It was April 2007 and I spent almost three and a half hours in a darkened theater room full of fan boys and girls. The event of this elbow-to-elbow show was "Grindhouse", one of the best movie experiences I have ever had. It's great to be in a room full of people that have the same taste in films, it makes any movie venture amazing. The film that most of the screaming fans were waiting for was "Death Proof", and it was a complete joy as soon as the title came to the screen. The film of course started with a foot fetish galore, because it is a Tarantino film.

There's is a lot of debate that this film has two halves, to me this is just another grind house experience. "Death Proof" starts off with disc jockey talk leading to bar talk. Plus a cameo from gore hound Eli Roth as a drunken partier. The film doesn't really kick into high gear until the presence of Kurt Russell's creepiness at the bar. His role of "Stuntman Mike" is funny, offbeat, and scary. The true stars of the film are muscle cars, a 1970 Chevy Nova and a 1969 Dodge Charger. The car gave Stuntman Mike's momentum to actually cause true danger, without the car he's basically harmless but still creepy. I believe it's the car that makes someone a bad ass, and without it you lose all the bad ass appeal. The same theory goes with the man with a gun, without the gun he better know some kung fu, and if he doesn't know he's screwed.

"Death Proof" is a wild ride, the last half switches gears from creepy Kurt Russell to playful Russell. Plus the stunt work from Zoe Bell is jaw breaking. The car chase is great and it never slows down, with wonderful dialogue that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film's ending is the best I've seen from 2007. "Death Proof" is a true grind house experience mixing horror, car chases, car crashes, foot fetishes, women out for revenge, stereotypes, amazing stunt work, catchy dialogue, and a nice score. This movie has it all.

The first half of the film is deliberately jumpy and covered in scratches and noise. "Death Proof" really does look like part of an old grindhouse double-bill but there are nods to the present day (i.e. the use of a mobile 'phone to text a boyfriend). It's great stuff - authentic and strangely absorbing.

Following a dramatic set-piece that will stay with the viewer forever, we meet the second gang of chicks with attitude. This second-half is a more polished affair as we see Rosario Dawson and her friends enjoying life. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is great as the beautiful young model and Tracie Thoms is spot-on as the strong-willed Kim. However, it's Zoe Bell who will really be remembered. In her role of stunt-girl Zoe, she performs in truly edge-of-seat action scenes aboard a charging car.

A great film and one that really starts to gel as it progresses. The soundtrack is fantastic and the actors are all thoroughly watchable. I was left feeling very impressed with "Death Proof" (and more than a little smitten by Ms. Dawson).

Kurt Russell is as good as ever as Stuntman Mike. He really is bad, mad and dangerous-to-know and his presence in the early scenes is remarkably unsettling yet darkly humorous.

4.5 stars. I'm really looking forward to watching this film again...

This movie needs two separate review scores since the first half and second half are so very different. The first half is dialogue heavy. Rather than amusing me, it bored me. I'm sure it was supposed to build sympathy for the characters, but it had the opposite effect, revealing the girls as superficial and self-absorbed. By the time they are in mortal danger they have stopped blethering, and though I feel guilty to say it, I was just happy they finally shut up. (Note: my sympathy was stronger for the first victim--she seemed much nicer than the other girls--and I was shocked by the brutality of her murder). The first section gets 2/5.

The second half of the movie is pure action and it is very gripping. I sympathized with these girls more (maybe because they were stronger or maybe because their characters were more fully fleshed out). The finale reminded me of an old school kung fu movie. Kurt Russell was excellent in this. This part of the movie merits 4/5.