=======POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD======

When can tax inspectors make you laugh? In "A Taxing Woman," it is possible. Ryoko is a divorced mother who also works for the Japanese Revenue Service. She, with the freckles and page-boy hair cut, is a workaholic, steadfast and incorruptible in her duties (You can sort of understand why many people evade their taxes while watching this film.). Her one stumbling block is Hideki Gondo, an expert on tax evading. A business man that runs hotels, he uses scams and works with underworld figures, bankers and political figures to keep his money. He's also a fool for love (he has 2 mistresses and a common law wife), and a devoted father. When the 2 meet, it becomes a comedic battle. There's sexual tension between them but the question is: will he be able to keep his money hidden from her? Will she be able to get his money from him? It's a very funny movie, showing the depths that people will sink to hold onto taxable income (one tax evader tried to hide the signature seals in lipstick tubes), and the depths that the tax inspectors will go to catch their man/woman (inspectors digging into HUGE bags of trash to find documents). The late Juzo Itami did an incredible job with this film, working with his usual group of actors, including his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto as Ryoko. Don't worry about the subtitles, because the action on the screen are clear enough to understand.


I watched this movie with a friend from Japan who had a very high opinion it. I must say it was helpful to have her watching the movie with us (in our college dorm), however, because she explained a number of things about Japanese tax code and evasion as well as the Japanese mafia that made the plot (and politics) of the story much easier to follow. Aside from potential confusion in that area, I must say that I enjoyed the movie. Yes, there is sex, suspense, and the mafia, but don't expect it to flow like a mindless crime thriller (read: it isn't mindless, and it isn't non-stop action). It is about a tax woman, after all--the only woman amongst her coworkers. The characters are interesting and the story keeps you thinking. A smart movie with a few things to say along the way. Overall, I thought it was a good, but not great, movie. However, if you like this genre in general, you might enjoy it more than I did.


Besides the great performances by the two leads, portraying antagonists with similar world-views while on different sides of the law, I especially liked the permeating atmosphere of Japan that came through with the cinematography, the soundtrack, and the scene set-ups. The final scene culminated the film's strong reminder of the almost unpleasant yet intense fascination I often felt in the urban environments of Japan in the late 80's and early 90's. "That," I thought of the movie when it was over, "after setting aside all the comic exaggeration, is the real Japan." Like the movie "Shall We Dance?", it clearly showed a true aspect of Japan.


This film will probably take many of the viewers by surprise. Apparently the tax system and the art of cheating on your taxes in Japan is something most Westerners might be surprised to see. Sure, MOST cultures have some people who try to avoid taxes--this is pretty much a given. But the lengths to which they go in Japan and the lengths the tax investigators go to catch them is truly amazing and makes this film so unusual.

The tax cheat in the film, Mr. Gondo, is a complex and unusual man. In some ways, he's a slimy man with little to like--owning a string of "love motels" (i.e., hotels where prostitutes go with their clients or couples commit adultery) and mistreating his mistresses pretty badly. But, oddly, through the course of the film, the viewer and the tax lady come to like him or at least recognize he isn't all bad. This is important because otherwise, the film would have been far less interesting. Also, the many, many, many bizarre ways of hiding cash and bank accounts was truly bizarre--with hidden rooms and account information hidden practically EVERYWHERE! The lady tax investigator, Ryoko Itakura, is amazing as well--sort of like a superhero with amazing deductive powers. She is both tenacious and brilliant but also obsessed to the point where she doesn't appear to have much purpose in life but her job. Again, this made for a fascinating woman, as later you saw bits and pieces of her life that led you to believe she is a real person with real likes and dislikes--and even a liking for Gondo.

All in all, this is one of the more unusual films I have seen--with a plot that is so unusual and a style that make it a standout film.


This film from director Juzo Itami, who also directed the excellent "The Funeral" is about Ryoko Itakura, a cute freckle faced bowl haircut style tax investigator. She tries innovative ways to separate people from their hidden earnings, which is, after all, her job. Nobuko Miyamoto, who plays Ryoko, is great, always looking like the only important thing is the job. When she gets promoted to Tax Inspector her job with her new colleagues is to investigate developer Hideko Gondo, played extremely well by Tsutomu Yamazaki, to find out how he is cheating on his taxes. Gondo is, of course, shrewd about hiding his money, so you're left to wonder whether they will succeed. This is essentially a comedy, with a little drama and a bit of erotica (not involving Ms. Miyamoto's character), and it does have some heart. It falls short of "The Funeral" in that the character development, aside from Ryoko and Gondo, is a little weaker. But, for its subject, it is never boring and it is entertaining. I'm sure these people in Japan are as zealous as they seem in this film. Enjoy, its well worth your time.


This is a charming film about a tax collector in Tokyo pitted against a gangster. They fall in love. Directed and written by Juzo Itami, "A Taxing Woman" stars his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto, as the tax collector and Tsutomu Yamazaki as the tax-evading criminal.

It's a fascinating glimpse into Japanese culture in 1987, when the picture was made. Yamazaki plays the owner of a chain of love hotels, and he hides his income. Miymato plays a recently-promoted tax auditor, and she is given the job of ferreting out his hidden income so that the proper tax is collected. The cat and mouse game begins.

The opposing actors have a real chemistry between them, and their blossoming love comes as no surprise. Since the plot involves love hotels, we get some nudity, and because the cops and crooks are involved, there's a chase scene, too. Miyamoto is shown as a tired woman with bags under her eyes, but she's an attractive and worthy opponent to our tax cheat. That the crook is a complex man capable of - and worthy of - love takes the movie out of the ordinary comedy genre.

If you like this comedy, there's an even lighter farce with the two lead actors you might enjoy: "Tampopo," which preceded "A Taxing Woman." "Tampopo" involves setting up the perfect raman restaurant, with chefs closely guarding their noodle recipes and other such nonsense. An amusing movie with food eroticism.

"A Taxing Woman" was so popular, they did a sequel, but I liked the original so much I didn't see the sequel.


This is one of my favorites of all time. It concerns the years-long quest of a tenacious Japanese Revenue Service assessor to uncover the misdeeds of a crooked businessman. The tax evader finds himself increasingly attracted to her brains and persistence, even as she gets closer to blowing his cover and getting him in hot water with the government. The viewer can also see just where this man is coming from, since the tax system in Japan is painted as any Republican's worst nightmare. This has the same director and central cast as the even more wonderful "Tampopo." The only problem I have with this film is the unbelievably annoying soundtrack; it's loud, piercing and doesn't leave my head until several days after I've seen the movie.


RAW TALENT, and to a lesser extent its two equally recommended sequels, is a searing indictment of the adult industry circa the mid-1980s by people who knew it well like cinematographer turned director Larry Revene and writer Rick Marx  both frequent collaborators of the late great Chuck Vincent  and producer Joyce Snyder, who had just had a hit with Ron Sullivan's sarcastic PUBLIC AFFAIRS, as the dog eat dog microcosm they clearly considered it. Not unlike every other professional environment then where people are sucked dry of imagination and creativity in order to generate more cash-flow. The film's feral tone tended to alienate a lot of established contemporary carnal critics, which may stand as the best possible evidence that its makers had succeeded in their set-up.

Eddie, indelibly portrayed by the brilliant Jerry Butler who felt so strongly about the material, he chose the film's title for his gossipy autobiography, is a struggling actor making ends meet as a waiter until his friend and co-worker (an engaging performance from stalwart Joey Silvera) fills him on a sweet, little sideline in the porno field. Coming along more out of curiosity rather than seriously considering a career in this line of work, Eddie has to step in for his malfunctioning buddy at a moment's notice with a busty blonde starlet (Rhonda Jo Petty leaning towards matronly), impressing the female director Carolyn (magnificent Lisa DeLeeuw, who tragically passed away from AIDS in 1993, once again proving her mettle as a sophisticated comedienne) who will become equal parts help and hindrance throughout his subsequent professional life. Landing a part on a popular daytime soap, Eddie soon learns that porn is a dirty secret that never goes away as Carolyn reveals the intimate footage she holds of him to the hypocritical, scandal-hungry masses. The love of a good woman, prostitute Nancy (Cassandra Leigh's career performance), might prove some sort of salvation but the movie's careful not to over-sentimentalize this aspect of the story, preferring to keep both feet firmly planted on the ground. Time and again, our "hero" finds himself drawn back into the sex for sale business, excelling at it against his own volition. This conclusion ranges RAW TALENT amongst other non-starry-eyed adult features like Chuck Vincent's ROOMMATES and Thomas Paine's CORPORATE ASSETS that have the guts to view the sex industry unromantically from the inside out, warts and all, yet thankfully without recourse to chest-beating Mea Culpa or the sickly sanctimonious approach the mainstream frequently adopts in covering same.

And that's not all. It looks and sounds like a "real" film, so In addition to the vitriolic writing, the acting proves way better than anyone in his right mind will expect from what is after all "just" porno. Those already mentioned aside, plump Taija Rae (unforgettable Lisa Chinaski from Ron Sullivan's TABOO American STYLE) brings warmth to the part of the homely little office worker Eddie plays house with, a good thing he can't help but screw up by inviting Vietnam buddy Ron Jeremy into the house and bedroom. Rather unfortunately,both guys ultimately settle their differences in one of the more ludicrous martial arts displays ever to take place in front of a camera ! Underrated Tish Ambrose, a woman I always felt should have been the next Veronica Hart but whose initial promise  in Revene's own WANDA WHIPS WALL STREET among several prestigious projects  remained unfulfilled (perhaps due to well-publicized drinking problems), also scores highly as the soap actress who rallies to Eddie's defense in one of the film's funniest scenes topped by their freaky coupling, stylistically influenced by the Kelly Nichols/Ron Hudd psychedelic porker from ROOMMATES. Like the story, the sex is filled with hate and nastiness, people preying on each other with just the occasional  and frequently dashed  glimmer of hope through potential romance to set it off. Understandably, this is going to turn some viewers off, but the movie's makers should at least be congratulated for taking such an unpopular stance and following through on their convictions.


The only thing I'd like to add here is that, my friend had a video store on the Upper East Side (Manhattan) in the early-mid 80s, and Joyce Schneider walked in one day (1986?) promoting this film. The story as I've heard it was she told him "you walk down 42nd street these days and what do you see? F-ck films and Fight films...F-ck films and Fight films...so I decided to write a film with both!"...and he bought a copy of the film and we wore it out in the basement. Among the highlights of the film are Jerry Butler's and Ron Jeremy's Kung-Fu-Fighting battle (reminiscent of the Day of the Jackal) and the all-time classic "revenge of the waiter" scene with Joey Silvera and Jerry taking their revenge on a pinched tart in Leo Lindy's in Times Square.

42nd St? F-ck films and Fight films? Yes, it was the "mean streets" of 1980s Times Square, before the Disneyfied, Shrager'd, Giulani'd Times Square took hold. It was a badge of honor to be mugged in Times Square back then, when you'd have to beg for a token (!) from the Times Square Police Station (now an Army recruiting outpost) when your wallet got lifted in the balcony during a Bruce Lee triple-feature.

Anyway, back to the film...Lisa DeLeeuw turns in a great performance as a jaded porn director trying to cash in on a young hunk ("that's how I like them...young, dumb and hung!") while putting in a lesbian scene and then getting sodomized by her now-assertive "protege". Taija Rae is the (chubby) sweet girl next door (who will do double(you-know-what)), while Joey, Gerry, and Ron raise hell and remind you of why the porn industry is not what it's cracked up to be.

Enjoy this film...it's a slice of NY and porn from the '80s.


As a NYer who grew up watching adult films from the Big '80s, "Raw Talent" was the seminal film for that decade. With a better than average storyline, Jerry Butler (Bklyn's own) was able to shine. He WAS the James Dean of porn! Graced with chiseled features and natural comedic ability, his performances were always unpredictable and wacky. The accompanying soundtrack was also above par. The subliminal psychadelia scene was straight out of Floyd & Zeppelin. Unfortunately, "Raw Talent" was re-released with major Politically Correct edits. The masturbatory cooked turkey scene, the forced sex scene over a toilet bowl, and all the karate scenes are nowhere to be found. Luckily, I managed to retain a copy during the height of my rental days! ehe If anyone is interested in seeing the uncut, original film, drop me a line.


Usually, this is a WAY under-rated movie, and that is because it is the kind of movie you will watch for the story and not just the sex. I was floored when I saw it back in the day, and I could not understand why it did not receive the recognition it deserved, but now I think I understand the undercurrent which it churned within the industry was not good. One has the feeling that the film is biographical, and--now that Mr. Butler has a book out by the same name--I guess that is true. Eddie, the main character, and his pal are likable characters with obvious flaws. The women in his life are good and bad, and all are attractive. As in real life, Eddie screws and gets screwed, but in the end I think you will cheer for him. A great movie and it will get you off.


One thing that this film is known for in the original uncut version is it's "subliminal messages". During the sex scenes (and many others), a text message was flashed on the screen or 1 or 2 frames. This could range from "SEX" and "KILL" to "EAT" and "LAUGH".

I have never heard if this had any impact on the audience however. But even without this, the film is good and tracks the rise and fall of an actor that moves from Porn to Soap Opera. This may well be where some of the concepts for the more recent "Boogie Nights" may have come from. There are many similar sceens in these two movies.


It's a real shame that everything I had read about Déjà Vu concerned the high-powered explosions and loud clatter of guru/producer Jerry Bruckheimer. No mention, except maybe as a footnote, was given to A-list director Tony Scott and the magic he has woven in his past three films. The man who brought us Top Gun has seen a sort of revival in style lately with the entertaining Spy Game, the amazing Man on Fire, and the kinetic Domino. Scott has taken the quick cuts of music videos and has infused them into his shooting style. His editor better be making some good money as these films fly by with filters, jump-cuts, grain, and camera angles swiveling at every turn. Greatly overshadowed by brother Ridley Scott and his more serious, award-winning epics, Tony has been pumping out some of the most solid and entertaining films of the past couple decades. With a reuniting of semi-regular star Denzel Washington, Déjà Vu proves that when Bruckheimer is paired with a like mind, his usual drivel can become great. Scott shows us how to hone the explosions, noise, and clutter to an effective level and gives us a helluva ride.

Déjà Vu could have easily reduced itself to timetravel farce, going by the books to show a time warp in order to solve a crime. The far-fetched premise of being able to see the past as it happens four and a half days later should seem crazy and by watching the previews you are given the idea that it will be just a series of do-overs. Fortunately the trailers these days show a totally different movie than what has been crafted. Scott and his screenwriters have not only developed a sci-fi tale seeped in enough reality to at least be looked upon as plausible for the sake of the story, but they nicely tidy up any chance of their being a plothole. Our story begins with a devastating domestic terrorist act upon a ferry carrying over 500 people, Navy and family. Washington's ATF agent is brought in and discovers that it was no accident. Intrigued by the efficiency he displays, an FBI agent, played with nicely effective restraint by Val Kilmer, calls him in to check out a new toy they have to find who the perpetrator is. During the use of this screen of the past, Denzel acquires a feeling of obligation to do all he can to prevent what he sees from occurring in the present, no matter what consequences that might entail for the future. The quest to stop the violence begins with an attractive young woman who unknowingly has become an integral part in what will ultimately transpire.

The beauty of this film is that with multiple timelines being shown parallel to each other, there are many questions that desperately need answering. To credit all involved, they appear to have put themselves in the audience's shoes and piece-by-piece wrote in a reason for everything. Anything that is seen either in the past, present, or future has a reason for being there and will be intelligently explained. Also, the performances are stellar, Denzel and Kilmer as well as a quietly maniacal Jim Caviezel and the emotionally exasperated Paula Patton, and the visuals unique. While Scott has toned down the ultra-kinetic cuts and filters for the main action, his style is still stamped on the graphics of their screen showing the past. The motion trails and speed scans lend a stylized digital editing program feel and are gorgeous to watch. Déjà Vu's best sequence, however, is the crazy car chase during the present in pursuit of a vehicle in the past, definitely a rush and orchestrated almost flawlessly. Even though Ridley gets the accolades and Tony gets the hack/overproduced label, I must say, while they are the best directing duo in Hollywood, I might have to give the edge on pure cinematic entertainment to the younger Tony. He is on a roll and doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon.


I'd say this movie definitely lived up to expectations I had from the ad trailers. A good mix of science fiction and cop drama, with the occasional good joke. Both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Denzel entertained as usual, as did Adam Goldberg. Don't be turned off by the professional reviewers. Those guys can never seem to enjoy a movie that's content with being slightly unbelievable. If I always wanted believable, I'd stick to documentaries or the news. There won't be any Oscars coming out of it, but it was a action-filled thriller that kept me guessing till the end. If you liked the Island, this is right up your ally.


It has been quite a while since I have seen a film that was this beautifully crafted and nearly flawless. The acting is very convincing and the storyline follows quite closely to a Michael Criton-esquire novel. I was rather surprised at the 6.8 rating this movie has received thus far, and I hope that more positive reviews will come in order for the score to be bumped up to at least the mid 7's. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed by this film. For one thing, it stars Denzel Washington, Jim Cavizel, who I felt did a marvelous job at playing the antagonist, Val Kilmer, and Bruce Greenwood. With these four actors, you typically cannot go wrong. I notice that these four are also never in the tabloids and don't get caught up in the typical Hollywood tripe that is so prevalent today. They have raw talent, are not just getting by on their looks, and their performance, especially in this film, shows it. "Deja Vu" is one of those rare films that grabs a hold of you from the very start and does not let go of you until the very end. People even clapped after the film ended and such applause was well deserved. If you do anything at all this Thanksgiving weekend, then by all means, put going to see "Deja Vu" on your shopping list. I can promise you that both you and your family/significant others will be blow though the very back wall of the theater.


I was also at that Century City screening last night, and I was probably one of the people who were saying they thought this movie was awesome. I enjoyed it immensely. It has been described as an action-adventure-romance-sci-fi pic and it truly is all of that.

First of all, the cinematography was stunning. Tony Scott and his DOP, Paul Cameron, do fantastic work -- every shot is beautifully composed. And all the footage that involves a cast of thousands (meaning the crowd scenes) is masterful work.

I don't know why I started with commenting on the photography (also the editing) of this movie. It's probably because that is what struck me from the very beginning, particularly when there is so much going on in the opening sequence. Yet you never get lost. Above all, the performances and story are great and really suck you in. Yes, this movie requires a fair bit of suspension of disbelief. I would go so far as to say the plot was far-fetched, but the heart of the story just takes you along for the ride.

For the record, I felt Scott's most recent teaming with Denzel, Man on Fire, was one of the best movies of 2004. I don't think Deja Vu is as good as Man on Fire, but it's right up there as one of the most entertaining and thrilling movies I've seen this year.

For sheer entertainment and an intriguing (though not flawless) plot, Bruckheimer, Scott and Co. sure have DELIVERED the goods.

I recommend you see Deja Vu on the big screen with a big, loud audience for maximum enjoyment. Part of the appeal last night was exactly that; hearing the audience -- as one -- laugh, applaud and sigh along with this movie and getting swept up in that communal experience.

post scriptum -- Any fans of Otto Preminger's wonderful 1994 classic Laura may be delighted by the echoes of that storyline in Deja Vu.


I'll start by saying that I was reluctant to even see this movie but after some insistence by family, I sat and watched in pure enjoyment.

Articles, reviews, trailers, TV spots, DO NOT do this film justice. Denzel Washington pulls out another great performance as well as an aged Val Kilmer. While some will point out that the plot is hard to swallow, it doesn't matter because it's wrapped up in sheer entertainment. You feel for these characters. There are no holes to be found in either the plot or it's twists. It's believable at the same time unbelievable. If you can get past the middle 20 minutes or so while they explain what the team can do, you're in for a great ride.

I can't, in three paragraphs, paint a picture like Deja Vu. Of the many films Mr.Washington has put out over the last 4 years or so, this is by far his best if not one of the best of the year.

Highly recommended for the open-minded.


I usually like sci-fi when it's pure sci-fi. I usually like present day drama when it's believably real. Disaster, at least for me, looms large when sci-fi meets real life drama. So here we have a present day crime thriller crossed with sci-fi time travel...And, this movie kicks butt, works so well, in fact, it's nuances should be studied in film school. It's original enough to be compelling-where we are not in some distant future, but the here and now.

The story, the characters, and the effects mesh well to suspend belief to the point that you "get on-board" and enjoy the ride. This is the way to do sci-fi with believable real life situations. The cinematography, the implementation of technology, and even a beautiful (but presently dead) damsel in distress, combine to give the actors, who are uniformly good to excellent, the boost to put this in rarefied good sci-fi territory. Genre fans are shoo-ins and those who think they don't like sci-fi should enjoy this one too. 7.5 to 8 out of 10.


I consider time-travelling movies particularly interesting most of the time. I like the idea of a bridge between past and present, that turns communication possible, as well as timeline branching. I can remember "Frequency", that i found an amazing movie and recommend to those enjoying this subject. About this movie, there are a few things i particularly dislike. It's particularly annoying when characters are made stupid so that screenwriter get the story the way he wanted. Why was that paper sent to a place where Denzel would be just in that instant? After that "forced failure", why didn't they try to send the paper once again to a place he could certainly see it... his home for example... didn't he ever go to sleep? Then to solve all the problems... it was made possible sending him to the past... well i can't comment on that, i'll just assume it as a possibility in movie's reality, though it would be kind of impossible to imagine it after so much trouble sending the mass of little sheet of paper. But even when he was sent to the past, after the girl's rescue, the screenwriter created suspense by making characters once again stupid and complicating everything. Why didn't Denzel try to contact ATF and just warn to abort that ferry travel so that they could safely dismantle the bomb, without risking all that people's life... Well i'll answer that, because screenwriter wanted to break people's heart after his death, just when love between he and "Claire" (Paula Patton) had been set. And of course even more important was to make him appear once again, so that all people get happy again... I can't like movies that get their suspense or any other type of emotions, by turning characters dumb, this is usually done in bad horror movies. These and many other reasons don't make this movie a good reason to go to cinema. This is a Sunday's afternoon movie to watch with the family while pictionary is played, so that we don't take the movie too seriously.


This richly dense action-thriller has Denzel Washington as his typical but well cast character in this well thought out script that uses the idea of time and space in a superb manner. In one of the best genre thriller of its type, this consistent execution, high-quality production provides an intellectual and mostly satisfying experience. Except for a "Stargate" (from the movie and television series) like structure that unnecessarily detracts from the scene and the obvious impossibility or at least gigantic leap of science two-thirds way through the movie, such lapses are minor compared to the intensity and small deja vu clues that actually enhance the movie till the end. Sometimes predictable, but nevertheless, it's in the execution that matters here. A solid eight out of ten.


This movie was embarrassing to watch. The thing that annoyed me the most was the fantastic time machine. Right, a video in HD-quality with sound that can be fixed in every possible angle and even zoom in so you can watch the digits on a phone display. Inside a house! And if you put something that stupid in a movie; don't try to explain it using real physics. It just makes matters worse; especially if you know physics. And this video system from the past was something a couple of guys had put together in a couple of days. Not to mention that these guys were the typical ubersmart morons you see in every sci-fi B-movie.

I tried to look beyond that and enjoy the movie, but it was hard. Denzel and Val Kilmer's performances are OK, but the rest of the actors are somewhere between bad and horrible. The story has so many glitches you lose count. But toward the end the moral seems to be that no matter what you do to change the past, the final outcome is the same; actually a clever idea (although not an original one). But then he sends himself back in time (yeah, likely) and saves the day and the girl (not to mention himself). Seriously; the ending was a complete disaster. In the end nothing makes sense at all.

Finally; who the heck was the bomber anyway, and what were his motives? I gave this movie 3/10 because it was partially entertaining. But it was mostly annoying. Do not see this movie unless you have a 13 hour flight and nothing else to watch. Or you can have a competition and see who finds most glitches in the story.


I kept my hopes low for this mediocre time machine movie and my expectations were not exceeded! I realize the filmmakers are solely in it for the money. Film is now, for the most part, a commodity like toothpaste and paper towels - and it shows! I wouldn't even be surprised if Hollywood stooped so low as to hired Public Relation firms to write fake positive reviews on internet sites like this one!

While I have no complaint with the acting, the storyline is just utterly ridiculous, and boring as tears. I don't think it is asking too much for a story to make some sense, instead of treating the movie going public like a bunch of teenagers looking for some cheap thrills!

Where do I begin? This highly professional terrorist has no motive for his madness. He pops out of the blue, belongs to no organizations or movements, and has no ideology, no allies, and no one helping him. Our meany terrorist quotes Thomas Jefferson, claims he's not killing people because the U.S. military hurt his feelings when they rejected him for being "too much" of a patriot (I kid you not), and all he wants when he's captured is to confess like he's talking to a priest. (Plus a cigarette, of course - don't all bad guys smoke these days?) Oh, please, give me a break! How sanitized a story can you get? The filmmakers and screenwriters of Deja Vu have absolutely no guts, whatsoever, to make any kind of statement other than that terrorists are crazy and get hurt feelings! Wow! What an interesting insight!

Next, The U.S. Government has a time machine that uses so much energy it caused the last Canada to New York blackout while doing experiments with just small animals, which, in-turn, all end-up going into cardiac arrest, and dying. But when our fearless hero, Denzel Washington, goes back in time the energy problem miraculously disappears. Keep in mind a single piece of paper was sent through time a couple of days earlier, and it knocked out a whole city's power!

The dying problem is also solved too, with a full recovery taking less than a day. Keep in mind, when most people recover from going into cardiac arrest, they are usually not strong enough to waltz out of the hospital a couple of HOURS later! But Denzel is special, and he doesn't even have super powers!

When Denzel is shot by a rather large caliber bullet, he begins losing blood fast. So fast in fact, that it's obvious to everyone he needs to make a trip to the emergency room, pronto! Instead he goes over to his women's home because of time constraints. There they wash his wound with water and dry it with paper towels. He miraculously stops bleeding because he washed his wound. No need for stitches or compresses, just soap and water stops bleeding from gunshot wounds. Imagine what other miracles would have occurred if he had the time to wash the rest of his body!

I think you get the picture. This is such a dopey film because the stupidity is non-stop! It's a shame films are not rated based on cleverness and intelligence. If they were, perhaps filmmakers would start making more interesting movies!


..and I say that after much thought - it's not just a knee-jerk reaction.

I'm a sci-fi and action movie fan OK? And I have no problem suspending my disbelief if the story is good. But this was utter rubbish. The storyline is so weak and huge gaping plot-holes abound in this turkey. Once the "technology" was explained (not very well I might add, by Adam Goldberg's supposedly comic-relief techy) I thought, "Why not just send a message back to the cops warning them of the explosion? Or the ferry captain?" And whatever happened to acting? Denzel is sleep-walking, Val Kilmer has so few lines but he manages to invest them with all the emotion of a cabbage. And who were the others again...? Sorry, they seem to have slipped my mind.

Oh, and it didn't look THAT good.

All in all, a waste of £10.


This was a terrific movie, plain and simple. It kept you thinking and guessing at what was really going on, and in the end, all the holes close. That is unusual for any kind of "playing with time" kind of film, and all those involved deserve credit for doing it right. While the whole premise of the science involved has a deep flaw in it, it's not the sort of flaw that precludes the suspension of disbelief. Denzel Washington, Jim Caviziel and Adam Goldberg give memorable performances. Of course, there is no one better than Tony Scott when it comes to telling a story with pictures, and he's as good here, if not better than in Enemy of the State.

10/10 because I finished my popcorn before I even noticed it was running low.


the opening credits. and they try and be clever. it doesn't work.

our cast: Agent Doug Carlin is played by Denzel Washington who seems to be sleep-walking thru this movie with the occasional sudden inexplicable deviation of character. Val Kilmer has not aged well as Special FBI Agent Pryzwarra, a thickly-jowled pot-bellied cardboard representation of the one-dimensional G-man. Adam Goldberg tries (and really, really fails...i mean...oh boy) to pull off the super-brain heart-of-gold physics professor "Denny". Paula Patton makes great eye-candy damsel-was-in-distress and flashes us a nipple. the rest of the cast? meh...who cares?

so how is the movie. eh. a 5/10 and that's being generous.

here were the big problems:

* the science was...well...utter crap AND inconsistent. why could they only see in the New Orleans radius and how exactly did the portable rig work outside of this area? why could a laser pointer go thru the main "screen but they needed this big-ass nuclear toaster to send that sheet of paper back? and, oh, the paper was the utter maximum we could send back but we've changed out minds and now we can send Denzel back but he has to be in his undies 'cause his shoes would weigh too much. wha? and if you want to emphasize that sending the laser bean, sheet of paper and Denzil use HUGE amounts of energy, don't use the same "aerial view of the city blacking out" all three bloody times.

* there is NO character development in this film. none. nada. zilch. and Denzil's character has these unprecedented changes of emotion and character "quirks" that makes it nearly impossible to relate to him.

* Denzil creates mayhem and carnage on the streets of New Orleans with a tricked-out Hummer (with enough product-placement stickers on it to make the movie's endorsement agent shudder uncontrollably with logolistic ecstasy) with impunity. he prolly kills several dozen innocent by-standers and doesn't get as much as a reduction of his expense account. and it's BORING! Tony Scott has sucked every atom of "thrill" from the whole sequence. oooh...here comes a semi-truck, head-on. will Denzil die? hell no...AND the Hummer will still be drivable afterward!!!

* in the final climax, where the HECK did the bad guy get the kelvar vest, automatic weapons, and ammo? he didn't have it when he ran back onto the ferry.

* and while we're talking about magic guns, and why would Navy personnel, on their way to Mardi Gras, just happen to be wearing full combat gear and toting M-15s?


Though moderately entertaining, there are too many things you have to overlook to make it one cohesive movie. So let's begin.

Let's first overlook the fact that the movie butchers physics- you would think they'd at least bring someone on staff that knows SOMETHING about wormholes etc. to at least attempt to ground this movie in science. They didn't. Since it's a fictional movie- this is forgivable - we'll overlook that it (producing wormholes) can't possibly happen and the science behind it is laughable. Secondly, they never really explain why there are two of him - is this some sort "The Prestige" rip-off? My thought is if you send someone into the past - that's changing the past and there is only one of the person- you're not cloning someone - they use all this fake science mumbo-jumbo to make you try to answer your own question or just ignore the fact there's two of him. Give me a concrete answer on why there's two of him (and how he makes it back to the future when it hasn't worked before--why this time? because it's Denzel?) It also seems they kind of just ignore the fact he most probably killed his partner, probably 40-50 people on the highway by driving recklessly(if not killed, paralyzed) to save the girl that he had a crush on (real romantic). Let's also overlook all the scenes where they spied on the girl in the shower and changing - because they should be arrested for that considering that's pretty illegal and inappropriate. I'm going to start rambling so bear with me- she pulls a gun on him- and he makes a joke that he didn't know that was going to happen - but he really should have, they pass it off as a joke because they can't explain that scene. The ending where they drive the truck off of the boat - in a stroke of divine intervention- they crash through all the immobile cars -with the distance they had - maximum they could be going 15 MPH - yet they plow through and manage to not only drive the truck OFF the ship, but get it way up in the air to flip around. That's impressive! My last huge qualm about the movie is- when he heads towards the bayou at the end, he's in SUCH a hurry - yet - at the girl's house they spend so much time bandaging him and are in no hurry. That scene would lack ANY suspense if they hurried up at her house and didn't park right out front of the Bayou.

In my opinion, this movie would have been better served having Denzel die - the girl get sucked into the ships propeller (to have her fingers cut off) and wash up on the ocean shore to show that you can't mess around with the past or to elaborate more on the 'human sacrifice' line of the movie.


After seeing "Man on Fire" I was looking forward to a movie from Tony Scott and Denzel. The movie was worth waiting for. I have seen this movie at a theater with no empty seats. The story is great, the acting is pretty good. There were a few moments where the story was broken but was not a big issue within the whole story. The story is about a terrorist blowing a ship where there was a celebration of the Navy. Denzel investigates the crime and finds some clues that don't make sense. He is invited to work with a special investigation unit because he is a local (and a smart detective). There are pretty original action scenes that were shot clearly (unlike "Domino" where the camera was shaky and fuzzy all the time). If you like an action movie with some good story, this is the movie for you. TRIVIA: The word "Dejavu" is not mentioned even once, in the movie.


OK, am i wrong, or is the comments area in IMDb there for commenting a movie? What can i say? Some of the people in here are not commenting the movie, they adapt it to our own reality and try to make sense out of it. I will not make the same mistake....

The movie itself is a complex of thriller-drama-action-SciFi and i have to say that Tony Scott did a very good job (especially for his action scenes). Denzel and Val are very good but the applause goes for Jim and the new girl Paula Patton. She actually steals the first role from Denzel. And Jim who plays for about half-or-less an hour makes you think immediately that he is the bad guy. What more can you expect from an actor?

The film has a fast pace that doesn't let you get bored and although it lasts about 2 hours, it's coming to the end quite quick. I have to admit that there are some errors (the-country-hurt-my-feelings explanation for the bad guy turned to a terrorist is at the least laughable, the time-travel theories cannot be minimized into a 2 minutes analysis such as portrayed here), but after all, when you see a film of this kind you do not expect everything to be clear as the stars in the night sky (without clouds of course).

And that's the BIG question. Do you watch this kind of movies for entertaining reasons, just simply to pass your time relaxed, make your mind forget the things you worry about the rest of the day etc, OR you want every single movie you watch - even a SciFi-action-thriller like this one - to make you think about our cosmos and the universe and the societies and the world and whatever?

Answer the question, what you REALLY want and expect for any given kind of movie and i promise that you will find yourself to be more amused after you watch any film from there on.....

For myself speaking, this film deserves a brave 8. It was pretty amusing - and that's really the whole point, isn't it?


This crime-time travel movie was interesting all the way, but I can't help thinking it could have been much better. There were just too many holes in this story, too many clichés and implausible things that made it less enjoyable than it could have been.

It wasn't an intelligent time-travel story, not like "Frequency," or "Somewhere In Time" or a bunch of others. For instance, when the killer has his two adversaries right in front of him and walks away without checking to see if they are dead, it isn't smartly written. When everything important happens at the last possible second, literally, then it's too contrived. The movie is filled with contrivances, and it's too bad because it good have been an excellent film.

Hey, I like happy endings, too, but this is too much and an insult to any viewer's intelligence.

For pure amusement, I recommend this. You'll be entertained. But don't be surprised if your intelligence is insulted a number of times.


I am really sorry if I offend some of the commentators' tastes, but for me this movie was a complete disaster.

Tony Scott, Denzel Washington, these names to me mean reputation and a guarantee of a decent, solid entertainment. I wasn't expecting anything deep or any food for thought, but pure, perfect entertainment. How disappointing! A time machine?! Ability to watch the past?! Through the walls?! Plus audio?! The scene where Denzel uses his laser pointer to unveil the truth about the real function of the machine and then exclaims in such a dramatic tonality "Can anyone tell me WHAT-IS-GOING-ON-HERE" was just...funny and made me literally fall of my chair... Please don't see this movie, for sake of your well-being. Remember "The Village" from 2004 and the disappointment of it not being an intriguing horror movie, but a piece about some isolated place in the national park...? After seeing "Deja vu", you'll enjoy a similar aftertaste of disappointment, ridiculousness of the content and waste of your money as well as time.


Lets get to it.

What initially intrigued me about the movie was the time-machine gizmo could only be used to view the past. This is new as most time-machine movies involve going back to the past to change things, which I find to be very annoying.

The movie would've been much better if thats all the time-machine could do. And even when it was established that you could interfere with the past, the movie explored the theme that you cannot change the past, which would've also been adequate, but we all know this is Hollywood. You must save the world, so they basically messed up what could've been a great movie.

And the terrorist guy seemed to also hint at the theme of not being able to change the past, but for some reason the story took the mediocre, uncreative, dull approach.

Very disappointing movie, its watchable, but I'm giving it a 1 because in the beginning it looked like it could be a classic, but degenerated into mediocrity, so I think thats a tragedy.

Don't watch this movie.


This is a thoughtful adventure that I found to be part sci-fi, part thriller, part love story and an unusually riveting filmgoing experience. Unsurprisingly, it has few well-developed characters; but uncharacteristically for the genre, almost all the piece's characters, however brief their appearance may be, become memorable. There is a special effects disaster in the film, a rousing car chase and many other interesting technical achievements; but I suggest that in this unusual achievement, these adult devices help to move the story along rather than detracting from it as is more usual. "Deja Vu" I find to be unusual in its structure also. Boy Loses Girl, Boy Pursues Girl is not the typical scenario for many films--least of all for a sci-fi narrative; but that's what one encounters here. The fun in the film is I suggest mostly provided by just how the boy loses the girl and exactly how he pursues her to the end of this one. Tony Scott directed this action masterwork for producer Jerry Bruckheimer, from a script by Bill Marsilli and co-producer Terry Rossio. Production Designer Chris Seagers makes use of understated but consistent lighting of and New Orleans streets and backgrounds just enough to give the real flavor of the Crescent City, which I have visited and experienced more than once. Paul Cameron's cinematography, the controlled art direction supplied by Drew Boughton, and the award level and very complex set decoration by Rosemary Brandenburg all in my opinion add greatly to the film's unusual believability. The makeup task was enormous in this movie; and the costumes well-handled; but these elements mostly provide a background to the main storyline's progress. Among the exceedingly large cast, standouts include Val Kilmer, James Caviezel as a terrorist, and a number of good actors in small roles as FBI and ATF officials. It is difficult to do justice to the pace, intelligence and gradual unfolding of so interesting a story. Most reviewers cannot understand sci-fi, especially time-travel stories. So, the success of this modest but "A" production effort is worth noting as a milestone in cinematic history. Add in a strong folksy performance by Denzel Washington as the lead agent and attractive Paula Patton as his love interest; throw in good or better music by Harry Gregson- Williams, and you have a first-rate film that deserves even more attention that its many nominations would attest. Very highly recommended.


I had never heard of this movie, but it appeared on cable and when I saw the cast, I figured "how bad could it be?". I thought it was terrific. Nothing of great dramatic or historical significance, of course, but who cares? Denzel is his usual infinitely watchable self, Val Kilmer is quirky with yet another interesting dialect and Adam Goldberg is fantastic. All three are smooth, assured and entertaining. A lot of posters and reviewers talked about how "unbelievable" the science fiction aspect of the plot was, but that never bothers me. Once I figure out what I'm supposed to suspend my disbelief about, I just do so and enjoy what the filmmakers are doing. I actually found this particular sci-fi plot quite intriguing and really liked having to try to follow its twists and turns through the action.

As has been said before, this is definitely a Sci Fi/ Film Noir/Action/Romance. How many of those have you come across? Highly recommended. Big fun and smart besides.


I liked this film from the moment I heard the story-line. The thing that I REALLY like about it is the fact that the production team found a way to put sci-fi elements into the story while still making it believable. The acting was good on all fronts; the African-American woman (I think her name was Shasta or something to that effect) was very natural in her conversations with Washington. Carlin's (Washington's) curiosity about the inner working of the agency he is later employed by in the beginning of the film is very believable. It is this seamlessness that makes the movie as a whole more believable. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone old enough to understand it; although it's gotten mixed reviews, I still think it's a gem among other more shallow, lackluster films.


I've seen and read so many time travel things over the years that I know one could pick at this forever. Still, once we embrace the technology and go with the plot, it's hard to stop watching. This evaded me when it first came out. I rented it and was captured. First of all, it's that cool Denzel thing he does. Especially when he is quizzing someone. He knows he's the man and he leaves the person being spoken to looking to see if his wallet has been stolen. I remember some of this from "Remember the Titans." The passing in and out of realities begs the question of what will happen to the characters when they make it back? Especially if we like them. And we do. The government, of course, does what it can to screw up, but the rebel always get his way, doesn't he? This is a film one thinks about long after seeing it. I decided to ignore the science and just enjoy it. I would have given it 9 but there are some plodding parts in the middle. It also suffers from a bit too much avoidance of common sense.


I thought that it was almost as if they had started on a movie and then midway decided to change the plot. The idea is great but it did look like the script was struggling to convey the idea of time travel. I thought that they should have stuck with the satellite part (and made it more convincing)... As far as the acting is concerned, some was good and some was terrible. I thought that Denzel Washington was doing more posing than acting, as if he thought that he was auditioning for '24' or 'Zoolander'. You also get the feeling that it was designed to be part of a sequel franchise. The best thing about it are the special effects.


The plot is very complex and complicated. Carlin is a cop who is selected to join a team of experts government surveillance team to solve high priority cases. Here he finds a new technology that allows him to look into the past, a reconstruction created by the energy and many other things. Soon Carlin finds out that this is no reconstruction what so ever and sets out to save the girl.

Denzel sells the film perfectly, he plays the role with an edge and captures the sadness and confusion that lies within. The action scenes are limited but the chase scene is fantastically done. But the main attraction is the story line. It is very weird and entertaining; it has some great thrills and the audience will find themselves smiling at certain moments when they have a sense of.

"Deja-Vu"


An ATF agent, Doug Carlin, is called in to investigate a ferry explosion. During his investigation he stumbles upon the body of a murdered girl. He knows she is somehow connected to the bombing. With the help of some very high-tech, Einstein inspired, government equipment, he is able to watch the last four days of her life. As he watches her last moments, he cannot stop himself from falling in love with her and becomes determined to recover her life. Carlin needs to travel back in time, save the girl and stop the terrorist, but has to be quick for the clock is ticking.... A Tony Scott/Denzel Washington collaboration is always worth watching as they usually deliver a movie with an intricate plot, thrilling action sequences, and characters that are driven by their emotions. These are rare qualities in action movies to-day. Déjà vu is no exception for it has all these qualities and more. The supporting cast is fantastic, a sublime Adam Goldberg makes a great super intelligent and witty side kick to Washington and Jim Caviezel is unnerving as the psychopath who believes his actions are for a greater good. Be warned; if you are a Val Kilmer fan, you will be a little bit disappointed as he seems to be a bystander in most events and not a participant. I have the impression that most of his scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.

Like all time travel stories it will leave you with questions e.g. if this event did not take place how come Carlin knew to go back and stop it happening. Unfortunately as with all time travel tales I don't think this can be avoided but don't get too hung up about it; just let it wash over you and enjoy the film. The ending is slightly weak and leans towards the saccharin but you can forgive Déjà Vu these few flaws. This is the thinking person's action movie and after you have watched it you will probably be compelled to watch it all over again.


The first rule of watching any sci-fi: suspend your disbelief. Once you've done that you can enjoy the film which pretty much sums up the plots of every other time-travel film! That's used in a good way in this film - a whole load of solid, thought-provoking ideas are thrown in, yet Scott manages to make the film accessible - perhaps skipping over the science aspects of time-travel but crucially not disregarding them. What's more he makes sure it's a really enjoyable experience to see this film, whether or not you understand it. He directs here like Michael Bay, every shot aspiring to be named cool. But what'll really keep you at the edge of your seat is the terrific Denzel Washington. It seems that with age he's becoming more and more of a reliable action star. And that's just it - compared to his other films this is just great fun: with Washington and Scott there's a young Halle Berry lookalike, Val Kilmer as Washington's link to the Torchwood-esquire setup he's got going, and that dude you'll inevitably recognise from a load of places, who acts as the in-joke machine (to a smirking Kilmer) with references to Airplane, the classic 'More cowbell' SNL sketch, and godknowswhatelse! All in all this is ideal for rental, though certainly you wouldn't be ashamed to own it on DVD. High-quality popcorn film, which doesn't try to steal the thunder from the films it gets it's ideas from. See it.


This is a tightly written time travel thriller that holds together, with all loose ends tied up. The explanation for the device is a little unbelievable, but hey, it's the movies. Unlike Premonition, which had so many plot inconsistencies that made the film unwatchable, the writers of this screenplay clearly gave their plot line a lot of thought. The director gives you subtle clues throughout the movie that connect events and link them to the plot, so it's possible to keep up with the action without getting too confused, but it does keep you guessing. All in all, a cleverly written sci-fi drama that holds your interest. Denzel, as usual, holds the movie together with another great performance.


The only thing I knew about this movie was that it was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, which is more than an enough reason to rent it. The director was Tony Scott, the director of "Enemy of Nation" which entertained and "Spy Game" which totally bored me. But this movie is like nothing else. Because; 1) The subject is very original, no you can't guess what it's about by looking at the name. Don't worry it's not some freaky Shyamalan type of movie. I have watched quite a lot movies and can easily say this was a first. Oh of course there WILL be many people who will rise up saying "this can't happen in real life". Yeah, and Godzilla can't happen either, so were you there to criticize that too? It's not a matter of "can it happen" or not, it's a matter of "does it make sense", and hell yes it does! It's so hard not to give spoilers, so all I can say is, just hold on for half an hour, and everything will start making sense.

2) Unlike many other high budget action movies, this movie IS exciting. Don't wanna give spoilers, but when you grab what the movie is about, you will realize it doesn't necessarily have a happy ending, and that's what keeps you on the edge all the time.

3) Needless to say, the producer is Jerry Bruckheimer so everything's gonna be BIG and EXPENSIVE, cars and ships and buildings blowing up in an eye feast.

So as a conclusion, I can say Mr. Bruckheimer is getting even better by adding excitement to his high budget movies.


I watched this movie as a rental, knowing nothing about it beforehand, and was very pleasantly surprised. This film is far more original than most of what comes out of Hollywood, and was one of the most entertaining films I've seen this year. Like all sci-fi, it does require suspension of disbelief to go along with the idea that one could see/interact with the past (and the technology that makes it possible), but once you've that single premise, Deja Vu is one of the most captivating films to come out in awhile. Most of the haters on this board seem to have gotten too twisted up in the plot turns and time travel to enjoy the film. This is not a movie that you'll want to walk away from for a few minutes without pausing, but if you pay attention through it all, you'll find that the conclusion is just about bulletproof, and you got more than your money's worth at the video store.


A young model dies of a heart attack during a back-alley abortion.After her death a mysterious series of bloody murders take place.Each of the victims are connected to the same studio that Evelyn worked at and each are viciously murdered by the knife wielding killer."Strip Nude for Your Killer" is a sleazy and violent Italian giallo that will surely please fans of Italian cinema.There is lots of nudity provided by Edwige Fenech,Femi Benussi and Erna Schurer.The jazz score by Berto Pisano is pretty good and the plot is actually very gripping.The killings are quite gory and sadistic and the cinematography by Franco Delli Colli is excellent.Check it out,if you like Italian giallos.8 out of 10.


wow! i was quite pleasantly surprised by this film. Andrea Bianchi, known by most for his enjoyable, but goofy BURIAL GROUND/LE NOTTI DEL TERRORE directed this exellent gory and sexy thriller.

a woman dies during an abortion, so the doctor takes her back to her house and sticks her in the bathtub. soon after, the doctor as well as her fellow employees at the albatross fashion studio are murdered by a motorcycle helmet wearing killer. the lovely Edwidge Fenench, a veteran of the giallo, tries to solve the puzzle before she herself is murdered.

this film is quite stylish, and compared to most gialli, it moves along at a brisk pace. gory murders and full frontal nudity keep the viewer interested, and the story is fairly easy to follow, and almost plausible. the comic relief, which in my opinion Dario Argento is terrible at, but insist on putting in damn near all his films, is actually funny here. a fat guy who can only get it up with a blow up doll, and the ending where Edwidge says that she doesn't have to worry about getting pregnant because she takes the pill, then her boyfriend says they shouldn't risk it .....

i would highly recommend this film to trashy film fans.


Very watchable giallo, which as the English title suggests, wallows in nudity and sex (much of it with a seeming wink to the audience). Stylistically and plot-wise, it's pretty much giallo-by-numbers, with the expected camera and editing flourishes and some fairly good suspense. There are plenty of point-of-view shots of the heavy-breathing masked killer, shock cuts, lots of red herrings and obscure motivations, etc. However, it's the outrageous political incorrectness of it all that separates this one from the mainstream -- the male characters are all cranky and abusive and the females are eager to shed their duds in response. Certainly a must-see for Edwige Fenech fans, and the fade-out is unbelievably tacky, right out of one of those low-humour Italian comedies. There's also fine score, a mixture of funky Bitches-Brew jazz and woo-woo lounge stylings, which helps bridge the suspense scenes.


STRIP NUDE FOR YOUR KILLER (Andrea Bianchi - Italy 1975).

Evelyn, a young fashion model, dies during a backstreet abortion in Milan. To avoid an investigation, the gynecologist arranges for her body to be taken home and places in a bath of running water. Within hours, the doctor is brutally murdered by a mysterious figure wearing a crash helmet and motorcycle leathers and soon more grisly murders follow among the employees of the Albatross modeling agency, where Evelyn worked.

This is a very amusing piece of trash by Andrea Bianchi, probably best known for his ultra-gory zombie flick BURIAL GROUND(1981) and the casting of Orson Welles in his second film TREASURE ISLAND(1972), but he also made this entertaining little Giallo, the only one he made, to my knowledge. From 1974-75 onwards, most ways of murdering had been done, so in order to shock and entertain audiences, many Italian filmmakers increasingly added ever larger amounts of gore, sadism and erotic comedy to their films. This one mainly goes for the latter. Starring three Euro-babes, Edwige Fenech, Femi Benussi and Erna Schürer, "Strip Nude" is well supplied in that department and abounds in '70s style sexism and politically incorrect humor.

When voluptuous Femi Benussi parades along the swimming pool in tight-fitting bikini, she is spotted by some mustached hairy Italians wearing ridiculous swimming gear. One of them, Nino Castelnuovo, is a fashion photographer who immediately follows her, woes her, and within minutes - naturally - she sheds her clothes without further hesitation, after which Castelnuovo can go for some 'in-depth interviewing.' Soon, the clothes are back on again, but most of her screen time, she just walks around naked. When she is judged fitting for Albatross modeling agency by Castelnuovo, he introduces her to her future colleagues as 'first class merchandise', after which a not amused Edwige Fenech sniffs, 'how we're gonna photograph all that. We're gonna need a cinerama screen.'

The film benefits from stylish cinematography and a pleasant funky score, but when the killer appears, we hear the strange sound of a knife thrown into a piece of wood. I don't know of any other way to describe it. It's rather silly, you can make up your own associations. Clearly, there's plenty of nasty bloodshed, but it's all a bit subdued by the casual comedic tone set early on in the film. In the last half hour, the plot elements are being pieced together and the fun wears out a little, but the pace is brisk, the cinematography great and there's enough humor and nudity in between to make this some very agreeable entertainment. Irresistible fun for Giallo lovers.

Camera Obscura --- 7/10


Andrea Bianchi's "Strip Nude for your Killer" certainly isn't the best Italian giallo ever made, but I really enjoyed all the sleaziness and obscene violence it had to offer. The plot, the acting performances and all the sexually depraved elements are all fairly standard but the film is unusually fast-paced and the gore is really delightful. Fashion models once again are the targets of an insane killer, who breathes heavily and constantly wears a motorcycle helmet, and the victims are all vaguely connected with the poor girl who sadly died during an amateurish abortion-attempt. The sexy photographer's duo Magda and Carlo start their own investigation with a lot of pointless (but nonetheless exciting) lovemaking sessions on the side. Five years before his infamous sicko-film "Burial Ground", director Bianchi already damn well knew how to appeal to horror-loving audiences: the murders are extremely nasty and there's an overload of nudity wherever you look. Still the camera-work is quite stylish and the red herrings are slick enough to keep you interested in the actual revelation of the killer's identity. I even counted 2 or 3 genuinely suspenseful moments, notably the extended scene in the dark room where Edwige Fenech is observed by the killer whilst looking for clues. It's not yet a patch on Dario Argento, Sergio Martino or Mario Bava but we're definitely going into the right direction. The actual climax (as well as the murderer's fate) is regretfully weak, though. Andrea Bianchi's twisted sense of humor is illustrated in the very last dialogue.


One thing I know about this film is that Burial Ground director Andrea Bianchi must have had a great time making it, as filming naked women and bloody murders looks like a lot of fun! As the lurid title suggests, Strip Nude for Your Killer is one of the more trashy examples of the Giallo tradition, and that has lead many to lambaste it as a sub-par effort; I, however, could not disagree more! The film is definitely over the top and silly, but that's the reason I watch Giallo, so criticising it for that is ridiculous. The film takes in pretty much every trash element of the style of film-making, from naked babes to a masked killer and the film is like a catalogue of less than tasteful actions and images. Strip Nude for Your Killer opens with a shot that leaves nothing to the imagination, and shows a woman having an abortion in a backstreet 'medical centre'. After she dies, her gynaecologist arranges for the corpse to be put in a bath full of water. He is killed soon after, and it doesn't take long for more dead bodies to begin piling up at the modelling agency where the unfortunate young girl worked...

It is customary for the Giallo murderer to don black gloves for his crimes, but Bianchi goes all the way again with this idea and has his killer completely dressed in motorcycle leathers! The film benefits from a thick layer of sleaze that runs throughout and fans of lurid cinema are likely to be in heaven with Strip Nude for Your Killer. The fast paced plot is bolstered by some very graphic and nasty murders, as well as a plentiful helping of sex scenes; some of which involve Italy's finest Giallo actress, Edwige Fenech! Fenech has had her hair cut down for her role here, but she's still the sexy little minx that Giallo fans love her for being, and seeing her strip nude is always a treat! It's obvious that the plot itself wasn't important to the director as the film doesn't feature a lot of plot points and the unmasking of the murderer completely lacks any mystery. This film won't do anything for people that like their movies to be politically correct, as the women use their bodies more than their brains and the twisted sense of humour is liable to offend. None of that deterred me, however, as while I admit that this isn't the greatest Giallo...I really, really enjoyed watching it. Recommended!


The sleazy giallo picture here known as "Strip Nude for Your Killer" (1975) is misleadingly titled (no victim of the crazed killer is ever forced to strip; they're usually 3/4 naked to begin with!) but still manages to convey the film's two main selling points--sex and violence, dished out in fairly equal measure. The movie might more accurately have been called "Who's Been Killing the Entire Staff at Milan's Albatross Modeling Agency?" All we know for sure is that it's a leather-clad figure with a biker's helmet, a Darth Vader-like respiration problem, and a fondness for knife slaying. For the ladies in the audience, the picture features Nino Castelnuovo, so fondly remembered from 1964's "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg," still looking hunky here and sporting a perfectly round butt; and for the men, another exquisite appearance from the Queen of Giallo, Edwige Fenech, short-haired here but still quite dee-lish. "Strip Nude" has been directed in a nonstylish, nonflashy manner by Andrea Bianchi. Its plot does hang together, despite the seemingly unavoidable red herrings, though the killer's motivation ultimately proves to be unconvincing (don't even try guessing who the killer is!). There are any number of genuinely suspenseful scenes, though, and the soundtrack, by one Berto Pisano, effectively mixes Euro lounge jazz with a funky theme that suggests the Temps' "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." Of the half dozen or so Edwige Fenech giallos that I've seen recently, this one is by far the bloodiest and sleaziest (just wait till you see the 300+-lb. guy with his blow-up doll!), but still nothing compared to what filmmakers get away with today. The folks at Blue Underground should be thanked for a fine-looking DVD of a true Italian rarity; still, I'd be thanking them more had they supplied some subtitles rather than the lousy dubbing. And oh...was it just my imagination, or was that indeed an anal sex joke that Nino pulls on Edwige at the film's tail end?


You can pretty much guess my feelings of this movie when I say that the two best things about it are the movie's title and the presence of Edwige Fenech. Other than that, I can't find much to recommend. The killer isn't very interesting. The mystery elements of the film aren't engrossing. And the kill scenes are poorly done. There's just no tension that is necessary for a good Giallo. And the final reveal of the killer is anything but suspenseful. In the end there are only three people left alive. If two of the characters are being chased by the killer, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to figure out who is under the motorcycle helmet? Sure, there's plenty of sleaze, but it's not done in what I found to be a fun or entertaining way. Unfortunately, I found Strip Nude for Your Killer to be a boring watch. I found myself looking at the clock about half way through just wishing it would end.

As a group, Gialli are often criticized for their misogyny. Consider Strip Nude for Your Killer as the poster child of misogyny in this type of film. Not one woman is presented or treated as anything but a mindless object. Take our heroine Edwige  her boyfriend acts as if he is going to strangle her in one scene. Does she send him packing or show any sign that she objected to being treated in that manner? No!


While "Nude per l'assassino" aka. "Strip Nude For Your Killer" of 1975 is quite far away from being a Giallo-highlight it is definitely a film that any lover of Italian Horror should enjoy, and that is especially recommended to all the friends of the sleazier kind of Giallo. Director Andrea Bianchi, who is probably best known for his gory Zombie flick "Le Notti Del Terrore" (aka. "Burial Ground") of 1981, sure knows how to create some wonderful sleaze, and "Strip Nude For Your Killer" is as wonderfully sleazy as it gets.

Sexy young models, all with exhibitionist tendencies, as well as the other employees of a fashion agency, are targeted by an insane killer. Nothing quite new in the Giallo-genre, of course, but director Bianchi truly delivers with tons of female nudity, delightful perversions and genuine nastiness in this one. The female cast-members, all of which have a tendency to get naked at every occasion, include genre-queen Edwige Fenech, this time with short hair, and ravishing and great as always. Apart from the wonderful Mrs. Fenech, easily the Nr. 1 siren of 70s Eurosleaze, the cast also includes the stunningly beautiful Femi Benussi, who moved her curves through all kinds of Italian cult flicks, such as Mario Bava's "Hatchet for the Honeymoon", Fernando Di Leo's "Manhunt", Luigi Cozzi's "The Killer Must Kill Again" or the strangely amusing Kung-Fu-Western "The Stranger And The Gunfighter" starring Lee Van Cleef. Apart from loads of sleaze the film includes several violent killings, several comical moments, as well as a typically great Giallo atmosphere with a stylish photography and cool score. Overall, "Strip Nude For Your Killer" is probably no must-see, but it is doubtlessly a treat for my fellow Giallo-fans, especially to those who like their Gialli sleazy. Highly recommended!


Strip nude for Your killer must be, for me, the most outrageously sexist giallo ever made. Fair enough, you've got to expect a fair amount of it in these movies(or else you'd be let down) but Andrea Bianchi runs with misogyny ball so far that he leaves the park, gets in a taxi with it, goes to the airport, and throws the ball on a plane to some uncharted island in the pacific.

Which, by the way, makes this film quite entertaining.

After someone kills a doctor who's botched abortion killed his patient, the film shifts focus to a modelling agency and all the suspects/victims therein. Specifically, we get to focus on Magda (Edwige Fenech), a photographer...and Carlo, who is also a photographer. Carlo takes the biscuit as the most sexist Italian movie hero I've laid eyes on. We first see him sexually harassing a young girl (and succeeding!), then he hooks up with Edwige, seemingly immediately moving in to her apartment, moaning about his coffee, and reading the paper while ignoring her. Edwige, for her part, doesn't seem to mind being called stupid, being shouted at, or even throttled. Ah, the innocence of young love.

Oh, and there's some murders too. Our motorcycle-helmeted killer starts working his way through the cast, and I won't really go into much detail about it as it's a giallo, but if you want to see an extremely fat man trying it on with a model, then this is the film for you. Our chicks are there for eye candy, except for the boss of the agency, so of course that makes her a lesbian.

Weirdly, I expected LESS from the director of The Zombie Dead, but here, at least on a technical level, he seems to do a bit better. There's some nice Argento/Bava style cinematography, and the music is what you'd expect. Violence wise it's touch and go, with some nice gore effects but not much carnage. However, clothes fly off without much prompting so you've not got much to worry about there.

Fun stuff...not a top giallo, but I can't help but be impressed.

And, as usual, the ending is jaw-droppingly stupid, and morally questionable.


I have just watched Strip Nude For Your Killer this evening and i found it to be a very good film it features several good looking young women who are working for this model agency who agree to strip for this photographer. But at the same time there is a murder on the loose who is out to kill as many of the models as possible. there are some very gory moments in the film, and it also features a lot of nudity in many sences as the title says. I found the dubbing of the actors not to bad which is good compared to other films i have seen. I think that Andrea Bianchi is a good director from what i have seen in this film. Good Movie!(Recommended).


A mysterious killer, dressed in black leather and a motorcycle helmet, is offing the staff and models at an agency/studio; risking their lives, Magda and Carlo (Edwige Fenech and Nino Castelnuovo), a couple of photographers, attempt to discover the murderer's identity before they too become victims.

Andrea Bianchi, director of cheesy fun 80s zombie movie Burial Ground, makes sure that this enjoyable giallo lives up to its wonderfully lurid moniker by packing it with tons of nudity, sleazy action, and violent deaths. From start to finish, hardly a minute goes by without either a bloody stabbing or some gratuitous T&A from one of its delectable female stars, which is great news for fans of the genre, particularly if they enjoy their movies on the 'trashier' side.

Sexy lead lady Fenech obligingly strips nude for the audience on several occasions, but it is Femi Benussi, as aspiring model Lucia, who really steals the show: with her stunning looks and a winning set of curves, it is a real shame that she falls prey to the leather-clad psycho so early.

The story may not be anything particularly special, but the marvellously un-PC content (slutty women are treated like dirt by chauvinist men), endless hot Euro-chicks, and a magnificent funky soundtrack make this one a guilty pleasure.


I didn't think much of this when I first saw it and don't think much of it now. It's terrible really because the girls are great and it looks good most of the time with plenty of sexy kills. The title, salacious though it is, is pretty accurate, but the predictable tale plods along and in the end produces a killer we have not only not seen but did not know existed! Distortion on the soundtrack doesn't help this one. PS: Third time lucky! Watching this once more without distorted soundtrack, in fact watching in Italian, it is a sumptuous visual and aural feast. The sexy killings come at frequent intervals and the film is super sexy all the way through. I notice this time that of course we have seen and do know the character revealed as the killer at the end, even if she has not been prominent. Guess that should have given her away, that and the regular POV shots of the original death and continual references to running water.


I give credit to Andrea Bianchi (at first I thought it was a female director, the one lone one among the pack of the Giallo, but digging deeper Andrea is apparently a male name), for trying to put a couple of crazy twists: the killer looks like a cross between a dominatrix and a hardcore biker out of Mad Max, covered in total black leather with a big black helmet, there is a moment or two that do startle with the killer's presence. Indeed, the killer is for the most part much smarter than almost all of the cast, which can be fun to watch once or twice...

But the problem with Bianchi's direction is that past the excess nudity, which isn't a bad thing for a sleazy Italian horror flick, there's no suspense to his craft. While the cinematography is accomplished the actual direction as far as suspense goes is pretty weak. Suffice to say, Bianchi is no Argento. It's not a total loss, but it's also weakened by the really bad dubbing (Godzilla sometimes fares better), and some really ridiculous characters, like the fat guy that tries to have his way with the older blonde owner of the fashion studio, that aren't very funny.

It's got some hip 70s music, and a few memorable bits (mostly early on, with stuff that doesn't have to do even with the killer), but really this movie doesn't live up to the awesome potential of its title. The trailer on the Blue Underground DVD, on the other hand, is really amazing.


The Milan fashion world is rocked by a serial killer, wearing leather gear and motorcycle helmet, stab-killing those involved with Albatross studio..it coincides with the unfortunate accidental death of a model receiving an illegal abortion. Carlo Bianchi(Nino Castelnuovo)is a very successful photographer enjoying the sexual kicks you receive from being a big-shot in the industry. He literally beds one gal he suckers into a sauna not but shortly after meeting her, promising of a healthy career as a model(..naked nearly the entire film, Femi Benussi shows she's unafraid to bare it all for the audience for almost her total screen time), but she'll, like others, gets stabbed multiple times after discovering the water faucets running in her employer-to-be Gisella Montani's(Amanda)abode. The constant with all these killings revolve around Gisella..her heavy impotent husband(Franco Diogene), her homo-sexual photographer Mario(Claudio Pellegrini), and eventually herself are targets for the mysterious homicidal maniac. Gisella is also being black-mailed by someone in her inner circle(..of the remaining still alive). Others will follow as Magda Cortis(Edwige Fenech, whose character is an apprentice to Carlo)and Carlo become civilian detectives with their own lives endangered in the process.

As mentioned in practically every user comment, "Strip Nude for Your Killer" lives up to it's lurid title. Ample nudity from uninhibited actresses, the lives of those associated with the fashion world(..particularly those who will do anything to gain success and fame)are skewered and every character in the film embellishes in sex and hedonism. Fenech delivers the usual tasty nudity and looks fantastic even with a short hair cut. Her lover Carlo is the complete anti-hero, he treats Magda like a sex toy, even choking her not once but twice. He was one of those who left the dead model's body left in a tub with running water(..the image of this dead model is displayed quickly before every murder scene takes place with the director letting the viewer know that this is the motivation behind the stabbings). The stabbings themselves are often gushing wounds, but the final attacks show the aftermath of a castration and breast removal, pretty potent, shocking stuff. There's even some sad humor portraying Gisele's portly husband(..who is quite a danger driving on the roads of Milan with director Bianchi's camera following with a POV shot of the car passing through endless traffic, red lights, and even threatening civilians walking on the streets)as a clown in heat who can not deliver in the clutch. Nice job by Blue Underground bringing giallo fans a print of true quality and the film looks great..with good use of color and sound photography, Bianchi really provides the film with style. Yet, this isn't particularly any different than the endless chain of gialli circling the market, so to combat this Bianchi put naked flesh across the screen almost through the film's entirety. This giallo does have your typical wacky twist revealing why this killer is so viciously killing his/her victims, but this time, the revelation might be underwhelming considering it's a person who isn't as significantly drawn as other characters in the plot. This is indeed a true treat for those with an appreciation for smut. Film suffers for not having a likable character to root for, but Fenech once again portrays the endangered character in pursuit(..and being pursued)of the killer.


A severely deranged wacko psycho killer dressed in shiny skintight black leather and a motorcycle helmet brutally bags a bunch of beautiful young fashion models who all work for the same agency in this splendidly sleazy and notoriously nasty piece of typically twisted, yet stylish and polished low-grade Italian giallio murder mystery slasher thriller junk. Of course, true to the picture's irresistibly shameless come-on title the loony forces all the poor gals to doff their duds and bare their exquisite bodies before butchering them! Probable suspects include the disgusting fat slob owner of the agency, tubbo's frosty ice queen predatory lesbian wife, womanizing heel photographer Nino Castelnuovo, and his sexy lady assistant Edwige Fenech.

Directed with an admirable lack of taste and restraint by Andrea Bianchi (the same sweet, subtle, sophisticated gent who blessed us with the insanely gory and over-the-top zombie gut-cruncher "Burial Ground"), who pours on the gratuitous nudity and explicit violence with cheerfully crass abandon (the kill scenes are quite vicious and gruesome while the generously well-proportioned Femi Benussi in particular offers the viewers an amazingly ample eyeful sans clothes). Moreover, Franco Delli Colli's slick, sparkling cinematography and Berto Pisano's bubbly, elegant score ensure that the film both looks and sounds excellent (I especially dug the funky, throbbing discoid opening credits theme music). Blue Underground strikes again with a lovely letterboxed DVD presentation of this terrifically trashy treat, offering an uncut print that's in pristine shape along with a deliciously lurid trailer and a nice 12 minute interview featurette with actress Solvi Stubing and co-screenwriter Massimo Felisatti as the up to snuff extras.


Normally I don't comment on films, until now. In short, I've been a huge fan of Genre, Euro-Horror, Art House, Grind House, Underground, Independent, Low Budget, High Budget, basically all aspects of films. We all know that Euro-horror films tends to be misunderstood or not even taken seriously. This particular film is the essence to why Great Italian or Spainish thrillers are never taken Seriously. I Despise this film beyond belief!! Andrea Bianchi lost points in my book along with the cast, crew and producers and distributors of the Giallo genre. The lead character is PURE SLIME!! I wanted so badly to see him CASTRATED and Bled to DEATH! SLOWLY!!!!!! In short, this film is an INSULT to the better films by Argento, Fulci, et all. AAAHHHH, (SIGH) I feel better now. Please, some one, for the sake of quality Euro- Thrillers that deserve an audience. BURN EVERY COPY OF THIS CRAP!!!


Sadly this series was doomed from the start. Great cast, good writing and an uplifting message with only a hint of preaching! Andre Braugher is as good in this, or maybe better, than his role in Homicide (Life on the Street).

Network TV was simply not ready for this, and if you take it to cable, the tendency is to spice it so much it can become offensive. Like I said, doomed from the get go.

The ensemble was also being used well, without the "stock character" prejudices and clichés. I suspect had this been given a really good run it would have been possible to flesh out the interns and residents as well as the nursing staff to the point of developing some outstanding story lines.

This is one of a long line of shows submarined by its refusal to seek mediocrity.


This was one of the best series ever. Not because every moment was great; any given program had its ups and downs. What made the series great was that every single episode had a moment in it that transcended the storyline, that had an emotional or intellectual impact that was real. It has been some time since I saw the series, but I remember vividly how it was able to affect me each week. It was worthwhile time spent. Andre Braugher was excellent, as usual. He can make any show better by his presence. I don't watch many TV shows but I will always try a series if certain actors appear in it and Braugher is one of those. (He and David Morse made Hack worth watching.) The rest of the cast was good and I notice that a number of them have showed up on subsequent series. In summary, this was one of those series that is worth having on whether perfect or not. Its high points are higher than most other TV, even the good shows.


Narrated by 'Oggi' (a boy who does not exist and may or may not ever come into existence) this sad, philosophical, hilarious film recounts, disjointedly, the almost random conjunction of events that lead (or don't lead) to Oggi's coming into the world. Lightning strikes multiple times; people keep bragging about the quality of their mobile phones; a farmer and his wife aboard a tractor burst into a lively lip-sync of 'I Will Survive'; good Samaritans keep stealing things; a doctor tries to end his life; cops simply can't get a break...this movie is full of seemingly random events that somehow crazily knit together to bring us to the end that is the beginning (possibly).

This movie is suffused with the particular brand of bitter humor that seems to abound in Eastern Europe. It is not for all tastes, certainly. If you are looking for something different, something that will make you think while you laugh and think about why you are laughing, this movie is worth taking a look at.


I gave this movie 7 out of ten stars, only because of the performance of Lawless. The script wasn't the best to work with, but she is a professional, and managed to pull it off quite well.

Still, if your not a fan of Lawless, you'll probably not appreciate this movie. (Like I say, not the best script. But does anyone have any business expecting much from a made-for-TV movie?)

The first reviewer actually said that Hollywood needs to adopt a Xenaphobic(!) policy. As an adult, I know the difference between an actress and the character she portrays. It is unfortunate that some of the others who claim to be adults while reviewing work on this site do not.


Halfway into the 00's, it looks as if CBS is trying to bring back what was a regular event on broadcast TV in the 70's and 80's -- the totally lame low budget TV-movie.

While I don't watch movies or shows that are appalling to me (thus explaining why I watched "Locusts" rather than "Desperate Housewives"), I am entertained by pictures that I find ridiculous. I only caught the last half-hour of CBS' last hastily served pseudo-big event, "Spring Break Shark Attack," and only the young that hasn't seen "Jaws" didn't know what that movie was before seeing it. Whatta hoot. Like "SBSA", the scenes in "Locusts" are eminently predictable.

As my summary above indicates, I really do miss Mike, Joel, Servo and Crow cracking wise at the inanity of movies like "Locusts." Prime scenes for their barbs would have been (SPOILERS!): the opening one where the assistant, showing off for her bug-fearing boyfriend, goes into the chamber full of locusts without putting on a jumpsuit; the following scene with the semi-naked Lucy Lawless (sing the National Anthem again for us, Lucy!) cutting short what should have been a romantic interlude with her chiseled-torsoed boyfriend (played by the wooden Dylan Neal), who whines like a child about how her prestigious Washington position takes her from his bed; the school bus scene when the daughter of the locusts' breeder calls for her daddy; the meeting with the USDA and the Dept. of Homeland Security, in which Lawless briefs a panel wearing full dress uniforms while she is dressed in skin-tight jeans; the inevitable expression of remorse from the entomologist, prior to his bloody demise; the scene in the Pittsburgh office, with the b-day party being interrupted by a picture window full of bugs (plus the revelation that the office hunk is even wimpier than Lawless' bf); the scene in the chopper when Lawless declares she's hormonal due to her pregnancy, and just might kill everyone in the chopper if the DHS doesn't change its drastic plan; the climactic kiss that is interrupted by the buzzing of the swarm; and just about every scene in which people are warned about the locusts' pending arrival -- first, they're in denial; minutes later, they're running for their lives.

I gave this movie three stars for each of the three best things about "Locusts": the eye candy. Her Lawlessness herself, the "MILF"-ish Natalia Nogulich, and the birthday girl from the office, the sexy, magnetic, and buxom Azure Dawn, who, according to her IMDb page, is going to be in CBS' upcoming "Elvis" mini-series as "sequined actress." I can hardly wait!

Keep an eye out for Azure Dawn in the future. On second thought, keep both eyes out. You don't want to miss anything!


Oh my, oh my, oh my. Awful doesn't even begin to describe this moronic waste of time. This movie is really just an incessant cell phone ringing and someone picking it up looking harried and worried. Yet another reason to hate technology--infesting the movies now with cell phones to eat up the scenery. Wow, kept me riveted! This blech of a movie is pathetic and I'm a huge fan of science fiction. This doesn't exactly harken back to the good old sci-fi/B movies of the past--it is insulting and a grind to watch. I was hoping the locusts would eat everyone and start with the people with cell phones parked at their heads.


This sort of thing has been done many times before with bees,slugs,rats and even ticks so why not a creature feature with locusts. This is a made for TV feature starring one time butt kicking warrior princess Lucy Lawless. A swarm of genetically engineered locusts escape from a laboratory and head across America creating a swathe of destruction as they go. This may have been an interesting idea on the drawing board but it has one big problem, the locusts just don't feel threatening.In classic films such as The Birds and The Swarm you feel threatened by the creatures but in this the locusts are more likely to induce a yawn rather than any sense of panic or terror.Half way through the feature the locusts turn carnivorous and this gave me the feeling that ideas had started to run out. I know Lucy Lawless may be trying to move away from Xena but surely she could choose better vehicles for her talent than this half baked attempt at creature feature terror. The dialogue was forced, the direction was slow and probably because the locusts were CGI based they didn't even begin to bring me out in even a Luke warm sweat. I give this 4/10 and that is only because of Lucy Lawless.I will always be a Lucy Lawless fan and anything she is in deserves some sort of score. My advice to anyone out there is to avoid this feature at all costs.


This film is actually better than it is being credited for. It's number one strength is definitely the skill of Lucy Lawless(although it's somewhat wasted in many emotionally light scenes), and the script can, at times, be slightly inept. However, it's an interesting story with something to say. Introducing some very thought provoking themes and ideas about the boundaries of science and human power, it shows a rather creative way in which nature can punish us for our own idiocy. A surprising bonus is the high quality of special effects involved. There's really nothing that comes off as fake. Campy, maybe... but not fake. In the end, this film is satisfying. Especially when compared to the vast sea of other made-for-TV-movies, it stands out ahead of the pack. It's sequel "Vampire Bats"(while still far from perfect), draws on this film's strengths and builds upon them. Both movies are worth a watch, and worth owning if you are a fan of Lucy.


You know when you pass by a car wreck and you know that it's something bad, but you just have to look at it. Well, this is that movie! For the most part it has bad acting and a really silly plot. The only reason that I'm giving it a four is because the Locusts actually look really good when grouped up and close-ups are real Locusts. Some of the government action seems pretty realistic, except for this one General that wants to spray VX-Nerve Gas, but that's really all I can say good about this movie. If your so board out of your mind and you can't sleep then laugh yourself to sleep at this movie. If you have better things to do then you know what to do. I give this movie a very giving 4 out of 10!


This couldn't be funnier, even if it had intended to be. It is a 21st century rendition of those awful 1950s drive-in fodder, supersized radioactive insect movies. It just doesn't know its a parody. It really thinks it's a serious movie. As a result, it has turned out much funnier than Date Movie, Epic Movie and Scary Movie, all the uninspired clones of the Zucker brothers' wonderfully screwy Airplane (Flying High down under) and Naked Gun flicks.

Great sets, nice photography but the praise stops there. The script is stupid and the acting is atrocious. Grab snacks and laugh your head off. Lucy Lawless is a scientist battling swarms of carnivorous locust, a CYA secretary of agriculture and an army general eager to gas the bugs and most of America. All are of about equal intelligence. Well, maybe collectively the grasshoppers are smarter. Remarkable, given they are all stick-on props and CGI.

BTW, the unintentional humour is so raucous I never pegged Xena until I came to IMDb. She isn't nearly so visually arresting out of leather. Her estranged boyfriend though, another scientist, is another matter. He could push this flick over with specialized audience niches. It was guffaw time for me when he walked into Command Central and was introduced as a leader in some sort of scientific field. Square jawed, wavy haired and such a caricature of handsome, you know he must have just come straight from his other job. As an underwear model.

Low moments but big laughs: Every time Lucy jumps up and down like an 11-year-old trying to get the attention of a doubting bigwig. When the biggest mid-script plot turn is the "reveal" that Lucy is pregnant. Prime moment for a line something like, "You remember that night. You came straight home after shooting the g-string commercials and you were unstoppable." No matter; viewers are already laughing so hard they'd have missed the line.

Oh yes, and those amazing CGI effects! Really love the computer simulations of the USA at Command Central where the dark swarms of dots (representing the locusts, ya know) spread across several states as fast as spilled water covers a granite counter top.

Enough already. You get it. Do NOT approach this as serious entertainment.

Oh, I forgot. There is one good performance. It's Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H) as a man outstanding in his field. You got it; a farmer. That's cuz the locusts attack all the crops in Midwestern America. Those good, honest folk don't deserve such diss.


As an electrician, the final resolution for the posed problem is not just beyond possibility... It's beyond reasoning and certainly not plausible except to the most uneducated or jaded viewer. And to partially blame the hybrid hopper on Australia! Who writes this stuff? The premise, while fantastic, could have been much better executed. For all intents it appears that the writers have taken their 90 minutes of screen time, built their story (albeit thin), executed the major plot points (how did the bugs survive the truck on the airfield tarmac?) and then tried to coast home on some pitifully thin technical excuse for a solution. Thank goodness for weather balloons, silver streamers & diverted voltage!!! Give me a break.


Swarms of mutant grasshoppers crack windows. Sometimes, sometimes not.

Swarms of mutant grasshoppers threaten to smother the children of *coughs* plot elements.

Swarms of mutant grasshoppers blot out the sun and threaten all life on earth.

All their mutant billions are miraculously killed in a few seconds by fiddling the power lines of the Midwest.

It is difficult to describe the jaw-dropping awfulness of Locusts nor is there any point in attempting the job. Gotta be seen. It is the Plan 9 of the current generation and is very highly recommended.