A comic book movie/cartoon/porno like no other! It's as if a bugs bunny cartoon and the film "Heavy Metal" had an illegitimate love child, then that child was adopted and raised by Ren & Stimpy.
I first heard of this movie 3 years ago when i came across it's official web page www.elsuperbeasto.com. I immediately fell in love with the idea of an R-rated cartoon comedy from the mind of Rob Zombie. Finally after 3 years and the repeated buying and selling of the company that was supposed to release the picture, The Haunted World of El Superbeasto was released today, September 22 2009 on DVD.
Needless to say the bar for this movie in my eyes was set excessively high due to the 3 year wait. Besides a few minor flaws... it delivered. El Superbeasto is about a washed up Mexican luchador wrestler who, along with his busty, eye-patch wearing, secret agent sister, set out to rescue an obnoxious stripper from the evil Dr. Satan. Only taking a break for their mission to fight off hoards of Zombie Nazis.
The mood of the film is set in the first 5 minutes, you see the hero having hardcore cartoon sex, then violently murder his female companions(who have become monsters under the light of the moon). That pretty much sums up what you are in for the remaining hour and change. The violence and characters have Mr. Zombie's name all over them, but what threw me was the comedy. It is a very funny movie, and not "so bad it's funny".
The style of El Superbeasto is really cool and in its own way original. From beginning to end you are bombarded with cartoon nudity and graphic bloodshed, but at the same time someone is getting an anvil dropped on their head. Every movement and action is accompanied by a classic cartoon sound effect, whether its the Scooby-Doo running-on-the-spot noise, or a simple bat of the eye. They really emphasized the old school cartoon hi jinks, while maintaining an R-rating. it is almost reminiscent of Steven Spielberg's 1988 classic "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". The idea of cartoons in an adult world.
Now, what kind of review would this be if i didn't crap on something? The voice work for the two female leads was cringe worthy. I don't mind that Rob puts his sexy wife Sheri Moon Zombie in all of his movies, but this time it didn't work for me. Sheri has a pretty noticeable voice as it is, but as Suzi-X(El Superbeasto's sister)her voice is shrill and very annoying. That is saying ALOT for a cartoon. As for the kidnapped stripper Velvet Von Black, voiced by Rosario Dawson. I have never heard more cliched "ghetto-fabulous" lines come from a single character. It would be less noticable if the character wasn't a white girl with a distinctively African American voice. As for everyone else Tom Pappa(who also co wrote the script with Zombie) Was hilarious as El Superbeasto, and Paul Giamatti was a great doctor Satan.
I loved this movie and I hope the production nightmares don't stop Rob Zombie from making another one like it, for the perverted kid in all of us.