Review - Death Proof

I am a huge Tarantino fan. And I mean huge. Not literally, of course, in reality I am quite petite, but I am huge in the loving-Quentin-Tarantino’s-films department. Obviously I was very excited about seeing Death Proof, as a new Tarantino release is a rare occurrence. But then I heard bad things about it, disappointed reviews from critics that professed to love Tarantino’s back catalogue, but just couldn’t get this. I began my first viewing with a heavy heart, but that didn’t last long. Although a slightly odd film, with passages that don’t quite scan on first viewing, Death Proof has lots of great dialogue and supercool moments that only Tarantino can do, which means it is worth a watch by everyone.

Death Proof was originally the second part of Grindhouse, a joint venture with Robert Rodriguez that did not go down well in America because people apparently couldn’t get the concept of a double feature. It may also have been because this project is really a minority pursuit; not everyone is interested in reliving the idiosyncrasies of bad 70s cinema, and perhaps they shouldn’t have expected a general young audience to get very enthused (stupid young people!). Harvey Weinstein has decided to split the film for its international release. As with the splitting in two of Kill Bill, this has allowed the addition of extra footage, and as with Kill Bill (specifically vol. 2) it may have been a better idea to keep it tighter as originally intended.

The story revolves around the actions of Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell), a stuntman with an unusual hobby: he enjoys driving his cool, black, reinforced car at speed into cars filled with beautiful young women, killing them instantly. We follow his victims on their night out in Austin Texas in the first half of the film, and then move on to Lebanon, Tennesse, where Stuntman Mike has decided to mess with the wrong girls.

The plot is quite thin, though compelling in a lurid way; what fills most of the screen time is the girls’ fast, sassy Tarantino-speak. Watching this you get an idea of how Tarantino would write an episode of Sex and the City, which makes it a pity that the series is over. For some, the pace may be a bit ponderous, but building up a relationship with these characters is important for when the inevitable happens. These are cool, clever women in control, a rare thing in movies; their presence shouldn’t be that surprising, as Tarantino’s female characters have always been strong and intelligent. Interestingly, the male characters are all wallies, wimps, or a psychopathic killer, almost playthings for the girls.

Russell gives a very charming and manacing performance when on screen, as most of the time he is just malevolent presence in the background. The girls are all great (although Jordan Ladd as Shanna is very annoying, I hope intentionally), with special mention to Vanessa Ferlito as Arlene for her astounding lap dance. I also really enjoyed Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, a blonde Rose McGowan, and Sydney Tamaii Poitier as the rather frightening Jungle Julia, a six foot DJ. Zoë Bell (Uma Thurman’s stunt double on Kill Bill) plays herself, proving she must be certifiable with her death-defying stunts. As with all Tarantino films, one of the best characters is the soundtrack, and we are treated to some great and surprising choices that leave their mark on every scene.

This film is by its very nature choppy, split in two almost, and there are some moments that don’t seem to fit at first. But if you can get past those issues, then this is a very enjoyable ride, with many awesome moments and heaps of girl power.