Title is right on the money. Make no mistake. The meaning as everything in this movie is double. It can refer to belittlement as it does empowerment. Women have come far and this movie is proof that. Am I serious?
No, of course not. Since Bitch Slap is no political statement and should not be taken seriously at all. Although the movie does take jabs at the whole feminism thing and plays around with it so that it could be seen as pro feminism or anti. So what is it? Well, that is not so easy to answer. But I will try. Since I read this was meant as a throwback to Russ Meyer movies. Bitch Slap first and foremost is an exploitation movie. Or to be more precise a tribute to those older exploitation movies with a contemporary twist. (Only in my opinion doesn't come close to all the goodness that Russ Meyer offered). Featured are very sexy big breasted women that are though and not to be messed with. Shooting heavy rail guns, kicking, boxing and breaking balls. Poor Michael Hurst (who people might recognize from TV show Hercules and Xena. Speaking of. Lucy Lawless, Renee O'Connor and Kevin Sorbo also have cameos. The Lucy Lawless one was short but the best of them all.)! At the same time it doesn't waste a minute to emphasize the sexiness of these women in power. A lot of slow motion shots of the big boobs and lesbian sex. For a while Bitch Slap does entertain. However soon it becomes apparent that there is too little going on for the movie to be spanned over 100 minutes. The so called comedic scenes are far from funny and the fight scenes between the women drag on. Wait, a minute. How is it possible for a fight between sexy big breasted women to be boring. That is because at the time we get to the scene I wanted the movie to end. Don't get me wrong. I do think the actresses in this movie were beautiful and sexy. And the fights were very well choreographed. But it came a little too late. Also the super twist at the ending was pretty obvious and nothing exceptional done with it. Even if the ending wants to make the viewer clear that a supposedly damsel in distress type woman also can be a big bitch. Is that feminism? I don't think so. Bitch slap is camp. It is intentionally bad. Which is something you have to appreciate. I only wished there were more scenes like the parody of Sukeban Deka (Delinquent Yo Yo girl) and the one featuring Lucy Lawless as Mother Superior. In that very brief scene Lucy shows what is needed to make the camp stand out and work. The main characters definitely aren't in the same league.
I wished I could be more positive. But after having seen so many campy and witty B movies that actually are entertaining throughout it's hard to place Bitch Slap into that same category.
I wished I could be more positive. But after having seen so many campy and witty B movies that actually are entertaining throughout it's hard to place Bitch Slap into that same category.
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