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That's the assurance that Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) gives to a character before showing her his real intentions. What are they? Primarily to stalk and kill young women with his car. Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof follows his encounters with two separate groups of women in the course of a year and a half.
Death Proof is notable for being released alongside Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror as a double-bill called Grindhouse. A sort of homage to low budget exploitation films released in so-called "grindhouse" theaters, the film gives a ton of nods to that trend in the way it is written and shot. The first half of the film is intentionally shot in a grainy, old film style, which then morphs into a more conventional style in the second half.
Up until now, this was the only Tarantino film I hadn't seen. My regret for missing the "Grindhouse" release in theaters made me avoid the film for a while, and then mixed reviews here and there sorta kept me away from it. However, although it is far from perfect, I'm quite happy I finally watched it.
Like most of Tarantino's films, this one has a lot of talking. Dialogue is well written, but I think he leans too much into it as we wait for things to get going. Then the second half shift feels odd as we have to get accustomed to new characters en route to the film's conclusion. Fortunately, Tarantino has a helluva cast to fall back on despite whatever shortcomings the film might have.
The real star of this joint is the great Kurt Russell who embodies Stuntman Mike's part-suave, part-bitter, part-crazy persona. Most of the "lead" actresses deliver as well, but special kudos go to Rosario Dawson, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Vanessa Ferlito, and kick-ass stunt performer Zoë Bell, who owns the very last act as she spends most of it hanging from the hood of a car during an impressive car chase that shows us how "death proof" they all are.
Grade:
DEATH PROOF
(2007, Tarantino)
(2007, Tarantino)
"This car is 100% death proof. Only to get the benefit of it, honey, you REALLY need to be sitting in my seat."
That's the assurance that Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) gives to a character before showing her his real intentions. What are they? Primarily to stalk and kill young women with his car. Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof follows his encounters with two separate groups of women in the course of a year and a half.
Death Proof is notable for being released alongside Robert Rodriguez' Planet Terror as a double-bill called Grindhouse. A sort of homage to low budget exploitation films released in so-called "grindhouse" theaters, the film gives a ton of nods to that trend in the way it is written and shot. The first half of the film is intentionally shot in a grainy, old film style, which then morphs into a more conventional style in the second half.
Up until now, this was the only Tarantino film I hadn't seen. My regret for missing the "Grindhouse" release in theaters made me avoid the film for a while, and then mixed reviews here and there sorta kept me away from it. However, although it is far from perfect, I'm quite happy I finally watched it.
Like most of Tarantino's films, this one has a lot of talking. Dialogue is well written, but I think he leans too much into it as we wait for things to get going. Then the second half shift feels odd as we have to get accustomed to new characters en route to the film's conclusion. Fortunately, Tarantino has a helluva cast to fall back on despite whatever shortcomings the film might have.
The real star of this joint is the great Kurt Russell who embodies Stuntman Mike's part-suave, part-bitter, part-crazy persona. Most of the "lead" actresses deliver as well, but special kudos go to Rosario Dawson, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Vanessa Ferlito, and kick-ass stunt performer Zoë Bell, who owns the very last act as she spends most of it hanging from the hood of a car during an impressive car chase that shows us how "death proof" they all are.
Grade: