Babes Destroy The Wasteland With An 80s Mad Max Ripoff You’ve Never Heard Of
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
In 1988 Hell Comes to FrogtownOur fertile male hero is humanity’s last hope to rebuild the population in a world full of mutant frogs. There are exploding chastity belts, lots of wasteland babies, and the whole thing is a masterclass in schlocky, low-budget, post-apocalyptic charm. In the same year, a lesser-known film was called She-Wolves of the Wasteland (known as Phoenix the Hero in other markets) is straight-to-video, and has a similar setup when it comes to world building.
There are no mutant frogs in this version of the wasteland, but the production problem has gotten so out of hand that it is a major source of conflict. Instead of a deliberately cheesy conversation between Roddy Piper and Sandahl Bergman, She-Wolves of the Wasteland plays things relatively straight, though the film is still ridiculous in ways you already know if you’re a fan of the genre.
It’s rough around the edges, but not without its charms, and there are plenty of kills to keep you entertained as the film barrels through the desert in search of salvation.
All Men Are Finished
In She-Wolves of the Wastelandwe are introduced to our soccer heroine, Phoenix (Kathleen Kinmont), as she helps a pregnant woman named Keela (Peggy McIntaggart) escape from a breeding facility owned and operated by Reverend Mother (Sheila Howard). We soon find out that Reverend Mother is using these breeding grounds as a way to keep the human population from extinction, making her desire to kill all the males to take power a clear flaw in her thinking.
Phoenix and Keela, now on the run, must navigate the desert without getting caught. Keela is afraid that if she carries a male child to term, he will be taken away and abandoned, while the female child will eventually be taught by Reverend Mama to help maintain the status quo.
On the way, they meet a rich hunter named Neon (Lore de Nuccio), who, like many others living under the rule of Mother Teacher, does not agree with the women-only policy implemented. The stakes become even higher when they meet what may be the last man on Earth, and decide it is their calling in life to protect the child at all costs.
A Surprisingly Solid Effort, All Things Considered
Like numbers like She-Wolves of the Wasteland it may seem, shockingly adequate in its delivery. On the other hand, there are only so many wasteland sagas from the late 80s to watch before you realize they were all shot in the desert for financial reasons. It’s a budget constraint, sure, but it also allows for great action when time calls for it because things just explode in the middle.
Phoenix and Keela make a great duo because the dynamic starts with the ballsy heroine taking the damsel in distress under her wing. But once they get on the same page and have time to plan their next move while escaping The Reverend Mother’s brutal regime, they become a force to be reckoned with, with Keela rising to the occasion and handling the situation like a total badass.
She-Wolves of the Wasteland is one of those quick and dirty thrillers that checks all the post-apocalyptic boxes. Max is crazy-The style of navigation during the last moments. While it’s certainly worn its influences up its sleeve, it’s still a fun little cult classic that could be in our cultural lexicon as the kind of side quest George Miller would be proud of.
As of this writing, She-Wolves of the Wasteland is streaming for free on Tubi.
THE WOLVES OF THE COUNTRY
