If you prefer your movies conventional and dislike MTV then 'Tank Girl' is probably not your cup of tea. This might also explain why it got such lousy reviews. I, however, am not opposed to swimming upstream and will give almost anything that even hints at irreverence a try. So it is with 'Tank Girl'.
Based on a popular (adult) comic, 'Tank Girl' is set on the year 2033. A comet impacting Earth has turned most of the world to desert and water is the most valuable commodity. Despite what might sound like a grim setting, the tone of 'Tank Girl' is overtly comic and often sarcastic (my kind of movie). Lori Petty is Rebecca Buck, otherwise known as Tank Girl, one of a handful of independent nomads that inhabit the desert. Malcolm McDowell, in one of his patented psychotic egomaniacal villian roles, is Kesslee, head of Water & Power. To paraphrase Rebecca, they have most of the water and all of the power. Kesslee's goal is to have all the water and control the world. You know, the standard goal of a psychotic, egomaniacal villian.
When Water & Power captures Rebecca, Kesslee decides to use her to help find and destroy the one thorn on Water & Power's side, the Rippers. The Rippers are the result of pre-comet military experiments with genetics. They are half man, half kangaroo mutations designed to be the ultimate soldier. They also happen to provide one of the most interesting elements of this story. Eventually, the Rippers (one of whom is a virtually unrecognizable Ice-T) join Rebecca, her semi-sentient tank and her sidekick, Jet Girl, played by Naomi Watts, in a battle against Water & Power.
You don't have to be a genius to figure out there are no real suprises here, but complexity is not what 'Tank Girl' is all about. The story is merely a device to hang a bunch of wild characters and in-your-face visuals on. This is, after all, a walking, talking, living, breathing comic book. If the filmmakers were short on story, they were not short on ambition. The sets and effects are often extravagant. The production design varies from 'Road Warrior' punk to 60's psychedelia to Orwellian future shock, all terrifically realized. But, that is the extent of this film's charm. An hour and 45 minutes of style and attitude. Entertaining style and attitude, to be sure, but little more than that.
'Tank Girl' is a United Artists picture and the widescreen laser disc from MGM/UA is, like the film, very nice looking. Other than a slight softness to the image, the transfer is excellent. Most notable is a complete absence of grain or noise. The image is crystal clear with good detail, though I would have preferred a bit more sharpness. Colors appear acccurate and saturation is near perfect. The image clarity also extends even to the brightest colors. Quite a feat for NTSC video. Contrast and brighness are also very good. The aspect ratio of this transfer is about 2.30:1. I do not know if 'Tank Girl' was shot anamorphically or in Super 35, but the framing looks good, though the compositions don't really take full advantage of the wide frame.
The DTS Stereo soundtrack is generally good, with clean seperations and liberal use of the surround channel, however, I did not find this soundtrack quite as punchy or dynamic as many of the better Dolby mixes. The alternative rock score is adequately loud and rauchous when played at THX levels.
'Tank Girl' runs 104 minutes and the disc contains 19 chapters, including a full-screen theatrical trailer (though it looks more like a TV spot to me). The side break is rather poorly chosen, and is made to look even more so because a much better place occurs only seconds before the actual break. List price is $34.95.
I doubt I would have had the patience for 'Tank Girl' in a theatre, but this is the type of film that excels on home video. In the informality of my den, I found this film to be a visually stimulating, mildly humorous bit of fluff. Perfect for the 90's.
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