This is the much hyped directorial debut by Michael (TERMINATOR) Biehn, who also wrote and starred in this "grindhouse" billed movie. Inspired by movies like POOR WHITE TRASH 2, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, the story is about a couple of corrupt cops that are doing drugs in the woods with two strippers (the very sexy Jennifer Blanc and lovely Danielle Harris, from the HALLOWEEN franchise). When things go too far during a sexual rendezvous and one of the strippers is killed, the sleazy cops have to figure out how to cover up their crime. But wait---the other stripper has gotten away and now they must give chase! Fortunately for the running stripper, she runs to an isolated cabin where Michael Biehn's character Kyle (get it?!?!) is hiding out. Will he help her deal with these maniac cops? What is he hiding from? Who will die and what will be left of them?
THE VICTIM is entertaining and Jennifer Blanc shows us some nice skin shots- adding nicely to a movie that was obviously shot fast and cheap by Hollywood standards. Danielle Harris is great eye candy and always fun to watch, but disappointingly, she keeps her clothes ON throughout the movie while playing a stripper! This was a big letdown, almost as big of a downer as Rose McGowan only giving us fast teases of skin in her part as a stripper in GRINDHOUSE. Come on...where's the boldness that these actresses need to play the part of an adult entertainer without clothes?!?! Get into the parts more, ladies! Biehn is fun to watch, although his performance is not as controlled as it might have been with a more seasoned (or distracted wearing so many hats) director. I imagine it's difficult to write, direct, and star in a movie and keep everything straight. The love scene he does with wife Jennifer Blanc is good, though, and thank Jennifer for coming up to the plate and delivering the feminine sleazeploitation goods in this movie! THAT'S what the fans wanna see! And let me say this---she looks HOT! THE VICTIM is fun to watch and I liked the twist at the end, but unfortunately, for exploitation fans, the movie doesn't go far enough in some scenes. There's a sequence where Jennifer is pleasuring a baddie on her knees and...let's just say the LAST HOUSE/I SPIT potential was there, but it takes a much easier route for a solution. One of the biggest problems with the movie is the script- a lot of it doesn't make much sense and the dialogue sounds very "written." Also, the day for night sequences take up A LOT of narrative time and they are very obvious and distracting, taking the viewer out of the story. Still...it's Michael Biehn, man, and he rocks the house! And Jennifer Blanc, flashing the goods with enthusiam, so...those two positives and the whole grindhouse salute make this a worthy watch for indiscriminating fans. Just don't expect TOO much, like what the I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE remake delivered. THAT...will be hard to top!
This is the much hyped directorial debut by Michael (TERMINATOR) Biehn, who also wrote and starred in this "grindhouse" billed movie. Inspired by movies like POOR WHITE TRASH 2, LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, the story is about a couple of corrupt cops that are doing drugs in the woods with two strippers (the very sexy Jennifer Blanc and lovely Danielle Harris, from the HALLOWEEN franchise). When things go too far during a sexual rendezvous and one of the strippers is killed, the sleazy cops have to figure out how to cover up their crime. But wait---the other stripper has gotten away and now they must give chase! Fortunately for the running stripper, she runs to an isolated cabin where Michael Biehn's character Kyle (get it?!?!) is hiding out. Will he help her deal with these maniac cops? What is he hiding from? Who will die and what will be left of them?
