Film Review: Tank Girl

First thing's first: the film's opening credits montage is pretty darn cool. With the rock music and the flashing comic-book images, I was lured in with the promise of a truly punk-spirited post-apocalypse adventure.

Well, the film delivers, in the sense that it's set in a post-apocalyptic world, and there's adventure. This is also a very wacky film, with cartoony comic relief, cheesy action, and a very cheap production value. The good thing about this film is that the main character's attitude is so wild and fun that accentuates the goofy nature of the film, and delivers the punkish vibe I was expecting. Everything else, however, tends to be rather ridiculous. It makes for a weirdly mixed experience overall.

This story is pretty basic stuff, lacking in depth or emotion. The plot wanders all over the place, lacking in specific direction. Chances are that you've seen better structure and deeper meaning in other great sci-fi films that bear all the same plot elements and characters. Tank Girl squanders its storytelling potential in favor of just being kooky.

This film uses pretty standard photography and editing. Comic book images are cut in at various places. A couple of scenes are animated, and those are probably the coolest parts. Acting is extremely cheesy and over-the-top; Lori Petty uses such cheese to craft an deliciously fun and hip performance, while a very young Naomi Watts plays a perfect square, and Malcolm McDowell does his usual schtick. Writing is pretty simple-minded. This production has sets, props, and costumes that are so cheap-looking, colorful, and clean; the film almost looks like what you'd get if Pee Wee Herman's playhouse survived the apocalypse and went just slightly feral. Music is alright; the score is okay, and a number of good songs are used to give the film a little more oomph to the punk factor.

Much like the actual tank in the film, Tank Girl is a cheap-looking, colorful, gaudy, haphazard assortment of random parts and cute decor. It's definitely cheesy, but it is pretty fun that way regardless. I'd say it's perfectly fitting next to other weird, cheap, and cheesy flicks like the Super Maro Bros movie, or Howard the Duck. If those appeal to you, then Tank Girl might be up your alley. Otherwise, move along, nothing to see here.

3/5 (Entertainment: Good | Story: Poor | Film: Poor)