Meir Zarchi had a short film career thanks to DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER. The writer/director previously had struck exploitation gold with the infamous, I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE. When Zarchi released DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER in 1988, the ads touted Zarchi’s earlier work, and tried to re-capture his previous film’s look and feel in the advertising campaign. But exploitation fans shook their heads in disbelief when they went to see Zarchi’s follow-up. It wasn’t a cult film after all—DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER is an ethnic drama about the ruination of an Italian-American family. Let me make this clear to horror and exploitation fans everywhere—this is not I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, but exploitation fans may want to spit on Zarchi after watching it. Suffice to say, the director has not worked in film since DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER came out. Elite Entertainment also seeks to cash in on the fact that Zarchi directed I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE, with their decidedly exploitative artwork that adorns their DVD edition of DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER.

Steven (Joe Perce) only married Clara (Jeanine Lemay) because her two Goombah brothers, Dino and Roberto (Peter Sapienza, Jack Gurci), promised him a partnership in their family business (a junkyard). When all he gets for his birthday is a $40 a week raise, he is understandably vexed. His wife Clara throws him a surprise party and hires an exotic belly-dancer named Annika (Laura Lanfranchi), who accidentally leaves her skimpy costume behind after her performance. Behind his wife’s back, Steven absconds with Annika’s outfit, and meets up with her at his college campus. He offers to give her a ride to the home of one of her rich, perverted customers, unaware that his wife’s best friend has witnessed them leaving together. Annika dances for the old pervert, while Steven waits outside in his car. The guy gets carried away by her gyrating movements and tries to rape her. Steven hears her screaming and goes in his house and kicks the crap out of the old guy. Annika is grateful for his intervention, but before she can properly thank him, the old man sneak attacks Steven with a fireplace poker. Annika accidentally kills the guy when she smashes a bottle over his head to save Steven. A neighbor sees them fleeing the scene, and alerts the police. Steven and Annika are now fugitives.

Steven and Annika return to her place where they have sex. After, Annika announces her intentions to leave the country. A guilty Steven returns home to his wife and baby, and spins a web of lies to cover his tracks. Paranoia follows him closely since the police are looking for the killers of the old man. But Steven has bigger problems as Clara discovers her husband’s lying and infidelity. She marches down to the family junkyard where her brothers and Steven work. She tells her brothers first, who promptly aid her in confronting (and physically abusing) Steven. A long period of family fallout continues. One night Steven returns to Anikka’s apartment, unaware he is being tailed by Clara and her bullying brothers. The angry trio break into her apartment, and the final confrontation takes place. Dino and Roberto promptly trash the apartment and begin beating up Steven and threatening Annika. Will Steven and Annika survive this ugly scenario?

Meir Zarchi’s direction is not all that bad, but the plotting, pacing, and acting are agonizing. And this is coming from a reviewer who always find something enjoyable in even the worst grade Z productions. The acting is horrendous by all involved, except for the sensual Laura Lanfranchi, who plays the distant Annika. Especially bad is the gaudy 80’s style clothing and makeup worn by the talentless cast of actors and actresses. The plot progression is extremely sluggish, and even the few violent moments have little impact. There is some mild gunplay, and an explosion or two at the end, but by then its too late. DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER plays out more like a failed ethnic drama than an exploitation film. Fans of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE will be sorely disappointed.

The entire plot can be summed up in two sentences: A married man has the hots for a dancer and saves her from being raped and then they sleep together. Then the rest of the film chronicles how the family is divided by his acts. The guy gets beat up a lot, but you don’t feel sorry for him because he deserves it. DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER contains minimal violence (only one person dies), no nudity, or other exploitable elements. This was like watching an afterschool special about the consequences of infidelity. I hung in there throughout the picture because I assumed DON’T MESS WITH MY SISTER might have a slam-bang ending to reward my patience. But the conclusion is wholly illogical that only serves to further alienate the viewer.

-  Phil Chandler