D.E.B.S.

Beautiful lesbian criminal-mastermind inexplicably falls for a squad member of the D.E.B.S., a team of female collegiate crime fighters. High-tech spoofery on a low-income budget, expanded from a short film and overcooked with girlish cuteness, though it does have its canny moments following an excruciating build-up to the plot. The jokes are obvious, and most of the characters are caricatures, yet the movie actually improves and even becomes appealing. Some of the gag-lines are indeed stale, and I'm not sure how even a nefarious femme criminal could pull off such tricks as a booby-trapped bank safe, but the lead actresses try hard and their energy and nonchalance work well for satire. Whether anyone involved with "D.E.B.S." had any genuine hope for the finished returns isn't known, however it is professionally assembled. I liked the "dead end" tunnel (leading to a forbidden punk underworld), and the finale (despite sloppy staging) is well-written and manages to wrap everything up with charm. ** from ****

I won't try to justify my liking of this film by making excuses for it. The fact remains is that D.E.B.S., both low-budget and low-key, was far more enjoyable than any major blockbuster or highly acclaimed movie I've seen in a while. Honestly, there are no major aspirations in this film and audiences should discard any major expectations too. Essentially, this is a movie that relies on a concept that has long been drained out of film-making - fun. The story itself, though weak in true substance, is hilarious and satirical. The characters are each interesting and worthy of further elaboration. Inevitably, the lesbian love story will always be the central point of D.E.B.S.'s popularity but somehow, it deserves to be. The romance between the hero and the villain, a concept that's a parody in itself, is especially charming.

So forget all your movie snobbery and just watch the damn movie. It's a beautiful way to spend 90 minutes.

Well, M.A. Martinez is certainly entitled to his opinion, but I think a different point of view should also be represented on this page:

The way I see it, D.E.B.S. is not a re-hash of Charlie's Angels, nor is it trying to be an action movie. It is - more than anything - a parody of Charlie's Angels and it uses ironic exaggerations to point out the weaknesses in the original. Thus the skimpy schoolgirl skirts. They are definitely not meant "to win over male audiences", as male audiences aren't really the target audience for this movie. Of course the girls in D.E.B.S. are poor role-models. They aren't meant to be role-models - they are parodies of the kind of empty-headed heroines Hollywood usually serves us with. I didn't find the humour forced, but I guess it's a matter of personal taste. What I found remarkable, though, was that this film managed to be far more entertaining than Charlie's Angels, though it was produced with only a fraction of its budget. To sum it up: Very good fun if you like irony and can deal with a bit of silliness on the side!

I was fortunate enough to see this movie at the Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. The movie is WONDERFUL- sure, it is as substantial as cotton candy, but it is GREAT to see a summer-blockbuster-type action film that spoofs so many

clichés, never takes itself seriously, and treats its lesbian characters with respect. The writer/director Angela Robinson spoke at the screening and indicated that the film will get a theatrical release, but the distributor is having trouble marketing the film because they don't know which market to target- teenagers, gays, etc. In short, if you think this campy action film will appeal to you GO SEE IT in its opening weekend (to be announced) to send a message to the studios that

taking a risk on an unusual, fun film like this was well worth it. Oh, and the music is great too! The soundtrack features 80's classics from New Order, Erasure, and The Cure, as well as contemporary stuff from

Fischerspooner, Goldfrapp etc.

This is a pretty decent lesbian movie. As a lesbian myself, I can appreciate its happy ending and the chemistry between the two romantic leads. It also got a few laughs out of me and I appreciate its over-the-top acting at times, as it fits with the whole Charlie's Angels parody premise.

This movie played a role in helping me accept myself when I first realized I was gay, so I think I'll always have a soft spot for it. Lucy Diamond, you have my heart.