Three dangerous vixens, one giant tentacle monster.. it's a recipe for a good old fashioned disaster. In a good way, of course. In this brand new ozploitation flick, the glorious classic elements of the exploitation and the input of several characteristics of the monster genre collide. It's the best of both worlds. I wasn't expecting much, but the first few minutes caused my jaw to drop and my drool to escape. Just a figure of speech..
It starts off with the three ladies hanging around in the middle of the desert in their broken down car, all shot in classy black/white, steady photography. Australian director Stuart Simpson is obviously paying a tribute to Russ Meyer's monumental classic 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!'. It's an effective start and it immediately brings a certain attitude and vibe to it that fans of the traditional action/crime genre will definitely love.
The happy, cheery vibe changes as we witness a terrible crime commited by the, apperantly, hitman-chicks. Monstro Del Mar shows a serious side, but at the same time it will never forget the essence of a great monster flick; taking a breath every once in a while and have a laugh. Plenty of room for silly activities, exploiting the female pressence without getting to sexual or cheap.
With only 75 minutes on the clock there will be little time to get distracted or bored with the ladies, the monster or the epic combination of both. The ending is one to remember and the fact that they used practical effects for the most part is something that made me smile from cheek to cheek. Stuart Simpson knows what's right, resulting in a mixture of genres that will entertain you in a way that most other modern exploitation revivals fail to do.
It's not easy to point out exactly what makes Monstro del Mar that much different from the rest. We've all seen it before for as long as we can remember. Maybe it's the lack of convincing new material that makes this traditionaly built piece of horror worth your while. Why change a killer recepy, right? The three vixens, Beretta, Blondie and Snowball are all played by first time actresses, making their part even more impressive. They play their roles as if they are having a good time, not as if they're trying to act.
I could just repeat the above and call it an end, but I'd like to point out that it really is a refreshing film in the midst of all the crap released lately. Stuart Gordon, who began his carreer at Troma (where else?), has convinced me of his talent in a way that very few are capable of nowadays. Check this Australian masterpiece out whenever you can, it will be worth your time!
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