Peace came to the world only after the exterminatus. Snow is swirling through the nuclear valley, sprinkling cold ruins. Silence sings a lullaby to the world, humanity has fallen asleep forever, a well-deserved rest after centuries of internecine strife. On the deserted ruins of the city, the blond Teutonic warrior is slowly walking. With unblinking eyes he looks at the emptiness, and it responds to him. The beauty of the end of the world is that no one bothers to think. Smiling at himself, the stranger continues on his way. The city is extinct, now inhabited by bored cyborgs, half of them are no longer functional, like disabled discarded robots have endless dialogue about dead hope and speak their speeches in sorrow, blizzard, and gray horizon. But everything changes with the appearance of a wanderer in their enclave, for he is the latest model of a cyborg soldier.
It's quite Albert Pyun-like. Only now behind the pretentious title hides the opposite action movie, a dialogue film. Rutger fits harmoniously into the parable of the end of the world. Or a story about how one combat cyborg taught a robo-vagrant life. Funny movie.
And Rutger, with his charisma, got it right. Albert Pyun stands for any process to film.
Rutger Hauer conducts sophisticated dialogues with obsolete machines. At the same time, the weather outside the window does not change, the snow continues to fall, and the feeling of complete silence does not retreat. Albert Pyun is used to working with what is available. In this case, he had scenery for previous films, pieces of props, and a permanent cast. Northbert Weisser, for example. We had to start from cramped conditions, bypassing the action component, and focus on dialogue. Rutger wanders around the city, and in fact distributes lecture material. Behind the cover of a cheap action movie about robots is a parable about life and death. Closer to the theatrical production, which reveals the most global and heartbreaking theme: attitude to life, and its accompanying moments. Interaction, even if not people in the middle of a particular apocalypse. Rutger, he's like a fleeting character, The Stranger, a stranger with no name and no past, but with good intentions. Able to influence the relationship of cyborgs, changing the history of this non-rotting world, or destroying. The unknown is like a deity, for it has power, it is emphasized, not only by history, but also by charisma. Pyun selflessly works with his favorite theme of the end of the world and humanoid robots, and this is to his liking, so he will shoot from branches and clay. It is significant that in all respects it should be a failure, and at the exit we have a strong art house. Fantasizing on the topic of implementation in other conditions, it was possible to safely move the scene to military St. Petersburg, and Rutger, a survivor of the bombing, an enemy soldier who showed sympathy for the enemy. And yet, the idea creeps in that having filmed all possible battles of cyborgs, Albert decided to develop other plot variations of his favorite characters. Hence the quiet, leisurely atmosphere, saturated with dialogue. In a word unusual, and some kind of warm apocalypse, soulful.
Rutger Hauer is an actor with a capital letter and a recognized genius of the eclectic genre. But, analyzing the diverse work of Rutger, you can see that thrillers (including thrillers with a fantastic bias) suit him the most. Sometimes it seems that his brilliant works in philosophical, historical, existential and other dramas and melodramas are some superfluous elements, completely unnatural to this actor. Perhaps, of course, this view is purely subjective, but it still did not arise out of nothing and is based on some special and / or spontaneous observations.
The title of the film often shown on TV "Soldier of the Apocalypse" speaks for itself and reveals one notorious feature characteristic of all fantastic films - we are shown the remnants of the world (in most cases poisonous) after any global natural or man-made disaster (nuclear war, the fall of a huge meteorite, a sharp change in the angle of inclination of the earth's axis to the plane of the ecliptic, and so on.). In this aspect, “Soldier of the Apocalypse” is no different from other utopian film epics, in which filmmakers try to reproduce the vague realities of the unknown future.
All right... movies made in one genre (for example, in fantastic, like ' Soldier of the Apocalypse') must necessarily have some common core, and there is nothing wrong with this. And to distinguish them, as you know, should only internal content and meaning (if any at all).
Exactly what meaning was laid once in the picture under consideration, only the creators know. An extremely cool hero came, in fact, out of nowhere, and went almost there. This means that this tape, as it seemed to me, in principle, does not contain a little clear subtext. And I probably liked that the most. . .
I must say that the version of the film title presented to us essentially contradicts the content: there is no Apocalypse in the true meaning of the word there and in sight.
If we add to all this the peculiar impressions left after contemplating the destroyed reality, dashed by a nuclear snowball and aggravated by the unreasonable aggression of the vacillating cyborgs trampling the ruins, then in the end we can get a good, interesting and unobtrusive (in semantic terms) film, which, in no case is not a masterpiece, in my opinion, deserves the best assessment.
The great and inimitable James Cameron would have known that when he released the imperishable classic of the sci-fi action movie Terminator 39 in 1984, he was the inspiration for another director and screenwriter named Albert Pyun. However, Pyun did not have such a multifaceted talent as Cameron and all his creative career was associated with low-budget films, which often came out in the format 'direct-to-video' and was not in particular demand. But Pyun did not care much and he did not cease to stamp his second-rate films aki Stakhanovets. At the same time, he practically did not depart from the chosen and beloved genre - from a fantastic action movie, and almost always the plot was directly related to cyborgs, who each time seized our poor planet and established control over humanity. It seems that Puhn’s house has an altar with a mechanical hand, which is shown in one of the frames of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” & #39; the same Cameron.
In 1991, Albert Pyun probably met screenwriter Ed Neha, from whose script he directed the film ‘Dollman’ 39. However, Neha in the credits was not indicated, as for the plot 'Dollman' used only his story. But in 1996, there was a full-fledged cooperation, when Neha came up with a new script for another fantastic action movie about cyborgs, and Albert Pyun in the intervals between the shooting of the third and fourth parts of the franchise ' Nemesis' (guess her genre and about whom she) did not deny himself the pleasure of filming ' Soldier of the Apocalypse' as he was called in our box office, although the original name is 'Omega Doom' - sounding more. By the way, that year Pyunu shot as many as five films, so you can make up the opinion not only about his efficiency and fruitfulness, but also about what the quality of his films was waiting for the viewer. But how could Pyun refuse ' Soldier of the Apocalypse' if Rutger Hauer gave his consent to star in it!
By that time, the Dutch actor had gained worldwide fame due to filming in Hollywood films, such as ' Blade Runner' (1982), ' Lady Hawk' (1985), ' Traveler' (1986) and ' Blind Fury' (1989). But the images imposed by the Land of Dreams bored Hauer and he made a direct decision to act where he wanted, and began to appear more often in independent and low-budget films than in blockbusters. So, of his own accord, he found himself in 'Soldier of the Apocalypse'. At first, his hero - cyborg 'Omega Doom' - was a soulless machine to destroy people, but during the final battle, his program fails and now he behaves completely differently. And one day 'Omega Doom' finds himself in an abandoned place, where two groups of cyborgs have settled, often feuding with each other because of some mythical weapon to give left there by people. 'Omega Doom' begins to play a subtle game and only he knows the goal pursued.
Of course, the trends 'Terminator' in 'Soldier of the Apocalypse' you can see, but they lie only in the concept of the film, but the plot is noticeably reminiscent of the work ' Bodyguard' (1961) in Toshiro Mifune in the title role (Pyun was his friend) directed by Akira Kurosawa (Pyun was his student and assistant). In general, Kurosawa himself took the plot from the detective book Dashill Hammett & #39; Bloody Harvest' (1929). And later the legacy of Hammett-Kurosawa can be seen in the classic spaghetti western & #39; For a handful of dollars' (1964) and in the American remake ' Bodyguard' - ' Single Hero' (1996), where the time of action was postponed in the days of ' Prohibition'. Now ' Bodyguard' in the image of a cyborg with a lost program operates in a dangerous place, maneuvering between the gangs that settled in the destroyed city in order to search for a certain ' McGuffin' (cinematic term, who is interested, you can independently familiarize yourself with its meaning).
And, of course, that sophisticated viewer, who in ' era of video salons' could more than once get acquainted with the production products of the conditionally called category 'B', obviously can imagine the quality 'Soldier of the apocalypse' and is unlikely to be mistaken. In the film a whole bunch of noticeable mistakes and outright blunders. For example, Albert Pyun has made his cyborgs very similar to the gangs of punks, who are constantly under the influence of illegal drugs and the whole purpose in their lives is to kill someone & #39; Smoking and therefore breathing cyborgs are something! The scenes resemble a landfill and abandoned buildings as a haven for people without a specific place of residence, but for some reason there is a bar. Have cyborgs become pre-drinkers? See as strange cyborgs as those who need human blood from another work of Pyun & #39; Knights & #39; (1993). The only thing that can be remarkable 'Soldier of the Apocalypse' is the participation of the aforementioned Rutger Hauer, who alone tries to pull the film, but his work is not enough. And when the plot also involves a severed mechanical head, which is hurled like a soccer ball, and she screams that stop doing this, then it’s not even funny, it’s sad. Sad for Hauer.
This is him, Omega Doom 5.5, which destroys the bad, and motivates non-enemy robots to become useful for humanity.
“He came from nowhere and went nowhere...” is a typical philosophy.
A childhood film that was always on a videotape. Here is a post-apocalyptic world of the future, where there are only ruins, where there are no people left, after a powerful catastrophe on Earth. Cyborg model 5.5 finds a place where there is a feud between two clans of cyborgs who want to destroy each other for their own purposes. Seeing everything around, the main character draws himself into the events taking place, and quite cunningly manages the situation, fooling both clans around the finger, for the benefit of the arrival of the remaining humanity, which can again recreate the destroyed peace and harmony on Earth.
There are many good features in the film. The music here seems exciting in places, tense in places. Very brightly conveyed the cold atmosphere of the past apocalypse. Even though there are three locations here. Dark rooms, the absence of people, the impressive sound of cyborg servo drives - all this immerses in this atmosphere and there is an effect of presence there. I liked strong cyborgsRomas in black style, with their short haircuts and black glasses. It is only necessary to allow inattention and not caution, as they immediately turn on their weapons to kill.
The main star of this film is Rutger Hauer brilliantly and flawlessly, who played the role of Droid 5.5. His cyborg is very good at philosophical utterances, and in dialogue with whomever he comes into contact. He is also a strong, intelligent robot, with both clans underestimating his versatility, which he can show in all its glory. Not bad played a simple droid Shannon Wirri, trying to use an alien Droid 5.5, then to attack the Roma, but for her and her clan, it is not so easy to implement the planned plan. Tina Kote, the leader of strong cyborgsRomov, played well. The Black Heart is trying to find a powerful weapon to completely destroy humanity and kill everyone who prevents it from realizing its goal.
In general, by the word "Soldier of the Apocalypse" - a rather interesting fantastic NeoNoir, aimed at the themes of cyborgs in the post-apocalypse era. For some, it seems that the main character came from nowhere and went nowhere, without finding any meaning. Personally, I found meaning in this tape, it is mentioned above, in the first paragraph. Fans of unusual fiction are recommended to watch!
The near future. The land is a solid ruin after an ongoing war between humans and cyborgs. The 5.5 cyborg wanders through the ruined city and meets two warring cyber gangs who are trying to find hidden weapons to destroy the remaining group of people with them. Seeing that some cyborgs humiliate others, destroy each other for profit, 5.5 decides to intercede, and accepts the challenge.
After parts 3 and 4 of Nemesis, you sometimes lose faith in the rather peculiar director Albert Pune, who shoot cheap, but dynamic and memorable films. This movie is not dynamic, but it is remembered that paradox.
Pyun's atmosphere is always the best, just like here. Despite the fact that there are only two or three locations, and the film takes place in just one destroyed yard, it still feels like a past apocalypse. The general destructiveness, snowfall, howling of the wind, dark rooms and deserted desolation seem to make us feel our presence there with all our skin and consciousness.
There is practically no dynamics here, but Pyun puts an ideological idea in opposition to it, often mixing it with the philosophical sayings of the main character. And the idea is that for the first time (or maybe not, all the early films Pyun did not see) cyborgs are presented not as enemies, but as a kind of semblance of a man divided into two castes: strong and weak, and the latter are oppressed over the former. Some cyborgs want war and the total annihilation of humanity, others want to live peacefully and try to survive. They, like people, drink, smoke, get angry, and I don’t know if it was originally intended, but the approach to the idea is wonderful.
It is a pity that the budget did not allow us to develop properly, so we are forced to be content with a slow and tedious plot, in which 2-3 action scenes are from strength. But, on the other hand, why are they if the movie isn't about that? It is a kind of neo-noir, nothing more, nothing less. If that’s the case, the movie looks different.
And yet something prevents him from seeing it that way. Maybe one set? Uninteresting villains and characters? Or the annoying sound of cyborg servo drives? But with Rutger Hauer everything turned out as it should, which once again proves that his game and charisma he is able to pull even low-grade projects.
"Soldier of the Apocalypse" - a very unusual view of Albert Pune on the subject of cyborgs. A bold but nearly successful move.
Rutger Hauer is an actor with a capital letter and a recognized genius of the eclectic genre. But analyzing the diverse work of Rutger, you can see that thrillers (including thrillers with a fantastic bias) suit him the most. Sometimes it seems that his brilliant works in philosophical, historical, existential and other dramas and melodramas are some superfluous elements, completely unnatural to this actor. Perhaps, of course, this view is purely subjective, but it did not arise from nothing and is based on long-term observations.
The title of the film “Soldier of the Apocalypse” often shown on television speaks for itself and reveals one notorious feature characteristic of all fantastic films – we are shown the remnants of the world (in most cases poisonous) after any global natural or anthropogenic disaster (nuclear war, the fall of a huge meteorite, a sharp change in the angle of the earth’s axis to the plane of the ecliptic, and so on.). In this aspect, “Soldier of the Apocalypse” is no different from other utopian film epics, in which filmmakers try to reproduce the vague realities of the unknown future. But films shot in one genre, for example, in fantastic, must necessarily have some common core, and there is nothing wrong with this. And to distinguish them, as you know, should only internal content and meaning, if any at all.
The picture in question ended in nothing – the cool hero came from nowhere and went nowhere. All this means that in my eyes this tape did not make sense. I liked that the most. We add to this the impressions of contemplation of the destroyed reality, powdered by a nuclear snowball and aggravated by the causeless aggression of cyborgs loitering around the ruins, and as a result we get a good, interesting and unobtrusive film, which, in no case being a masterpiece, in my opinion, deserves at least ten points.
10 out of 10