After making her directorial debut with Honor Killing, Mercedes the Muse continued working for Troma on all her future projects. She followed that film with 2020’s Evul Twinz, about twin brothers going on a rampage after running out of medication. 2021 was a busy year for Mercedes as she also helmed Gruesome Twosome and co-directed Dark Mixtape and Gorenography. She also appeared in movies like Faces of Fear, VHS Violence II: VHS and KILL, and Grindsploitation 9. In 2019, she co-wrote and starred in the film Hellfire!, directed by her long-time collaborator Moses. For her next directorial effort, Mercedes decided to make something of a sequel to the 2019 feature. This would be her most ambitious project to date, filled with reverence for Troma while commenting on gender roles. In 2021, Troma unleashed Mercedes the Muse’s most significant project, Divide & Conquer, for the world to see.
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Synopsis
Three gyno warriors – Lilith (Irie Divine), Athena (Knotty Peach), and Toxie (Mercedes) – are out to destroy the patriarchy. After killing a few misogynist guys at a bar, the girls have attracted a local White Supremacist group. Known as the Knights of White, the group comprises Neo-Nazis who dream of conquering the world and spreading their ideology. During their journey, the gynos are ratted out by a sleazy motel clerk (Mark Torgl) and pursued by “The Stormtrooper.” With little hope of survival, the gynos are forced to return to their hometown of Tromaville to find help. Athena gets in touch with El Whetta Loca (Vada Callisto), who provides the gynos with serious firepower. They also get some help from gay club owner Ronny (Jade Theriault) and The Trash King (Lloyd Kaufman). Before the night is over, these gynos will use their pussy power to crush rapists and misogynists wherever they strike.
Review
Divide & Conquer is not made for everyone without mincing words, but that’s part of its charm. This movie is made for people who love trash in all its beauty and reject what’s considered “good taste.” You might want to look elsewhere if you can’t handle women urinating on misogynists and hypnotizing people with their vaginas. The movie is full of gross-out gags, cheap-looking gore, and gratuitous nudity, but it all serves a purpose. It’s meant to piss off people with conservative values and the stereotypical incel who love terms like “feminazi.” That said, the movie isn’t entirely black and white with its message, showing that both genders are capable of harm. It helps that the film doesn’t appear overly preachy or pretentious and remembers what it is. This is a foul, gross, outrageous exploitation film meant to shock and appall and largely succeeds.
The three leading ladies all have a blast playing the gyno warriors, each bringing unique qualities to their characters. Irie Divine and Knotty Peach are the biggest standouts, though Mercedes also does well despite having few lines. Troma fans will also smile seeing people like Lloyd Kaufman and Mark Torgl in small but memorable cameos. Everyone else is appropriately over-the-top and ridiculous, though this can come off as annoying at times. Also, some effects stick out badly because of their cheap quality, though that might’ve been intentional. I wouldn’t say this is one of those intentionally bad movies, but more one that revels in its low-budget qualities. As I said earlier, most people will probably hate this film, but fans of trash cinema might like this. Overall, Divide & Conquer is loud, abrasive, disgusting, and unapologetic, and that’s what makes it work.
Buy Divide & Conquer from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3py4lAe.
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