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Directed by Rick Jacobson, Starring Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, America Olivo, Michael Hurst, Kevin Sorbo, Lucy Lawless, Renee O’Connor, Zoe Bell, USA, 101 Mins

DVD release date 19th April 2010. RRP: £15.99. BUY NOW

Where does anyone start when reviewing a film like Bitch Slap? Well firstly it’s has a clearly defined audience – This is a movie for teenage boys and drunk men.

Bitch slap is homage to B-movies from the 60’s and 70’s in a similar setting to Tarantino’s grind house flick ‘Death Proof’. The towering difference between this movie and the Tarantino’s film is Bitch Slap works really well and the writers (Jacobson and Guendenmann) have written well rounded female characters that have a believable quality to the narrative. One of my biggest issues with Death Proof is the female leads talk and sound like Tarantino but the writers here have not fallen into this trap, the ladies may be kick arse in Bitch Slap but they look and sound plausible.

It makes sense that these strong, sexy women are directed well, after all, the director knows one or two things about directing female leads. Directed by Rick Jacobson, (Protégé of Producer Roger Corman) his previous projects include TV favourites such as Baywatch, Xena, La Femme Nikita and the soon to be global success Spartacus: Blood and Sand (There’s a pattern forming here isn’t there?).

Bitch Slap starts with our three scantily clad female heroes arriving at a remote desert hideaway they are dusty, bruised , out of breathe, chest heaving, wet with perspiration........I’ll stop with the descriptions now , I ‘m guessing you get the picture. Teenage boys and men with a pulse you‘ll be in your element for the next 101 minutes.

The female trio, Trixi (Julia Voth – Love Hurts), Hel (Erin Cummings – Dolls House; Dantes Cove) and Camero (America Olivo – Transformers 2, Friday the 13th , Iron man) are on the run, caught up in a heist involving 200 million dollars worth of diamonds stolen from a Las Vegas Underworld king Pin. As the film unravels, we discover the characters history highlighting the event s that has led these girls to the heist and the reason they are in this predicament. However, not all is as it seems.

The back story to each of the main characters is every young boys ultimate we t dream. We are taken on a journey to fantasy settings such as strip joints, an all women’s prison and catholic convent. Showing us the slightly more erotic side of the everyday running in these establishments!

Through the chaos and mayhem we’re treated to a roller coaster ride of fighting, girls beating up men, oversized guns, rough gangs looking for revenge and an explicit lesbian love triangle.

However, titillating it may be, don’t think of Bitch Slap as a porn flick with a basic plot line to get sold over the counter. All misogynistic material is presented in an ironic way and the women (you feminist in the audience will be pleased to know!) are very much in charge of the show. This doesn’t feel like exploitation. Think of a hot, young, gun wielding female Jason Stratham times three and you get the idea what tough bitches they are!

Between the many twists and turns of the story- some of which are great, but some are slightly bonkers and off piste - there is some interesting imagery throughout the film. The fight sequences are controlled and well choreographed and are certainly up there with the best of Tarantino’s retro homage’s.

On the whole the film works well. Jacobson’s time on TV has been well spent earning his strips on shows such as Baywatch and Xena. He has a mastered a good balance between what is sexist and what is just good old fashioned fun. If I was the misses, perhaps I would have a slightly different view - But this film is what it is and it is unlikely anyone would ever recommend it to a member of the women’s legion!

I’ve seen the film twice now, once drunk, once sober. My top night in recommendation would be, buy a crate of beers and get the boys around to watch this movie, they’ll love it.

Special Features include: 94 min ‘Behind Bitch Slap: Building a Better B-Movie’ Feature and Trailer

Nick Gibbs-McNeil.

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