Truly A One Of A Kind Movie Experience.

Rating: 10/10 (12 April 2007)

I'd been anticipating this movie for a long time now, and I was beyond excited when I got to see it... and I wasn't disappointed one bit. "Grindhouse" is an adrenaline-pumping thrill machine that consists of two back-to-back full length horror movies, capturing the style of the sleazy grind house movies of the '70s. They even went as far as tying the two films together with fake movie trailers. First in line is Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror", which is about a small Texas town where a bio-chemical is unleashed, transforming everyone into disgusting zombies. It's up to a go-go dancer with one leg, her ex-boyfriend, a doctor with an evil husband, and a few others to save the world. The second film is Quentin Tarantino's "Death Proof", which follows a psychotic ex-stunt man who takes late-night joyrides, preying on young women to kill them with his 'death proof' stunt car, and two groups of girls who unfortunately cross his path.
Truly one of the most unique and amazing movie-going experiences I've ever had the pleasure of encountering, "Grindhouse" is an entertaining, explosive roller-coaster ride from beginning to end. It is hard to review this film since I am essentially reviewing two different movies, but I'll try my best. The first film, "Planet Terror" boasts a plot line that is similar to what could be found back when true grind house movies were in, and it captures that feeling all too effectively. The film looks grainy, dirty, and shaky at times, and there are even missing reels in which a retro announcement pops on screen reading "Missing Reel. We are sorry for the inconvenience - Theater Management" (although this does happen in both movies). "Planet Terror" had all the elements for a good old corny B-grade zombie movie. The film starts with a bang, and doesn't quit until the very end. Disgusting zombie creatures, over-the-top violence, and some wonderful action sequences really make this one an adrenaline-pumper. I was thoroughly entertained at all times - not scared, but so very much entertained with it.
"Death Proof", while much more low-key in terms of gore and action, is still an excellent film and a nice change of pace from the in-your-face nature of "Planet Terror". While "Planet Terror" focused more on action and zombies, "Death Proof" is heavy on character development, something that Tarantino fans are well aware of. Our victims (which consist of a bunch of young and talented actresses) are well fleshed-out, and we really get to know them before we see them meet their demises at the hands of the psychotic 'Stuntman Mike'. The writing in this film is great because of the dialog mostly. The conversations between the characters are what gets the audience to know them, and these conversations are interesting just because of the way they are written. I've heard complaints about this film being too 'boring' and 'slow', but I mean, really - when you compare almost any movie with "Planet Terror", it's going to seem much slower, because compared to "Planet Teror", it is. Nonetheless, this film boasts some engaging dialog scenes and a couple rare but rewarding car chases.
Another excellent addition to this movie is it's stellar cast. "Planet Terror" features Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Marley Shelton, Josh Brolin, Stacey Ferguson, a cameo from Bruce Willis, and others. "Death Proof" features Kurt Russel, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and others (along with a couple of rather small performances from Rose McGowan and Marley Shelton as well). We also get a few great cameo performances from some well-known actors in the fake movie trailers in between each movie. All in all, the acting here is top-notch. I'll admit, it is a little corny at some moments and some performances were better than others. But this is supposed to be a B-style horror double feature, so I really can't complain about the acting much, can I? Overall the performances were great, I can't make a genuine complaint about any of them - I honestly liked everybody.
Before ending my review, I'd like to mention the overall style of this movie for those who haven't seen it yet. Tarantino and Rodriguez were trying (and succeeded) to create a double-feature of two retro-style horror flicks in the tradition of the notorious grind house midnight double bills back in the 1970s. They succeed at this in almost every way. The stories are written to fit the style, the film looks it as well (with all of it's scratchiness and grain, along with the missing reels and the genuine retro announcements that come across the screen, advertising theater refreshments and letting us know when the feature presentation is about to begin). They really captured this feel, and it's wonderful. I'd also like to comment on the fake movie trailers placed before the films. We get a handful of corny, crude, but absolutely hilarious movie trailers advertising sleazy B-grade horror flicks. They're utterly ridiculous and downright funny, but they, like everything else in the movie, captured that retro style that it was going for.
Overall, "Grindhouse" is a double feature to die for. It is stocked full of action, thrills, violence, laughs, and some great actors. I can confidently say this is a movie experience like no other, and I mean it when I say it. We get two great films from two great directors - "Planet Terror" and "Death Proof" - back to back, for the price of one. What more can you ask for? I strongly recommend this for anyone who wants a good thrill-ride, or would like a very entertaining and nostalgic homage to the notorious grind house films from a time long ago. Destined to become a cult classic, and the best time I've had at the movies in years. 10/10, and that goes for both movies. (On a side note, I'd strongly recommend seeing this in theaters, the "experience" will be largely diminished on your home television set).