Movie Monday - Tank Girl

No special reason for this choice – I just like Tank Girl.



Director: Rachel Talalay

Writer: Tedi Sarafian

Starring: Lori Petty, Naomi Watts, Stacy Linn Ramsower, Malcolm McDowell, Don Harvey, Ice-T, Jeff Kober

Release: 1995

A meteorite struck the Earth, causing a planet-wide desert because...? Who cares, it means there's a water shortage in an apocalyptic wasteland. Rebecca, soon to become Tank Girl, is a member of a group of renegades who steal water from the ruling body of Water & Power (they have the water, they have the power). After a raid on their hideout ends with all the renegades dead and Rebecca's young friend Sam captured, Rebecca vows vengeance on Water & Power. She makes an unlikely ally in the woman only known as Jet Girl but before any escape plans can be put into action, the head of Water & Power, Kesslee, decides to use Rebecca as bait to lure out the half-mythical, all-violent, genetically-modified kangaroos known as Rippers.

THE SQUEE

• I originally saw this prior to reading any comics (way back in the Before DVD Time), which means I came into it with fresh eyes and was immediately was captivated by the world that had been created for the character. Tank Girl's whole theme is this – she has a tank. It's awesome. IT'S AWESOME. TANKS YOU GUYS!
• Lori Petty does a great job as the anti-establishment rogue Tank Girl. She makes an interesting choice of portrayal but I think it works and makes Rebecca's type of comic book insanity come to life.
• Capturing the iconic look of the original comic really drives the point of this film, and it does a superb job of that. It's really well told and has some great story-telling techniques that are marks of a good director.

THE SUCK

• OK, the film in places is utterly ridiculous. There's an entire song and dance number that apparently just happens like the whole film has been a musical all along and is never mentioned again. Rebecca seemingly has an unlimited number of costume changes without any explanation for WHY these things actually exist in the first place (the ICBM shaped bra springs to mind). These are awesome homages to the comic, but for a film just make the whole thing seem bizarre.
• For such great costumes, the Rippers are actually pretty poorly done. The scenes where they talk are fantastic, partly thanks to Ice-T being so grouchy, but it's hard to believe the small band of creatures in awkward costumes are actually a real threat to anyone.
• Despite the valiant attempt to capture the aesthetic of the comics, there are just some things you can't get actors to do (and in some cases are illegal), so it's not an exact adaptation of the comics, which meant it's somewhat watered down from the anarchist style that made the comic so influential.

Tank Girl is a little underrated and does fall into the trap that a lot of 90s comic book movies did – the cardinal sin of “silliness”. There are problems with it and it does seem a little cheesy twenty years later, but it's still a lot of fun. If you're after a fun, action-packed film with great one-liners, this is the one you want.