2.0 out of 5 stars
Don't MESS with this film!, February 9, 2010
This review is from: Don't Mess With My Sister! (DVD)
Too sleazy to be taken seriously, too serious to be sleazy fun, DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. Directed by Meir Zarchi, the man responsible for the cult "revenge" movie I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, all sorts of ideas come to mind when thinking of what to expect with a film like this. The title alone evokes thoughts of torment, anger and revenge. Not to mention the cover art makes the movie seem like it's going to be an explosive ride into vengeance. Sadly, this movie is nothing like that what so ever. As the old saying goes, "don't judge a book by it's cover." This is just a mess of a story.
DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER is a grimey little tale about a guy who is trapped in his marriage and miserable. Although you would never have guessed it because the movie just kinda' starts up out of nowhere, with the character development thrown out the window right off the bat. A little backgound would have been nice. So anyways, the wife of the main character sets up a surprise Birthday party for her husband one day, including a belly dancer. This is a really strange scene because it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. First of all, what wife in the world would organize a party for her husband that included a belly dancer!?! Unless she was into that kind of thing. And even if the wife was cool with it, she also invited said husbands Mother and Sister to the party as well! Wouldn't that situation be a little awkward? I dunno', call me crazy. It's a plot that is unrealistic and just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
Anyways, the husband ends up falling head over heels for this belly dancer and ends up pursuing her after the party. Meanwhile, his wife seems pretty clueless about it. At this point, a lot of drama ensues involving the belly dancer and our main character. Although it seems like everything happens in just one night. This movie seems very rushed during some parts. Eventually they both get mixed up in murder, sex and a whole lot of sleazy scenarios. His wife soon finds out he's been cheating on her (finally!) and she tells her hulking, junk yard owner Brother about her wayward husband. A lot more violence happens but it really amounts to nothing because the movie doesn't seem to know where it's going or why it's going there. This is like a bad day time Soap Opera mixed with a little R rated sleaze and revenge. I'm not even sure you could call this a Horror film really.
At one point during the movie, I had to switch my over all thinking and expectations for DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER. When I did that, I found the movie was easier to stomach. After all, I was ready for a hard boiled revenge film and got something totally different. Considering the same directors other movie I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE (also known as DAY OF THE WOMAN) is a cult classic in terms of revenge (and a film I hold in high regards), this movie is just shockingly off beat. Sometimes in a good way but mostly in a bad way.
Far from an all around awful movie, this just wasn't what I was expecting. Some of the acting was actually okay, for this kind of thing. With a better story line this could have been an enjoyable film. I get the feeling this movie was marketed one way dispite it's opposite intentions. Also, I can't wrap my mind around what the director was trying to convey with this film. At least I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE had a central focus in the Horror world. Rape and revenge. DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER doesn't try to convey anything.
Another strange choice in this film is the "out of nowhere" ending. It's like a whole bunch of things happen at the end and then the credits just start rolling. I kept expecting to hear a laugh track any minute while the scene played out and the credits rolled! It just didn't make a whole lot of sense and was totally pointless! A lot of destruction happens but it has no real consequences. The "messed up" moments come off as weak because it all leads up to a nowhere ending. When all is said and done, nobody really got hurt with the exception of maybe one dead guy.
The one thing this movie has going for it is the nice, sleazy city back drop. I always enjoy Horror movies that take place during the 1980's in the big city! Especially when it's in New York! DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER is filmed around nasty junk yards, dreary subway tunnels and dark alley ways. On top of that, the music is actually kinda' creepy in it's own strange little way. Considering this movie doesn't seem to know weather or not if it's going for Horror, Suspense or Drama. The music is a nice touch among the debris that is this film.
Gore Hounds? Nope. Sorry. Nothing to see here. One scene does have a nice fist fight ending into a pretty tense strangulation. Outside of that, DON'T MESS WITH MY SISTER is pretty tame in the violence department. This is more of a sleazy type of Cult Cinema. It's a strange little crime story that will frustrate people more than please them. I watched the movie from start to finish, so it obviously had something about it that I totally didn't hate.
Bottom line, this movie isn't for everybody. Even the most hardcore of Horror / Cult / "Grindhouse" fans will have a hard time getting through this one. If you're a fan of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, get it to complete your collection. Just keep in mind that it's nothing like that film. Outside of that, there are tons of other better films to waste your time with.
My advice if your planning on watching this (I'm sure there are some other Horror Cult Movie freaks out there like me), do so with a lot of beer, good friends and the intention to laugh at it! This movie is garbage, no doubt about it.
Over and out!
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3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
what, August 13, 2006
This review is from: Don't Mess With My Sister! (DVD)
This movie is totally confusing. The plot is pretty easy to follow, no problems there, but you're left confused as to why any of it should be happening and especially who you should be empathizing with(the answer apparently: no one).
That was my big problem. I never knew who I should like or hate wholeheartedly. Everyone was always being awful with random moments of shining redemption that made me like them before they rushed off to get back into being awful. Is it wrong to ask that I at least have someone to root for(or entirely against) in a movie? Everyone was hateful and annoying and stupid and then occassionally they'd do something that was beautifully humane but of course it didn't fit. At all.
This movie is a mess. I got it in the two-pack with I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, so I'm not as upset as I would be, but yeah. If you ABSOLUTELY must have this movie get it with the two-pack. Otherwise, skip it, skip the two-pack, just get the nice version of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE.
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