"Vendetta" is a tough, stylish women in prison flick, with a good, solid story. Here we have a classic revenge tale. An innocent young girl named Bonnie is unfairly thrown into jail after she defends herself from a scumbag trying to rape her; she blows his head off, with the very gun that he was holding to her head. Talk about justice! Almost immediately after she is thrown inside a very nasty prison, she becomes a target for the butch dyke, Kay, and her henchwomen. It is obvious that this girl has never been inside a lock up facility, and after rejecting Kay's lesbian advances, the badgirl gang kill her. Basically they give her a savage beating, and throw her from a ledge, after shooting her up with heroin, to make it look like an overdose! They think they have gotten away with it, until a mysterious new prisoner shows up, and soon after, Kay's gang begin to die, one by one. This new woman, professional stunt woman Laurie Collins, is none other than the murdered girls sister! This is classic WIP material. The acting is all around good, and the action sequences, which include a lot of kick boxing technique are believable, and exhilarating. Unlike other films of this genre, the women are not all beautiful, with surgically enhanced bodies and perfect makeup. And this lends the film an extra level of credibility, and realism. There are no CGI effects, just a raw and realistic story from start to finish. Vendetta is also filled with some hilarious one-liners that you will be repeating with your friends long after the film is over. The lead butch dyke is especially a joy to behold. Unlike a lot of these cheap prison films, 'Vendetta' is actually well filmed, and every scene was bright and colorful, rather than dark and murky like most others. Reminiscent of the "pink" films coming out of Japan in the late 70's into the 80's; super violent films featuring tough female protagonists exacting their revenge on the scum of the earth. 'Vendetta' is highly recommended to fans of the genre, although you might have a hard time finding it.

Although "Vendetta" is billed as a women in prison film, it plays more like women in a trade preparatory school, with conjugal visits. Once you get past the country club atmosphere, and focus on the stunt woman vs. the boss trustee, the film benefits. Sandy Martin as the head goon is a standout, while everyone else simply comes across as stereotyped "B" actresses. The movie is fast moving, has some welcome humor,and a mandatory shower scene. It is weakened by some seriously flawed stunt work that looks like no one is really hitting or kicking anyone. Nevertheless, the entertainment factor survives, as long as you suspend disbelief. - MERK

Young Michelle Newkirk is raped by Greg Bradford who holds a gun to her head but she gets it away from him and kills him. But she's the one tossed into one of those for profit prisons. There she runs afoul of Sally Martin's gang that runs the prison and is killed. So her sister stuntwoman Karen Chase gets herself thrown in the same prison to take some vengeance.

Private prisons for profit is a hot button topic and a serious film about it is certainly in order. But Vendetta ain't it. It's drive in trash, but done with a bit of style.

More chick fights than you'll see on women's wrestling. Karen Chase has some moves.