Written and directed by Robert Hayes (best known for his cinematography on Philadelphia Experiment and director of Shock Cinema Vol. 1 and Task Force 2001)  She-Wolves of the Wasteland or Phoenix the Warrior is a cheap and cheerful post-apocalyptic sexploitation movie from 1988 starring Kathleen Kinmont (Bride of Reanimator, Halloween IV and TV action series Renegade) in the titular role, Persis Khambatta (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Nighthawks and Megaforce), Peggy McIntaggart (Lady Avenger, Cyber-Tracker 2 and Beverley Hills Cop II) and the sole male member of the cast, James Emery (Escape from New York, My Blue Heaven and The Other Sister) as Guy.

In a post-apocalyptic world almost devoid of men, women have become scantily clad warriors battling one another with big guns and bikinis. Like a number of other movies of the time, often directed by David DeCoteau or Fred Olen Ray, it’s nothing more than an excuse to put the aforementioned bikini-clad women on screen. The premise, such as it is, is that the world has been cleansed of men and after giving birth to a boy named Skyler, Keela (McIntaggart) comes under the protection of a trapper named Phoenix (Kinmont). After they evade the Reverend Mother and her ferocious general, Cobalt (Khambatta) they go into hiding. Several years later, once the child has grown up a little, they decide to leave the confines of their hideout. Soon after, Cobalt and her gang pick up their scent and go after them. Soon afterwards, Phoenix and Keela discover Guy (Emery) the last man alive in the wastelands, but Cobalt tracks them down. Keela, Skyler and Guy narrowly escape, but Phoenix is captured and forced to fight gladiator-style in an arena. Can our heroes navigate their way through the Badlands and can they continue to evade capture by Cobalt and the evil sorceress, the Reverend Mother who has sinister designs on Skyler.

She-Wolves of the Wasteland is a cheaply made cheese fest that brings nothing new to the table, however, it is a lot of fun. Like so many other cheapo exploitation and horror movies of the time, it’s an enjoyable slice of cheese. The cast do as well as one can expect from such material, and the action sequences are good fun. Overall, if you can get passed the cheapness of it all, it’s a reasonably fun slice of exploitation cinema.

The DVD itself is bare bones, with just a washed-out print of the movie and a few trailers, but that somehow seems to add to the movie’s charm. If you enjoy cheap post-apocalyptic cinema then you’ll probably eat this up, if that’s not your forte then you might struggle with this one.