review for Federal Protection on AllMovie

Director Anthony Hickox has turned in a rousingly successful thriller interlaced with dark comedy. Had the story just been between Frankie and Leigh, the film still would have passed most of the tests for an okay B-movie. But add the sex-obsessed Dennis and Bootsie and some vivid, offbeat characterizations by the villains, spend all the budget on several superb action set pieces, and you've got a piece of entertainment that is highly recommended. The romance angles are well handled by never becoming smarmy -- Leigh's desperation for sexual attention is particularly vivid -- and the comedy is so dark as to be nearly uncomfortable. Armand Assante's bizarre mumbling performance even works. There's one scene involving a villain and a deadly spiked-heel shoe that simply has to be seen to be believed. Double-cross intrigue, death by wrecking ball, leather-and-whips sex, a gunfight in a thunderstorm -- this one has lots of scenes most independent movies would be happy with as finales. Heavens, this film even brings in thought-provoking elements of redemption amid the mayhem. Federal Protection is a sleeper, as well as a keeper.