Final Exterminator

I've seen quite a few good b-type horror movies - unfortunately, this isn't one of them. In fact, if it wasn't for Stacy Haiduk, this film would be a complete waste of time. The plot as you've probably guessed is pretty simple: a fairly attractive concert pianist gets gang-rapped in a dark alley, the bad guys get acquitted in court and the victim kills herself in effect. Her brother, a scientist and specialist in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, brings his sister back to "life" five years later, turns her into a deadly cyborg - programmed on revenge. The story line hasn't got any exciting twists to it - the rapists go down one by one and even the splatter scenes are hardly imaginative. The performances of most actors involved are average at best, yet some are well below. Especially Clare Wren in her role as Final Exterminator (German title) isn't able to carry the movie. However, there is a ray of light: Alison (played by the gorgeous and most talented Stacy Haiduk), the sketch artist who was present at the trial, turns out to be an interesting character that is fun to watch as she gets involved in the investigation of the strange killings when she reviews her former work for a new book. She's the reason why I enjoyed watching this movie after all.

Steel and Lace is a cool, inventive take on the revenge thriller/gore. Farino has directed a modern gore/thriller. I think this is the Pulp Fiction of its time. New concepts and turns of fate abound in this puzzling film.

A cute blonde lawyer is raped in an alley by a Wall Street Geico type character. He goes to trial and gets off from lack of evidence. He and his 4 buddies own a corporation that has a logo of a hand that is squeezing the world in a claw like grasp. (neat logo) Not being able to cope with the devastating news, the lawyer jumps off a building. Mysteriously, the Wall street crowd is then killed one by one in Ten Little Indians, style.

The director, Francio, really integrates a pastiche of film genres into an action/thriller/gory film that is way above other gore films. A lot of works are derivative to a fault, but this one integrates a lot of genres into a well crafted/shot/edited/music film.

I kept thinking, Death Wish, Gort, Hal, Spit on your Grave, Terminator and other films that were reverently depicted in this surprising film.

The actors and good and production values top notch...considering that this was probably a low budget film, this was an excellent example of good direction and control of the production. I like the way the robot gradually gains awareness about her actions.

Look for it in bargain bin, rental stores, and on cable TV. It is a neat discovery.

A bizarre mix of I spit on Your Grave, crossed with 80s splatter horror films, Terminator-esquire cyborg flicks and journalistic detective stories.

The horror element is made up of the gory deaths the rapists suffer. The deaths are some sick stuff - yet MGM showed it with a 16 rating! There is no way this was made in 1991. I guess this sat on the shelf for at least 5 years. This is pure early to mid 80s. All grey-flecked suits, rolled up sleeves, wide shoulder pads, permed mullets, grey marble, clashing pastels, and bright neon tube lighting. This was made in the 80s and sat on the shelf gathering dust, and no surprise.

There's the occasional laughable B movie dialogue which lifts the film, but the overall grimness of the film makes it hard to watch and stomach.

Every once and a while, unfortunately not very often, you encounter a film for which you had low or even zero expectations, but then it turns out to be surprisingly enjoyable! I used to always refer to "Scream for Help" as an example for this, but it looks as if I can now also refer to "Steel and Lace" as an example as well! Being a low-budgeted and early 90s Sci-Fi/cyborg rip-off starring a couple of washed up B- movie stars, I just started watching "Steel and Lace" with all my brain functions switched off, but it didn't even take 10 minutes before I sat there with a big and sleazy smile on my face! The very simple but ingenious premise can be described as a hybrid between cyborg flicks like "The Terminator" or "Robocop" and rape & revenge horrors like "I Spit on your Grave". The beautiful and talented Gaily Morton was the victim a gang-rape, but during the trial in court, the nasty culprit Daniel Emerson and his buddies are set free due a lack of evidence. The poor girl can't handle the acquittal and commits suicide by throwing herself from a rooftop. Five years later, Gaily's scientist brother Albert recovered her body and turned her into a hi-tech cyborg with as sole mission to eliminate her assailants one by one. The murders in "Steel and Lace" are downright fantastic! Disguised as femme fatale, she lures them to sleazy hotels or empty meeting rooms and subsequently disembowels, decapitates or viciously castrates them! Enter David Naughton ("An American Werewolf in London") and the ravishing Stacy Haiduk as respectively a police inspector and a freelance reporter; both investigating the murder series and both suspecting a connection with the infamous trial. Particularly the first half of "Steel and Lace" is a lot of fun, with even a handful of hilarious lines as well. Upon discovering the first corpse, who got killed by a drilling device coming out of the cyborg's stomach, Detective Dunn makes the intelligent remark: "It looks like someone dropped a bowling ball right through him". The police doctor's reaction is even better, as he lifts the sheet that is covering the body, looks as him and stoically says: "This man has a hole in him…" The make-up effects are very good, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, since director Ernest Farino previously worked in the visual effects department of such classics like "The Terminator", "The Abyss", "The Thing" and "Dreamscape". The second half is less entertaining, since it primarily focuses on Haiduk's private investigation and Gaily's human conscience that slowly develops itself again, but by then "Steel and Lace" already turned into a guilty pleasure for sure.

Very good "B" movie directed by Ernest D. Farino. It was his first as a director, having spent most of his career in visual effects. He was visual effects supervisor for such works as "Dune," and "Children of Dune." Unfortunately, he also did the work for Balls of Fury, which is a stain on his career.

The movie stars the lovely Clare Wren, who commits suicide when her rapist gets off. Her brother, played by Bruce Davison (Longtime Companion, "Touched by an Angel", Short Cuts)works for five years to turn her into a cyborg to get revenge on those who raped her.

He outfits her with some equipment that makes for some gory scenes.