Perawan Rimba

I obtained this piece of garbage on the VideoAsia "Tales of Voodoo" DVD label. Quite where the voodoo is supposed to fit in, I have no idea. Indeed I would not usually connect voodoo with Indonesia anyway.

From the description given to it on the cover, this looked like it could be a wonderful piece of little known exploitation from South East Asia.

It isn't. Abused women rush off into the jungle to oppose their oppressors, but frankly I would rather they had stayed home. No gore, a little formulaic violence and no nudity (well I think there might have been a hint in one scene, but it was optically fogged).

There is nothing to recommend this movie. Period.

As my gym teacher used to say- on the whole, I'd rather be at the disco....

Indonesian adventure Jungle Virgin Force is, as the schlocky title suggests, a big dose of cheesy exploitation, and provides trash cinema fans with a splendidly silly hour and a half of entertainment that is hard not to enjoy.

The film opens on an island where a jungle tribe make a mysterious vine-swinging woman (Lydia Kandou) their queen, much to the annoyance of the high priest and his followers. A fight breaks out and the tribe splits into two warring factions, tasty females in fur bikinis and their queen versus grunting ape-men and their priest.

Meanwhile, a group of scientists embark on an expedition to the island, closely followed by a band of ruthless treasure hunters, who have heard that the tribe have a hidden fortune in gold.

This set up allows for plenty of trashy jungle shenanigans, including naked frolics in a jungle pool (although any nudity is optically fogged), female explorers in hot pants, loads of poorly choreographed fight scenes, a cat fight, some black magic by the wicked priest, a few terrible special effects (including one of the worst matte shots I have ever scene, the island poorly composited with the sea), a couple of daft native dance routines, and quite a lot of gore: loads of extras are shot by arrows, skewered by spears and impaled by flying shards of rock, and director Danu Umbara even channels the spirit of Lenzi and Deodato with a spot of cannibalism, a man falling into a pit of spikes, brief animal cruelty, and a grisly scene in which a woman is strapped to a cross and decapitated.

Obviously, this kind of thing isn't going to appeal to everyone, but those who enjoy z-grade movies will have a blast.

6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for the baby sacrifice, the horned warriors, and for naming the female treasure hunter Doris.

This movie simply ROCKS. Its so funny to read reviews from people actually expecting a "good" movie from directors and actors like in this movie. This movie is absolutely TERRIBLE, and that is exactly why it is soooo good! From cheesy 1980s electro music, cheap laser and fire effects, ridiculous plot and costumes, beautiful chick, etc... This movie has it all. Indonesian films are also always about Indonesian folklore, just as this one is. You have to look past the atrocious acting and plot to see it for what it is: Brainless, hilarious fun and an Indonesian history lesson all in one.. Highly recommended to anyone that can appreciate bad cinema..