Death Proof

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Year: 2007
Genre: Thriller
My rating: 4 and a half out of 5

Released as the second half of the double-feature "Grindhouse," Quentin Tarantino's action thriller pays tribute to 1970s slasher B-movies. It opens with three friends, Arlene (Vanessa Ferlito), Shanna (Jordan Ladd), and radio disc jockey "Jungle" Julia (Sydney Poitier), celebrating Jungle Julia's birthday at Guero's Taco Bar in Austin, Texas. They chat like any friends would, and the audience is neither bored nor left behind. Eventually, the group moves on to The Texas Chili Bar, where they are joined by at least six others. Sitting at the bar is aged Hollywood stunt double "Stuntman" Mike (Kurt Russell), a sadistic psychopath who stalks young women and kills them with his "death proof" stunt car. He offers a ride home to a woman at the bar, Pam (Rose McGowan), who eventually accepts. After he has a few particularly well-acted and well-written interactions with Arlene and Shanna and Julia, the three women and one of their friends head out to Shanna's father's cabin. Mike and Pam depart in his 1970 Chevy Nova, and he quickly turns from charming teetotaler into homicidal maniac, swerving the car at extreme speeds and slamming on the brakes so she is beaten to death on the dashboard. He then drives off to catch up with the other four women and slams into their car head-on. Mike wakes up in the hospital later, and we learn from a discussion between two rangers that all of the women died and Mike was cleared of criminal charges due to lack of evidence. The film jumps forward 14 months to Lebanon, Tennessee, as Mike tracks his next victims, Kim (Tracie Thoms), Abernathy (Rosario Dawson), Lee (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Zoe (Zoe Bell), who are enjoying their days off from working on a movie. Mike doesn't know how to respond, however, when they decide to turn the tables on him.

There are few movies with as much guts as this one, and I don't mean that in a gory sense. And in the hands of the visionary, B-movie fanboy Quentin Tarantino, there are few as entertaining. The film showcases all of his talents, and proves yet again that he's the go-to guy for blending humor and drama and rip-roaring action, with some expertly placed music, into an edge-of-your-seat thriller the likes of which the world has never seen, even in the old movies he adores so much. Here, he also shows that he can write and direct female lead roles as confidently and effectively as he can males. Some viewers don't enjoy being taken for a ride in movies (no pun intended), but it can be a very enjoyable experience if the filmmaker knows what they're doing. Tarantino here puts the characters into such an unbelievable situation that we are willing to go along with just about anything he might decide to throw at us. At times, we even forget who's the bad guy and who's the good guy. Speaking of which, the film also marks Kurt Russell's return to the role of badass that made him famous, in one of those comeback performances that take advantage of the actor's age. Russell proves himself a well-rounded actor, and shows us the different sides of Stuntman Mike that make him all the more menacing and interesting. By the time "Death Proof" is over, we are reminded just how fun watching movies can be, which is what I think Tarantino was going for. However, we may not feel like driving for a while.


Structure/Form:
What does the title mean in relation to the film as a whole?
It refers to Mike's car, and how he views himself.

Why does the film start in the way that it does?
To add to the "old double-feature" atmosphere.

Is sound used in any vivid ways to enhance the film?
Yes, in that Taratino way of making the action more fun.

Are there any striking uses of perspective?
There are a few interesting shots, but I don't think they relate to a meaning.

What specific scene constitutes the film's climax?
The last scene. Specifically, the moment when "The End" appears.

Does the film leave any disunities at the end?
Yes, but it ends at the perfect moment.

Why does the film conclude on this particular image?
I think it's a further homage to old B-movies. Also because Tarantino's brilliant.


Theme:
How does this film relate to the issues presented or developed? What questions are evoked by the film? Does the film present a clear point of view on an issue? How?
The film is a tribute to muscle cars and 1970s slasher movies. I don't think it has much of a message, though.