Watches
March 21, 2022
What a fun way to start off a career. Mutant Action is a perfect illustration of de la Iglesia's skills. A blend of different genres that underlines the joy of cinema. It's not a very serious film and de la Iglesia's doesn't hold back, but people with a soft spot for genre films will find plenty to enjoy here. Others may get a bit overwhelmed.
In a world where everything is decided by looks and wealth, a group of disfigured men plans to fight for their rights. They get together and come up with the idea to kidnap the daughter of a wealthy businessman. The plan doesn't go as intended, but some of them do manage to get out with the girl. The leader of the gang has his own priorities though.
The film is pretty campy, but it never looks cheap or lazy. The performances are spirited, the blend of comedy, horror and sci-fi works well and the different settings add a lot of variety. The film is not as polished as de la Iglesia's later films, and it's not quite over-the-top enough to be a timeless classic, but it is prime entertainment.