Review: Devil's Rejects (B+)

The Devil's Rejects (2005)
Directed by Rob Zombie
Starring Sid Haig, Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley, Geoffrey Lewis, William Forsythe, Priscilla Barnes, PJ Soles, Leslie Easterbrook
MPAA: UR
Grade: B+

Review by Bobby Nashville

The highly anticipated Devil's Rejects has finally come to DVD and we think that this unrated widescreen version was well worth the wait. Directed by Rob Zombie, this horror film pays homage to horror classics while deftly creating a unique style all it's own. Devils Rejects is certainly not a film suitable for most folks but if you are a fan of horror, this is a very scary film that is highly recommended.

The Devils Rejects are in fact a group of homicidal maniacs that apparently love to torture, rape and kill their victims for kicks. They are about as evil as it gets. Mother Firefly directs the insane posse and she is religiously followed by her kids (played by Sheri Moon Zombie and Bill Mosely), a pair of evil freaks that are sick, sick, sick. They are chased by Sheriff Wydell (William Forsythe), a tough as nails sheriff that has sworn to bring these evil kids down. Unfortunately for sheriff Wydell, the Devils Rejects have an aura around them similar to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, one that screams "You'll never take me alive". They are not heros by any measure but they are certainly the main outlaws and stars of the film (again like Butch and Sundance or Thelma & Louise). They are also evil incarnate. Having the antagonists be the central characters of the movie is a brilliant twist and if you can endure the evil nature of the leads, you will see Devils Rejects for what it is - a chilling, horrific, cinematic work of art that is as disturbing as it is professional.

Coming off of House of 1,00 Corpses, I was not sure what to expect from Rob Zombie. Would it be another tantalzing yet ultimately unfulfilling B movie homage? Thankfully, Devil's Rejects owes more to Texas Chainsaw Massacre than it does House of 1,000 Corpses. Scary, disturbing (did we mention that this film is not for most?) and very well made, the Devil's Rejects is a fantastically creepy horror movie. For horror film buffs, Devils Rejects is a must see.