Bitch Slap Movie Review
Bitch Slap Movie Review
Hurt me some more.
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The guys have all had their day in the cinematic sun of excess action lately — take your pick from almost any Guy Richie movie, Crank or Shoot'Em Up, and you know exactly what I'm talking about. But it's ladies' night now, with the nonstop head-spinner Bitch Slap coming out tomorrow (limited in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, as well as video-on-demand).
Taking a cue from quasi- female empowerment 70s exploitation movies such as Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, Coffee and They Call Her One-Eye, Bitch Slap puts the hurt on a lot harder and much faster, barely pausing to fix its falling bra straps, let alone catch its breath. Roger Corman protégé Rick Jacobs directs this whacky women-gone-wild mystery-slash-adventure with plenty of gory, brutal panache, but in this case more is just… well, more.
As expertly and innovatively choreographed by the great Zoe Bell, the film's three cat-fightin' femmes (played by Erin Cummings, America Olivo and Julia Voth) shoot guns, wield knives, throw punches, deliver roundhouse kicks, and they do it all in sexy style — what's more, Bitch Slap is getting the jump on the upcoming Sucker Punch and the Barbarella remake. Boom! Gotta love the little indie's moxie.
This tongue-in-cheek parody really couldn't be classified as a horror film by any stretch of the garter, but Bitch Slap is definitely in the wheelhouse of fans who love over-the-top genre flicks which harken back to the days of non-PC old. Bitch Slap isn't a great movie by any means (and it's way too long and is too complex for its own good), but it's spirited and fun. It's well acted, albeit archly, by its trio of ta-ta blessed badasses, and it's got cool cars and loud music to boot. The burnt around the edges, flare-addled cinematography and lighting is just perfect for the hot desert setting, and everything from the costumes to the makeup is picture perfect.
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Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson
* Stay tuned for our exclusive video interviews with the cast of BITCH SLAP