Death Proof(2007)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
HBMR Rating:6.0/10*
*In comparison to other films.
In comparison to Quentin Tarantino-3/10
A 6/10 isnt a bad rating. Its not mediocre either, its what I would call "an above average" rating for any film. But then again, Tarantino's film's aren't just any films. Tarantino's films have a knack for becoming cult classics and in comparison to his earlier work, Death Proof is way below average. Death Proof suffers from the Tarantino tag it bears and the high expectations it bears with that tag. I believe that if any one else had made this film, its reception would have been better. This is probably Quentin Tarantino's worst film to date and I really hope he doesn't do worse than this.
In Death Proof, QT has tried to replace the "Bad Mofo's" like Jules and Vincent with the badly contsructed feminine characters Abernathy (Rosario Dawson), Kim (Tracie Thoms) and Zoe (Zoe Bell). The problem is QT did not replace the dialogues. And needless to say this is the downfall of the film. Kim, who is a black woman says the words "nigger", "bitch" and "fuck" about 20 times in each sentence. Now I'm not pointing fingers to any racist sentiments in the mind of QT as has been done by critics before. Neither am I objecting to the foul language. What I am saying is that the "bitch", "nigga" and "fuck" don't come out half as well as they did from the lips of Samuel L. Jackson. Dialogue just does'nt transcend gender.It just doesn't. I dont want to sound chauvinistic but the girls are the problem. What the girls are saying is quite interesting, its just how they're saying it thats a bit pissing off. Whenever Kim or Zoe started to talk I pretty much put the TV on mute and read the subtitles. The other girls were'nt as bad but Kim and Zoe pretty much spoilt it for them. The character of Lee (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) was a waste and could easily have been exempted. It goes without saying that I enjoyed the first set of girls much more than this. Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito) and Jungle Julia(Sydney Poitier). Though even Jungle Julia had her foulmouthed moments.
Bluntly put, they were hotter and the lap dance did help. But jokes aside, I feel the film would have been much better without the two different sets of girls. If QT had just eliminated Abernathy and Co. and decided not to kill off Arlene and Co., this film would have been much better.
But I would also like to add that if you replaced the girls with the hard men of Hollywood, this film would not improve too much.
The chase sequence isn't that bad I have to say. That is if you cease all thinking and reasoning.
With Zoe strapped to the front, they go racing at a gazillion miles per hour. They find time to stop, to beat up Kurt Russell but dont find time to unbuckle the helpless Kiwi. QT, again, could have done better.
Kurt Russell obviously is the best part about this film. His character(Stuntman Mike) is extremely well rounded and while his serial-killer persona didn't keep me awake, his crying like a pussy certainly made me laugh. The only thing about his character is that he was underused by QT, his appearance is way too brief. Though when he does come in bits and parts, it is too rescue us from the monotonous dialogue of the inane twittering of the girls. And because he is so briefly cast in the film, KR is not reason enough to see this film.
In the end, I have to say with some sadness that my favourite director let me down this time. Its sad to say but QT's resume will not suffer if this project was exempted. Here's hoping that Inglorious Bastards (2009) will make up for this film. See this film if you have nothing else to do. Nothing.
-AtBp
