Rob Zombie's Masterpiece.

Only Rob Zombie could pull something off this grotesque and make it look like a work of art. Though many directors have made similar features in their careers, none of them exactly match the brutality Zombie brings to the table. With only just four films under his belt, he’s becoming quite a well-known “noobie” to the business, and is in for a great future as long as he continues dishing out blood-splattering scene after scene for all the horror fanatics out there. I, myself happen to enjoy those once in awhile, considering them loads of fun as long as they’re pulled off well. Not all appeal to Zombie’s body of work, most will probably complain about the heavy amounts of violence within, or maybe the disrespect he portrays through plenty of his scenes, including exploiting many moral ethics. Thrills over substance, that’s Rob Zombie’s way.

Set in Ruggsville, Texas after the events that took place in “House of 1000 Corpses”, where a group of college friends looking for a good time, happen to slip right into the grasp of The Firefly Family, and are brutally murdered, The Devil’s Rejects is part 2 of the sadistic families’ journey as they relocate to Texas, attempting to continue their crime spree. No one really figures out what makes these guys tick, what drives them into insanity driven rampages, but it’s the fact that they do it. That makes it worth watching, albeit having no real motive to run on. I believe some critics may point out that small flaw, but it doesn’t even put a dent in the film, because it works as an affective guilty pleasure, and no real reason is necessary. It may just be that they are purely insane individuals. Either way, it’s a blast to watch. The three killers are woken up mid-day with their pants down when Sheriff Wydell (William Forsythe) and his police unit receive a tip of the families’ whereabouts. Forsythe’s character is nothing short of superb. His relentless, volatile personality is dead-on, and quite terrifying. He is equally, if not more crazy than the firefly family, and won’t stop hunting down his target until blood is shed, and they are brought to justice. He also happens to be after them for revenge, as they killed his brother some years ago, torturing him to a bloody pulp.

Zombie likes sticking to particular actors, most of which have starred in all of his pictures. Sid Haig, Bill Mosely and Sherri Moon Zombie all return to their previous roles. Moon is the sister to Bill’s character, and the daughter of Sid Haig’s. All are equally sadistic individuals, and take pleasure in what they do. The previous installment, “1000 Corpses” is good stuff, paying homage to the old-school horror days, with many corny-looking elements including your by-the-books road trip mishap, and some pretty old-school tunes to boot. It worked very well and knew what it wanted to be. However, that was just a starting point, as the “Sequel” tops its predecessor with flying colors. As the first scene at the farmhouse begins, you just know your in for a wild ride. Wydell says his prayers, him and his team start firing, and the Firefly family are armed and ready for what turns out to be one of the most epic shootouts in cinema history. That’s where the fun starts, and escalates further downhill for both the protagonists and antagonists. The duration of the film is split pretty evenly between all parties, including a small role for Danny Trejo as a bounty hunter hired to track down the sadistic killers. He’s partnered with an equally bad-ass counterpart, and the side-story about them and how they go about their business is very well done, and a delight to watch. It starts getting really intense from there on out. Trejo has also appeared in Zombies’ other project Halloween, playing a guard at the mental institution that’s holding Myers. Also appearing for a short while is Geoffery Lewis, playing a musician that becomes held captive after the Fireflies bombard the band’s hotel room. All the acting is great here, especially considering the type of film it is, and Geoffery Lewis is no exception, albeit playing a small role. Each and every character plays an important role, and all pitch in, really gelling the movie together

With Rob Zombie, you should know the R-rated, graphic and sadistic material you’ll be presented with. so the viewers who enjoy this director will most definitely enjoy this, as it’s easily his best project thus far. Anyone who complains about all of the above, gore, rape, murder, kidnapping, etc. really should not have sat down to view a Rob Zombie film in the first place. Considering the genre and what the elements portrayed are aiming for, The Devil’s Rejects actually ranks above most horror’s in the intelligence department. There are no mundane clichés, by-the-book killings, or cheesy scenarios. This is an authentic, bad-ass, balls-to-the-wall horror film, and it’s a true piece of art. I’m also a huge fan of the soundtrack, as Free Bird plays during a perfectly appropriate scene, and many other classics are heard throughout, molding this into somewhat of an old-school film, but new-school in the way all the grotesque stuff is handled, not too over-the-top for the most part, and very well crafted.

This is one of the BEST horror films ever invented, and probably the best of the 2000’s.

9.6/10