Soon will begin the long debate about which film is better “The Devil’s Rejects” or “HO1K”. I’m all for “The Devil’s Rejects”. What this has over the first film is basically everything from characterization, a fascinating plotline, and most of all a coherent narrative that was severely lacking in its predecessor. The first film was the mark of a fan boy who was more concerned with paying homage to his favorite movies than telling a story, but ultimately “The Devil’s Rejects” is the redemption of that fan boy as he finally gives the audience a competent story with excellent action.
I was literally blown away from beginning to end. After being traumatized by the first movie, I expected this to be equally hackneyed and bland, but I was very mistaken. Most people panned this throwback to pure bloody grind house and homage to Peckinpah with mixed reactions of abhorrence, and shock at its brutality, but that’s basically the whole point. To be shocked and appalled at the brutal torture and sheer goriness of this is to completely miss what Zombie tries his hardest to give. I was so disappointed with his first film but after watching this, I’m optimistic that–given the right material–Zombie can become one hell of a genre director that will emerge among the rest and become a legend. But that’s only if he plays his cards right, mind you. “Rejects” succeeds in every single step of the way from the Peckingpah opening shoot out, to the brutal torturing in the “Last House On the Left” sense, right down to the exciting and brilliant “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” climax.
Zombie really does get it right this time and he fully explored his talents that were lacking in the first film. With true nihilistic nature and chaotic nuance, “Rejects” starts off with a bang and further explores the origins of the Firefly family with Zombie pitting his focus on the three most popular characters from the first film, which is a wise admirable move that further puts him in my good graces. He then begins a whole new story launching a movie that’s both connected and disconnected to the original film and amps it up 100 percent. Zombie has improved immensely from his embarrassing over-hyped uber-horror flick. He knows how to build tension perfectly, and when the action began, I was pulled in and hooked, I hate to admit. People complain that the film just exploits violence and torture without any real sense of a plot, which is completely misguided because the film does have a plot, and ultimately
presents more characterization than much of the other horror films released in years. Take for example, the climax in which we see that though, to us, it was three psychos wreaking havoc, in their own sick world it was bonding and re-connecting with one another while having fun in spite of the sociopathic ways they went about it. For many, it won’t spark a hint of understanding, but for me Zombie successfully presented these characters in a different light and painted them as human. “House” had a fatal lack of characterization, but Zombie pulls it off here with a memorable anti-hero in the form of Sheriff Wydell. Played with immense ferocity and utter entertaining charisma by the ubiquitous William Forsythe, Zombie gives us–instead of a clean cut hero chasing psychopaths–a psychotic killer chasing other psychotic killers.
Sheriff Wydell is often times much more dangerous than they are, and gets off on pursuing vengeance upon the people who killed his brother. He often teeters between sanity and lunacy that make him one of the most memorable anti-heroes in film in years, and really becomes a match for the Firefly’s. Forsythe pursues the role with sheer force and goes at this as he does best, as a villain. Forsythe gives an utterly great dynamite performance that I couldn’t get enough of, and was surprised that Zombie could give us an appealing character that wasn’t apart of the Firefly family. “Rejects” reads yet again like an assortment of Zombie faves as he features elements of his favorite films along with its stars. There are cameos and walk-ons from genre veterans like EG Daly, Ken Foree (who seems to be having fun as Charlie Altamont), Danny Trejo and wrestler Diamond Dallas Paige as Firefly rivals “The Unholy Two”, Matthew McGrory, Priscilla Barnes, PJ Soles, and Geoffrey Lewis, respectively.
It’s a mixed assortment of talent here and it’s only the tip of the iceberg in terms of quality. My three favorite characters are back and this time they’re more bad-ass than ever. The utterly gorgeous Sheri Moon returns as Baby Firefly and she underplays the comedic aspect of her character in exchange for a more realistic role as a sadistic murderer. She pulls in a very good performance, and she’s a lot of fun; Sid Haig is better than ever as Captain Spaulding, the loud talking, maniacal, unofficial leader of the group who Wydell wants most, and the walking cliché that was once Otis is now deepened and fleshed out in to a brutally excellent character that Bill Moseley takes pleasure in playing. Otis is a devilishly clever homage to Manson from Zombie as he spouts one-liners, wax’ poetic, bears an ego-maniacal sensibility, and even sports a bushy beard and long hair. Together the three look like they’re having a lot of fun. Leslie Easterbrook is great replacing Karen Black as the character of Mama Firefly, and doesn’t miss a beat in terms of personality and importance to our story.
Along with a beautiful soundtrack featuring Skynyrd, The James Gang, The Allman Brothers, Three Dog Night et al, how can you possibly resist this? Zombie redeems himself 100 percent and learns from his mistakes. “Rejects” works as a balls to the wall action horror that never lets up, and I ate it up with a fucking spoon. When a film is touted as one thing, and then something else happens, it never manages to sit well with me. I’m all for the unexpected, but I dislike being fooled. Zombie touted “Rejects” as an on the road action horror, but the Firefly’s hardly ever get on the actual road. I wanted to see them wreak pure havoc on people and instead we’re subjected to an unnecessary segment where the Firefly’s take a family hostage in a hotel for a good portion of the story. I was ultimately hoping for much more in terms of the concept as they’re on the run, but I was irritated they spent less time on the road and more time in one place.
Zombie also manages to compile a shit load of plot holes for the franchise that will undoubtedly go unanswered should a studio stooge decide to revitalize the series. Where’s Doctor Satan? What happened to the grandfather? Where was Tiny for the whole film? What happened to Spaulding’s sidekick? The absence of characters becomes distracting and Zombie never bothers to even hint at an explanation for their departure. Now that’s more like it, Rob. See? See what happens when you get it right? I will now sum this fun gore fest in the mode of “Devil’s Rejects” lexicon. For a fucking good time, you must fucking check out this fucking fun film romp, a fucking great sequel to a fucking bad movie that finally fucking gets it right and fucking gives us what we fucking want. I fucking loved this.