La vengeance impitoyable

I saw "Comin' At Ya!" when it was released in 1981. Remembering that it was highly entertaining, if cheesy, I happily threw down my 14 bucks for the DVD re-release. If you're thinking about buying it, three words: Don't do it.

Rhino has converted the film to the red/blue 3D process (as opposed to the polarization process--if you've seen the 3D movies at Disneyland or Universal Studios, you know what I mean), and the results are horrible. Not only does the 3D not work, the red and blue lenses ruin the color (red/blue 3D is better suited to black and white movies or monochromatic comic books). I gave up the glasses after ten minutes, muted the colors on my TV, and fast-forwarded to the fight scenes. It wasn't even worth the 14 dollars I paid for the DVD, and I'm taking it back.

I'm very disappointed with Rhino for even releasing the DVD with the shoddy 3D. It's as if someone said, "Yeah, the 3D doesn't work, but who cares? They'll buy it for the gimmick." If you absolutely must see it again, rent it or con a friend into buying it. Because it is absolutely not worth the money.

As for the movie itself--c'mon, rubber bats on wires; flaming arrows; spears bouncing along on half-taut wires as they come "right at you"? That's what 3D was made for. The director uses every excuse to throw things at the camera, and then some. Most of them defy logic. But it might make a good party game to predict what object on screen is going to come at you next.

"Comin' At Ya!" is pure 3D cheese, and I loved it. Just don't expect good 3D.

Made on a very low budget in 1981, Comin' At Ya! was the first successful full length 3D motion picture since Andy Warhol's Frankenstein (Or was it The Stewardesses?). It started an early 80's resurgence of 3D films that (unfortunately) quickly died due to bad, bad movies and poor projection. Believe it or not, this (along with Friday the 13th Part 3) is arguably the best of that batch.

The 80 minute plot (which, without the endless assault of blatant 3D effects, would probably clock in at just over a half an hour) is very slight. In an opening flashback, Hart and his girl Abilene rob a Wells Fargo bank, get attacked by mercenaries, get married and get attacked once again, this time by white slave traders who take Abiline and leave Hart for dead. Hart survives, though, and sets out to find her. The bad guys lump Abiline in with a group of other women that they intend to use, abuse, and sell into prostitution across the border into Mexico. Hart and his scottish preacher sidekick(?) capture the head bad guys brother and use him as leverage to get his new wife back.

Now, I don't know how seriously the filmmakers were taking this story because sometimes the film seems like it's trying to be funny and other times it's incredibly deadpan. I'd like to say it's a spoof of Sergio Leone's Italian oaters (The actor's mouths move in English, but are still dubbed over by voice over artists, the soundtrack is a complete Morricone rip off and the lead actor strives for Eastwood's man with no name personna), but I'm not completely sure of the intention. I am sure of what the film is, however. It is the most gimmicky 3D movie I've ever seen. Not 5 minutes pass without guns, daggers, arrows, sticks, spilling beans, baby asses (midway through a diaper change), rats, bats and soap bubbles flying out in your face. The last five minutes of the film are a recap of the more successful 3D effects spun together with footage of fireworks and pinwheels sparking and spinning against a black background. About 75% of it works, though. The rest come too close to the camera and causes eye strain. It's 3D movies like this that give the rest a bad name.

Don't misunderstand me. I was entertained by this film, make no mistake. It's hard not to be entertained by a film that doesn't want a single thought entering your head for its running time. It's a 3D movie equivalent to a porno film... If you've never seen a 3D movie before, don't start here (see House OF Wax first), but If you've seen the best, then it never hurts to see the rest. Oh, yeah, a six pack helps this one immeasurably.

This was absolutely the worst movie I ever saw. Believe it or not, I paid to see this bomb at the movie theater and it is only one of two movies that I ever walked out of! No plot, poor effects, horrible script.

Coming to view this, you can't help but think this was Tarantino's inspiration for KILL BILL, or more like, KILL BILL 2. We can only wish, we were watching that movie instead of this. From the cool, great action filled cover, it's 3D version, which would be more wort, it's watch, Comin' At Ya, comes up short. If I had seen, it, in the 80's, I would of had a different opinion of it, and I wish I had. What was frightening and disappointing, was this, was typically what I expected from this, and I got it.A 6 out of 10 movie. Poster cover 10/10 though. There are some cool moments, the highlight being the smart credit opening scene, and the implied 3D moments, but I terribly got what I expected from this. If you brush that aside, and accept it for the originality and photography color/black and white, repeat, it is a nice little Saturday arvo watch. Gene Quintano, makes a great likeable hero, and our fat busty villain, makes a great memorable villain, while Victoria April, is just great as always, throwing some nice sexiness into her role. There are some Sin City moments, as in it's photography, and those bullets ripping through flesh, blood spouting moments, are memorably impactful, but this film just come up short, on a many stops. I can't believe how real those bats looked, especially when you can faintly see the strings. Still a definite watch with great respectful performances. I would like to see more stuff with Quintano in it. We even have some familiar music to Kill Bill in this one.

I was born in 1977, and this movie was my first experience with 3d. I went with my brother (3 years older) and my dad. My dad was reading the paper and saw 3d, and he just had to take his two young sons. I was only 11 or 12, but I remember the theater guy trying to talk my dad out of it, because I think it was R, or maybe just the violence. I remember thinking it was cool, but really now only remember a scene where a topless old time prostitute shakes her boobs at the screen. And no, my dad didn't take away our glasses when that scene appeared, although I thought for sure that he would. I was reading the other comments, and know I vaguely remember arrows being shot at us and one scene where multiple knives where thrown. Man, am I glad for the internet, I have been trying to find this title for years. Maybe one day Ill take my kids.