Woodyanders Review of Caged Fury

Caged Fury (1990)

A deliciously trashy and absurd chicks-in-chains exploitation romp

[8/10 · 18 November 2007]

Sweet innocent Kathie Collins (foxy Roxanna Michaels) and her rowdy gal pal Rhonda Wallace (a delightfully raucous April Dawn Dollarhide) are wrongfully incarcerated in a brutal women's penitentiary where the vicious staff led by sadistic lesbian Warden Sybil Thorn (essayed with lip-smacking wicked aplomb by Mindi Miller) grossly mistreat the fetching female inmates. It's up to rough'n'tumble nonstop one man a**kicking martial arts machine Dick Ramsey (beefy wonder Richard Barathy, who sports a truly hideous mullet) to rescue the lovely ladies. Writer/director Bill Milling really pours on the entertainingly outrageous cheese something scrumptious: we've got ineptly staged fight scenes aplenty (including the inevitable wild barroom brawl), slick cinematography by Kenneth H. Wiatrak, a constant snappy pace, a wailin' 80's head-banging rock soundtrack, a pleasingly leering protracted shower scene, vigorously hammy overacting from a game cast, one doozy of a surprise plot twist (the prison is actually a front for a nefarious white slavery ring!), a funky, pumping score by Joe Delia, an exciting last reel jailbreak sequence, and a handy helping of tasty distaff gratuitous nudity (the gorgeous Elena Sahagun in particular looks positively delectable in her birthday suit). Popping up in nifty supporting roles are Erik Estrada as Ramsey's rugged buddy Victor, Michael Parks as Kathie's overbearing dad Mr. Collins, Greg Cummins as slimy guard Spyder, Paul L. Smith as the hulking brute head guard, Jack Carter as smarmy modeling agency big shot Mr. Castaglia, and James Hong as weary Detective Randall Stoner. A total over-the-top ridiculous and hence hugely enjoyable schlocky hoot.