Shy and mousy mute garment district worker Thana (a remarkably assured and nuanced performance by the lovely Zoe Tamerlis) gets raped twice in one day. After killing her second assailant with an iron, Thana takes possession of the man's .45 caliber gun and starts hitting the mean streets of New York on a mission to blow away every last sleazy no-count guy who crosses her lethal path. Director Abel Ferrara (who also has a chilling cameo as the first rapist) and screenwriter Nicholas St. John take the familiar vigilante premise and completely turn it on its ear by cleverly undermining basic exploitation audience expectations: the rape scenes aren't that graphic, there's no nudity to speak of, and all the men featured in this film are hateful and disgusting jerks who regularly prey on women in one way or another (Thana's victims include a street gang, a slimy fashion photographer, an abusive pimp, and even a rich Arab who cruises for babes to pick up in his limo). Moreover, this inspired cross between "Repulsion" and "Death Wish" reaches a stunning bloodbath climax at a Halloween costume party which Thana attends dressed as a nun. Tamerlis as Thana makes for a fascinatingly complex figure: While she nonchalantly offs numerous predatory dudes, she can't bring herself to kill her landlady's pesky dog. In an interesting touch, the initially plain and passive Thana becomes more increasingly alluring and aggressive throughout the course of the narrative. Edith Sherman as Thana's annoying and eccentric landlady Ms. Sherman gives one of the single most gloriously oddball performances ever committed to celluloid. Albert Sinkys contributes a deliciously smarmy turn as Thana's odious creep boss Albert and Jack Thibeau has a startling bit as a dejected fellow Thana picks up in a bar. James Lemmo's slick, gleaming cinematography gives the picture an attractive glossy look. Joe Delia's moody, jazzy score likewise does the funky trick (the piercing saxophone is especially gnarly). Done with tremendous crackling verve and an arresting sense of dazzling style, this highly impressive piece of ultra-kinetic low-budget indie film-making certainly lives up to its sizable cult reputation.
Review of Ms .45
