Finally - FINALLY - saw “Planet Terror!” It’s one half of the Rodriguez/Tarantino “Grindhouse” double-feature. Sadly, I wasn’t able to see it in the theatre when it was released last year, but now I can report that it is AWESOME. Now keep in mind that I don’t generally like (a) zombie movies or (b) splatter movies — but after discovering the awesomeness of “From Dusk ‘Til Dawn” a couple of years ago, and ranking “Kill Bill” as my favorite movie, it was perhaps inevitable that I think “Planet Terror” was incredible.

To clarify: until this evening, there were only two “zombie” movies that I enjoyed. The first is the hilarious “Return Of The Living Dead” from 1985, which transcends the genre due primarily to the humor and the story involving a “Breakfast Club”-assortment of older teens. The second is “From Dusk ‘Til Dawn,” which is unlike any movie I’ve ever seen: the dichotomy between the first half and the second half, the delightful splatter, the strong performances - it is simply great.

And now comes “Planet Terror,” which doesn’t waste any time bogged down in character development or gratuitous sentimentality. This is pretty much a non-stop gore-fest, loaded with subtle humor, and featuring the “grindhouse” atmosphere that Rodriguez and Tarantino were aiming for. It also featured a remarkable performance by Rose McGowan as a go-go dancer named Cherry Darling who lists her useless talents (by number), and also provides some dead-pan laughs. And “El Wray” was portrayed by the Freddy Rodriguez, the junior mortician from “Six Feet Under,” and he was surprisingly convincing as a semi-legendary fighter, shootist, and knife-guy.

Lots of other great stuff, too, including a Bruce Willis near-cameo, a BBQ chef always in search of the perfect ingredients, QT as a sadist who is falling apart in a critical place, and of course the wonderful Michael Parks, again portraying a Texas lawman. Oh, and if you enjoyed seeing Beatrix Kiddo squash Elle Driver’s eye, there is a similar scene in “Planet Terror” that will give you a chuckle.

If you like QT and/or Rodriguez, I don’t see how you can not like this movie. If you’re the least bit squeamish, however, you should either skip it, or prepare to spend most of the movie with your hands over your eyes.

Next week: “Death Proof!”