Naive female lead, hard-boiled male lead, escape from bad guys, romantic element: This is an action-comedy, and fine such as it is - just, perhaps not particularly noteworthy. Quips and one-liners, occasionally witty dialogue, physical comedy and situational humor, fight scenes, stunts - all the classic elements are here, including tired dashes of sexism, racism, or juvenile humor. Composer Tony Riparetti, frequent collaborator of filmmaker Albert Pyun, contributes a score that comes straight from the late 80s, and the select songs rounding out the soundtrack echo that feel. The work of crew behind the scenes is swell - costume design, hair and makeup, lighting, set design, and so on. Honestly, 'Brain Smasher... a love story' isn't bad. I did enjoy watching it. Only, there's no specific reason to do so in the first place.
Pyun rather has a reputation for low-budget, low-grade fare, and this fits neatly into that mold. In the very least he's competent as both a director and a screenwriter, and some of his features are better than others. 'Brain Smasher' is somewhere in the unremarkable middle: there's definite intelligence in some aspects, and it's suitably well made in the technical craft and rounding details. Yet for every minor spark of entertainment, a lot of the dialogue and scene work are schlocky, stilted, and unconvincing both on paper and in realization. The narrative is serviceable, but surely also common and forgettable. With these fundamental components generally doing their parts but failing to inspire, the cast can only do their best with what they're given. The acting here is distinctly limited by the picture's construction, but not awful. If nothing else, watching Teri Hatcher flip between "deer in the headlights" and "attempted tough attitude" is a small joy.
Even as the climax is the strongest part of the film (minus the over the top conclusion thereof), this probably remains a title that's more of a curiosity than a must-see. Save perhaps for the cast there's nothing about 'Brain Smasher' that lets it stand out in a crowd, and unless you're an especial fan of someone involved, you're just as well off watching any of its brethren. Still, you could do a lot worse. Far from essential, if you're looking for something to watch and aren't terribly discerning, 'A love story' is a mildly satisfying way to pass the time.
