Customer Reviews

The Devil's Rejects-Two Disc Unrated Director's Cut

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This movie suffers from being judged by it's content and not it's craftsmanship. Rob Zombie doesn't merely like or revere classic 70s movies. He understands, REALLY understands, what makes a great movie great. Echoes of "Bonnie and Clyde," among others, don't detract from the enjoyment of The Devil's Rejects as a movie that really stands on it's own. This happens to be a genre I enjoy, but The D's R really transcends it.

As far as the DVD goes, the extras are great. I love when Zombie recounts what it was like to be one of those hundreds of fans, waiting for an autograph, and how that memory keeps from EVER turning down a fan request. Also, he gives real information (not just reminiscing, like many do on these commentaries). He tells how he casts based on film/video tape auditions, since often many things seen in a live audition don't show up on film and film is the whole point.

A great movie and a great package.

In a film world overrun with "torture cinema," Rob Zombie's "The Devil's Rejects" both embraces this current trend and hearkens back to a more innocent time--the exploitation era of the seventies where films of this type found underground success. Following up the chaotic, and not very satisfying, "House of 1000 Corpses"--"The Devil's Rejects" continues the saga of the murderous Firefly clan. But where "House" was an amped-up, kaleidoscopic music video of carnage and macabre humor with no particular plot--at least "Rejects" has Zombie embracing aspects of legitimate film technique and story telling narrative. Much more accomplished than its predecessor, however, doesn't make it much more entertaining. To be clear, I am not one who thinks that violence in films is the end of our society. I have embraced many films within this genre for various reasons, I just happen to think "The Devil's Rejects" commits the greatest sin of all--it creates no suspense.

The film's plot, as if it matters, revolves around the Firefly family as previously mentioned. Their home, and the site of countless previous murders, is raided by the police in the film's opening moments. A close knit group, to be sure (especially for psychopaths), brother Otis and sister Baby escape and arrange to meet up with their father Captain Spaulding who runs around like a maniacal clown. First stopping at a desolate motel to murder and torture at random, and later moving on to a house of ill repute--mayhem follows this wacky bunch! Hot on their trail, however, is Sheriff Wydell--who has a personal agenda of his own.

I credit Zombie for effectively recreating the gritty feeling of a seventies exploitation flick. The setting and mood are spot-on. I, also, enjoyed some of the cameos from a roster of forgotten or B-movie stars that populate the picture. I think there was fun to be had here--I just didn't have it. The humor fell flat, the brutality felt familiar, and the lack of dramatic tension left me feeling nothing. A film of this type needs to generate suspense to be successful and through all the bloodlust, nothing approximating real emotional consequence evolved until the film's ending. I credit William Forsythe, as the sheriff, for this last minute reprieve of excitement. His performance hits all the right notes in an over-the-top spectacle of madness and revenge.

This endgame, only the final 20 minutes of the film, really does ramp up the tension. The sadistic retribution and raw power within this segment is so much more satisfying than anything that has preceded it--for the first time, the film connects at a visceral and emotional level. But, alas, it's too late to salvage the picture. A 4 star ending on a 1 star movie--I can only round up the overall score to 2. I know that this film has its admirers, I just didn't see anything particularly new. But more critical was the sense of apathy I had throughout--who knew that vicious serial killing could be so flat and uninvolving? KGHarris, 03/07.

directors cut is always better and the behind scenes to see what the actors put up with is even better. comical out takes are are a blast. one of my favorites. keep going Rob!