A pair of off-the-wall cartoonish hitmen who pass themselves off as pest exterminators, bump off the owner of a burglar-alarm company. Then going on to go after the partner who hired them, his wife as well as an unwitting nerd who finds himself being framed for the murder. Relaying what happened in flashback, as he awaits being executed in the electric chair.
The first Sam Raimi/Coen Brothers screenplay collaboration, which saw the Evi Dead director helm what was his first slapstick, goofball comedy. A parody of crime thrillers, Crimewave contains much of the noirish aesthetics that the Coens brought to their low-budget first feature Blood Simple. It also highlights both Raimi and his figurative partners in crime's aptitude for over-the-top physical comedy. So, why might one ask did their independent movie that boasted B-movie conventions, and surrealist humor tank so badly at the box office? With a budget of what was a meager $2.5 million, the odds would have strongly been in its favor of it being a sleeper hit. Disowned by everyone involved with it, who were every bit as dismissive of it as were movie critics. No one could certainly deny the creative ambitions of the triumvirate involved. It's at least to Crimewave's merit that it has a decent cast of relative unknowns. Besides of course Bruce Campbell, riffing on his brash, conceited wiseguy personae of Ash from the Evil Dead series. Here portraying the side-antagonist of Renaldo "The Heel." It also features two actors of the I know them to see but their names escape me variety. Brion James and Paul L. Smith, the former arguably coming with relatively greater repute.
Playing a pair of maniacal, off-the-wall hitmen named Farron Crush and Arthur Coddish, who under the guise of exterminators are hired to kill the co-owner of Trend-Odegard Security. Their client is Ernest Trend, the other owner of the business, who has learned that his partner Mr. Odegard plans to sell the company to Renaldo. What further sticks in Trend's gullet is that Odegard has been schtupping his wife Helene. It's this aspect of the plot that there are echoes of Joel and Ethan's debut feature, the gritty film noir Blood Simple. Lending the movie the aforementioned noirish tone that they and Raimi are attempting to parody.
Into the mix is thrown the movie's unlikely hero Victor "Vic" Ajax, (Reed Birney) a nerdy yet affable technician and employee of Trend-Odegard Security. Who at the start of the movie is waiting to be executed in the electric chair at Hudsucker (a name that the Coen's and Raimi would use again in their future goofball comedy The Hudsucker Proxy) State Penitentiary. Profusely proclaiming his innocence, and relaying the past events of the movie that we are witnessing. The triumvirate pretty much set up the nutty, cartoonish tone that they would later improve upon with their later comedy feature. A vehicle carrying Nuns, with one determined-looking one at the wheel racing through the nighttime city streets as a means to stop the execution, does catch the right touch of off-kilter absurdity. In the proceeding flashback, Vic attempts to find and woo his "dreamgirl" who fate would have it turns out to be Nancy (Sheree J. Wilson), whose affections, unfortunately for Vic, lie elsewhere.
Here on in, the movie utilizes Vic's awkward quest to win Nancy's heart, which pretty much acts as a filler to lead up to what's to come. While Crush and Coddish carry out their hit, which unsurprisingly doesn't go quite according to plan. This is all an excuse of course to attempt to execute some inspired crazy comedy. From Vic and Nancy attempting to win a dance competition, at a swanky night spot because they can't pay the restaurant bill. To the numerous amount of slapstick killing committed by the unbalanced hitmen. To the movie's credit, there are some sublime, and inventive set pieces. Not least of all when Helene is throwing plates, and other crockery at the brutish Faron who is in pursuit of her. Raimi captures the image of them hurtling toward his face, which he catches and breaks with seemingly expert precision. As is the moment where he uses his cartoonishly overpowering muscle, and attempts to drag Helene into his overpowering clutches, by digging his fingers into the carpet and dragging it and ergo herself toward him.
Like The Hudsucker Proxy, it does owe something of a debt to the larger-than-life, surreal cartoons of Tex Avery from the 40s and 50s. Both Jame's rodent-like Coddish and Smith's hulking Crush with their amusingly OTT voices, have found their inspiration from Loony Toons characters Just think of live-action versions of the Tasmanian Devil and Wyle E. Coyote. Smith brings a lot of gleeful sadistic relish to the hulking Crush. This is counterbalanced by James, who while not as physically intimidating, still brings that key comical savage edge. Who's character to some degree relies more on his wits, which when all is said and done are in short supply.
But for for all of Raimi's technical proficiency, as well some as of the imaginative creativity that goes into Crimewave. It feels very half-baked. Many of the gags be they visual or verbal essentially feel hollow and therefore forced. The director ultimately falls back on the undoubted zany pizazz that he imbues the movie with to carry it. However, it just isn't quite enough for it to suffice. Reed Birney (whose good-natured, naive antics are infectious), Sheree J. Wilson, along with the rest of the cast do their best to overcome the inadequacies in the script. However, much of the delivery leaves something to be desired. And that could very well be a flaw that is leveled at the door of the director. Overlong Gaps in between dialogue exposition make it feel all too strained, and as a result, it lacks the quickfire zing of similar superior movies of its ilk. Whether it be those of the Zucker Brother's Airplane or Mel Brooks's Blazing Saddles. Even the presence of Bruce Campbell, who would later make an almost identical supporting appearance, in The Hudsucker Proxy does little to rise it above sub-mediocrity. Merciselslly for him, his screen time is relatively short-lived.
Needless to say, in more "politically correct" or "woke" times we live in, the movie may not sit well with the all too easily offended. Whether that be remarks being made to a recently killed black man, in a momentary off-the-cuff remark as a means for edgy contentious humor. Blazing Saddles this ain't, as it's not as smart, or knowing, and it certainly doesn't try to be too politically aware. Particularly when it comes to the hero/damsel in distress roles inhabited by Birney and Wilson.
Crimewave amounts to being little more than a cinematic failure, albeit a noble one. For as flawed as it is, and it is indeed heavily so. One can't accuse Sam, Joel, and Ethan for not at least not having a degree of ambition, and some innovation and artistry. If only it could have proved to have been more focused and polished. Something that the three would hone to with better if not entirely accomplished success with The Hudsucker Proxy. Crimewave is creatively an ambitious failure but at least it's a noble one at that.
