Planet Terror - C+

The United States military are the bad guys yet again when a group of Afghanistan veterans try to unleash a lethal biochemical nerve gas that turns people into brain-devouring zombies. Robert Rodriguez’s contribution to Grindhouse (released earlier this year in theaters as a double bill with Tarantino’s Death Proof) is more violent, more disgusting, less loquacious, and ultimately less accomplished with none of the set-pieces reaching the cinematic nirvana of Death Proof’s final 20 minutes.
Planet Terror starts strong with Rodriguez setting up his multiple-character story extremely well. Past and future interactions are planned well. This has always been Rodriguez’s strong suit – the plotting; it’s the damn writing and directing that always get in the way. The jokes are too knowing and the directing, while occasionally generating some shocks, is usually predictable. Most of the actors jump neck-deep into their ridiculous roles. Josh Brolin is strong as a doctor trying to figure out the illness and the scenes between brothers Jeff Fahey and Michael Biehn are excellent. But these are old pros who’ve been around for 20+ years. Click below for the full review.

Inexplicably, Rodriguez chose to hang the entire movie on TV actor Freddy Rodriguez who, as the lead, is supposed to be the biggest badass in south Texas. Um, not with Brolin, Fahey, Biehn, Bruce Willis, Nicky Katt, and Michael Parks in the room, pal. Must be some nepotism at work. As the second lead, Rose McGowan, is only expected to dance and shake her lady parts – she succeeds. Robert Rodriguez has fallen out of favor in many circles because of his Spy Kids trilogy, made for his kids (Rocket, Racer, Rebel, Rogue, and Rhiannon); – any ego issues there? But perhaps the worst thing in Planet Terror is Rebel’s character accidentally shooting himself in the head. I don’t mind Fergie getting dismembered (never really cared for the Black-Eyed Peas) but leave the kids out of it. C+