Review of The Devil's Rejects

Okay...Hat's off to Rob Zombie (Robert Cummings), the music video producer and lyricist and guitarist for "White Zombie"- a band that found it's way to Guitar Hero III and slithered it's way into popular culture- for going from a subversive 'music guy' to film director. I know a few music video directors who have gone from that tediously novice job to director, Michael Gondry, Spike Jonze, etc. However I've never seen one who has maintained the look and atmosphere of a supposedly grainy, 70's style video in film. And we've all seen the psychedelic additions of computer effects from the editorial room, but literally Zombie has created something here that modern cinema craved. I tell you this from every inch of me: NO KIDS. This will make you sick. I'm no fan of violence as much as everyone, however I seem impervious to the 'walking out' factor, at least more then most. This is a dizzying array of cold, dark blackness and bright burning carnage. It is an angry film, if I may. Isn't that what you'd describe his music as? It's a homage to 70's style horror, except for the addition of extra gore and blood and anger. But that's not Zombie's work. He did create it yes, but he is saying that back in the 70's you would see this, but not LIKE this. It's society that's brought this on themselves-they like having the ability to make violence as realistic as possible- and now you have to deal with it. So Zombie's vision has been released from the chain, and like Frankenstein, he was never as bad as he was when he had no chain's holding him back. And movies were never as bad as they were when they had rules and regulations. Good one, Rob. At least I got it. I only wish the presentation was tweaked in a few areas, but that's why I'm able to be critical, I didn't make it. So well done, anyway. Zombie's vision is impaired, yes, but the actual exposition I fear will be making the box office sweat a little before it explodes with confused teenagers looking to get a glimpse of rural Texas as bad as it was in '78 with "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Speaking of which, how about "House of 1,000 Corpses"? It was a disgusting and emotionless pathological waste of time. But again, there's room for it at the Box Office because you know who's going to be rushing in, the teens. It attracts them because they figure if they can't sleep for weeks, it fits in with their usual schedule. I say this only because I honestly wasn't scared by that film, it was scary, yes, but not like Devil's Rejects. It holds you like no other movie. I guarantee it'll have parents upset and audiences raving. So I say it was good, yes. I say it was bad, yes. Do I recommend it...? Wink...