Blasting it's way onto Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Video is the 1995 live-action adaptation of Jamie Hewlett's popular Tank Girl. While loved just as much as it is loathed, it's only fair to say that this was a production ahead of it's time and not everyone quite got that during it's initial release. Set in 2033, where the people of Earth have been suffering through a drought for over a decade. The planet’s water supply is now controlled by megalomaniac businessman Kesslee, who owns the Water & Power corporation. But in Australia, at least, there is resistance! If Kesslee wants to take control of the last water well in the Outback, he’ll need to contend with the Rippers – a gang of mutant hybrids of human and kangaroo – and Tank Girl; a woman with a tank, a bad attitude, and a determination to rescue the world from the brink of oblivion!

 

I mean, what other post-apocalyptic dystopian adventure features a female protagonist and some man-size human kangaroos? I actually hadn't seen Tank Girl since the year of it's release until Eureka Video put out this stunning (Limited Edition) Blu-ray release towards the end of 2024. Prior to that, I don't even think I had ever put my hands on a Tank Girl comic – launched in 1988 – nor have I ever had the pleasure since. And truth be told, I wasn't really a fan of the film upon it's initial release. I had just turned 18 and was super-big into Hong Kong cinema (which I still am even more today), so I guess it just wasn't what I wanted back then. Now though, watching it again with this gorgeous HD restoration, I have to say that I was really impressed and thoroughly enjoyed what I was seeing. In fact, I even watched it a second time with the audio commentary by it's director and leading lady, Lori Petty (who sounds like a complete hoot!), which I highly recommend...

 

While it would be the third feature for director Rachel Talalay after Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and Ghost In The Machine (1993), Tank Girl would unfortunately be the last feature film she would direct before moving indefinitely to work in television. Still going strong today, it's clear that Rachel's love for the comic book world has stuck with her having went onto to direct many episodes of TV shows such as Doctor Who (2014-17), Iron Fist (2018), Supergirl (2016), Doom Patrol (2019), Superman & Lois (2021), Legends Of Tomorrow (2016-21), The Flash (2016-23) and more. Prior to directing, she had worked as a producer on films such as A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) and A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), Hairspray (1988) and on the short-lived spoof sci-fi show Space Rangers (1993), and while there was clearly plenty of experience there in the run up to Tank Girl, I still must give praise for the work involved and massive undertaking of bringing this project to life.

 

Of course, this includes the great cast on offer starting with the wildly entertaining Lori Petty who stars as the titular heroine! Interestingly, Petty was initially cast in Demolition Man before Sandra Bullock and has had a pretty colourful career, both on the small and big screen, starring in titles such as Bates Motel (1987), The Thorns (1988), Cadillac Man (1990), Point Break (1991), A League Of Their Own (1992, Free Willy (1993), and has done voice work on a number of DC animated projects. Here, as Tank Girl, Lori is fantastic – almost coming across as wild and unpredictable as Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool for the most part, and while never breaking the fourth wall you can just tell she really wanted to. She is joined by the wonderful Naomi Watts who was still relatively new to the film world back then having just appeared in Australian features For Love Alone (1986) and Flirting (1991) with Nicole Kidman (as well as a lengthy stint in Aussie soap Home & Away), before starring in her first Hollywood production, Matinee (1993) with John Goodman, along with another three that same year. She does a great job here as Jet Girl, portraying her character completely on the other end of the scale to Petty's hyper performance. Of course, it's quite unlike the Hollywood star we've come to know Ms. Watts as today.

 

The great and hugely prolific Malcolm McDowell stars as the wickedly humorous Kesslee, the big cat of the water and power corporation. Of course, by this stage of the game, McDowell had starred in a host of titles since hitting the big time in Stanley Kubrick's 1971 opus, A Clockwork Orange, and his appearance here just helped bring a little more star-power to the show. Interestingly, this wouldn't be the only comic-book post-apocalyptic film he would star in that year, with a leading role in Tony Randel's underrated live-adaptation of the classic Japanese manga/anime, Fist Of The North Star, alongside Brit-kicker Gary Daniels, Costas Mandylor, and Chris Penn. Similarly, rapper and Hollywood star Ice-T, who co-stars here as one of the main kangaroo-humans, appeared in another sci-fi comic-book style movie in 1995 which was Keanu Reeves' Johnny Mnemonic. It is said that it took about four hours to apply his (and the others) prosthetic make-up, and when Ice-T was asked why he never complained, he stated that it was better than prison. Scott Coffey, Don Harvey, Jeff Kober, Iggy Pop, Brian Wimmer, Doug Jones, and the prolific James Hong help flesh out the cast, while Ann Cusack appears as Sub Girl...

 

While not perfect and a sore-point for comic creators Jamie Hewlett and Alan Martin due to studio interference on the final edit, Tank Girl holds up pretty damn well and looks fantastic in HD. Some of the set pieces are incredibly impressive, and the cinematography by Gale Tattersall is very nice – highlighted even more so in the restoration. Sure, it''s a film that may only be understood by fans of the original Tank Girl material, but it still proves to be a pretty entertaining flick overall. From it's creative style to it's whacky characters, goofy comedy to fantastic animated sequences, Tank Girl is a product of it's time and if we look back at the mid-late 1990s, it wasn't a pleasant time for most movie fans. This was an interesting time for comic book movies (think Judge Dredd, Double Dragon, and The Shadow for example), but in terms of sheer entertainment this cult-classic delivers – and this new release from Eureka Video is a great example why! Aside from its stunning restoration, the set comes in a gorgeous hardbound case complete with beautiful new artwork by Greg Staples, along with a limited edition 60page collector's book which made for a fantastic read. Extras on the disc include the aforementioned audio commentary with Rachel Talalay and Lori Petty, an interview with box artist Greg Staples, a new video appreciation of Tank Girl by film scholar Lindsay Hallam, and a few archival interviews with star Lori Petty, director Rachel Talalay, production designer Catherine Hardwicke, and actor Doug Jones, while the 1995 Making Tank Girl featurette and original theatrical trailer finish it off. Definitely one for the fans, but also well worth checking out for something utterly wild and original that has never looked better than it does with this fantastic Blu-ray  release from Eureka Video! (4/5) George @invincibleasia

​

Support the site by getting your copy HERE