(2008) ****1/2
Ricky and JT are social outcasts who spend their time on the sidelines of life bemused by all the stupid high school clichés surrounding them. Their position in the cruel hierarchy of popularity is established early when Ricky is seen speaking awkwardly to a girl he’s attracted to only to be quickly rebuffed. One afternoon the two decide to cut class, grab some beers, and break into an abandoned mental institution. As they work their way through a 6-pack they behave like typical teenagers running around and trashing the place (I would be scavenging for souvenirs). Eventually growing tired of their high jinx they begin exploring the depths of the creepy dwelling. After breaching a sealed door in the basement they stumble upon a corpse covered in clear plastic. Removing the plastic reveals a naked, attractive, girl bound to a table. When she begins moving they realize that she’s still alive.
Perhaps it was the booze coupled with the unrelenting horniness of a teenage boy who never gets any, but however it’s rationalized it doesn’t take long before JT decides to rape her. As she begins thrashing about and trying to bite him he repeatedly punches her in the face. When this fails to subdue her he grabs her throat and squeezes until it snaps. Ricky, in a fit of panic draws gun and shoots her in the stomach 3 times. Yet she continues to live. The boys are perplexed by her invulnerability and quickly conclude that they have stumbled upon the greatest thing on Earth teenage boys could ever discover, a hot, naked woman that they can have sex with whenever they want. Although Ricky is ultimately not interested in participating, which begins a rift between the two friends, J.T. begins having sex with her every day in every position. In one conversation he suggests to Ricky that he’s going to have sex with her in the bum. Things begin to unravel when they allow another guy from their school in on the big secret. The climax is ultimately shocking, bloody and disturbing and the last shot of the film will haunt you.
My description might sound tawdry, but make no mistake; Deadgirl is a very effective, deeply disturbing film that addresses issues of morality, values, ethics, and friendships. What would you do if you were a horny teenager who had no chance with women in real life and you found a hot, naked woman who couldn’t speak, strapped to a table in a place where she could never escape and where it is unlikely that she would ever be discovered?
