Angel, a street prostitute whose only family and friends are the ones she works with on the streets. She has to survive against a serial killer who is targeting people of her profession.Day 11 - Friday the 11th
Mini-Review: An 80's thriller slasher here, which is the first installment of the Angel series. This isn't quite what I expected it to be (I expected more of a vigilante-type deal), but its makeup still ended up being up my alley. The plot is basically a slasher story with it intercutting between Molly / Angel's life (the mundane stuff) and the killer's murderous antics (the slasher angle). Because of this combination, it ends up feeling like a thriller mixed with a slasher (which is fine by me). The cast is pretty good across the board with a couple of campy performances sprinkled in (Donna Wilkes does a good job of juggling the role of Molly & Angel, which makes her my favorite here, but shout out to Mae, Kit the Cowboy, and even the killer).
This being part slasher means that the villain is a serial killer here (he doesn't have a name). He's pretty much an expy of Francis Dolarhyde (except without the mask). He's got multiple workout diversion scenes (lifting and sit ups). He doesn't say a single word until his final scene (sort of like the killer from Final Exam (1981)), and seems to favor a switchblade as his main weapon. The kills are bloody but not really gory ('butchered beneath the sheets' is my highlight). The climax features a foot chase sequence through Hollywood (and is sort of an inversion of what you'd probably expect). There isn't really a reveal in regards to the killer (he's just some guy), and the ending itself is pretty weird (especially the final confrontation).
Final thoughts, there's plenty of weirdo scenes in this (mostly in regards to the killer), like; the killer drinking the egg (that's right), the killer crying while cutting his hair (because why not?), all the scenes with either the landlady with literally painted-on eyebrows or Wayne the awkward idiot, Mae's creepy face lick, or the extended scene of the killer bathing aggressively (with gratuitous nudity). Speaking of nudity, there's plenty of it in here (like the locker room or the showering scenes). Stray shout outs to the daring and kind of awesome police station escape, the cracking wise during a death fight, and the Charles Bronson photograph cameo at that restaurant. This blends a few genres together and manages to produce a pretty great result with the strong cast giving it an extra little boost here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Molly Stewart / Angel (Donna Wilkes)
Carnage Count: 8 (Overall: 174) - DirectorRobert Vincent O'NeilStarsBetsy RussellRory CalhounSusan TyrrellMolly, former prostitute, has managed to leave her street life with help from Lt. Andrews. She studies law and leads a normal life. When Andrews is killed by a brutal gang, she returns to the streets as Angel to find his killers.Day 12 - Saturday the 12th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's vigilante comedy here, and the second installment of the Angel series. This is way more lighthearted than the first movie, and is pretty much an action comedy. The plot and story lean more into the 'vigilante' genre here than the first movie (which is more of a slasher). It's pretty much vigilante justice from start to finish in here (with only a few 'cool down' scenes). The performances are more cartoonish and campy than the first with most of the surviving cast from the original returning (Betsy Russell replaces Donna Wilkes as the titular character, and is also my favorite here, but shout out to Kit (again) and Michael A. Andrews' cameo (who also appears in the Triple B series)).
The main villain is a crime boss named Arthur Gerrard. His performance is pretty much the standard '80's evil business guy' villain. He does show some personality in the final confrontation, though. His underlings (Miles and Ray) are both pretty comically over the top and cartoony with their performances (most of his underlings get straight up Disney Villain Deaths - the best being the guy who slips on a wet floor and falls out of a window). Molly revives her 'Angel' alter ego, and uses it as her vigilante persona. She's got her own 'gang' in this (which the bad guys literally refer to as a 'ragtag band of misfits'). She uses a handcannon revolver, just like the first movie (and also a derringer pistol). The climax and ending are about what you'd expect, and are sort of similar to the first (except for the final confrontation).
Final thoughts, there's a lot more murder and killing in this, but it's nearly all comedic in nature (some of the villain's murders are dramatic, but most of the vigilante kills are comedic - 'BOOM! HEADSHOT' is my highlight). This being mostly a comedy means that the comedy and jokes play a large role here, and they're somewhat decent (my favorite bits are the asylum escape, the comically over the top 'villainous meetings' (including the vase drop), the straight up Weekend at Bernie's (1989) styled hostage exchange, and, of course, the collapsing shotgun (the finest)). There's also an entire character whose sole purpose is comedic relief (it's Johnny Glitter, who is almost always accompanied by a glitter explosion - complete with sound effect). This isn't really anything like the original and takes a more slapstick approach, but it is still a pretty fun and lighthearted followup here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Molly Stewart / Angel (Betsy Russell)
Carnage Count: 17 (Overall: 191) - DirectorWallace PottsStarsRobert R. ShaferJeff QuallePalmer Lee ToddSix college students on their weekend vacation are humiliated and killed one by one by a psycho cop.Day 13 - Sunday the 13th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A late 80's supernatural backwoods slasher here. This is really conventional for the most part with a pretty shoddy execution. The plot and story are the bare bones 'stranded in woods with maniac' theme. The supernatural angle puts something of a twist on it, though (more on this later). The story itself doesn't really try to deviate much from the 'slasher formula', ultimately (it plays out pretty much just like I thought it would). The pacing is kind of decent in the first two acts but it struggles near the end. The cast is all very stiff and amateurish (the couple at the beginning are the worst - the killer, Officer Joe Vickers, is my favorite because he's the only animated character in there).
As mentioned, the killer, Officer Joe Vickers, gives a lively performance (and cracks lots of punny jokes as he's about to kill his victims). He doesn't really wear a disguise (he's in his police uniform for the whole movie), and doesn't have a main weapon either (he does use the tools in his 'cop arsenal', though). The supernatural angle in the story comes from Vickers' apparent superhuman powers (he's got a couple of powers here, including; super strength, enhanced resilience, and, interestingly enough, teleportation). He also partakes in stalking (with over the shoulder shots and 'whispering') The kills are pretty bland but some are decently bloody ('have a heart!', which is literally said by Vickers, is my highlight). The climax and ending are basically an extended chase sequence (which seems a little longwinded), and the final scene is an obvious sequel hook (which ends up happening).
Final thoughts, the screenwriting in this is pretty bad overall (especially with regards to the dialogue, which is very 'on the nose' - I don't use this phrase a lot, but it's very blatant in here). The bad dialogue is compounded by the stiff acting from the main cast, which made me question the motive of this film (it honestly made me think that this might be a satire, but there isn't really any 'turn' to suggest otherwise - it plays everything pretty straight, apart from the killer and his intentionally comedic dialogue). It's kind of bewildering, and I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be taking it seriously or not (I ended up sort of writing it off, and just gave my consideration to Vickers and his murderous antics). If they had been a bit more creative, and had stated the tone more clearly than this probably could've been good, but it just ended up being a mostly average slasher here (and sort of reminded me, in a way, of Slashdance (1989)).
Rating: 5/10 (Average)
Best Character: Officer Joe Vickers (Bobby Ray Shafer)
Carnage Count: 10 (Overall: 201) - DirectorAdam RifkinStarsRobert R. ShaferBarbara NivenRod SweitzerPsychopath cop decides to kill everyone who he thinks has broken the law.Day 13 - Sunday the 13th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: An early 90's video comedy slasher, and the sequel to Psycho Cop (1989). This is pretty much exactly what I expected the first movie to be (an urban slasher with a killer cop), and is much better than I thought it would be. This has the urban setting (instead of backwoods), but the plot is still pretty confined (it takes places in a high rise building). It's overall still got the same standard setup and execution as the first, though (conforms to the formula). The pacing and runtime are tighter and more streamlined here (there's almost no wasted scene here). The cast is much better this time around with some of them giving obviously campy performances (they were pretty self-aware here - Officer Joe Vickers is my favorite again).
The killer, Officer Joe Vickers, as the title suggests, returns from the first movie. His personality is pretty much identical to the original (still cracking wise and making puns after he kills people). His 'disguise' is exactly the same as the first movie (right down to the leather jacket). He uses a Beretta 92 handgun as his main weapon (which I guess is used by the LAPD). The kills are mostly basic but are also a lot bloodier with some pretty nice looking gore (most of them are headshots, but they are very bloody and gory - 'the mouth off' is my highlight). The climax and ending are similar to the original (chase sequence), but they are much better timed here. The final scene is another sequel hook (just like the first movie).
Final thoughts, there's more intentional comedy in here (what with this being more comedic), and I did enjoy most of the bits (Vickers' puns are a tad better). There's a ton more nudity, sex scenes and skimpy outfits in this compared to the original (which had pretty much none - shout out to the extended strip dance sequence and the plethora of ass shots (seriously, there is a lot)). More stray shout outs to the slow-mo doughnut eating and office destruction scenes, the Friday the 13th shout out ('Part Infinity'), the opening credits with the mutilated corpse, and the extremely bizarre 'music video' playing in the background of the strip dance scene (it also plays during the ending credits). This is just a tremendous improvement over the first movie in almost every regard. It doubles down on its villain's charisma, finds its tone, and delivers an entertaining and pretty sexy offering here.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Officer Joe Vickers (Bobby Ray Shafer)
Carnage Count: 14 (Overall: 215) - DirectorRoberta FindlayStarsJoe LynnMina BernWalter BryantA drug selling and violent street-gang terrorize the renters of a big trashy apartment-house.Day 14 - Monday the 14th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's action thriller / exploitation film here. This is pretty much exactly what you think it is (the log line 'gang attacks tenants of a rundown apartment' is about as accurate as it gets). The plot is basically a bunch of random scenes assembled around the bare bones story line (apparently this is a 'random events plot', which is common in exploitation films). The simple story didn't bother me, but I didn't care for the random plot. Despite the structure, the pacing is adequate enough here. The cast seems amateur but they are mostly serviceable (shout out to Chula and Washington, but Hector, played by Paul Calderon in his film debut, is my favorite).
The main villain is Chaco, who is the leader of the gang that terrorizes the tenement. He doesn't have much of a personality beyond the 'sinister gang boss' archetype. His underlings outshine him greatly (like Chula and Hector, as mentioned, but also Sal and Nines). The gang themselves is mostly just the standard 80's gang crew here (lots of leather and switchblades - you know the deal). There isn't really a 'main' protagonist here with the tenants usually 'taking turns' for the lead character (I suppose Washington comes the closest to being the main character). The climax and ending are dramatic, and I liked the rainy rooftop setting, but they weren't particularly exciting (the final confrontation is sort of downplayed).
Final thoughts, I enjoyed the soundtrack in here, which is pretty bombastic at times (shout out to the theme song for the movie, 'Tenement' by Kool Krew, which plays during the opening and ending credits). There's a lot of blood and gore in here (the blood is bright and the gore is sometimes pretty creative). Speaking of creative gore, there's obviously kills in here, and they're also pretty creative and quite ruthless ('killer high' and 'eye for an eye' are my highlights). The cinematography and direction are both pretty decent in this with some nice shots in there (I particularly liked the POV shots, which are mostly highlighting the gang members). Even though the story is basic and the plot is unorganized, this still offers up some creative savagery, gory kills, and decent performances.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Hector (Paul Calderon)
Carnage Count: 14 (Overall: 229) - DirectorJoseph MandukeStarsKen WahlGeorge DiCenzoXander BerkeleyAn ex-GI's daughter is abducted by a gang of white supremacists. He calls on one of his former Army buddies, and together they set out to track down the gang and rescue his daughter.Day 15 - Tuesday the 15th
Mini-Review: A mid 80's action thriller / vigilante flick here. This isn't as cool as the poster makes it out to be (big shocker), but it still ended up being pretty much exactly what I hoped it would be. The plot and story have a straightforward setup, and they play out in an expected fashion (no real surprises here). If you've seen other vigilante flicks (or a lot of them like me), then you already know the deal here. Despite the conventionality, this still has a tight runtime with some expert pacing (the movie flies by). The cast is pretty good (and sometimes quirky) across the board here (Jack, who is very 'punny' and sarcastic, is my favorite, but shout out to Philly, Nicole Eggert as Jessie, and Xander Berkeley as 'Yo-Yo').
The main villain is Saxon, who is the leader of the 'Omegas' terrorist group (who are totally not just a Neo-Nazi street gang). He tries to be affable at times (especially when he deals with Jessie) but usually fails. 'Yo-Yo', his main underling, offers a more colorful and entertaining performance (I think he's also supposed to be the guy on the poster - he wears a ski mask during the robbery scene and uses a Sten gun in the final shootout, but he never has them together, though). The climax and ending are basically one long shootout and are pretty cool (although the kills are mostly weak). The final fight on the rooftop has some decent choreography, and the last scene ends on a comedic note.
Final thoughts, I enjoyed the mellow opening and ending theme songs here. The action in here is a step above most of these low budget vigilante thrillers (I mentioned the rooftop fight, but shout out to the hilarious and kind of awesome chase sequence - which involves a foot and car chase). Speaking of that scene, finally they show someone effectively using the 'fallen debris' trope. This isn't really very gory but there are a couple of kills with some blood in them (especially in the finale). Stray shout outs going out to Saxon's gratuitous 'action dive' over that railing to tackle that doctor (lol) and Milnor's bizarre junk food addiction (he always seems to have red vines on him). This doesn't really do anything particularly impressive or noteworthy, but it's still a pretty fast and fun entry in this genre here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Jack Corbett (Ken Wahl)
Carnage Count: 16 (Overall: 245) - DirectorMichael WinnerStarsCharles BronsonDeborah RaffinEd LauterArchitect/vigilante Paul Kersey arrives back in New York City and is forcibly recruited by a crooked police chief to fight street crime caused by a large gang terrorizing the neighborhoods.Day 16 - Wednesday the 16th (WISH WEDNESDAY)
Mini-Review: A mid 80's action thriller / vigilante flick, and the second sequel to Death Wish (1974). This is similar to Death Wish II, but with a lot more action and gunfights. The plot is structured more like a typical 80's action movie (unlike the previous installment), and the story itself also conforms to most of the expected tropes. The cast is pretty great here and features some familiar faces (Bronson, again, is my favorite here, but shout out to Martin Balsam, who I recognize as Arbogast from Psycho (1960), Fraker, and Alex Winter's cameo as Hermosa).
Manny Fraker is also the main villain here (which I suppose makes this the first of these with an easily identifiable antagonist), and he gives a memorable performance (and sports a pretty compelling 'reverse-mohawk' haircut). He leads a gang of other 80's ruffians (who are referred to as the 'Creeps' and all seem to have 'markings' on their faces to denote their gang involvement). Paul Kersey is back in New York City, and, with encouragement from the police, is let loose once again on the criminals.
Kersey uses a few different weapons here, but favors a Wildey pistol (the part when he shows the gun off is pretty much a commercial). He doesn't wear a disguise this time (it's just him prowling around). He also uses traps a few times here (like the 'nail board welcome mat' or the 'bladed catapult'). The entire third act is basically a full-scale gang war with the streets becoming pretty much an open war zone (it's a very grand and extravagant set piece). The final scene, as usual, seems to suggest that there's more to come (and there is, obviously).
Final thoughts, this does take place in the 80's, but it's kind of bizarre to see Kersey literally get his arsenal through the mail (including the freaking LAW rocket launcher, lol). I enjoyed the soundtrack in this, which is pretty great - just like the other Death Wish movies (I especially liked the groovy ending theme). Shout out to Shriker's 'hip guy' dialogue (he likes to say 'dude' a lot). This isn't nearly as 'ruthless' as the other two movies, and amps up the action considerably. It's sort of like Tenement (1985) (which came out the same year), but with a much higher budget and on a larger scale. This however has the benefit of Bronson, which keeps it ahead of most of these other 80's action movies.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Paul Kersey (Charles Bronson)
Carnage Count: 70 (Overall: 315) - DirectorAndy SidarisStarsSteve BondDona SpeirHope Marie CarltonAfter his brother got eliminated in Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987), a crime lord triggers a ruthless hunt against all agents responsible, and the remaining agents will have to avenge their fallen comrades.Day 17 - Thursday the 17th (TRIPLE THURSDAY)
Mini-Review: A late 80's action spy flick and the third installment of the Triple B series. This is a lot of the same from the previous entries but with many more explosions (almost every bad guy dies from an explosion in here). The plot and story try for more of the 'spy' angle here, and the opening is basically a myriad of assassinations (mostly of the 'good' guys). The rest of it plays out probably how you'd expect (except for the ending, which I'll cover in a minute). The performances are about the same as usual with most of the main characters from the previous movie returning here (the only one who doesn't return is Rowdy, and he is seemingly replaced by a possible relative named Travis - shout out to 'Pantera', but Donna and Taryn are still my favorites here).
There's a couple of villains here, but the main villain doesn't even really show up until the end (there's like a gang war that goes on with the apparent main villain facing off with the protagonists and the other real main villain). Ortiz is one of the gang leaders and he's pretty much the standard 'Miami Vice' bad guy here (complete with accompanying suit). The other guy is like a James Bond villain knockoff (again, complete with accompanying outfit). Ortiz's henchmen are somewhat colorful (and seem to enjoy rhyming when they inform the others about their kills). The climax and ending are a smorgasbord of twists, fake outs, and multiple explosions (it kind of borders on parody after a certain point). The final scene plays out just like the last two movies (big chillin' on the Malibu Express).
Final thoughts, just like the other two entries of this series, this has plenty of nudity and skimpy outfits (Donna's first scene is literally a gratuitous shower scene). There's even more cheesy sex scenes (with the frequency of these scenes being extremely weird - they happen at the most bizarre times). There seems to be more action set pieces in this (shout out to the swamp shootout and boat chase and the hovercraft and jet ski showdown). Stray shout outs to Jade's illegal eye poke (literally bursting that guy's eyes out), the 'kaboomerang' (it doesn't top the 'razor frisbee' from the first movie, but it's still pretty awesome), and the straight up RC-XD (did Treyarch get that idea from this movie?). This tries to amp up the action from the previous movies, but isn't quite as outlandish as Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987). I'd probably put this on par with Malibu Express (1985), and it's about as good and fun a watch as that movie.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character(s): Donna & Taryn (Dona Speir & Hope Marie Carlton)
Carnage Count: 21 (Overall: 326) - DirectorTom DeSimoneStarsMitzi KaptureMark BlankfieldEmile BeaucardMolly accidentally takes a picture of a woman who turns out to be her mother, who abandoned her fourteen years ago. She tracks her down, only to find that she has another daughter, and both are connected to a dangerous crime element.Day 18 - Friday the 18th
Mini-Review: A late 80's crime thriller, and the third installment of the Angel series. This has a pretty plain tone and doesn't really feel anything like the other two movies (the first has a horror feel and the second has a comedic angle, but this leans so deep into the 'crime' aspect). The plot and story are both monotonous and really bone dry with a sluggish pacing (it has a more 'traditional' slow burn crime film structure). The cast is pretty average, and nowhere near as colorful as the previous two entries (Mitzi Kapture does a decent job as Molly, even though Molly doesn't act like she does in the previous movies, and shout out to Pam and Richard Roundtree and Dick Miller's cameos).
The main villain is Nadine, who is apparently the leader of a human trafficking ring. Her performance is kind of flamboyant, but it clashes with the more 'serious' tone here. Her main henchmen are the drug cartel members, including their leader Shahid. Shahid gives a more expected performance (although he does let loose in the finale). The kills and bloodshed are downsized considerably in here (only four in total, but the first and last kills are pretty extravagant). The climax and ending are where most (or rather almost all) of the action happens (it's one giant shootout). The final villain gets a pretty neat and highly dramatic death. The last scene ends just like the previous movie did.
Final thoughts, even though this is way less bizarre and outlandish than the previous entries, there are still some 'wacky' elements in here (like the weirdo 'cavegirl' adult film plot turn or the gratuitous Toni Basil cameo). There's a couple of continuity errors and other goofs in here (like Pam calling Angel by her real name, Molly, even though she'd never learned it). This particular entry kicks the nudity and skimpy outfits ratio up a few notches (lots of topless chicks and thongs in here). This doesn't do anything remarkable, and has a really bland feeling to it. The few bright spots in there do keep it a slight cut above most other 80's crime films, but it still ends up being the weakest entry in this series so far.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Molly Stewart / Angel (Mitzi Kapture)
Carnage Count: 4 (Overall: 330) - DirectorRichard SchenkmanStarsDarlene VogelShane FraserAlan PicardiMolly, now a police photographer, reconnects with an old friend. The friend is murdered, so Molly assumes the Angel identity to find the killer, searching clubs as a groupie.Day 19 - Saturday the 19th
Mini-Review: A 90's, uh, 'crime' movie here, and the final installment of the Angel series. Remember when I said Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988) didn't feel like an Angel movie? Well, this really doesn't feel like an Angel movie. I guess I should start with the plot, which features an episodic structure. The story itself is almost nonexistent until the end of the first act (everything until that point just feels like a bunch of random scenes cobbled together). The cast is like 'adult film' actor level for the most part (I guess Molly / Angel is the best here, but 'Piston', who gives a crazy campy performance, deserves a shout out).
Jade is probably the main villain here (although Geoffrey and Hank are pretty villainous too). Jade is sort of like the scorned lover-type antagonist (she gets jealous of anyone getting too close to Piston). Molly is basically nothing like her previous characterizations (she's even further from her original self than in the previous entry). She 'becomes' Angel again when she, as the title suggests, goes 'undercover' (to infiltrate Piston's inner circle). Unlike the poster, she doesn't use any guns (or any weapons for that matter). She's also blonde now for some reason. The climax and ending are pretty impotent with low stakes (just like Angel III, the villain gets a pretty extravagant defeat).
Final thoughts, this features a heavy 'musical' (not that musical) theme, and it literally begins with a pretty gaudy 'music video' (it's full 90's cheese). This doesn't have as much nudity as Angel III, but it does still have a fair amount of it (again, plenty of thongs). Shout out to the 'double whammy' of the sex scene followed immediately by the gratuitous shower scene (yes, lol). I didn't really care for the cinematography or direction in this (it's low budget, but it's also got a TV show-like production quality to it). This is easily the sleaziest and the cheesiest of this series, and that rescues most of the negatives and makes it a somewhat decent actual final chapter here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Molly Stewart / Angel (Darlene Vogel)
Carnage Count: 4 (Overall: 334) - DirectorGeorge P. CosmatosStarsSylvester StalloneBrigitte NielsenReni SantoniA tough-on-crime street cop must protect the only surviving witness to a strange murderous cult with far-reaching plans.Day 20 - Sunday the 20th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: A mid 80's thriller slasher / action horror here. This is like a hybrid of 80's action and 80's slasher with a dash of Giallo (but like a bizarro version of it) in there. The plot and story are pretty straightforward with a tight runtime and brisk pacing (all of the story beats and action set pieces are expertly timed). The performances are mostly great here (Stallone is stern but sometimes sarcastic as the titular character, so I suppose he's the best here - but shout out to Detective Monte, who is perfectly smarmy, and Brian Thompson as the 'Night Slasher').
The Night Slasher is also the killer here. He's never given an actual name. He wears a couple of different disguises (his main one is the 'classic' stocking mask, but he also poses as a janitor at one point). His main weapon is a gnarly-looking hunting knife. His performance is pretty committed and personality is quite outlandish (he's the leader of a cult, apparently). The kills are very basic with almost no gore (there is some blood, though - 'evidence in the furnace', which is extremely ruthless, is my highlight). The climax is fantastic and the final fight between Cobra and the Night Slasher is awesome (I really loved this particular set piece). It ends on a happy, albeit expected, note.
Final thoughts, the action in this is pretty fantastic overall (I mentioned the final showdown at the steel mill, but there's also a really great chase sequence and the entire hospital ambush). Most of the dialogue is basic, but also pretty cheesy at times (Cobra gets plenty of 'badass' one-liners and other quippy comments). Shout outs to Cobra's license plate (AWESOM 50), the custom grips on his 1911, the Jatimatic assembly scene, and pretty much the entire scene when Cobra returns to his apartment (cutting the pizza with scissors and cleaning the 1911). It's obvious that this is supposed to be a Stallone vehicle, but it still manages to be highly entertaining with some awesome stylish action.
Rating: 9/10 (Incredible)
Best Character: Lt. Marion "Cobra" Cobretti (Sylvester Stallone)
Carnage Count: 52 (Overall: 386) - DirectorRobert ResnikoffStarsLou Diamond PhillipsTracy GriffithJeff KoberA dedicated L.A. police detective and a psychic must stop a demonic serial killer who was given the powers of resurrection, teleportation and possession.Day 20 - Sunday the 20th (SLASHER SUNDAY) *DOUBLE FEATURE*
Mini-Review: An early 90's supernatural thriller slasher here. This has a pretty standard premise for supernatural slashers but its presentation sets it apart from the crowd here. As mentioned, the plot has a similar setup to some other supernatural slashers (namely Shocker (1989)), but the actual story itself doesn't unfold as exactly as expected (especially the ending, which I'll cover later). The runtime is a little longer, but the pacing makes up for it (it moves pretty fast). The cast is pretty good and convincing for the most part (Lou Diamond Phillips as Logan, who makes the most of his part, is my favorite, but the killer, Channing, is also pretty entertaining).
The killer, Patrick Channing, is a supernatural character and literally has powers (they call his power, which is body swapping, 'the third power'). In his original body (and a couple of the possessed ones), he does wear a disguise (it's a stylized 'man' mask). He doesn't have a main weapon, but he seems to favor bladed weapons. His personality is of the 'unhinged' type (he's a laughing maniac most of the time). The kills are mostly weak but sort of bloody (pretty much no gore, and they also remind me of Carved: The Slit-Mouthed Woman (2007) - 'skewered and cured' is my highlight). The climax is serviceable, and the ending is ambiguously dark.
Final thoughts, there's a few dream sequence fake outs in here (which I usually dislike, but some of them here are kind of funny). I really loved almost all of the action set pieces in here (the choreography is tight and the car stunts / chases are all so wacky and awesome). Speaking of sets, this has some great locations in here (I especially liked the water treatment plant). Shout out to Channing using the ceiling fan as a rotor blade (probably the most bonkers thing in the movie, honestly). By the time this had come out, others had done most of what was seen in here. This differs and succeeds mostly with a greater execution and, as mentioned, an attractive presentation.
Rating: 8/10 (Great)
Best Character: Det. Russ Logan (Lou Diamond Phillips)
Carnage Count: 5 (Overall: 391) - DirectorCullen BlaineStarsMargaret TriggRichard GessweinJayne SmithRobotic Officer Tactical Operation Research. A prototype robot intended for crime combat escapes from the development lab and goes on a killing rampage.Day 21 - Monday the 21st
Mini-Review: A late 80's Sci-Fi horror / action comedy here. This is just some pure 80's trash right here (you usually know this by the end, but this is just trashy from start to finish). The plot and story are both extremely stupid and rely on the characters making irrational decisions (a lot of slasher movies do this too, but this takes it beyond reason). Despite the moronic plot, the pacing is fast and the runtime is short (but, in a bizarre twist, there's also some obvious padding in there, which doesn't really overstay its welcome, though). The acting is pretty much trash (it's on display with the couple in the very first scene - 'Sony' is probably my favorite, but Dr. Steele, who has a, uh, 'peculiar' look and is overdubbed by Georganna Barry, and 'Mokie' are both worthy of a shout out).
There's two main villains, but ROTOR (the title character) is the headliner here. ROTOR doesn't really look like the poster (he doesn't look robotic, but he does wear a full leather getup). He also does use a Desert Eagle handgun and rides a black sports bike (just like the poster). The other villain is pretty flamboyant and doesn't really take the stage until near the end. When ROTOR is hunting Sony down, the movie almost becomes a slasher (including the scene when ROTOR murders that one guy). The climax is explosive but also somehow pretty impotent. The ending is weirdly dark (with a dumb downer bit that comes out of nowhere - seriously, what the hell? LOL). The final scene seems to suggest that there's more to come (but there isn't, of course).
Final thoughts, there is some horrible and bewildering dubbing in here (I mentioned Steele earlier, but even Coldyron, the goddamn main character, is overdubbed for some reason - and his overdub is very obvious and very terrible). Gotta love Coldyron's apparent narration, which turns out to be him talking to himself in the police cruiser (LOL at that cop's reaction). I enjoyed the ending theme ('Hideaway' by Randy and Smith, which also plays during the 'date' montage). Some classic filmmaking errors in there, like the plethora of reflection shots (pretty much any closeup of ROTOR has the camera crew reflecting in his aviators). I liked that weirdo stop motion 'video demonstation' of ROTOR's 'animatronics' (Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto - LOL).
Speaking of robots, special mention to Willard the super cheesy and punny police robot. Nice lampshade hanging ('low budget Sci-Fi movie'). Stray shout outs to Buglar staring directly into the camera during his rant, Shoeboogie and his 'switchcomb', ROTOR's multiple wheelies, and the cool Kung Fu store girl. This is a bad movie - it's Trash City, but it's also pretty fun to watch (and probably ridicule in real time). Honestly, I don't really feel like this 'tried' to be more than a cheesy and trashy romp here. They knew, or at least I hope they did, what they were making, set out to exploit it, and ended up with some decently entertaining trash here.
Rating: 6/10 (Decent)
Best Character: Sony (Margaret Trigg)
Carnage Count: 5 (Overall: 396) - DirectorRobert KurtzmanStarsNicole EggertBruce AbbottSusan TyrrellA murdered police officer is brought back to life by a cold-hearted scientist to serve as "The Demolitionist", the ultimate crime-fighting weapon in a city overrun by criminals and internal corruption.Day 22 - Tuesday the 22nd
Mini-Review: A mid 90's action horror movie here. This, like ROTOR (1987) (which I reviewed before this), is a movie made to cash in on the RoboCop series. The plot and story are basically the same as Bloodshot (2020) (person suffers fatal injuries and gets brought back to life with nanobots to serve as a violent defender). The difference here being that Alyssa targets only criminals (the gang that killed her to begin with). The performances are decent enough for the most part (Alyssa is probably my favorite, but shout out to both Susan Tyrrell, who also appears in the Angel series, and Richard Grieco who both ham it up to the extreme).
The main villain is 'Mad Dog' Burne (who is played by Grieco). His performance is very campy and his personality is very outlandish (true to form, I guess?). He uses a large revolver as his main weapon (which he claims to have had since childhood). He leads a sort of biker gang, who are pretty standard (some of them do get overtly gross at times, though). Tom Savini plays the top underling (named Roland), and he's basically just Sex Machine from From Dusk till Dawn (1996) (which came out afterward, ironically).
When Alyssa becomes the 'Demolitionist', she's just a female version of Bloodshot (just like him, she also needs to replenish her supply of nanobots daily). She gets supplied with an arsenal of custom weapons (including some 'sawed-off' assault rifles). Her outfit is sort of like a jumpsuit (except not really?) with additional 'padding' (and you'd better believe there's a 'suit up' montage). She rides a black sports bike (just like ROTOR). The climax is just a 'bad guy massacre' with the final death being really gruesome. The ending seems to be a setup for more (but there isn't).
Final thoughts, the makeup and special effects in this are pretty good (I mentioned the last death scene earlier, which is grotesque, but the 'nightmare' sequences with the demon-like figures are pretty neat, too). Shout out to Crowley's quad barrel derringer pistol (the real MVP). Not all of the cinematography is great, but some of the night shots looked really cool. There's plenty of explosions and other pyrotechnics in here (including a scene where Alyssa does the 'cool guy walkaway from explosion' trope). There's quite a few cameos in here (I mentioned Savini earlier, but Heather Langenkamp also appears in a supporting role, too - Reggie Bannister, Greg Nicotero, Derek Mears, and even Bruce Campbell all appear as well). This isn't quite what I expected it to be, but it still ended being a good enough low budget offering here.
Rating: 7/10 (Good)
Best Character: Alyssa Lloyd / The Demolitionist (Nicole Eggert)
Carnage Count: 91 (Overall: 487)