A soured stuntman (Kurt Russell) targets young women with his death-proof cars

Created by writer/director Quentin Tarantino, “Death Proof” was originally the second part of the double feature called “Grindhouse,” released in 2007. The other movie was “Planet Terror” by Robert Rodriguez. Both were standalone stories, although vaguely connected. They were a deliberate attempt to recreate the experience of a double feature at a B movie house in the mid/late 60s-70s with the prints intentionally marred by scratches and blemishes, etc. Trailers for fake movies, like “Machete,” were part of the package.

The plot of “Death Proof” involves an embittered stuntman (Kurt Russell) and his psycho obsession with murdering young women of dubious character with his death proof stunt cars (but only the driver’s side). It’s like a melding of “Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!” (1965), “Village of the Giants” (1965) and “Vanishing Point” (1971), but with a more modern vibe and Tarantino’s unique brand of moviemaking.

The first half is very good, opening with the excellent “The Last Race” by Jack Nitzsche, which was the theme song for “Village of the Giants,” an instrumental. But the movie’s hindered by the inane chatter of the girls. The dull drivel goes into overdrive in the second half, particularly that involving Zoe Bell, Tracie Thoms and Rosario Dawson. Yet viewers are eventually rewarded by a thrilling car chase in the country that’s supposedly Tennessee, but obviously Southern Cal.

Russell’s character is perversely charismatic and the movie perks up whenever he’s on screen. There are no less than eight female co-stars playing mostly classless types (thankfully, not all of them) and, depending on your tastes, four of them are quite alluring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rose McGowan, Vanessa Ferlito and Sydney Tamiia Poitier (yes, Sidney’s daughter).

The film runs 1 hour, 53 minutes and was shot in Austin, Texas, and Buellton, California.

GRADE: C+/B-