The Devil's Rejects

So I finally caught up with this long-delayed film and I am very satisfied. A very raw, dirty, filthy road movie involving so many nasty people you can't even imagine. I also have to praise the very sharp, gritty and funny wisecracks and the decent portion of gore that makes this hixploitation flick very above average. 75%. (03/23/2014)

As a tough local sheriff, William Forsythe is a capable counterbalance to the boorishness of a group of sadists, who finally (thank God) get punched in the mouth. Together with its predecessor, this sequel thus forms a decent combo-variation on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that brings black humor and slightly perverse fun into the grateful redneck-slasher sub-genre. Minor roles for iconic faces of the genre confirm Zombie’s passion for his work. (01/05/2022)

Wow. Rob already showed that he is a bit of a pervert in his previous contribution to the "whoever walks into our house gets his head blown off" genre, but in this addendum he literally puts gunpowder on his controversial status. An over-stylized thriller that takes no bullshit, seeks no compromises and it’s unpacked on the viewer in a rather novel way, expertly keeping their full attention throughout – Zombie is on a rampage and invents dozens of directorial techniques, which, while purely eclectic, are very imaginative and entertaining by their cadence and perfect alignment with the current action and the soundtrack (from editing to stop-motion to overlapping images and subjective viewpoints). Moreover, the story itself is constructed to mock horror conventions and critics (a great cameo by a wacky cinephile), begins with an action passage that could essentially be the ending, and offers four sequential climaxes in the finale. Though most of the characters made me a a bit sick (perhaps every one of them is at least a little bit evil, good is completely absent – which makes it even more unpredictable) and the way Zombie makes almost martyrs out of the disgusting human vermin at the end is just over the top, but otherwise it's a very entertaining and morbid ride full of references and filmmaking flair, which was a stronger lead for me this time. (04/02/2018)

The second time around, Zombie, as a director, doesn't try to create such an evil atmosphere as the first time but rather focuses on making an absolute exploitation film that literally sweeps the viewer away. This isn't a mainstream teenage tea party, but fucking sick and twisted entertainment for strong stomachs. For me, William Forsyth's Sheriff Wydell will henceforth personify the most strident stubbornness and intransigence that ever confronted a group of homicidal maniacs. His final solo with the stapler is genius par excellence, as is the rest of the film. True, this is based on the viewer's taste because I admit I didn't really understand this crazy ride the first time. Like with the first film, it’s ideal to have watched a few films like beforehand. (12/02/2007)

A very rough film indeed, very close to Hopper's classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in its rawness and unrefined conception. Dynamic direction and a lethal pace, and for me personally one of the best horror films of this year. PS: And it stars Leoš Suchařípa! (11/26/2005)