Movie Review: Death Proof

For years, Quentin Tarantino could do no wrong in the eyes of us Brits. He was a celebrity director here before anyone heard of him in the US, and every one of his films made big money at the UK box office. But this was before Grindhouse, and his 70s-inspired car thriller Death Proof disappeared from cinemas in about nine minutes back in October.

This week sees Death Proof arrive on DVD, giving us all a chance to see how it fairs on the small screen. Kurt Russell plays the murderous Stuntman Mike, who preys on innocent young women with his souped-up, specially adapted Chevy Nova.

On first glance everything appears to be in order for another Tarantino classic. Hip, pop culture savvy dialogue? Check. Shocking moments of blackly funny violence? Yup. Groovy collection of 70s tunes on the soundtrack? Sure thing.

But unfortunately, Death Proof rarely hits the heights of Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill. While Tarantino proved he could write great female characters for the likes of Uma Thurman and Pam Grier, here he assembles the least believable collection of women ever committed to film.

These are sexy, party-loving babes who also love 70s exploitation movies and delight in making obscure pop-culture references. In other words, they're Quentin Tarantino with breasts. The first half of movie is so dialogue-heavy that it feels like an eternity before Stuntman Mike starts picking off his victims.

That all said, when Death Proof is good, it's very good indeed. Kurt Russell delivers an enjoyably scene-chewing performance, and in this age of CGI and digital stuntwork, there's something incredibly thrilling about the car action Tarantino puts on screen here.

The final sequence, in which Stuntman Mike meets his match when he takes on a carload of stuntwomen, is simply one of the most exciting car chases for years, and knowing it was filmed for real makes it even more gripping.

But it's not really enough to make Death Proof a great film – hardcore Tarantinto lovers will want to check it out, but the more casual film fan will find it stuck in second gear.