NEW YORK - "Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives" more than lives up to its title.
The angry protagonists in Israel Luna's mock revenge thriller are armed not only with knives but also with baseball bats and the occasional high-heeled shoe.
The action begins with the piquantly named Bubbles Cliquot (Krystal Summers), who performs at a downtown nightclub along with her fellow transgender clique. Unfortunately, one evening Bubbles has a fling with the wrong guy, Boner (Thomas Zembrod), who doesn't take kindly to the fact that his latest conquest could well be called by the same name.
When Bubbles and a couple of her cohorts wind up either dead or brutally beaten at the hands of Boner and his buddies, the remaining gals take matters into their own beautifully manicured hands, resulting in a bloodbath that would do the makers of 1970s-era exploitation films proud. To prepare for their revenge, they take an instructional course combining Zen-style philosophy with kung-fu ass-kicking.
Luna dutifully goes through the technical paces dictated by such predecessors as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, ensuring his effort boasts trademark fake scratches, etc. Although probably best appreciated at a midnight showing with a similarly schlock-minded audience, the film is being released on DVD next month, so begin planning your parties now.