Barb Wire is a 1996 film based on the Dark Horse comic book series Barb Wire. The film was produced by Brad Wyman and starred Pamela Anderson Lee. The movie was a vehicle for Baywatch star Anderson, intended to enable her to cross over from television to movie stardom.
Plot
The film's plot was loosely based on the plot of Casablanca. Barb Wire (Anderson) owns the Hammerhead, a nightclub in Steel Harbor — "the last free city" in a United States ravaged by the Second American Civil War — and she brings in extra cash by hiring out as a mercenary and bounty hunter. Her club is raided by Chief of Police Willis (Xander Berkeley), who is looking for the fugitive Dr. Corrina "Cora" Devonshire (Victoria Rowell). Devonshire, a former government scientist, has information about a bioweapon being developed by her former superior, Colonel Pryzer (Steve Railsback) of the Congressional Directorate; she is trying to escape to Canada in order to make this information public.
Meanwhile, Cora Devonshire has turned up at the Hammerhead. She is accompanied by Axel Hood (Temuera Morrison), a "freedom fighter" whom Barb had known (and, it is implied, loved) at the outbreak of the war, but the two were separated soon afterward. Axel is now married to Cora, and is trying to help her get to Canada. They are trying to find a contraband pair of contact lenses which will allow Cora to evade the retinal scan at the Steel Harbor airport. The lenses pass through the hands of several lowlifes before also ending up at Barb's nightclub.
Rather than give the lenses to Cora and Axel, Barb makes a deal with "Big Fatso" (Andre Rosey Brown), the leader of a junkyard gang: Fatso wants the lenses, which are worth a fortune on the black market, and Barb wants a million dollars and an armed escort to the airport, where she plans to get on the plane to Canada. But Fatso double-crosses Barb; when Barb, Axel, and Cora show up at the junkyard to make the swap, Colonel Pryzer and his storm troopers are also there, along with Chief of Police Willis. Willis makes a show of arresting Barb and Cora, but instead of putting handcuffs on Barb, he slips her a hand grenade. Barb uses the grenade to kill Fatso and cause enough confusion to allow Barb, Axel, Cora, and Willis pile into Barb's armored van and lead the Congressionals on a car chase, culminating in a hand-to-hand fight between Barb and Colonel Pryzer atop a moving crane. Pryzer falls to his death while Barb escapes just before the crane explodes.
In the end, the party makes it to the airport, where Barb reveals that she still has the contact lenses. She gives them to Cora, and Cora and Axel get on the plane to Canada while Willis and Barb remain on the rainswept tarmac.
Willis: Where will you go?
Barb: Well, I hear Paris is nice this time of year.
Willis: I do believe I'm falling in love.
Barb: Get in line.
Reception
Barb Wire was poorly received by critics and moviegoers, but loved by Pamela Anderson's fans.[citation needed] The film was considered a box office disappointment. It is currently ranked at 30% on Rotten Tomatoes.[1]
It is perhaps notable for its opening, in which Pamela Anderson dances topless as water is sprayed on her. Some of this sequence was cut on the film's initial release, but restored for later home video and DVD releases.
Cast
Trivia
Awards
- Nominated for the 1996 Golden Raspberry Awards in the categories Worst Picture, Worst Actress (Pamela Anderson), Worst Screen Couple (Pamela Anderson's "Impressive Enhancements"), Worst Screenplay (Chuck Pfarrer and Ilene Chaiken), Worst New Star (Pamela Anderson) (won) and Worst "Original" Song ("Welcome to Planet Boom! (a.k.a. This Boom's for You)", written by Tommy Lee).
- Nominated for Best Fight (Pamela Anderson Lee/Steve Railsback) at the 1997 MTV Movie Awards.
Soundtrack
References
External links
