Deserves a better reputation and a higher rating
SHE needs more good words said about it. I love this film. And not in any ironic, so-bad-it's good way, either.
I think this flick has the following, great qualities:
1. The blonde, Amazonian presences of Sandahl Bergman (always a fan of her's) and the sweet-feisty Quin Kessler. Just seeing them for 90 or so minutes is pleasant enough. Also, although the script doesn't go into much detail about it, their characters of man-shunning members of a society of Spartan-style female warriors are very interesting.
2. The film's all-round esoterism. First there are the locations, ranging from subterranean temples and medieval-looking marketplaces, to disused factories and demolition derby-style arenas. Second there are the different social systems, including militarist, feminist, hedonist and fascist. Third are the highly original combinations of familiar ideas; eg., a colony of Ancient-Greek-style hippies, spouting poetry and listening to the lyre by day, who become Venetian-style masqueraders, lovers of rock-and-roll, and - ultimately - Werewolves, by night.
3. The classic story elements such as rescuing a damsel in distress and an Odyssey-like journey through strange and hostile lands.
4. The film's roughness. This is important as a corrective to turn to after seeing too many slick, machine-tooled modern action movies. With the CGI and the general excess of polish, they lack the flawed, humanising charm that is precisely what SHE has to offer. I for one love this movie's unusual editing and dreamlike ignorance of practical matters such as how the characters get from A to B. It reflects the nature of those great, silly, adventure daydreams we had as boys.
The only flaws in the film are the disappointingly un-epic battle at the end, the bad acting of Godan's red-robed woman, the utter flatness of Davis Goss' performance, and the gratuitous whipping scene of the ladies.
Other than that, or in spite of it, I think the film is a genuine gem.