Death Proof (2007)

The critic views Death Proof as a decidedly modest picture whose scaled-down ambition is part of its appeal, consisting of long stretches of talk interrupted by kinetic bouts of automotive mayhem. He praises its sincere tribute to Monte Hellman and the way it strips away quotation marks to find a route back to the basics of character, action and story.

The critic notes that Death Proof isn’t as flagrantly imitative as its companion film and praises the intimate, detailed, funny talk among the characters as well as the exciting real-space car chase in the second half. He finds Tarantino caught in contradictions between humanism and nihilism in the service of schlock homage.

The review sees the film as a fan-boy indulgence with a double structure that stretches thin material, full of Tarantino-speak and quotation marks. It singles out the climactic car chase as a bona fide old-school tour de force and notes smart attention to tensions between old and new technologies.

Tarantino's standalone cut of his Grindhouse segment is a bit of a failure, padded with long stretches of inconsequential dialogue that fail to match his earlier work. The extravagant head-on collision scene offers a lethal roar of entertainment, but the studied 70s stylings and offensive tone are ultimately tedious.

The review praises Death Proof as a smart, entertaining grindhouse homage that plays with slasher and car-chase conventions while delivering a subversive twist and a thrilling finale. It highlights Kurt Russell's performance and the standout car chase as key strengths in an authentic, old-school Tarantino effort.

The review dismisses the film as a depressing waste of talent, with clunky dialogue, lack of flair, and pointless grindhouse affectations that fail to capture the spirit of the originals. It grudgingly notes the car chases are competent but concludes the film has nothing new or worthwhile to say.

The critic finds the solo release version bloated and conceptually confused, far from authentic grindhouse fare despite its retro trappings. He singles out the protracted car chase in the second half as intermittently exciting but notes the overall lack of dramatic traction and memorable dialogue.

The critic finds Tarantino's segment more homage than reinvention, with strong performances from Kurt Russell but paper-thin characters and dialogue that make the revenge plot feel disaffected and campy rather than engaging. The self-referential style is seen as more offensive than the original grindhouse films it emulates.

The critic views the standalone version positively as fitting Tarantino's oeuvre, noting its artistic chances, post-modern rethinking of pulp fiction, and how it sneaks philosophical depth into sex talk and car stunts despite rudimentary motives. The Cannes screening is seen as interesting though out of place in competition.

The review finds the film a solid but ultimately disappointing killer-on-the-road thriller that mimics 1970s exploitation style with Tarantino's dialogue and references. It singles out the energetic car chase finale for praise while noting the overall reproduction feels like a step down from the director's best work.

The critic finds the expanded UK release version of Death Proof overlong and padded with excessive dialogue that drags down the experience, calling it Tarantino's weakest film. The solid premise, visual style mimicking grindhouse aesthetics, and practical stunts are singled out as highlights amid the complaints about the writing.

The critic enjoyed the first half's setup, grainy grindhouse style, and snappy dialogue but found the second half lazy and repetitive, with pointless extended scenes that wasted all goodwill built earlier.