Coeur d'acier

Stars Bruce Davison (X-men), David Naughton (An American Werewolf In London), and Claire Wren as the rape victim/suicide turned killer cyborg. The story is rather unsettling, especially the way it careens back and forth between the dark revenge scenes, over to some fascinating comic bits (such as the forensic scientist who starts to enjoy the creativity of the murders), to dealing with Davison's character, who seems more like a robot than the robot. Perhaps it is unsettling because juxtapositions like that are so often a hallmark of real life as it is lived. The viewer really is kept in suspense about how the next victim will be claimed, and I defy anyone to guess all the deaths correctly beforehand. The dialogue verges on self-parody at times, and elements of several other flicks from Blade Runner to Robocop are borrowed with little attempt at disguise. Yet it all hangs together somehow, perhaps it is the thread of bad romance. A quirky gem.

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.

Coming hot off the heels of The Terminator and RoboCop. Steel and Lace is another B-Grade cyborg film. This time with a twist it is a female killer getting revenge on yuppie rapists.

The plot is ridiculous, but at least it is original. Clare Wren puts in a great and surprisingly nasty performance. Mainly B-Movie veteran David Naughton is also class. Drawing influence from slasher films there are some gory deaths, but nothing you haven't seen before.

This film is hampered by its budget. Sparse uninspiring sets, dodgy special effects and boring action scenes. The real letdown is an insipid script with workman like dialogue that just drives the plot forward. There's no pizzazz or sparkle like in a Walter Hill script.

The unfortunate thing is I have seen elements of the same thing done better elsewhere. In Hong Kong action cinema you have B-Movie, Black Cat (1991) about a cyborg female assassin while not a masterpiece it delivers on action or the delerious and sexy, Robotrix. Loads of much better Rape & Revenge films Ms. 45, A Gun For Jennifer, even Dirty Weekend is more fun.

The Blu-ray has a slightly subdued colour palette, but is as good as it gets. Also gains a point for great cover art.

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.

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.