Malibu Express (1985)

Malibu Express is special because it knows exactly what it is: a sun-drenched, tongue-in-cheek cocktail of spy intrigue, pulpy action, and cheeky eroticism that plays like a beach paperback brought to life. Director Andy Sidaris stages the mayhem with a breezy confidence—fast cars, faster gunplay, and a parade of suspicious glamour—while Darby Hinton’s Cody Abilene keeps the whole thing moving with a wink and a swagger. Sybil Danning adds a deliciously larger-than-life allure, and the movie’s mystery thread is just sturdy enough to make the sleaze and silliness feel like part of the ride rather than a detour. If you’re in the mood for classy realism, look elsewhere, but if you want a knowingly trashy 80s romp that never stops having fun, this one delivers.

Malibu Express is trying to be a cheeky, sun-soaked erotic spy caper where the plot is basically an excuse to bounce between mansion intrigue, shootouts, and lingerie-level “danger.” The problem is that outside the softcore spectacle, the filmmaking feels casual and the mystery is thin, so if you’re hoping for clever espionage or even tight action-comedy pacing, you’ll likely be bored or annoyed. Darby Hinton’s laid-back charm and Sybil Danning’s confident presence give it a bit of drive, and the whole thing has that shameless ’80s B-movie vibe some people genuinely enjoy. If you’re not specifically in the mood for low-effort plotting wrapped around lots of skin and camp, this one is an easy skip.