MovieMonday.com - Universal Soldier with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Jerry Orbach, Ed O'Ross, Leon Rippy, Tice Wells, Ralph Moeller

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Universal Soldier (B)

STARS...
Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Jerry Orbach, Ed O'Ross, Leon Rippy, Tice Wells, and Ralph Moeller.

PLOT SUMMARY...
Two soldiers, killed in Vietnam, are brought back to life and turned into futuristic killing machines.

QUICK SCAN...
This film could be compared to "Terminator 2". Jean- Claude Van Damme is better than usual as a universal soldier. Ally Walker, a Meg Ryan look-alike, is convincing as a rough and tumble reporter who ends up on the run with Van Damme. Jerry Orbach ("Law and Order") is terrific, in a small role, as the doctor who brought Van Damme back to life years ago.

DIRECTOR: Roland Emmerich
YEAR & RATING: 1992 (R)

BEST BETS:

Cyborg

I Come in Peace

SYNOPSIS...
During the Vietnam war, a sergeant goes berserk, killing many of his own men. When a soldier refuses to kill an innocent Vietnamese couple, the two kill each other. In the present, both dead soldiers and other dead men, have been revived and turned into Universal Soldiers (or Uni-Sol).

When one of the Uni-Sols flips out, a good Uni-sol, and a newslady, split and are pursued by the crazy Uni-Sol, other Universal Soldiers. The on the run Uni-Sol and the newslady have numerous run-ins and close calls with both other Universal Soldiers as well as the police.

The good Uni-Sol and the newslady visit his parents. After awhile, the bad Uni-Sol shows up. The good and bad Uni-Sols engage in an incredible battle, from which only one emerges alive.

Review:

Director Roland Emmerich (Stargate) with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, has fashioned a solid Sci-Fi/action movie, which is heavier on the action than the Sci-Fi.

In 1968, in Vietnam, Dolph Lundgren (Rocky 4) is a sergeant and Jean-Claude Van Damme (Timecop) one of his platoon soldiers. Lundgren goes crazy, killing most of his men. When Van Damme refuses to kill some innocent Vietnamese, Lundgren pulls a gun on him; they end up killing each other. Later, other military guys show up, taking away the dead meat beef hunks in body bags.

Now it's the present. A huge, odd-looking military transport lands. Out pops Van Damme, Lundgren and other formerly dead grunts, now equipped with zomboid expressions, snappy uniforms, and high-tech head gear. Soon we learn that terrorists holding hostages are occupying Hoover Dam. The Universal Soldiers, (or 'Uni-Sols'), on their third mission, are going to be sent in to solve the problem. Since twenty-five years have elapsed since these guys first died, where they've been all this time, or why they're only on their third mission is never explained in the Screenplay credited to Christopher Rothstein, Richard Rothstein & Christopher Leitch and Dean Devlin. Boy, these Uni-Sols have a lighter work load than Johnny Carson used to have.

Scenes at Hoover Dam are well staged by Director Emmerich. And shots of Uni-Sols repelling down the side of the massive Dam, by Director of Photography Karl Walter Lindenlaub, are breathtaking, making full use of the big screen's capacity to dazzle. The scenes of the Universal Soldiers wiping out the terrorists, and saving the remaining hostages, are crisp and exciting. Emmerich proves his ability to deliver effective, if not spectacular, action sequences.

Before long we learn that the true nature of the Uni-Sols is top secret. As a military type says, "Do you think those wimps at the Pentagon would allow the regeneration of dead American soldiers?" Good point! Speaking of secrecy, it's a bit surprising that tough but pretty TV newscaster Ally Walker (a Meg Ryan look-alike) and her trusty cameraman are able to get so close to the huge mobile transport/science lab the Uni-Sols and their military keepers tool around in. But hey, this is action film so I guess I shouldn't be thinking too much, right? Anywho, when Walker and her camera dude are eventually detected and captured by the Uni-Sols, Lundgren flips out, shooting and killing the cameraman. Van Damme, after experiencing a brief flashback to Lundgren's bloodlust in 'nam, grabs Walker and flees with her in a jeep.

Since Uni-Sols have super strength, (due to genetic regeneration, or some such mumbo jumbo), Director Emmerich has fun with this ability. When Walker and Van Damme run out of gas, the self proclaimed, "Muscles from Brussels", gets out and pushes the vehicle from behind, like a latter day "Six Million Dollar Man." It's silly and fun at the same time.

Van Damme, whose acting ability has varied a lot from film to film (good in "Hard Target" and "Lionheart"; stiff and incoherent in "Cyborg", mostly because of the thick accent), is quite good here as a man who is starting to recall who he is and whose strongest desire is to go home to the farm where his aged mother and father live. Van Damme creates a sympathetic character here, more with his expressions and attitude than through his dialogue, which is sparse. Like action heroes of the present, (Big Arnold), and the past, (the late, great Steve McQueen), his physical presence and body language are stronger than anything he could say, and Director Emmerich has the good sense to capitalize on this. To Van Damme's credit, his line delivery is better and his Belgian accent less thick than in some previous films.

Ally Walker, playing the newslady as both pretty and hard edged (we know she's tough 'cause she smokes a lot) is mostly required to swear a common expletive and run around a lot. Fortunately, she finds many different ways to say it.

Dolph Lundgren, since his big splash as the Russian boxer in "Rocky IV", hasn't developed much of a screen presence to match his hulking physique. It is fortunate for the viewer that Van Damme has much more screen time than Lundgren, though they do share equal billing.

My favorite scene takes place in a restaurant when Van Damme and Walker are on the road. She leaves to make a phone call. Van Damme, who apparently has been surviving on intravenous feedings as a Uni-Sol, pigs out, ordering many lunches and eating them all. When the waitress finds out he has no money, she sicks the burly cook on him. Van Damme quickly takes care of him, then proceeds to fight just about every other male under the age of sixty in the place. Because we haven't seen much of Van Damme's famous fighting/kickboxing techniques up to this point, the action is a lot of fun, particularly since Van Damme's character doesn't break a sweat or bat an eyelash during all this high testosterone activity.

In a small role, (one scene!), Jerry Orbach (Law and Order), scores a knockout as the doctor who brought Van Damme back to life years ago. One shot, of Orbach turning around to look at Van Damme, who's arrived unexpectedly at Orbach's house, is remarkable. Orbach's expression of haunted dread is superb. It's no wonder this guy was such a big shot on the Broadway stage!

The film is designed to build up to a climactic 'Battle of the Beefcakes' finale, between Van Damme and Lundgren. Without revealing the ending, I'll just say it's one of the most exciting movie fight scenes I've seen in years.

The movie's Music, by Christopher Franke, is mostly strong and effective, without being overdone. It does go a little soft and sentimental when Van Damme reunites with his family, but that's a minor quibble.

If you like your Sci-Fi action fast paced, with a little humor and character development to balance things out, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER should be entertaining and watchable for you. If you don't like Van Damme or Lundgren, or get turned off by sweat and/or blood, rent "Starman" instead. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER delivers all the fun of a good Saturday night bar fight, without the unpleasant after effects of major surgery or dental reconstruction! UNIVERSAL SOLDIER is a real kick in the head! You got a problem with that?

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Universal Soldier (B)
	STARS... Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Ally Walker, Jerry Orbach, Ed O'Ross, Leon Rippy, Tice Wells, and Ralph Moeller. PLOT SUMMARY... Two soldiers, killed in Vietnam, are brought back to life and turned into futuristic killing machines. QUICK SCAN... This film could be compared to "Terminator 2". Jean- Claude Van Damme is better than usual as a universal soldier. Ally Walker, a Meg Ryan look-alike, is convincing as a rough and tumble reporter who ends up on the run with Van Damme. Jerry Orbach ("Law and Order") is terrific, in a small role, as the doctor who brought Van Damme back to life years ago.
DIRECTOR: Roland Emmerich YEAR & RATING: 1992 (R) BEST BETS: Cyborg I Come in Peace	SYNOPSIS... During the Vietnam war, a sergeant goes berserk, killing many of his own men. When a soldier refuses to kill an innocent Vietnamese couple, the two kill each other. In the present, both dead soldiers and other dead men, have been revived and turned into Universal Soldiers (or Uni-Sol). When one of the Uni-Sols flips out, a good Uni-sol, and a newslady, split and are pursued by the crazy Uni-Sol, other Universal Soldiers. The on the run Uni-Sol and the newslady have numerous run-ins and close calls with both other Universal Soldiers as well as the police. The good Uni-Sol and the newslady visit his parents. After awhile, the bad Uni-Sol shows up. The good and bad Uni-Sols engage in an incredible battle, from which only one emerges alive.
Review: Director Roland Emmerich (Stargate) with UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, has fashioned a solid Sci-Fi/action movie, which is heavier on the action than the Sci-Fi. In 1968, in Vietnam, Dolph Lundgren (Rocky 4) is a sergeant and Jean-Claude Van Damme (Timecop) one of his platoon soldiers. Lundgren goes crazy, killing most of his men. When Van Damme refuses to kill some innocent Vietnamese, Lundgren pulls a gun on him; they end up killing each other. Later, other military guys show up, taking away the dead meat beef hunks in body bags. Now it's the present. A huge, odd-looking military transport lands. Out pops Van Damme, Lundgren and other formerly dead grunts, now equipped with zomboid expressions, snappy uniforms, and high-tech head gear. Soon we learn that terrorists holding hostages are occupying Hoover Dam. The Universal Soldiers, (or 'Uni-Sols'), on their third mission, are going to be sent in to solve the problem. Since twenty-five years have elapsed since these guys first died, where they've been all this time, or why they're only on their third mission is never explained in the Screenplay credited to Christopher Rothstein, Richard Rothstein & Christopher Leitch and Dean Devlin. Boy, these Uni-Sols have a lighter work load than Johnny Carson used to have. Scenes at Hoover Dam are well staged by Director Emmerich. And shots of Uni-Sols repelling down the side of the massive Dam, by Director of Photography Karl Walter Lindenlaub, are breathtaking, making full use of the big screen's capacity to dazzle. The scenes of the Universal Soldiers wiping out the terrorists, and saving the remaining hostages, are crisp and exciting. Emmerich proves his ability to deliver effective, if not spectacular, action sequences. Before long we learn that the true nature of the Uni-Sols is top secret. As a military type says, "Do you think those wimps at the Pentagon would allow the regeneration of dead American soldiers?" Good point! Speaking of secrecy, it's a bit surprising that tough but pretty TV newscaster Ally Walker (a Meg Ryan look-alike) and her trusty cameraman are able to get so close to the huge mobile transport/science lab the Uni-Sols and their military keepers tool around in. But hey, this is action film so I guess I shouldn't be thinking too much, right? Anywho, when Walker and her camera dude are eventually detected and captured by the Uni-Sols, Lundgren flips out, shooting and killing the cameraman. Van Damme, after experiencing a brief flashback to Lundgren's bloodlust in 'nam, grabs Walker and flees with her in a jeep. Since Uni-Sols have super strength, (due to genetic regeneration, or some such mumbo jumbo), Director Emmerich has fun with this ability. When Walker and Van Damme run out of gas, the self proclaimed, "Muscles from Brussels", gets out and pushes the vehicle from behind, like a latter day "Six Million Dollar Man." It's silly and fun at the same time. Van Damme, whose acting ability has varied a lot from film to film (good in "Hard Target" and "Lionheart"; stiff and incoherent in "Cyborg", mostly because of the thick accent), is quite good here as a man who is starting to recall who he is and whose strongest desire is to go home to the farm where his aged mother and father live. Van Damme creates a sympathetic character here, more with his expressions and attitude than through his dialogue, which is sparse. Like action heroes of the present, (Big Arnold), and the past, (the late, great Steve McQueen), his physical presence and body language are stronger than anything he could say, and Director Emmerich has the good sense to capitalize on this. To Van Damme's credit, his line delivery is better and his Belgian accent less thick than in some previous films. Ally Walker, playing the newslady as both pretty and hard edged (we know she's tough 'cause she smokes a lot) is mostly required to swear a common expletive and run around a lot. Fortunately, she finds many different ways to say it. Dolph Lundgren, since his big splash as the Russian boxer in "Rocky IV", hasn't developed much of a screen presence to match his hulking physique. It is fortunate for the viewer that Van Damme has much more screen time than Lundgren, though they do share equal billing. My favorite scene takes place in a restaurant when Van Damme and Walker are on the road. She leaves to make a phone call. Van Damme, who apparently has been surviving on intravenous feedings as a Uni-Sol, pigs out, ordering many lunches and eating them all. When the waitress finds out he has no money, she sicks the burly cook on him. Van Damme quickly takes care of him, then proceeds to fight just about every other male under the age of sixty in the place. Because we haven't seen much of Van Damme's famous fighting/kickboxing techniques up to this point, the action is a lot of fun, particularly since Van Damme's character doesn't break a sweat or bat an eyelash during all this high testosterone activity. In a small role, (one scene!), Jerry Orbach (Law and Order), scores a knockout as the doctor who brought Van Damme back to life years ago. One shot, of Orbach turning around to look at Van Damme, who's arrived unexpectedly at Orbach's house, is remarkable. Orbach's expression of haunted dread is superb. It's no wonder this guy was such a big shot on the Broadway stage! The film is designed to build up to a climactic 'Battle of the Beefcakes' finale, between Van Damme and Lundgren. Without revealing the ending, I'll just say it's one of the most exciting movie fight scenes I've seen in years. The movie's Music, by Christopher Franke, is mostly strong and effective, without being overdone. It does go a little soft and sentimental when Van Damme reunites with his family, but that's a minor quibble. If you like your Sci-Fi action fast paced, with a little humor and character development to balance things out, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER should be entertaining and watchable for you. If you don't like Van Damme or Lundgren, or get turned off by sweat and/or blood, rent "Starman" instead. UNIVERSAL SOLDIER delivers all the fun of a good Saturday night bar fight, without the unpleasant after effects of major surgery or dental reconstruction! UNIVERSAL SOLDIER is a real kick in the head! You got a problem with that?