Common Knowledge: There is a persistent rumor (originating on Wikipedia and spreading to many other sites, including TV Tropes), that Barb Wire (along with her catchphrase "Don't call me babe!") was created as a Take That! to the comic Babe by John Byrne. Not only did Barb Wire debut more than a year before Babe, her first use of the phrase also predated Babe's debut by several months and was used in the context of a Logo Joke (Barb's response to the tagline "Steel Harbor's babe on wheels" on the cover of Barb Wire #1)
Complete Monster: Maureen Skach, the second Ignition, overshadows the original in selfishness and sadism. The former girlfriend of the original Ignition, Boyd Mack, Maureen kills him after mistaking several women visiting him for other girlfriends. Absorbing his powers upon his death, Maureen uses them to help Mace Blitzkrieg wipe out several police precincts, and even kills her new partner Hardhide after he shows disapproval of her cop-killing methods. Discovering she has the ability to absorb the powers of superhumans upon killing them, Maureen commences a superhuman killing spree, hoping to kill every superhuman in Steel Harbor and gain an enormous amount of power.
The movie
Adaptation Displacement: Even in 1996, no one but the most ardent comic book fans knew the comic book Barb Wire existed.
Awesome Moments: The final fight scene between Pryzer and Barb, despite the rest of the movie, is actually a very good action scene.
The opening sequence makes fantastic use of a cover version of "Word Up!" done by Scottish rock band Gun. In this opening sequence, both the song and (read: Combined with) the use of large breasts make one of the few redeeming things about this movie.
"Don't Call Me Babe" by Shampoo, from the soundtrack album.
Best Known for the Fanservice: The aforementioned opening credits sequence, which features Pamela Anderson dancing in a rubber dress with her breasts hanging out while being sprayed with water, is one of the few scenes from the film that people actually remember. The home video release of the film even included an after-credits bonus feature of additional footage of Pamela dancing. Siskel said that the driving plot of the film was if Anderson's breasts would topple out of her outfits.
Complete Monster: Colonel Victor Pryzer, the vicious Dragon-in-Chief of the Congressional Directorate, is a man who uses his power to oppress and brutalize the citizens of the post-apocalyptic United States. Pryzer introduces himself sexually torturing a woman to death before clamping down on La Résistance, leading to dozens more massacred. Victor also tortures Barb's blind brother as well, leaving his body crucified as a cruel taunt. His ultimate goal is to procure the antidote to a virus that Pryzer and the Congressional Directorate intend to unleash upon everyone in the country they haven't conquered.
Designated Hero: Already rather unlikable throughout the film, Barb still goes into the climax wanting to sell the contacts and only tries to do the right thing after it's revealed her deal was a setup. So our hero only winds up being a hero pretty much out of convenience.
Because of Gramercy screwingMystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie to put their weight behind this film, it's odd to note that one scene has a character tries to kill the heroes with a forklift.
At several points through the film, characters demand payment in Canadian money, since the USA's economy is in the toilet. The Loonie actually did outstrip the greenback for a little while in 2008.
Magnificent Bitch: Barbara Kopetski, aka Barb Wire herself, is a premier Bounty Hunter who runs her bar as a neutral zone. Introduced successfully infiltrating a strip club to rescue a young girl before holding the girl hostage until she gets paid, Barb later manages to kidnap Dr. Krebs despite all of his security. When Colonel Victor Pryzer begins hounding her for the resistance leader they're looking for, Barb helps sneak her out of the club to protect her, then makes a deal with Big Fatso to get them out of the country in exchange for the set of contacts she has. When the deal goes bad, Barb throws a grenade to make everyone scatter, eventually killing all of her enemies through her quick-thinking and resourcefulness before escaping the country to Quebec.
Narm: Despite originally seeming to be straight laced if still rather hammy, by the climax Colonel Pryzer divulges shamelessly into Laughing Mad all while trying to kill Barb with a forklift and just doesn't shut up.
