This year "Grindhouse" re-introduced, or at least tried to re-introduce film goers to the idea of exploitative, action driven films. Most people have long forgotten what fun a good, campy movie can be. After all, today films don't even make it past the script stage unless they have a bankable audience that the studios know will be there in droves opening weekend. One person who has never forgotten how much fun a good romp through post-apocalytic landscapes can be is John Carpenter. Snake Plissken, the hero in his classic "Escape from New York", may not have the cache that a Peter Parker or Jack Sparrow has, but by God he's got one thing they don't- Balls."Escape from L.A." is the sequel to Carpenter's aforementioned 1981 flick, this time with Plissken (Kurt Russell) being given the job of entering Los Angeles, which has now been turned into a prison-island, to retrieve a world controlling remote control MacGuffin. Along the way he must battle the L.A. underworld crime boss Cuervo Jones, who bears a striking resemblance to one Che Guevara. Helping him in this quest is a then up-and-comer Steve Buscemi, a "surfer dude" Peter Fonda and Pam Grier giving a turn as a transexual criminal Hershe Las Palmas.
This film is camp action at it's best. Make no mistake, Plissken is certainly written with tongue planted at least somewhat in cheek. Any writer who would write scenes where Snake both surfs on a tidal wave down Wilshire Boulevard and hang glides into a bombed out Disneyland and not cop to seeing the humor in it is lying. But the point is, it's fun. That's what it was meant to be and that's what it is. It's a popcorn flick and it's a damn good one. I had fun watching it, and if you were in the minority that enjoyed "Grindhouse", you'll most likely get your money's worth out of this movie. After all, it was only 5 bucks.
Camp Score- 5 out of 5
True Score- 3.5 out of 5
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