The Devil’s Rejects

The Devil's Rejects
Cast: Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Sheri Moon Zombie
Studio: Lion’s Gate
Rating: 8.5/10

CORPORATE LINE: The follow-up to his 2003 horror hit HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, Rob Zombie’s THE DEVIL’S REJECTS continues the story of a bizarre group of very odd people who like to torture, maim, and kill virtually everyone they come in contact with. When Sheriff Wydell (William Forsythe) pays a visit to the body-ridden lair of Mother Firefly (Leslie Easterbrook, taking over the role played by Karen Black in the first film), her children Otis (Bill Moseley) and Baby (Sheri Moon Zombie) are forced to run, eventually holing up in a roadside motel with four hostages (including Clint Eastwood regular Geoffrey Lewis and THREE’S COMPANY star Priscilla Barnes). Seeking help from creepy clown Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig), they continue their murderous rampage while being tracked by Wydell, who is hellbent on avenging the death of his brother, which came at the hands of this very weird and dangerous family. As Wydell tortures Mother Firefly for answers, Otis and Baby torture their hostages for kicks. Zombie, a heavy metal musician who leads the group White Zombie, infuses his exciting, funny, and terrifying gorefest with a fabulous 1970s soundtrack, using such songs as Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” and David Essex’s “Rock On” at inappropriately riotous moments. Part BONNIE AND CLYDE, part THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, part THE WILD BUNCH, Zombie’s bloody barrage is filled with unexpected plot twists and surprises unique to this genre.

THE GOOD: Having the opportunity to talk to Rob Zombie in the past I know he loved the 1970s horror classics. The Devil’s Reject proves every bit of that. This is one hell of a dark, dank, and scary ass movie.

The Devil’s Reject is a wild trip through Manson gang territory. There is even a sick-and-twisted Bonnie and Clyde and the Wild Bunch vibe. The opening scene sets the stage for fear. Then during the credits Baby and Otis brutalize a good samaritan. It’s intense—and some in the audience actually turned away or covered their eyes.

Typical to the genre there is moments of humor but in a painful sort-of-way. There is some sadism here—mostly because Zombie touches a truism—we turn killers into folk heroes.

This is a great cast from Sid Haig to Rob’s wife Sheri Moon. Every cast member is perfectly chosen—perhaps the best decision was the recasting of Mama.

THE BAD: Nothing.

FRANKLY: This is far better than House of 1000 Corpses. Rob Zombie went from B-movie to A-movie. As badly as Zombie wanted to make a movie that holds to the standards of those past horror films he actually eclipsed most of them.

+ Charlie Craine


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