Planet Terror (2007)

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez | 90 minutes | action, horror, science fiction | Actors: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Alicia Rachel Marek, Bruce Willis, Carlos Gallardo, Dean Fernando, Emmy Robbin, Jeff Fahey, Jordan Ladd, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Michael Biehn, Michael Parks, Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt, Quentin Tarantino , Stacey Ferguson, Tom Savinic

Where Quentin Tarentino could not completely convince us with the style exercise ‘Death Proof’, Grindhouse buddy Robert Rodriguez does come up with a finished film: his ‘Planet Terror’ is a beautiful parody of zombie films, absurdistically entertaining, smooth and catchy. Tarentino chose for incomprehensible reasons for a slow tempo and bad acting and that is exactly the opposite in ‘Planet Terror’: jokes and references are rarely lame if you don’t have the time to find them lame, as this film also shows; The play area is also a feast: Josh Brolin (as cynical doctor), Marley Shelton (as his hysterical wife) and Rose McGowan (the one-legged heroine of this film) aren’t known for being up-and-coming actors, but the characters and execution are mocking un; even singer Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas turns out to be able to act.

‘Planet Terror’ has something in common with ‘Mars Attacks’ – including a disaster movie scenario, but with zombies instead of Martians; we are shown a slimy battlefield that is so absurd it becomes fun. Strong examples are – among others – the special effects with corpses and severed limbs – impressive but not excessive, the black humor – this film makes you smile rather than laugh – and the play with the genres: Rodriguez adds romance and romance with equal ease. drama between the violence as if he manages to maintain the plot and sidelines of a b-movie. For example, he makes the one-legged Cherry make love as stylishly as shooting zombies with a machine gun attached to her stump.

The strongest thing about ‘Planet Terror’ is the interpersonal suffering that we are presented with, the dysfunctional marriage of the doctor couple Block and the skirmishes between Cherry and beloved Wray (Freddy Rodriguez in a nice loser role) are also worth mentioning. With a good dose of irony and now and then some cynicism, the violent spectacle gets the right depth. ‘Planet Terror’ tries to be a no-brainer, but luckily it doesn’t succeed. Rodriguez has made the loving b-movie that was promised and will keep you awake on many fronts.