Tank Girl

Let me start off by saying Happy Free Comic Book Day. Comic book adaptations on the big screen are big business these days. Sadly, one of the best is also one of the most overlooked. 1995's Tank Girl.

In the post apocalyptic future, water is a precious commodity, and is controlled by the evil Kesslee, Malcolm McDowall and his water and power company. After a raid on a small commune that is hoarding water, they capture Rebecca, aka Tank Girl, Lori Petty and a child named Sam, Stacy Linn Ramsower. With the help of a mechanic named Jet Girl, Naomi Watts, Rebecca is able to escape. The duo steal a tank and a jet in the process and hatch a plan to free Sam. Knowing that they will need an army to take down water and power, they turn to the Rippers, a band of half men/half kangaroo soldiers for help.

Sort of a female punk version of Mad Max, Tank Girl is what comic book movies should be, a lot of fun. Petty, in what was really her only starring role, is a blast as Tank Girl. The part was supposed to be originally played by Emily Lloyd, Petty owns it. Lloyd dropped out because she refused to shave her hair, so it's probably a good thing it went to Petty because this is a role that requires no reservations. Sadly though, this film might have hurt Petty's career. I think because of it's failure at the box office, Hollywood didn't see her as a bankable star.

Future Oscar nominee Watts is really good as the introverted Jet Girl. Probably not one she adds on her resume, but she should be proud of her work in this. McDowell is always a reliable bad guy. The rest of the cast is very hip and includes Ice T, Scott Coffey, Jeff Kober, Ann Magnuson, James Hong, and Iggy Pop. Bjork was offered a role as well, but dropped out at the last minute.

This is a very "girl power" movie, even behind the camera. It has female badass, director Rachel Talalay calling the shots. Talalay is always someone I have admired. She worked her way up the ladder as a production assistant to John Waters, to a producer for Waters and Wes Craven, then getting her big break directing Freddie's Dead: The Final Nightmare. She was a huge fan of the Tank Girl comic and optioned the rights to make the film. And I think she has created one of the most imaginative comic book movies out there. Her take on the comic book genre is very unique. There are scenes in the movie where she incorporates animated scenes taken from the comic in place of the action. I'd never seen this done before and it totally works. Unfortunately, she butted heads with the studio for making the female leads too tough and not demure enough. As always, the studio made cuts without her permission and softened it up a bit. I think like Petty, this films box office failure has hurt her career and she has only worked in tv since.

This has a great soundtrack as well. Put together by Courtney Love, it includes songs from Joan Jett, Paul Westerburg, Devo, Bush, Hole, Stomp, Bjork, and Veruca Salt. There's also nice use of the Cole Porter classic Let's Do It.

In the realm of comic book movies, it's hard to beat Tank Girl. It's a true original.

It's available on dvd and blu ray.