Bad Reputation, I Spit On Your High School

Rape/revenge films have heartened many of us through the years. The twisted franchise of "I Spit On Your Grave" has empowered female characters and created a blur on the line that separates sexploitation and misogyny from feminist empowerment. Let's take a look at 2005's "Bad Reputation," directed by Jim Hemphill, where rape/revenge and castrations come to public high schools, although metaphorically they have been there for years.

Awkward loner Michelle (Angelique Hennessy) has moved to town and a new high school. She is also a babe and star quarterback Aaron (Jerad Anderson) asks her to his party. Michelle hesitantly agrees and is immediately targeted by other jocks and cheerleaders. She shows up and is given the date rape drug and Aaron rapes the snot out of her along with his buddies. Now gang raped and humiliated, the mostly unconscious Michelle is quite a sight in Aaron's bed. Debbie (Dakota Ferreiro) and Heather (Kristina Conzen) don't want to believe their boyfriends wanted sex with her over them so concoct a plan to portray Michelle as the world's horniest nympho-slut. The cheerleaders duct tape her to a tree and write crude words on her for everyone to see.

Back at school, the gals have been busy and now everyone at the school believes Michelle is a nympho-slut. Even Michelle's guidance counselor believes it and tries to put moves on her. As no one believed Michelle's story about being date raped, she decides on a different method. Michelle now sluts all up, tight skirt, fishnets, and tight sweater, she embarks on a seduction campaign. Those she seduces will meet with castration, decapitation, and anal rape. Oh yes...those evil cheerleaders? They won't fare much better.

Just what will Michelle do with her new collection of severed tally-whackers? Is this film a dire warning to a public school system enslaved to standardized testing? Is "Bad Reputation" an anthem to youthful feminism or a misogynistic invasion into modern John Hughes-type films?  This is a graphic horror story and the elongated humiliation and rape of Michelle may be too much for some to watch. Enjoy the feel good film of 2005, "Bad Reputation."