Pulp Frustration

Rating: Null/10 (4 September 2001)

CONTAINS SPOILERS
When I get round to writing a history of Hollywood I will state that the most over rated film maker of the 1990`s was Tarantino. He got lucky with RESERVOIR DOGS and the critics have loved him ever since. What the critics don`t seem to notice is his failings as a screenwriter and FDTD best shows up these failings
First up are the two main anti heroes. Are we supposed to empathise with them ? How ? They`re a couple of cold blooded killers on the run who blow away a few people in a grocery store at the start of the film . And Tarantino rapes, murder and mutilates a hostage a few scenes later. Sorry but I`m not too keen on serial killers and sex offenders
The dialogue sucks too . I suppose we could all nominate our own worst line from the film , mine`s is : " No thanks I already have a wife " . I suppose it`s stupid to point out that Clooney`s character never mentioned he was married , and was only included `cos it sounds cool.
On top of poor dialogue and unsympathetic characters we have the worst example of " Mixed Genre Film " . Most Hollywood movies are mixed genre but they don`t start off as a violent crime thriller then mutate into a gory horror film. TITANIC is a love story cum disaster movie , TAXI DRIVER is an urban thriller cum redemption plot , APOCALYPSE NOW is a war film cum horror movie. These films intwine the genres, FDTD doesn`t, it`s just two genres tacked together , and tacked very badly at that.
Robert Rodriguez does a good job at the directors helm , I doubt if he`ll ever win an oscar but he casts well . Without doubt the best piece of casting is Selma Hayek . Selma Hayek in a bikini , Selma Hayek in a bikini dancing on a table , Selma Hayek in a bikini dancing on a table in slow motion...... I`m all prepared for slavery