Straight to Hell (1987)

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Apparently this film was made because a bunch of musicians realised that it would be more profitable to make a film than to hold a big tour. I'm not a fan of any of the artists in this film; but to be honest, I'd rather them have done the show - because at least then I wouldn't have had to suffer it! Quite what this film is supposed to be is anyone's guess - the humour isn't funny, and the Leone spoofs aren't very well worked. The violence isn't shocking and the story isn't interesting - so what's the point? It's a shame really because the idea of a bunch of punks getting together and making a film has 'cult' written all over it, but unfortunately this lot couldn't deliver something worthy of the name. There's barely anything good I can say about this movie - not even the desert setting looks nice. There's a small role for Dennis Hopper, which is always nice; but the rest of the performers are all pretty dire. It would seem that the cast and crew thought that their mere presence would lead to a good film so the story isn't important. They were wrong, Straight to Hell is a sprawling, boring mess of a film and it's one that I don't recommend sitting through.

This film has two of the greatest music icons in the history of the world in it. I am talking about Joe Strummer (of the Clash and Mescaleros) and Shane MacGowan (of the Pogues and Popes). So in that regard, you have to give it a 10. However, if you are not a Clash or Pogues fan, you will most likely think this film sucks! Why? Because the film sucks. But wait a minute, you just said that you have to give it a 10? Right (voice in head), I did say that and I did give it a 10. Because Joe Strummer and Shane MacGowan are my two favorite musicians of all-time. So, they earn this thing a 10. Now, you raise a good question (voice in head), what if Strummer and MacGowan were not in this film? Well, I would probably give it a 1. Oh yeah, the story. Some people rob a bank and then go to hide out in this strange and isolated city in the Spanish countryside. There are violent and weird people that live there. So staying alive and holding on to the money will be difficult. Did I mention that this film has Joe Strummer and Shane MacGowan in it? Yeah, I gave it a 10, but, it really wasn't a good....you know what I am getting at?

Well, i find it difficult to enjoy a film where nothing makes sense! In fact all of it is utter nonsense! I know that there are a lot of films out there which are nonsense and yet are brilliant films, Straight To Hell doesn't quite make it. The film starts abruptly and jumps straight into a complicated sequence of events that lead them to hell. I found it very difficult to understand what was happening, and i resorted to reading the blurb on the back of the DVD box to follow the storyline. While watching you find yourself shouting at the screen "What the hell is going on?!" It is absolutely awful, stupid and makes no sense, and most of the characters are impossible to like and annoying. All in all, it is a terrible film.

This film is all what Westerns in the eighties was about. Western didn't exist in that period it was taken over by post-punk Western as Straight To Hell, a cult movie, most enjoyable to watch and mostly funny. If You Got Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, Dennis Hopper and Grace Jones In One Film praise The Lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!