I’ve long supported A&P Productions and the filmmaking team of Angie De Alba and Paul Ragsdale. After discovering their 2016 film Streets of Vengeance, I’ve made it a point to do my best to help others find the fabulous films from these talented filmmakers. Streets is an excellent tribute to grindhouse revenge films, capturing the essence and style most others tend to fail at.
Cinco De Mayo (2013) and Slashlorette Party (2020) couldn’t be more different from the others. Still, how they capture the retro ’80s aesthetic on a budget is more authentic than anyone else trying to do something similar has been able to accomplish. Their latest opus, the brilliantly titled Murdercise (2023), is another homage to ’80s genre cinema. This time they’re honoring titles like Killer Workout (1987) and Death Spa (1988), and they definitely do them proud.
Phoebe (Kansas Bowling) is a hardcore fitness freak making a new aerobics video with a small group of ladies competing to be on the cover. The rest of the group can’t stand her, constantly making her feel like crap. Then along comes Isabella (Nina Lanee Kent), the daughter of a mafia kingpin who knows how to navigate a dark criminal underworld.
The two eventually form an unlikely friendship, and murdering their way to the top doesn’t sound like such a bad idea. While the girls are all fighting amongst themselves, killers posing as cops are out stalking the streets, and these ladies may be their next target.
De Alba and Ragsdale have a freaky ability to assemble a cast that belongs together, the perfect ensemble. They did it with both Streets and Slashlorette and now they’ve done it again with Murdercise. Each cast member belongs there, and the chemistry is felt throughout the film. Nina Lanee Kent and Kansas Bowling have terrific one-on-one moments together, as do Jessa Flux and Drew Marvick (who are hilarious together).
Krystal Shay, the legendary Ginger Lynn, Luis Maya, and the rest of the cast also deserve the accolades. They all have a moment to shine, and I feel like it was purposely and meticulously planned this way. This can be said for every other aspect of Murdercise as well. Everything from the props, locations, costumes, and music was done as authentically as possible.
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While I hate to single anyone out since they were all so good, for me, Nina Lanee Kent stood out. She has excellent delivery and terrific timing. I’m sure you’ll be hearing much more from this cast in the years to come. Flux and Bowling have already garnered a following, and the others are close behind.
Murdercise never takes itself too seriously and always remembers to have fun first. It takes a couple of unexpected turns, all while delivering the blood, the babes, and the laughs. De Alba and Ragsdale always do justice to the ladies they hire for their films, giving them strong and dominant roles. It is a wild ride that takes you back and will have you looking forward to what everyone will do next.
You can rent Murdercise now at New Village Video.
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 is a wild and fun homage to '80s genre cinema from A&P Productions. Check out our review!){kind=link}