Surf Nazis Must Die

Welcome to the post-Apocalyptic future. Are people fighting over fuel, as in Mad Max, or over women, as in A Boy And His Dog? Get real! What do teenagers really care about? Everybody wants to catch a big wave, to look cool sliding down the surf. But to do so, they have to be able to access the beach, and the beach is under the ostensible control of a gang of neo-Nazi thugs. They're willing to kill to get their own way.

About as shallow as its title suggests, Surf Nazis Must Die nevertheless has a surreal edge to it which raises it above most of its peers. The thugs may be pretty dull for the moist part, but their leader, Adolf, is stylishly unpleasant. It's never quite clear whether or not he thinks he actually is Hitler; there's a hint of real madness underlining his bravado. But when he and his gang kill one of their rivals, Adolf meets his match in a gun-toting mama determined to get revenge.

Though it doesn't have nearly enough plot for its running time and it drags badly in places, this is a film with some inspired moments, seemingly the product of real lunacy rather than a calculated attempt to shock. Its cheery cheapness complements the very real culture of youth violence which it explores, and its dynamic, unpretentious story effectively supports its deeper ironies. Although the special effects are awful, the action has an appealing rawness to it, especially in the closing scenes, which will linger in your memory. There are any number of better made films than this out there, but it's still a satisfying piece of entertainment.