Subject: Retrospective: Tank Girl (1995)

From: Dragan Antulov <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 20:17:43 -0000

TANK GIRL (1995)

A Film Review
Copyright Dragan Antulov 2002

Good literature usually results with bad movies and vice versa.
Same thing can be said about comic books. There are plenty of
fine pieces of Ninth Art that were ruined whenever someone tried
to put them on the big screen. And there are bad comic books that
could be adapted into good films. One of such examples is TANK
GIRL, directed in 1995 by Rachel Talalay. It was originally based
on British comic book by Alan Martin and Jamey Hewlett - work
that didn't left much impression on the author of this review. So I
expected very little of this film, especially after hearing the expert
opinion that those two artists had probably been under influence
while making those comic books.

The plot of the film is set in year 2033 AD. The Earth has been
struck by a comet and the catastrophe disrupted the eco-system,
turning the planet into one huge desert. There wasn't any rain in
last eleven years and the precious water is held by Water & Power
Corporation, headed by tyrannical Keslee (played by Malcolm
McDowell). Few freedom-loving people, including the movie's
heroine Rebecca (played by Lori Petty) live in isolated
communities. One day Rebecca's people are murdered by W&P
thugs and Rebecca brought to Keslee who wants to use her
martial skills to solve huge problems - Rippers, genetically
engineered crossbreed of human and kangaroos, who roam the
desert and massacre W&P troops. Rebecca, instead of co-
operating with tyrant, decides to use Rippers' help to fight him.
She escapes W&P compound and steals tank, helped by Jet Girl
(played by Naomi Watts).

Critics massacred TANK GIRL after its original release, probably
because director Rachel Talalay failed their expectations and
didn't deliver some serious pseudo-feminist futuristic action piece.
Instead this film is pure camp. Instead of characters, this film
features one-dimensional caricatures (especially the crazed
villain, played for the umpteenth time by Malcolm McDowell);
instead of using CGI or anything resembling realistic locations,
this film doesn't hide the fact that it was made in the studio. The
plot is almost un-existent and every time things slow down, Talalay
brings few usually unrelated animated sequences or pictures
taken from the original comic book. More efforts were invested in
the soundtrack, which features strange combination of
contemporary alternative rock and Cole Porter (the latter provides
charming little song and dance number). As a result, TANK GIRL is
one of such movies that simply can't be enjoyed if they are taken a
little bit seriously. Quality of jokes might leave something to be
desired, Ice T can't be recognised under Ripper make-up and Lori
Petty tries too hard to be another Madonna, but in general TANK
GIRL represents something of a rarity in modern Hollywood - film
which is unique and funny in the same time.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

Review written on November 24th 2002

Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax
http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in
Croatian
http://www.purger.com/users/drax/reviews.htm - Movie Reviews in English
http://www.ofcs.org - Online Film Critics Society

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X-RT-RatingText: 6/10