Planet Terror (2007) Review

Written by: jackalqueen   

I was surprised that I liked this as much as I did, because I wasn't expecting to!  It's filmed with a 70's B-movie style, from the music, make-up and costumes, right through to the acting and dialogue.  It even goes so far as to have all the graininess, fading colours and scratches of old movie reels which, while not detracting from the film, ends up feeling more like an affectation than actually adding anything to the film.

   The story is that some experimental bio-gas is released and it turns almost everyone into zombies.  Those that are left (obviously the bunch of misfits that we've encountered along the way) have to band together to survive... and that's basically it - but it's done in a very entertaining way.

    The film has a lot of black comedy and even with the zombies and the blood spatter, it never really felt like a horror film at any point.  The scene with Quentin Tarantino as the would-be rapist will stay with me as one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.  There's also a couple scenes (child with handgun and hand meets car doorhandle) which might make you wince slightly.

   My fear before watching this was about the 'machine-gun leg' because I didn't see how it could work convincingly but, surprisingly, it did.  You have to ignore the fact that it doesn't explain how she's firing the thing, or how an amputee is up and running about after a few hours with no ill effects but that doesn't matter too much in the end.

    I thought Rose McGowan was excellent and I bet there were a LOT of people watching this film who started swearing uncontrollably at the words 'Missing Reel'!!