Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Stonewall and Riot (2006) Directed, Written and Drawn by Joe Phillips.
Warning; this is an adult review of an adult product. It might be funny as all get out, but there is no delicate way to discuss it, so, you have been warned. And it's gay. Warning number two.
I wanted to do something about a gay hero for my I Need a Hero Write Off. Alas, I had already reviewed Milk, and the real focus here is on Super Heroes. I cannot tell you the huge impact for me when Northstar finally came out of the closet. Finally, there was some like me in the four colour world. Girls felt that way about Wonder Woman, blacks about Luke Cage, the Falcon, Black Lightning, and Storm.
So I did a little search on Amazon, and came up with Stonewall and Riot. Now, for those of you who don't know the Stonewall Inn was a gay bar in New York. It was constantly harassed by the police until June 28, 1969. Tired of discrimination and oppression, and the violation of their rights, they united and fought back. The riot was the start of the Gay Rights Movement. So I figured here was a DVD about a gay super hero.
Boy, was I right. And wrong. What we have here is Joe Phillips' animated adventures of Stonewall, and his sidekick, Riot. This dynamic duo is one part Batman and Robin (1966 Campy TV Show) one part Jeff Stryker Video, and one Part video game animation with a liberal dash of product placement for Elbow Grease, a personal lubricant. Blend well, and serve with Mojitos.
A scientist with a name that won't get past the censors has built a device that can render a person helpless in the throes of passion. The scientist and his device are stolen by a mysterious villain and it is up to Stonewall and Riot to figure out which sexual deviant has done the deed.
The villains include Doctor Octo...well, any way, guess where the tentacles are? Then there is Polecat, a go-go dancer with powerful leather go-go boots. The League of Evil which includes Snake Johnson, The Flame, Analconda, Doctor Probe, the rubbery Professor Prophylactic, the Bondage Fairy, and Straight Boy. Others include Size Queen, Webmaster, Polar Bear; Chicken Hawk...the list goes on. In each case, the dynamic duo bust in on them and spank them into submission, then discover that they don't know where the Doctor is, they thought the heroes were here about what ever crime it was they did commit. Finally, they only have one villain left...the sinister French Tickler!
While the humor is very tongue in cheek, (among other things) the action is very graphic. This would be a porno, if B grade animation of Grade A art could be called porn. Certainly the voice talent is all that we would expect coming from the great tradition of the porno. Well, maybe it is not that good.
So, while the art is brilliant, the animation is somewhat lacking, the plot is a campy cheese fest with all the structure and originality of a porno, but surprisingly funny. And some of the shtick really does spark a chuckle. I just wish it could spark a few more sparks. Then again, maybe there is a limit to how erotic a cartoon can be.
But for gay positive camp, it is brilliant. It is funny, sometimes on purpose, and always light hearted. If you always thought that maybe "Seduction of the Innocent" was on to something about Batman and Robin, if you always thought the Riddler was angling for a spanking more than a beating, if you thought the Green Lantern and Green Arrow would make a great couple, this is for you. If you enjoy gay porn, and cartoons, then I can recommend this. But if you can't handle gay raunch (or extreme camp) give this one a wide berth.
Like Polecat, this review is Lean-N-Mean, weighing in at 666 words exactly.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.