Page 48 - AVN Januray 2017

LIGHTS, CAMERA ...
DNA
AAAAA
WICKED PICTURES
WickedB2B.com
DIRECTOR: Brad Armstrong
CAST: Jessica Drake, Asa Akira, Abella
Danger, Scarlet Red, Abigail Mac,
Vanessa Veracruz, Chanel Preston,
Cristi Ann, Small Hands, Ryan Driller,
Eric Masterson, Tommy Gunn, Brad
Armstrong; India Summer, Eric John,
Others (Non-Sex Roles). 200 Min.
CATEGORY: Drama
CLONING AROUND Jessica Drake,
Brad Armstrong and India Summer
l
LIKE AN OLYMPIC TRIATHLETE competing against
his own personal best, director Brad Armstrong
triumphs on three different levels in DNA, his
AVN Award-nominated sci-fi thriller.
First, there’s the screenwriting: a story about
a future world where the deceased can be
cloned and reunited with their loved ones—but
only for 72 hours. Enough time to say goodbye
to a family member who’s died suddenly, to
enjoy a friend’s company for a few precious
days—or, most relevant to adult moviemaking,
to once again feel a lover’s warm flesh. It’s a
neat high-concept idea, and Armstrong turns
it into an action thriller with a satisfying
emotional core.
Second, there’s the skill in executing
this tale, and Armstrong leads his team of
professionals with confidence. The austere
sets and naturalistic videography, sound and
lighting allow the performers to take center
stage, and the focus is warranted. Armstrong plays the morally
bankrupt Malcolm Moore, the head of Iterum, the corporation that
offers the cloning service; Jessica Drake gives a subtle yet affecting
performance as loyal assistant Lidia Kline, who, unlike her boss,
develops some scruples along the way. Not remotely troubled by
scruples is the character played by Small Hands, who has cloned
deceased girlfriend Asa Akira for his own mercenary ends. All four
leads bring their characters to life with skill.
Third, DNA offers a rewarding variety in the sex scenes. The
basic idea of sex with clones offers many scenarios—for instance,
the opening scene in which politician Ryan Driller gets more than
REVIEWS | Editor’s Choices
AAAAA
JOHN STAGLIANO/EVIL
ANGEL
EvilDistributor.com
DIRECTOR: John Stagliano
CAST: Samatha Bentley, Misha Cross,
Angel Long, Henessy, Jessie Volt,
Nikita Bellucci, Proxy Paige, Nataly
Gold, Tiffany Doll; Aiden Starr, Mickey
Mod, Fraulein Schmit, Others (Non-
Sex Roles). 479 Min.
CATEGORY: All-Girl, Foreign Feature
Hard in Love (Parts I & II)
a
AS HE’S PROVEN with every passion
project he’s undertaken over the years,
when John Stagliano pours himself into
something, he goes big. And Hard in
Love ranks as one of the most towering
achievements of his illustrious career. It
almost certainly is the most emotionally
ravaging.
Of course, the industry legend is
keen to solicit the creative collaboration
of his young stars on banner features
such as this, doing so here by giving
the screenwriting reins to leading ladies
Misha Cross and Samantha Bentley.
And what darkly ferocious story
weavers these two Euro-luminaries turn
out to be. As a pair of gals who meet at
a fetish club and fall into punch-drunk
love after a manic bang in the club’s
basement, Cross and Bentley instantly
ensnare the audience, handily securing
his or her investment in the romance
between this sort of lesbian Romeo and
Juliet … and without exchanging nearly a
line of dialogue. But alas, like with those
star-crossed lovers, naught but tragedy
lies ahead.
Bentley works as a model for a
hardcore website called (what else?)
HardinLove.com, run by sinister
dominatrix Angel Long, who turns up
PLAY HARD Samantha Bentley, Misha
Cross and Angel Long.
48 | AVN.com | 1.17
his palm greased. In exchange for some needed support, Driller and
his colleague (Eric Masterson) get to spend the evening with red-
hot “carbons” Abella Danger and Scarlet Red. Other scenes feature
satisfied customers and their clones, such as a slow and romantic
scene featuring Chanel Preston with former lover Tommy Gunn. In
total there are six sex scenes, and they all are not only arousing but
also help push the narrative forward.
And that narrative is truly rewarding. We’re not going to throw
out any spoilers—it will have to suffice to say that for those who
like a story with their sex scenes, DNA is a perfect blend of both
elements.
— Iris Blocks
after few appearances in a good
many years sporting neon pink
hair. Perhaps out of sheer sadism,
Long forbids Bentley from seeing,
speaking to or having anything to
do with Cross, who manifests her
pain over Bentley’s sudden silence
by first calling former flame Nikita
Bellucci over for a savage fuck—
hands down the most scalding scene
of the entire production—and then
taking a video of herself scrogging
Tiffany Doll and texting it to
Bentley.
Eventually the heartbroken
headliners reunite for an
impassioned lovemaking session,
but things take a nasty turn
indeed when they meet up with
Long in the gut-socking finale.
Released in two parts
spanning four discs, eight hours
and nine titanic scenes, Hard in
Love is epic in every sense. And
it stands apart as a benchmark
on the résumés of Stagliano,
Bentley and Cross, as well as
in the flourishing annals of the
all-girl feature. One sure to be
revered for many years to come.
— Peter Warren