TANK GIRL (1995)

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Tank Girl

TANK GIRL (1995)
Directed by Rachel Talalay
Available on Limited Edition Blu-Ray

Set in 2033, in a post-apocalyptic, dystopian Australia, an corporation called Water and Power (W+P) control the water source, with the aim of extracting every little bit they can from whatever is left on planet Earth. A group of survivors stealing water come under attack by W+P’s army, who kidnap a young girl named Sam and enslave a young woman named Rebecca (Tank Girl), but not before killing the rest of the survivors. With Rebecca unwilling to join W+P’s forces, after impressively single-handedly dispatching a number of W+P soldiers during the attack on her home, W+P head honcho Kesslee seeks to destroy her willpower until she has no choice to accept. Refusing to be part of Kesslee’s plan, Rebecca seeks to make an escape but she can’t do it alone. Fortunately, she’s not the only one who’s sick and tired of being imprisoned by W+P – a young mechanic woman named Jet proves to be a reliable ally for Rebecca as the two attempt to escape Kesslee’s clutches, find and rescue Sam and stop Water + Power from complete domination.

Comic book character Tank Girl, created in the late 80’s by British author Alan Martin and illustrator Jamie Hewlett (who also designed the character band members of Gorillaz), is given the live-action treatment in this 90’s film adaptation from director Rachel Talalay. In what was probably the perfect era for this madcap story, bursting with gung-ho spirit and even a musical number, Tank Girl provides a female-led sci-fi actioner that captures the essence of girl-power (hello Spice Girls!) but in a way that can be enjoyed by both sexes.

Who should take the lead of the movie as the titular comic book character come to life – none other than Lori Petty, an actress who oozed coolness as Keanu Reeves’ surfer love interest in Kathryn Bigelow’s Point Break a few years previously. There’s no better performer they could have picked to play the high-energy Tank Girl; an optimistic young woman with a care-free attitude and a saucy sense of humour to boot. Lori Petty absolutely nails it with this larger than life character who’s a real opinionated extrovert, a lass who could easily drink men under the table. A punk-rock, can-do persona means there’s nothing that can put Rebecca down, at least for too long. She’s full of crazy schemes to fight back against the oppressors, many of which involve her trusty tank. Petty appears to relish the opportunity of playing this wild child and throws herself into the character with gusto.

Before she became the leading lady we know today, Naomi Watts took the supporting role of mechanic-pilot Jet who is also imprisoned by Water and Power. Jet is bookwormish compared to Rebecca’s boisterous rebel but her cool-headed approach works in synergy with Rebecca as the two strike up a friendship and partnership to get the hell out of dodge.

If… and A Clockwork Orange star Malcolm McDowell sizzles as the 02 obsessed boss of Water and Power, Kesslee. McDowell looks rather much like himself, not dressed up in any way to make himself look different, but he effortless portrays the sinister, nasty villain with such ease. He even has a weapon of choice – a collapsed jug that when spiked into someone, expands and fills up with water from the human body, thereby draining the recipient of their fluid, killing them in the process. It’s such a smart and crafty weapon that I was merely impressed by this alone, but McDowell’s ice-cold Kesslee is the perfect man to hate as the villain of the story.

Although the bulk of the film is very much Tank Girl fighting against the evil that is Water and Power, there’s a third group in the mix: the Rippers. This mysterious group of hybrids live underground and are suspected of hoarding water of their own which makes them a target for W+P. However, anyone whose ever faced them has met a sticky end and so they’re feared by both W+P and the survivors throughout the land. Could the Rippers be friends or foes to Tank Girl and Jet? Stan Winston’s makeup and prosthetics team helped to create the cinematic visage of the Rippers and although they provide quite a bit of comedic moments, they’re a badass bunch when it comes to the action.

Watching Tank Girl is like watching a comic book come to life. Its over-the-top action and attitude spills from the screen in such a fun and vibrant way. Challenging scenes that might have demanded more budget have been cleverly overcome by animation that could have been lifted straight from one of the comic strips, with Tank Girl sketches adding the graphic flair and transition through different parts of the movie. The visuals will keep you glued to the screen, as will the detail that has been put into the character’s costumes, vehicles and set design. It’s easy to see that a lot of love and care has been put into this passion project. Its unwavering positivity in the face of oppression, bundled with youthful exuberance and immature humour, is a rare thing to see and definitely put a huge smile on my face.

I had an absolute blast with the film, with the main performances from Petty and McDowell as the headstrong opponents, along with the humour and creativity of the film, being a massive draw in what is essentially a story about good versus evil. It’s one of those feel-good slices of entertainment you can just watch and enjoy guilt-free, purely for the experience, much like I used to as a kid before films started to demand more of my grey matter.

So if you feel like sticking it to the man, set to a rockin’ soundtrack by artists including L7, Bush, Hole and Veruca Salt, then take a ride with TANK GIRL – a kick-ass flick brimming with sassitude.

Rating: ★★★★☆

SPECIAL FEATURES

  • Limited Collector’s Edition Box Set [2000 copies]
  • Limited Edition Hardbound Slipcase featuring new artwork by Tank Girl cover artist Greg Staples
  • Limited edition 60-page collector’s book featuring an introduction by Tank Girl co-creator Alan Martin and new writing on the film by genre cinema experts Stacey Abbott, Susan Kerns and Kieran Foster
  • 1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray
  • 5.1 DTS-HD MA and LPCM 2.0 audio options
  • Optional English SDH
  • Audio commentary with director Rachel Talalay and actress Lori Petty
  • Not a Bedtime Story – A new interview with artist Greg Staples on Tank Girl from page to screen
  • Girl U Want – A new appreciation of Tank Girl with film scholar and fan Lindsay Hallam
  • Baseball, Tanks and Bad Tattoos – archival interview with star Lori Petty
  • Too Hip for Spielberg – archival interview with director Rachel Talalay
  • Creative Chaos – archival interview with production designer Catherine Hardwicke
  • The Shape of Ripper – archival interview with actor Doug Jones
  • Making Tank Girl – archival 1995 featurette
  • Theatrical Trailer
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About Bat 4557 Articles
I love practical effects, stop-motion animation and gore, but most of all I love a good story! I adore B-movies and exploitation films in many of their guises and also have a soft spot for creature features. I review a wide range of media including movies, TV series, books and videogames. I'm a massive fan of author Hunter S. Thompson and I enjoy various genre of videogames with Kingdom Hearts and Harvest Moon two of my all time favs. Currently playing: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Yakuza Zero and Mafia III.

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