The film works as both a fun exploitation flick and a sophisticated deconstruction of the slasher genre. It explores two different schools of feminism and how they respond to predatory male power. It features one of the most daring car chases in years with an "extraordinarily gruesome and stylized" main crash scene. It brings Kurt Russell back as "one maniac killer" in a memorable villainous performance. Despite criticism of its lengthy dialogue, the ending provides a narrative payoff that rewards the slow burn of the film's runtime, making it an authentic and rewarding grindhouse experience that deserves reconsideration.
