Bitch Slap

"Bitch Slap" is a 2009 exploitation-style action film directed by Rick Jacobson and starring Julia Voth, Erin Cummings, and America Olivo. This film pays homage to the highly stylized and over-the-top action films of the 1960s and ‘70s, taking cues from classics of the genre like "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" and combining them with contemporary cinematic technologies and narrative devices. The resulting product is something of a Tarantino-esque pastiche, filled with unrelenting action, twisted humor, femme fatales, and a healthy dose of gratuitous violence that seems almost cartoonish at times.

The movie has a nonlinear storytelling approach similar to that of a film-noir. It switches constantly between the present, past and future, weaving a tangled web of a plot that takes multiple viewings to fully unravel.

The story revolves around three main characters: Trixie, Hel, and Camero. Julia Voth plays Trixie, a stripper with a questionable past who mysteriously finds herself involved in a dangerous scheme. Erin Cummings portrays Hel, an operative from some unknown agency strikingly sophisticated and intelligent amidst her brute exterior. America Olivo takes on the role of Camero, a fiery, ruthless ex-convict with a chip on her shoulder and vengeance in her heart. Each character is colorful, multifaceted, and harboring their own distinct secrets, creating a captivating tension between themes of trust and betrayal.

The movie's plot is an adventurous mix of crime, deceit, and – would you believe it – a hunt for buried treasure. The trio embarks on a desert journey with the aim of unearthing millions in diamonds hidden by an underworld kingpin. However, their quest is far from straightforward. Along their way, they must battle not only the physical dangers of their mission but the psychological ones as well, each woman wrestling with her personal demons and past secrets.

"Bitch Slap" is a cinematic thrill ride, filled with dangerous women, car chases, shootouts, and exploding helicopters. Yet, within the chaos, there's a method to the madness, a complexity to the narrative that is both challenging and intriguing. While the film emphasizes action and spectacle, it also leverages its character’s depth and backstory, threading their individual stories into the overall quest.

An impressive facet of "Bitch Slap" is its visual style, heavily influenced by comic book aesthetics and the larger-than-life characters and situations often found in graphic novels. The film has a distinctive look, marked by vivid colors, exaggerated imagery, and an atmosphere that blends surrealism with the grittiness of a crime thriller. It’s a visual juggernaut packed with outrageous costumes, stunning backdrops, and special effects adding to the vivid graphic novel feel.

In addition to its core cast of Voth, Cummings, and Olivo, "Bitch Slap" also features a variety of cameos and supporting roles from recognizable actors, including Lucy Lawless and Kevin Sorbo, adding further layers to the film’s cast of quirky characters.

Peppered with sharp wit and snappy dialogues, "Bitch Slap" doesn’t take itself too seriously and imbues itself with a sense of self-awareness that adds a level of humor to the proceedings. It understands its influences and its position within a specific genre and happily embraces those attributes.

"Bitch Slap" is likely to appeal to those who enjoy films like "Grindhouse," "Planet Terror," and "Death Proof," embracing the same kind of ultra-exaggerated, ultra-referential flavor that those films have come to embody in contemporary cinema. Whether you see it as a homage, a parody, or a pastiche, there's no denying that "Bitch Slap" offers its own unique blend of style, wit, and frenzied action, with a dash of unexpected emotional depth added in for good measure.

In conclusion, "Bitch Slap" is an audacious journey that catapults the audience on a wild, action-packed ride filled with intense, confrontational scenes, alluring characters, twisted humor, and a gallant nod to the turbulent, yet enticing, exploitation films of the yesteryears. Every element, including the powerhouse performances of the leading ladies and the extreme displays of violence and sensuality, is finely blended to deliver a movie experience full of shocks, surprises, and sensations.