First Impressions:
When one hears the word "fetish" certain images spring to mind immediately – bondage and discipline, water sports, leather and/or lace, same sex or bi-racial experimentation, as well as various and sundry subculture shockers. Interestingly enough, director Jean-Claude Batiste basically ignores this formulaic approach to the subject, and instead sort of bleeds all the major/minor obsessions of the average audience member into one harmless hardcore production. As part of Fetish Ball's basic approach, you will see gals in glossy vinyl, men making love to the stiletto heels of some thigh high boots, lots of black on white workouts, and multiple pairings from several sex partners. From a filmmaking standpoint, Batiste doesn't delve any deeper than this – no scat or piss play, limited sadism and very little masochism. In essence, this is just a dressed up straight sex presentation, a chance for an average industry white women to be stuffed and fluffed by any number of racially diverse meat puppets. If you like your action over the top, aggressive and filled with free for all elements, you'll really enjoy this DVD. But there is a distinct issue with quantity over quality, something that will be discussed below.

The Sex Scenes:
With only four sequences offered in this two hour production, we are almost guaranteed a half hour of full blown balling each time out. While this is not actually the case – Batiste takes up some time with his artsy farsty cabaret shots – there is still a great deal of dicking here...maybe, too much. As with any hardcore production, there is a point when even the most horny fornication fan sort of fades out, their arousal appeased and their desire deadened. Still, directors like Batiste believe in the concept of more, more more – more positions, more performers, more angles and approaches to showing the sex. Therefore, something like Fetish Ball has to be judged on the merits of what it presents, not the notion of providing tons of tempting XXX action. In the Dirge's case, this was definitely a situation where a little went a Hell of a long way. In fact, when Batiste went one on one with his chosen talent, those scenes were far better than the orgy-esque moments overflowing with smut. In essence, you can only watch a porn star field four cocks for so long before you tune out and pray for a change in the dynamic. Sadly, that never happens here.

Scene 1: Lexi Bell, Jean Claude Batiste
Acts Performed: Cabaret, Blowjob, Foreplay, Standing Cowgirl, V to M, Mish, Choking, Scissors, Doggy, Foot to Face, Cunnilingus, Salad Tossing, Cowgirl, $hot on Boots, Oral Clean-up
Score: 2.5 out of 5

One of two decent scenes as part of this set, it is interesting to watch Lexi react to her prick providing paramour. There are definable moments where you can see the heat being generated between the two, when passion permeates their every exploit. Then there are segments when the disconnect couldn't be greater, when both XXX entities appear to be going through the motions for no other reason than a routine paycheck. It's an oddly disconcerting situation, one not made much better by our director's rampant camera. We like to concentrate on the coupling for a few short seconds before jump cutting to another unnecessary view. That's not Fetish Ball's raison d'etra, however.

Scene 2: Trisha Rey, Broc Adams, Ian Scott, 2 Others
Acts Performed: Cabaret, Blowjob, Spooning, Nutjob, Doggy, Cowgirl, Contortionist Mish, Face Fucking, Alternating Head, Doggy, Standing Mish, Scissors, Four $hots on Face and In Mouth
Score: 1.5 out of 5

Our first group grope is also the worst, made all the more meaningless by the entire cinematic style to the scene. Batiste focuses his camera up close on Trisha, keeping the audience askew as to what is going to happen to the gal next. Then suddenly, dicks start to appear out of nowhere, and soon our starlet is overwhelmed by wiener. Then the purposeless pounding begins – extreme close-ups of pole prodding pussy that seems to go on perpetually. Occasionally, the camera will pan over to catch a glimpse of Ms. Rey munching on member, but the mainly misguided direction really muffles the amount of arousal in this scene. Besides, the 'anything goes' ideal of an orgy definitely grows old after a while.

Scene 3: Tamra Toren, Jean Claude Batiste
Acts Performed: Cabaret, Foreplay, Ball Gag Action, Tit Fucking, Ball Gag Oral, Blowjob, Doggy, V to M, Standing Cowgirl, Face Fucking, Anal Scissors, Anal Doggy, Gaping, A to M, Anal Pile Driver, Anal Reverse Cowgirl, Anal Mish, $hot to Ball Gag, Oral Cleanup
Score: 2 out of 5

While she is better looking that Jean Claude's first Fetish Ball partner, Ms. Toren is given the unglamorous job of having sex while wearing a very unflattering ball gag. For some strange reason, she looks incredibly uncomfortable in the device, and seems substantially relieved whenever it is removed. Jean Claude is also quite clumsy when handling the ridiculous restraint. He tries to jam his dick into Tamra's mouth, even as the device is doing its job and keeping her orifice unobtainable. When she's free to use her available oral skills, the director doesn't seem to mind one bit...and neither do we. Without the muzzle, we'd have a super hot scene. With it, we're left holding the hardcore bag, unimpressed by the supposed fixation facet being presented.

Scene 4: Rachell Ann, Broc Adams, Jean-Claude Batiste, Mr. Pete, Ace
Acts Performed: Cabaret, Blowjob, Tit Play, Nut Job, Doggy, Cowgirl, Face Fucking, Fingering, Mish, V to M, Standing Cowgirl, Reverse Cowgirl, Four $hots to Mouth
Score: 2 out of 5

By now, Fetish Ball has pushed the very limits of lewdness. It's done just about anything humanly possible to provide some XXX erotica. So going back to a full bore fivesome seems like a great deal of urge overkill. Rachell is game, that's very clear. She tries to give back as good as she gets it from the quartet of quahog she's forced to work with. The biggest problem with such a strategy is, no matter how hard she struggles, she is always outnumbered by men who mean to treat her like a risqué rag doll. Had the ratio of boner to babe been a bit lower – say two on one – the sequence would sizzle with well-matched mattress mambo magic. As it stands, this last scene in the film fails to have much of an enticing impact.

Disco Dirge Peter Meter Rating: 2 out of 5 (Rent It)
Cohabitation Certification: Granted

With 50% of the porn provided bordering on the boring, and the other half merely average or acceptable, Fetish Ball places any XXX critic in a considered quandary. After all, there are people who will practically plotz over all the guy-on-gal action here. They will view this critic's comments as being completely out of step with the fuck and suck sentiments of most hardcore aficionados and dismiss this review outright. Others will agree with the capacity over carnality argument and involuntarily discount this titles proclivity potential. That is why a rating of Rent It is offered. It should provide both camps with the arousal answers they seek while keeping the fiscal end of such a wanton walk on the wild side in pecuniary perspective. There are hints here and there that Jean Claude Batiste could become a formidable flesh peddler in the ever-expanding adult industry. As part of his career learning curve however, Fetish Ball falls somewhere along the C-student standard. It's not horrible, but it could have been much, much better.