BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

phanthinga Look at the plot of Dead End Drive-In you pretty much know what you got into is a 80s dystopian movie but to my surprise the movie actually far more deep and somehow go beyond than just a cheesy b-movie.The characters is your typical cliché rebel teenagers so the dialogue not that easy to hear(no offense to Aussie people btw) or interesting but what catch my eyes the most is the world around them and how it work is fascinating to me.It may come out a little bit boring to watch cause the majority of the runtime there nothing really happens so I only recommend this movie to hardcore b-movie fan

Mark Turner Talk about a strange movie. This one has developed a bit of a cult following and it's easy to see why. The entire world depicted here is unusual, filled with violence and hot items from the time it was released (1986) like punk music and dress. All of that being said whether you enjoy this movie will all depend on your point of view.The year is 1990 (keep in mind when this was released) and the world is in terrible shape. Violence is the theme of the day, gangs roam the streets with little fear of repercussion and cars are a commodity. In this mix is Crabs (Ned Manning), a young man trying to live the right way and working hard. One night he borrows his brother's car and takes his best girl Carmen (Natalie McCurry) for a night at the drive-in.Things seem to be going smoothly, the couple find themselves going at it only to later realize that the tires from the car have been stolen. Crabs reports this to the manager only to discover that the drive-in is not what it once was and that it was the police that stole his tires. All of them have been converted into concentration camps for the low lifes and criminals of the time. Stuck in this place with no means to leave Crabs and Carmen must learn the rules to survive.With easy access provided to drugs, food and entertainment inside this locale it seems that most inside would rather stay than face the problems the outside world now presents. The "guests" at this drive-in have made themselves at home here. They've constructed their own small buildings to live in and have formed their own hierarchy to deal with things.Crabs continues to seek a way out, trying to climb the fence that surrounds the drive-in only to discover it's been electrified. He eventually finds tires for his car only to discover all his gas has been drained. He gets gas only to find engine parts missing. He begins to suspect that the owner, who is paid a stipend for each person who stays there, is behind it all. One way or another Crabs and Carmen must find a way to escape and return to the real world.Director Brian Trenchard-Smith has said that the film was "an allegory for the junk values of the eighties" and it shows. The placated masses living in the drive-in are content as long as they have entertainment and food provided for them, never working or dealing with anything of any substance. Drugs and movies rule the day here. It speaks volumes about the kids of the time and the whole me generation as they were called.The reality of this film is that it was a low budget pictures that made the best use of their limited funds. The end result is funny at moments, has enough thrills to maintain interest and a story that seems odd but interesting. The acting is better than one would expect from something like this. Production values seem low as far as sets go but that works in its favor since this is an apocalyptic world we're talking about here. Trenchard-Smith has a firm hand on the directing of the film, a true feat since he was brought in after the initial director left.Fans of the film discovered this not in theaters or in drive-ins across the world. It gathered its following though video with the initial release on VHS. Copies were shared, discussed and loved by fans of the film for years. An initial release on DVD came out and the love for the film continued. But now that affection can grow larger still as Arrow Video has released the ultimate version of the film that should make fans of Brian Trenchard-Smith happy as well.Not only has Arrow, as they are prone to do, released the film in pristine shape with a 2k transfer from original materials, they've included some quality extras as well. Included are an audio commentary track with Trenchard-Smith, "The Stuntman" a classic television documentary about stuntman Grant Page and other Australian stunt performers directed by Trenchard-Smith, "Hospitals Don't Burn Down"a 1978 public information film made by Trenchard-Smith, the theatrical trailer and if you pick up a first pressing edition a collectors booklet.It's easy to see why Arrow Video is becoming a fan favorite for collectors of what many consider less than mainstream films. They treat each item as if it were a rare gem and in truth they are. Not many would consider a film like this should receive the special treatment that they've given it. Thank goodness they have decided to do so.

Michael_Elliott Dead-End Drive In (1986) ** (out of 4) Australian cult film takes place in the (then) future as crime, unemployment and various other issues have taken over everywhere. A variety of punks, criminals and lowlifes end up pulling into a drive in to enjoy a movie but little do they know that they'll be trapped there due to it being turned into what's basically a prison camp. DEAD-END DRIVE IN comes with a great title, an interesting concept and a likable lead but unfortunately there's very little else working in the picture. I'm not sure what the budget of this thing was but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that had it featured a bigger budget then perhaps they could have done more with it. As it stands, the film is simply interesting on a few levels but not enough to make it a complete winner or really worth watching unless you're a fan of Australian cinema. The main plot deals with a couple (Ned Manning, Natalie McCurry) entering the drive-in and getting trapped. While Manning wants to find a way out, it seems everyone else is happy with the worthless situation. The biggest problem with the movie is the simple fact that there's really not too much that happens. I'm sure having the setting in one placed helped the budget but there's just not enough going on inside the walls to make it interesting. We see the different types clash, we see Manning wanting to escape and every once in a while we'll get some exploitation in terms of nudity and silly violence but that's it. There's really no way to connect to any of the characters and it's really impossible to care about what happens to them. I thought Manning did a pretty good job in the lead role and he certainly helped keep the film moving. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith handles the material quite well but I'm sure he wishes he had a bit more money. What money was available seemed to go towards one terrific stunt at the very end of the picture, which almost made the entire film worth sitting through.

vitalymakievsky Yes this movie stinks with 80s pompous acting and tackiness, yet from another perspective it becomes an interesting time-capsule into the resent past, and for someone who did not experience the 80s I watched the film with an anthropological curiosity. Though this film suffers from logical loopholes. They are easy to overlook since the plot holes are there for the purpose to present a socially satirical world. Overall the acting was fine and the message interesting, though what really stood out in this movie to me are the great set designs and first class cinematography. Also the story is engaging and the characters charming in a comic way. I recommend this movie to the already fans of the genre and to those who are like movies that are offbeat and satirical.