Detroit Rock City (R) * 1/2 Starring Edward Furlong, Sam Huntington Directed by Adam Rifkin A Review by Frankie Paiva
In the wake of the Columbine shootings, there have been many discussions on the effects that movies have on our young society. The ratings system is obviously not well kept, allowing films like American Pie, South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut, and Eyes Wide Shut to pass with R ratings. Our television is also becoming more and more violence dominated, with shows like Pyromaniacs Caught on Tape and Buxom Blondes and Their Hotels airing on network television nightly. Alternative and hard rock bands are ranking high on the charts replacing all of the regular sugar choked pop that normally reigns supreme. But what about one of the most outrageous bands of all time? KISS, (Gene Simmons serves as head producer) tries to resurrect their career in this movie by trying to bring out a state of teenage rebellion, but let's get back to the young society subject.
Some politicians are damning every group possible (the gay community, Hollywood, Oliver Stone) for destroying family values, they want a better movie, TV, and music rating system, some are even suggesting that concerts be rated. There is one simple answer to all of these issues, not exploiting any person on the face of the planet to this film. This should indeed be labeled with a fair warning of the idiotic badness (OK, bad and boring word, I admit it) for all the crude humor and the lessons in everything but the ways to run a family.
Four members of the band Mystery are hanging out in their pad in the seventies and are getting high and playing some good old- fashioned rock and roll. They are all devoted to KISS, they punish anyone who likes disco, and escape the high school security guard on a regular basis. When one of their mothers discovers her son Sam is listening to the devil, ("Don't you know what KISS stands for?" she asks, "Knights In Satan's Service.") She is even more shocked to find tickets to see the devil in the flesh and torches her son's tickets in an instant.
But not all hope is lost, one of the boys wins front row tickets in a local call in radio station and they decide to break into St. Bernard's boarding school where Sam in being held and go to the KISS concert. On their way they lose their tickets again and the film follows each of their adventures while trying to score the passes.
If I'm correct, they are hundreds and hundreds of people that help contribute and see over a film. The around $8 million budget didn't make any of those hundreds of people make a better film. This is a horrible piece of trash is only occasionally funny because of the amount of risks that it's willing to take for a laugh. In fact, Edward Furlong is so devoted to KISS, he decides to try and win a male stripping contest and ends up throwing up an entire pitcher of alcohol. The more the film pushes the envelope, the more I found the film belonging to the catergory of "Never After Columbine." But it was released afterwards, luckily to a small audience that does not have to undergo the pain and anguish that I experienced. Since this review is nice and cheery, and says great things about the movie, I'm sure that you'll want to see it, Detroit Rock City gets * 1/2 stars.
The Young-Uns: The film contains very strong language, constant drug and alcohol use, horrible attitudes, violence, lots of sex scenes, and brief nudity. Good Age: 16 & Up
A Review by Frankie Paiva The 12 Year-Old Movie Reviewer E-Mail me at SwpStke@aol.com Visit my website at: http://expage.com/page/teenagemoviecritic
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