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With possibly the best film title in cinematic history, Holy Virgin vs. the Evil Dead is a heady mixture of kung-fu tomfoolery, slasher horror, soft porn & detective thriller. However, after watching Holy Virgin vs. The Evil Dead for the first time, you will probably be left confused and scared, as it makes absolutely no sense. What’s more it is as though in order to create this celluloid masterpiece, the producers have simply taken existing scenes from 3 unrelated films & just stuck them together in no particular order.   

The film falls into the ‘so bad, it’s good’ category, and it’s highlights include the naked swimming woman in the opening credits, whose nakedness does nothing to further the plot. The number of different (English) words mistranslated to the word ‘idiot’ in the subtitles. And of course, who can fail to be enthralled by such hard-hitting dialogue as ‘Red moon? You may as well say blue buttocks’. But the best scene is undoubtedly the one in which there are nineteen separate naked women on screen at once towards the film’s dramatic climax.   

The (flimsy) storyline goes something like this:,

 

 A series of vicious nocturnal murders takes place in Hong Kong by a Moon Monster (the title’s Evil Dead) with glowing green eyes. The attacks by the ‘sexual maniac’ (as the HK police call him) are always preceded by the moon turning a blood red colour. His victims are first stripped of some, or all of their clothes, before being killed by either evisceration, or throat gouging. An innocent bystander (Shiang) who tried to battle the Moon Monster to save the victims is accused of the murders and the films charts both his and his friend Chiou’s attempts to track down & destroy the beast.

 After some clumsy plot related shenanigans involving a bleeding seashell and unnecessary (but welcome) female nudity, the action moves to Cambodia where we are finally introduced to Princess White (the Holy Virgin of the title). The princess’ father (who also happens to be the Chief of her tribe) senses the coming of the Moon Monster and gives the young virgin the village’s magic sword and instructions to slay the vile demon.

 With the help of the aforementioned sword and it’s magical powers, and aided by a handy supply of explosives, the holy one manages to smite the brute. However, the film is only two thirds of the way through, so it comes as no surprise when immediately following Princess White’s proclamation that the Moon Monster is dead, we see the same monster rising as if from the dead.

 The battle has taken its toll on the virgin as she is found collapsed at the roadside by Shiang & Chiou. They rescue her and after a light sleep she is as strong as ever, and ready for the climatic fight scene.

 The three make their way to the holy place, encountering an army of gun toting henchmen, but being out-gunned never stopped James Bond, and it won’t stop Shiang & Chiou. After seemingly overcoming insurmountable odds the opposing army is all but defeated, however Chiou is shot & killed.

 It is then left to Shiang & the virginal princess to battle alone against the Moon Monster, who is administering a ‘beat down’ under the presence of a red moon. Just when all seemed to be lost for our heroes, a lunar eclipse blocks out the scarlet moon (which is ironic, because during a lunar eclipse is the one time when the moon does look red), and with a mighty blow, the Holy Virgin plunges the magic sword into the face of the Evil Dead, killing the monster in a barrage of B-Movie special effects.

 The next day while reflecting on their victory, the impossible (but also inevitable) happens when we discover that far from being dead, the Moon Monster is actually the opposite. That’s right it is alive.

 

If it’s a typical ‘lads night’ film you are looking for then Holy Virgin has all you could possibly need, action, violence, nudity, ‘so bad, it’s funny’ humour. However, I think it would have been better if the film was dubbed, rather than subtitled, but that’s just personal preference, and it still wouldn’t have made any more sense.

 

Score: ********** 6/10