|
Available on DVD! To buy, click on link(s) below and help keep this site afloat (commissions earned) |
Always make sure of DVD-compatibility!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Post doomsday: Most of the world lies in ruins, most people are mutants
or dead, but there are still groups of (uncontaminated) settlers who
travel the wastelands in caravans, looking for civilisation. And
there's this dangerous cult called The Templars, led by One (George
Eastman), that is out to kill all (non-Templar) survivors of the holocaust
simply because they don't deserve to live. And then there's loners like
Scorpion (Giancarlo Prete), who roam the wastelands in their heavily armed
supercars just trying to stay behind. And Scorpion it seems is too tough
even for the Templars.
One day Scorpion stumbles upon a bunch of Templars trying to get hold
of a woman, Alma (Anna Kanakis), and with a bit of help from fellow loner
Nadir (Fred Williamson) he saves her from the Templars' clutches. However,
as she is seriously injured, the two bring her to a settlers' caravan, led
by pastor Moses (Venantino Venantini) - to have her treated. Once better,
Alma decides to join the caravan, but Scorpion, whom she has fallen in
love with, declines the offer to also join because the Templars are after
him. But when he drives away, he has to realize how close the Templars
have already gotten, as they soon have him cornered, captured and all tied
up, whereupon One himself rapes him anally (now that doesn't happen to the
hero in too many films).
Then One learns about the caravan in the immediate vicinity and drives
off with most of his men, leaving just a few behind to finish Scorpion
off. But Nadir has followed Scorpion and now sees a perfect opportunity to
free him ...
Nadir brings Scorpion to Scorpion's only friend, the (very) underaged
mechanic Genius (Giovanni Frezza) and has him nursed to help and his car
tuned up even more. Then Nadir, Scorpion and Genius figure it's payback
time and they drive to the caravan to finally wipe out One and his
Templars for good ... and of course, they succeed.
A post-doomsday world and a bunch of guys driving around the wasteland
in tuned-up vehicles ... obviously this is film is inspired by Road
Warrior (one might also call it a rip-off), a film that especially
Italian producers liked to take as an inspiration. On closer inspection
though, the film resembles more a good old-fashioned Western about a
settlers' treck being saved from baddies (sometimes Indians) by one (or
several) lone gunman, with the hero getting the girl in the end - only
this time arouond, settlers, heroes and villains alike drive around in
(pseudo-)futuristic cars or motorbikes and wear (pseudo-)futuristic
attire.
But is the film any good ?
Not really. On one hand, direction is very solid, director Enzo
G.Castellari has proven himself quite capable in handling Westerns (Keoma
immediately comes to mind) and action alike (and in fact most of the
action scenes are perfectly handled), however, even his experience cannot
hide the cheapish, pseudo-futuristic props, sets and costumes and can't
make the atrocious 1980's-synthie pop music score (some of the worst music
Claudio Simonetti has ever written) undone. What we're left with is a well
put together piece of at times quite violent high camp and utter trash, which might be quite
entertaining if one keeps an open mind ... but more often than not
entertaining for all
the wrong reasons.
|