Amazon.com

Lean, lanky Lee Horsley (TV's Matt Houston is hardly the iconicimage of a medieval warrior, but in this cheesy Conan the Barbarianknockoff he makes his swaggering, mercenary Talon a genial smart aleck of abarbarian hero. The plot is pure pulp cliché: evil Cromwell (Richard Lynch)raises a demon to conquer a peaceful kingdom, kill the rulers, and imprison theroyal heirs, and the son of a murdered patriot returns to take his righteous vengeancewith a projectile-loaded, three-bladed sword. First-time director Albert Pyun apprenticedunder Akira Kurosawa and brings with him an eye for handsome images and a fluid senseof action that helps overcome B-movie dialogue ("Unlock this door, wench, and leavethat to us!"), scenery-chewing performances, and bargain-basement budget. In one fightsequence a guard punches a rock wall--and dents it! Kathleen Beller (the dark-eyedbeauty of The Betsy) is the rebel princess who enlists Talon to the cause,Route 66's charming wanderer George Maharis is a conniving traitor under anunflattering mop of greasy hair, and Richard Moll dons a latex monster mask to playthe double-crossed demon. It's utterly silly and often awkward, but it does haveenergy to spare. The sequel promised at the end of the film was never produced andPyun went on to direct some of the best straight-to-video action films of the 1990s,including Nemesis. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Talon on DVD!
Summary: An Evil King seeks the aid of an evil sorcerer in order to conquer a peaceful kingdom. One of the good king's sons escapes and later seeks vengeance as an adult.

My Opinion: This is a very fun movie. I loved at when I saw it years ago and I'm very glad to have it in my collection now. I loved Lee Horsley as Matt Houston and he is great here as well. This movie is one of those guilty pleasures for Fantasy fans. It may be cheesy and silly but it's so much fun that I don't even notice.

DVD Quality: Pretty much bare bones with a couple of trailers. Hey at least it's on DVD!

What You Should Do: If you are a SciFi or Fantasy fan and a collector, you should buy this DVD. I can't imagine them putting out a Special Edition of this one, so there's no need to wait. If you liked Beastmaster, Krull, Dragonslayer, Conan or anything along those lines, then give it a rent. Otherwise skip it.

Entertaining and action-packed fantasy flick.
This is one of the best, and surprisingly underestimated, fantasy movies of the 80's. It goes along the lines of classics like Beastmaster, Conan, Dragonslayer, Krull and Legend. Its best features are the great dialogues and solidly written characters, the marvelous sets, a surprisingly coherent and original plot, and an excellent soundtrack. The acting on the movie is not so good, but the story is so entertaining and funny that you won't really mind.

Talon, the son of a murdered King, turns into a barbarian hero who tries to end the rule of an evil conqueror and his allied demon. To achieve his goal he must free the heirs of the kingdom and avenge his father. In his quest he will encounter all the elements common in most fantasy stories: sword battles, powerful demons and treacherous villains, beautiful and exotic damsels in distress and dark ancient rituals and magic spells.

After the credits roll by, you will probably be left expecting to see the second installment of this movie: Tales of the Ancient Empire, which unfortunately, was never made.

A word of warning: the image quality of the DVD is not great, nor does this movie have any Special Features, but it's very unlikely it will ever get a better edition.

A must for fantasy film buffs.

A blast from the past
I cannot believe the bad reviews about this film. This was the most entertaining film during the 80's Conan era. What I enjoyed most was that it wasn't all gloom and doom like some of the others, it is, after all, a fantasy film. It has all the sorcery and wizardary of the times and still had it lighthearted moments. I remember watching it over and over. I'm going to order it now so I can watch it again.

Yikes
The opening scene of this fantasy film, in which the sorcerer of the title is called back from the dead, shows promise. But then it's all downhill from there. Every aspect of this terrible production screams amateur-hour, despite the Amazon reviewer's assertion that director Albert Pyun apprenticed under Akira Kurosawa. Richard Lynch makes a reliable villain, and Kathleen Beller is very easy on the eyes, but otherwise the flick is pure torture.

Sucks. Bad,
If you like movies like "Krull" or "Beastmaster," this movie will NOT amuse you. I could barely tell one character from another; the plot was so stupid, at an hour and forty minutes, it felt like work finishing it. There's action, sure, and a few nude scenes to keep morons occupied for a few minutes.

I love sword and sorcery movies, and while this looks like a gem for your DVD collection, belive me, it is not. This is just as bad as "Dungeons and Dragons." I guess I should add, for the sake of fairness, if you liked "Dungeons and Dragons," you'll love this. But if you thought it was another tired attempt by corporate Hollywood to suck dollars from your pockets, stay away from this loser.

Let me put it this way: "Gor" is a better movie than this one.
Luckily, I rented the film, so I could return it. You'd be better off drinking the fifteen bucks you'd spend on this sucky movie. At least you'll feel magical.

My advice, watch Krull 20 times before you see this p.o.s. once. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jean-Claude Van Damme, a.k.a. "the Muscles from Brussels," had only a few movies to his credit when he played the hero in this lame postapocalyptic action flick from 1989. It's really just another martial-arts movie, dressed down with near-future trash and dirty sets that have "low budget" written all over them. Van Damme plays the protective escort for a half-human, half-cyborg woman whose programming contains a possible cure for a plague that's threatening to wipe out the entire population of Earth. But the woman is kidnapped by Van Damme's evil nemesis (is there any other kind?) while they are en route to her Atlanta headquarters. That leads Van Damme right into a lion's den of sadomasochistic torture and torment. If you've made it this far (and if you have, why?), you're probably a founding member of the Jean-Claude Van Damme fan club. To everyone else: Don't say you weren't warned--this is the kind of movie in which naming characters after electric guitars (Van Damme's character is named "Gibson Rickenbacker") qualifies as clever screenwriting. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Pure Entertainment
I remember watching this movie several times a year when I owned it as a kid. I never forgot about it, and kept promising myself that someday I will buy it. That promise has not yet been made, but I just now saw the film on TNN, and it was like watching a new movie because I didn't remember any of it. And let me just tell you...forget Jackie Chan, Jet Li, Bruce and all those other quaky (entertaining, but quaky) martial art films. Cyborg blows them all away.

I've seen other Van Damme films (God were they horrible). This is the only one that captivated me. The fight scenes were just so realistic. You don't got a guy climbing walls like he's spider man throughout the entire film, or jumping off buildings or flying around like he's a bird - he actually gets hurt and falls to his knees every now and again. It's not like the Matrix where you're just sitting there waiting for the guy to win - you really feel the pain of Jean-Claude's character when he gets cut or kicked.

All the reviewers are correct. There is hardly any dialog to this film...because it's an atmospheric film. You remember the Shining? No dialog on that one either, just pure atmosphere. And let me tell you, the doomsday world that this movie depicts was mind blowing. It really delivers to the viewer a sense of utter desolation. Everyone in the film is maniacal - totally out of their minds. It's the Drak Ages all over again, where little differentiated bewteen both sexes, and women actually faught in wars, at times accompanied by their children. Take Escape from LA, and combine that with REALISM, and that's just the world you'll enter when you watch this film.

Jean Claude did such an excellent job of playing a traveling vagrant consumed by the nightmares of a seriously disturbing past. His only priority in life is to kill the Cyborg that killed him a long time ago. The world is at the mercy of an awful plague, and even when the doors of a possible cure is open to him, all he can think about is vengeance. Note the face he makes when he first sees the Cyborg after years of searching for him. The hatred was so well defined in every contour...I was thinking, 'My God, I would NOT want to be that Cyborg!'

Well, whatever he had in mind, it didn't turn out so well. His nemesis proved to be quite...unstoppable.

The music in this film has got to be the best I've ever heard in any action film. It plays along perfectly with the atmosphere and the fight scenes. Slow, but hard pounding. Very nice touch. The whole movie was choreographed with the utmost of precision. Right on target with each kick and punch. Had me totally captivated. Get this film if you're not much for that cheesy stuff that comes from all these popular Chinese directors that is totally fake, (with the exception of a few Bruce Lee films). Jean Claude's character actually carries a gun around which in most martial art movies, this element lacks (Hey, a gun is more effective than a sword. Am I right or am I right?) And he is not afraid to use it, but tries to conserve his ammunition by fighting (bullets and guns are scarce in this upside down world). Lots of battles with sharp bladed weapons too. I mean, this movie has it all.

Van DAMN!!!!
Jean-Claude Van Damme was 28 when he made CYBORG, a low budgeted, post-apocolyptic martial arts adventure. At that time in his career, he'd made his name through a number of low budget, B-quality kung fu flicks. I liked BLOODSPORT, all the more so, becuase it's based on thrue events in the life of kumite champion Frank Dux, and Van Damme was definitely the right guy for the role.

Then there's KICKBOXER, which, like BLOODSPORT, shows Van Damme as an apprentice on a vendetta with a Mike Tyson-esque Muy Thai champ. That movie is distinguished, if nothing else, by the final battle between Van Damme and Tong Po, who was played by Van Damme's close friend Michael Quissi (though he was still credited as Tong Po.)

Then came CYBORG. It was released it 1989, and starred Van Damme as a martial arts master named Gibson Rickenbaker living in the post-apocolyptic ruins of New York. He finds himself rescuing a cyborg codenamed Pearl Prophet (Dayle Haddon) from a murderous gang of hooligans led by the sadistic Fender Tremolo (Vincent Klyn). Seems Pearl has detailed information on how to sythesize a cure to the plague that has caused all the chaos and is on her way to Atlanta to give the info to the last scientists. Tremolo and his gang would do anything to get ahold of the information and rule the world. It up to Gibson to save Pearl.

Now, I'll admit that when I was short on cash, and I had a choice between buying CYBORG or TIMECOP, I went with the latter, but I almost immediately after ordered CYBORG over the internet, and it was well worth it. As another customer pointed out, the fights in CYBORG are amazingly realistic and show Van Damme getting hurt and taking just as much of an butt kicking as he dishes out. (In a particularly brutal scene, Gibson is battered and exhausted, and gets beaten to a pulp by Tremolo.)

The movie has sort of a ROAD WARRIOR quality to it, the bigeest difference being the budgets of the two films. The villians and even the good guys dress in ragged clothing, like THE ROAD WARRIOR. The land is basically deserted, and there is an utter feeling of helplessness and anarchy. That's the essence of post-apolyptic action films.

Bottom Line: CYBORG is a great movie in my eyes, because it shows that in any martial arts movie, what is at it's heart is the fact that the hero can have all the strength, speed, and power in the universe, but no matter what, the hero is always human. In other Van Damme movies, like STREET FIGHTER, UNIVERSAL SOLDIER, TIMECOP, REPLICANT, or DOUBLE TEAM, he was a righteous fighting machine, but he could still be hurt. Even in THE MATRIX movies, Neo was the Chosen One, capable of fantastic, inhuman feats, but he was still just a man, he could be beaten to the point where he would cough up blood, but he had the spirit to back him up.

And so it is with CYBORG. Gibson is a fantastic martial artist, but he could be beaten up almost to death by a bigger, stronger opponent. He got into certain situations where he would have to rely more on what he had inside than his blackbelt status. That's what truly makes a great karate flick, having a fighter who has fantastic fighting skils, or even superhuman powers who has the the heart and will to win. CYBORG is such a movie.

Scary future indeed! An underrated classic.
As far as JCVD movies are concerned this is terrific, and anyone expecting Schindlers List stay clear. I will recommend this movie to people who are fans of movies like Soldier (Kurt Russell) and even the other Albert Pyun movie Nemesis. Hey, i would go as far as saying that this film shares many qualities as Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. They both take the cake for having the best villians in the history of cinema, Fender and Vernon Wells. This movie really is a guilty pleasure and also contains many disturbing scenes and religious undertones predominant in the sci-fi genre; such as Blade Runner, but it also manages to understand clearly what kind of movie it is trying to be - a gritty and scary martial arts flick! I'll back this film up and also the underrated Christopher Lambert flick Fortress till the day I die. Just don't expect an intellectual martial arts film, I even doubt if there are many, except for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Matrix and any other that takes itself too seriously. Just expect a good old fashioned B-Movie to watch with a couple mates and a 6 pack of beer with some intelligent (arguable) ideas padded throughout. The DVD is worth purchasing, as it features an interesting 8 page booklet, a fine non-anamorphic widescreen transfer with occasional grain, but rather clean and sharp with vivid colours. The dolby surround is a little dissapointing but still throws a lot of sound into the rear speakers. This works wonders with the terrific music score! Long live JCVD. A truly underrated star who has a deserved cult following. I know he's not the best actor on the planet, but his films have a cheesy charm all the same. I liken him to Keanu Reeves, a man who can't act well, but is damn entertaining nonetheless.

One of Pyun's best
I hope you will forgive me when I tell you I have a crushing headache as I write this review. Why? Because I devoted several hours of this sunny day thinking about not one, but two, of Albert Pyun's films. Pondering the importance of "Ticker" and "Cyborg" to the cinematic world wore me out in ways I would not think possible. Pyun, if you are not familiar with his oeuvre, constructed his B movie credentials by releasing such classics as "The Sword and The Sorcerer," "Nemesis," "Mean Guns," and "Postmortem." He's a hack's hack in the hack world of zero budget schlock. Not to pound you over the head with it, but watching a Pyun film often resembles in no little way craning your head out the window to see that car accident on the freeway. Initially, you are intrigued by what you might see only to realize later how low you feel as a human being for looking at scenes of abject horror. Ok, I am exaggerating slightly. "Cyborg," the 1989 film that launched the dubious career of Jean-Claude Van Damme, is one of Pyun's better efforts. In fact, it is one of the few movies in his canon I can watch on a regular basis and not feel too badly about it the next day.

Here's another film dealing with life in a post-apocalyptic world. Gibson Rickenbacker (Van Damme) arises from the ruins to play the part of a Good Samaritan. He tries to help survivors of a plague flee from the ruined cities to the countryside, hopefully so they can reconstruct some semblance of a normal life. Rickenbacker, as the hero, of course has an unpleasant memory of one of his missions. He tried to save a family and ended up falling in love with a woman. You don't need me to spell out what happened next. Ever since this unfortunate incident, Gibson struggles with what he should do next. When he runs into a woman named Pearl Prophet (Dale Haddon), a cyborg attempting to carry a cure for the plague back to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, he must decide whether to resume the role of hero. Why not take part in helping Pearl carry the antidote? This mission could turn Rickenbacker into the savior of the world. Unfortunately for Rickenbacker and Pearl, Fender Tremolo (Vincent Klyn), a scary looking dude with weird eyes and a mechanical voice, and his gang of like-minded cyborgs have their own ideas. They think if they can capture Pearl and get her to Atlanta, they will control the future of the world.

When Prophet falls into the hands of Tremolo's gang, Rickenbacker decides to get her back. With the help of a mouthy young lady he picks up along the way named Nady Simmons (Deborah Richter), Gibson lurches from one violent confrontation to another. Thugs fall to the ground like leaves as the two pursue Tremolo with malevolent intent. Numerous showdowns in burnt out and broken down buildings provide Pyun and Van Damme with plenty of opportunities to showcase martial arts madness. Kicks, punches, and blunt and sharp instruments-anything you can think of that will cause damage to a human or cyborg body finds a use in this movie. And for the most part Pyun carries off the action well, much better than he has in many of his other movies. You are surprised that you actually root for this guy who speaks English like he just walked off a boat. Before feelings of giddiness carry you away, however, you need to reconcile yourself with a few of the cheesy aspects of the movie. Nearly all of the characters are named after musical instruments, the outfits look like the film crew robbed a New Wave band's wardrobe closet, and the dialogue tends towards the insipid. Still, "Cyborg" entertains as few Pyun films do.

"Cyborg" works largely due to the gritty, blasted urban background that the characters move through. It is here, in the ruins of civilization, where most of the action takes place. Moreover, the picture quality of the film (probably as a result of poor film stock) has a dirty look to it, which actually gives the movie a better, more realistic atmosphere. I even thought Pyun tried to inject a philosophical statement in the film (yeah, right) when we see Rickenbacker staked to that ship's mast. Is Gibson a Christ figure "rising" from the grave to help save the world? Maybe, but I'm probably reading more into "Cyborg" than the director intended. Sure, the acting could be better-lots better-and the fight scenes are a little over the top, but why else would you watch this movie? You don't expect Oscar performances and you don't get them. What you do get is an entertaining way to spend eighty plus minutes (the movie doesn't run for even an hour and a half).

The DVD version is strictly bare bones. If memory serves me correctly, the only extra on this disc was a trailer. Too bad, but a bit surprising considering this is officially a cult classic. It's interesting to note that none other than Cannon, the company that released TONS of low budget action flicks in the 1980s, helped fund this effort. Charles Bronson benefited from Cannon's attentions back then, so why not Van Damme? I recommend "Cyborg" not only to fans of action films, but even to fans of science fiction since the movie takes a stab at incorporating both elements under one umbrella. Is it intelligent cinema? Nope, but who says it needs to be?

This Movie Has a Message
I realize this movie is campy by today's standards, so only someone who watched it back in the day when it was a different era in movie making can appreciate it. I'd say you'd have to be at least 25 to enjoy it, because of it's sentimental and nostalgic atmosphere.

If you can get past that, it's actually really good. I've always enjoyed postapocalyptic reality-of-life depictions. The music is a bit much, but it does portray survival of the fittest in a realistic sense. The characters beat each other up a bit unbelievable and the breaking-himself-off-the-cross scene was absurd even then, but the fight scenes are well done and closefaced showdown scenes were gold. Definitely one for the collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In the industrial wasteland just outside of Los Angeles, circa 2027, there's a covert war raging between the cyborgs and the humans. "86.5% is still human," insists superagent Alex (Jean-Claude Van Damme wannabe Olivier Gruner, complete with kickboxing credentials and thick Euro-warble), but as the cyborg conspiracy builds around him he discovers that humanity is more than simply a matter of flesh and blood. Borrowing elements from Blade Runner, The Terminator, Escape from New York, and The Road Warrior, and looking ahead to digital "data couriers" of Johnny Mnemonic, director Albert Pyun turns the sci-fi spy story into an engine for a visceral thrill ride of sleekly designed action sequences driven by a dancing camera and a breakneck editing rhythm. It's a glorious triumph of style over substance, the vigorous pace leaving the story far behind and nimble set pieces belying a tiny budget with ambitious action choreography and impressive displays of property damage. Apart from a few clumsy special effects at the conclusion and the requisite collection of scene-chewing performances, Nemesis is a thoroughly entertaining piece of sci-fi trash, a classic example of cinematic energy overcoming the obstacles of plot. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Nemesis - Underrated B-Movie
Alex Rain (Olivier Gruner) is a half-human, half-machine LAPD cop who is the best at what he does. When the terrorists he is after questions his humanity, Alex questions himself and leaves the police force. He goes underground and becomes a chips-smuggler, however this doesn't last long and he is assigned a last job for the LAPD. The final assignment is to apprehend an old partner, who Alex loved, who has stolen security data. Alex once again must question his allegiance to LAPD when things go sour.

The movie has mediocre special effects, the stop-go animation in parts is reminscent of the Terminator. However, there are a few very nice looking explosions and some great gun-fu. Gruner brings his experience from his military service and his kick-boxing training and leaves the fewer satisfied.

Overall the movie is pretty good, aside from some pretty odd scenes (like Thomas Jane walking around naked). If you like movies such as Blade Runner, the Terminator, or any other Olivier Gruner movie, you will like this one. If you pick-up the DVD version, you will be treated to a Making-of featurette and Nemesis TV Spots.

Nemesis - Great Underrated B-Movie
Alex Rain (Olivier Gruner) is a half-human, half-machine LAPD cop who is the best at what he does. When the terrorists he is after questions his humanity, Alex questions himself and leaves the police force. He goes underground and becomes a chips-smuggler, however this doesn't last long and he is assigned a last job for the LAPD. The final assignment is to apprehend an old partner, who Alex loved, who has stolen security data. Alex once again must question his allegiance to LAPD when things go sour.

The movie has mediocre special effects, the stop-go animation in parts is reminscent of the Terminator. However, there are a few very nice looking explosions and some great gun-fu. Gruner brings his experience from his military service and his kick-boxing training and leaves the fewer satisfied.

Overall the movie is pretty good, aside from some pretty odd scenes (like Thomas Jane walking around naked). If you like movies such as Blade Runner, the Terminator, or any other Olivier Gruner movie, you will like this one. If you pick-up the DVD version, you will be treated to a Making-of featurette and Nemesis TV Spots.

A Low Budget Treat
It's not a great movie, but it's great fun, especially after a few beers. It's basically on the same level of the 80s film Hardware, though Nemesis has more action and a better ending.

If your looking for something fresh give this one a try, just try not to think too much while watching it.

Another piece of space junk from La La Land...
If there was a setting for "0" stars I would give it to this movie. This movie is TERRIBLE! Okay, take a bunch of kids from some mindless bedroom community in about, say, grade 7 that have never left the burbs, give them some decent camera equipment and then ask them to do a variation on Blade Runner and this movie is EXACTLY what you would get. The dialogue that exsists is mindless, boring drival that you can't wait to end, low-budget pyrotechnic gun fights set in rural scrap yards. I think most of the budget was spent on designer sunglasses and black leather. The lead guy (a french actor), is SO bad that he can't even keep his accent consistent - sometimes he sounds Russian, then French, Eastern European, American, the guy is really, really bad and boring as %$&^!. I think I even recall seeing one of those Darryl Hanna Blade Runner athletic back-flip things. I think it's funny how directors keep trying to ripp Blade Runner off but since they have no taste, they always fail. Don't even think of renting/buying this film unless you are a tasteless, mindless fool and then by all means, waste your money.

Admittedly, A Guilty Pleasure
An Albert Pyun production can threaten the mental stability of even the most diehard B movie fan. This director is a master of cheesy, low budget films loaded with hammy acting, molasses like pacing, and terrible scripts. As far as I know, there are only two Pyun films really worth watching: the early 1980s sword and sandal picture "The Sword and The Sorcerer" and this movie, the 1993 science fiction thriller "Nemesis." Two good movies out of a slew of stinkers doesn't mean I wouldn't watch any of his clunkers, though. If anything, a bad movie always promises to deliver a few laughs. Anyway, Pyun's name is synonymous with junk in B movie circles. Just scan some of the movie review sites on the Internet and laugh out loud at the abrasive comments aimed in Al's direction. The success of "Nemesis" eventually led to several sequels, each a victim of diminishing returns. The first one is a winner worth watching, but still contains plenty of plot holes for the discerning viewer to giggle over.

Los Angeles cop Alex Rain works hard to break up crime rings and terrorist groups. It's the year 2027, and humanity has changed quite a bit in the near future. It appears that technology dominates, with doctors capable of implanting robotic machinery directly into the human body. In 2027, you've got millions of people ambling around the country with implants, many of them more machine than human. The growing numbers and strength of these cyborgs is starting to become a real problem for the rest of humanity. Eventually, some people fed up with the increasingly metallic composition of the population form resistance groups to fight the growing cyborgs. It is Alex Rain's job to help keep the peace, and to bring in these people when they break the law. After all, killing a cyborg is still a crime since most of these creatures still possess a significant percentage of human parts. Many of Alex Rain's fellow police officers have machine implants. Actually, Rain himself has a few parts in him, too. In the future, it is just too difficult to discern who is completely human and who isn't, and it's about to get much harder. After a lengthy opening sequence that shows us how Alex ends up in retirement, the movie starts in earnest.

Rain's old boss, Farnsworth, approaches him about a new mission. The United States and Japan have decided to merge into one country (a process not unusual in the near future, according to the movie). A cyborg that worked with the police rebelled against the system and took some important information about the merger with her to Java, where she is presently hiding out while attempting to contact a terrorist organization named the Hammerheads. Rain, who has a contentious history with this sexy cyborg, must go to Java and kill her in order to retrieve this critical information. Rain reluctantly goes for reasons made obvious in the film, and soon discovers that things are not quite what they seem. It turns out that the mission Farnsworth sent Rain on is merely a cover for a much more important mission involving the fate of the planet, humanity, and the cyborgs. We don't find this out for some time, and until we do, the movie does tend to confuse the viewer. Not to worry, though, as you can content yourself with the bevy of beautiful women wearing tight skirts, some nudity, massive amounts of gunfire, and a healthy dose of bloody special effects. "Nemesis" may well rank as one of the most violent shoot 'em ups made in the last few years. The movie contains elements that reminded me of both "The Terminator" and "The Matrix," although I wouldn't go so far as to say that "Nemesis" serves a bridge between those two movies. I will say that if you love films overflowing with huge guns and a super high body count, you will love this Pyun picture.

The plot zips along at mach speed, but the acting often fails to engage. Lead star Oliver Gruner, a French actor who must have once been on the same "up and coming action star" list as Jean Claude Van Damme, tanks as the tough yet caring cop Alex Rain. I suspect Gruner graduated from the Joe Dallesandro School of acting because his wooden expressions to some extent resemble those of the co-star of "Blood for Dracula" and "Flesh for Frankenstein." The female stars take second fiddle, and are usually on screen to serve as eye candy for the mostly young male audience that would watch a film like this one. At least "Nemesis" gives us the ever reliable Tim Thomerson in the role of Farnsworth, along with late B movie star Brion James as one of Farnsworth's sidekicks. James's pseudo German accent alone makes this movie worth watching. In fact, I doubt I would have even watched this movie if I hadn't known beforehand that Thomerson and James appeared in it.

The DVD gives us several extras, including a trailer and some behind the scenes action about the film. The extras list said there were a few television spots, but when I selected that option, I got more behind the scenes footage. At least the transfer is decent, although it isn't as good as it should be. Colors occasionally look washed out, and there are a few rips on the print. Overall, I give a hearty round of applause to Albert Pyun. It is going to be tougher for me to criticize this guy after watching "Nemesis." The movie not only entertains, it is entertaining enough to watch again. This picture just goes to show that even a hack filmmaker can turn out a great treat every now and again. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Orignal is better!
this movie is ok but it doesnt top the orignal, jean claude van damme is the best actor and he destroys Sasha Mitchell. Sasha Mitchell doesnt come close to the kind of actor jean claude van damme is. I say get the first one, its so much better.

A movie worth watching!
This movie is the best out of all the kicboxers. The fights look real and Sasha Mitchell looks damn hot! I think it is a bit hard to understand what happened to Kurt and Eric in the start, but by the end of the movie, you know what is happening. Great movie, you gotta see it for yourself!

Good,but not better than the original
This was a good sequel,but not better than the first one.He plays Kurts brother and fights Tong Po.Van Damne is way better though.

Kickboxer Goes On Without Van Damme For The Better
Kickboxer 2 The Road Back Deals With David Sloan. The brother of Kurt & Eric Sloan David is running his brothers kickboxer school tung po killed off van damme's charcter for the first kickboxer I say good sasha mitchell is a lot better tung po can only regain his honor by fighting david since kurt is dead so david vs. tung po with glue and glass is a bloody battle great movie the best in the series.

KICKBOXER 2 ROCKS!!!
This movie is just as good as the first. It picks up where the first one left off. Sasha Mitchell is great as David Sloan.
Great fight scenes and actors. This movie is a "MUST SEE"! ... Read more

Description

When a mad bomber (Dennis Hopper) descends on San Franciscoit's up to two men to uncover his plot and find the massive bomb hiddensomewhere in the city.Steven Seagal stars as the Zen leades of thebomb squad and Tom Sizemore is a vice cop out for vengeance.Featurningspecial appearance by pop sensation Chilli. ... Read more

Reviews (27)

An atrocity
The "Ticker" trailer included on the disc actually starts out with a serious sounding voice over saying, "A cop on the edge...." I couldn't believe a trailer would rely on an action film cliché such as this one. A cop on the edge? Didn't that phrase exhaust itself sometime back in the early 1980s? Actually, the phrase fits director Albert Pyun's 2001 low budget action flick to a T, a flick so loaded with rote formulas we have seen before that it the rip-off factor boggles the mind. Did "Ticker" have a theatrical run? I doubt it. If it did, the box office take must have been minimal. No, this reeks of straight to video release. Come to think of it, I doubt an Albert Pyun film has had a theatrical run since he released "The Sword and The Sorcerer" back in the early 1980s. How this continues to work is beyond me. I've seen several of this hack's films before and sort of admire his unflinching reliance on standard clichés. It just goes to show you that you can have minimal talent and still have a somewhat successful career in the Hollywood B budget movie market. "Ticker" proves this truth.

The cop on the edge in "Ticker" is Ray Nettles (Tom Sizemore), a vice cop with an attitude carrying the horrific memories of witnessing his wife and child perish in an explosion. He spends most of his day hanging out with his partner Art "Fuzzy" Rice (Nas), busting women of the night in San Francisco's dirty slums. Just so we know what Nettles and Rice do all day, and presumably to tell us Sizemore's character isn't a bad guy, "Ticker" supplies with the obligatory scene of a bust where Rice and Nettles catch Lilly (Chilli of TLC fame) with a client. The two cops let her go rather than run her in yet again after she pleads with them to let her go for the sake of her kids (!). A few minutes later, Fuzzy takes the big fall in a gun battle with a trio of brutes in a warehouse. Nettles swears to avenge his partner's untimely demise despite interference from Captain Spano (Joe Spano) and an obnoxious underling who has it in for Nettles. Yep, you heard it right. The conflicts between Nettles and the department establish the classic "cop on the edge" theme. Locked out of the investigation, Ray only has Claire (Jaime Pressly), a girl brought in because of the warehouse shooting, as a possible way to keep his hand in the case. He subsequently turns to the bomb squad for help.

The bomb squad in "Ticker" is a bunch of guys who work outside the normal police channels. Led by Glass (Steven Seagal), an expert on every sort of military and non-military explosive, the crew is a goofy bunch of smart alecks with little time to deal with the rest of the department. They treat Ray Nettles like he's dirt under their shoes-which he is to some extent, or at least he looks like he is-but decides to take the detective under their wing when he shows them an explosive device he found in the warehouse shooting. Seagal finds the break he's been looking for: a series of bombings in the city have flummoxed the higher ups, but with this new evidence Glass and his crew begin to put the pieces together. Turns out Claire has information on a guy named Swann (Dennis Hopper), an Irish terrorist and one of the premier bomb makers in the world. Swann isn't happy about Claire hiding in the police station, so he starts a new campaign of bombings in order to free her. She's got some secrets about his operation and what he's ultimately planning, secrets Glass and his pals would like to learn so they can capture the guy. Eventually, the cops let Claire go so they can trick Swann into coming in, but things go horribly wrong and she gets away. Witness the exciting (yawn) plot twist that follows. The movie wraps up with Seagal and Sizemore working together to bring down the baddies.

"Ticker" should rightly be classified as a disaster movie because that's exactly what it is. The script, acting, action scenes, and plot are terrible. Seagal always strikes wooden poses and delivers lines you'd find in a fortune cookie like he has a mouth full of lead, so picking on him isn't too original. Dennis Hopper, on the other hand, should have known better. Not only does he sport the worst Irish accent ever captured on film, his performance is uninspiring. Does Hopper need a paycheck this badly? Heck, I'd loan him some money if he's this desperate for cash because I hate to see a good actor hit the skids. Perhaps it's not the performers' fault since Pyun's uninspired cinematography and pacing virtually insured the film would tank. This director, at least with this picture, subscribes to the "tell don't show" school of film. We don't even get to see most of the explosions, just someone walking around in the wreckage afterwards. Worse, the booms we do see are shot in such extreme close-ups that you soon realize Pyun didn't have a decent budget to lens shock and awe type pyrotechnics.

Extras on the DVD include the aforementioned "cop on the edge" trailer, production notes, cast and crew biographies, and a few other goodies of questionable interest. This is one of the few films I have seen lately where I actually wished the picture transfer wouldn't be that good. "Ticker" might well classify as the worst action film made in the last ten years. If that interests you, and it should if you like bad films, go ahead and give it a shot. All others need to steer clear.

poor waste of film
This is the first movie I ever saw where I believe the actors didnt care and made up thier lines. This movie had to have been completly free lanced by the actors. Seagal has doomed his career to a plumeting firey death. This is one bad bad movie. why it was ever released is the mystery of the ages.

ho hum
If you are a Seagal fan looking for an exciting action flick you might want to try something else. This is watchable, but nothing special. I rank this with The Patriot, Out For A Kill and The Foreigner as Seagal flicks which miss the mark. All actors have bad films. Seagal has 12 movies I really like, but this ain't one of em.

Another bad movie from the maker of Wrecking Crew & more
Albert Pyun might not have the bad cameras and low budget that he had in Ice-t's Millenium-series (Urban Menace, Wrecking Crew & The Corrupt) but he still is disabled to write a good script.
This isn't even good by low-action-standards, it's one of the worst action movies in years.

Steven Seagal is as bad as only he can be (bad at acting that is).
I wanted to see it couse of the rapper NAS (belly) but he came and went in the time of 4 minutes.
Now that's even less screentime then what Snoop had in the HOT BOYZ, which by the way is 30 times better than this one.

Looks Can Be Deceiving!!
I only bought this movie because it had Nas featured on the cover of the dvd box. It even stated "Starring Nas." Later learning that Nas had very little to nothing to do with the film. He is only featured in the entire movie for a couple of minutes, with a minor role. This wouldn't be so bad if the movie was half-decent, but there is absolutely nothing unique or thrilling about the film. The company that has developed the movie is committing a huge crime of false advertising. Be prepared to see numerous 10 to 15 second cameo appearances from music superstars and actors. So I guess this movie is just like 1993's "Meteor Man?" Do not buy this movie. You WILL regret it. ... Read more

Description

This pulse-pounding action-adventure stars dynamic screen hero Christopher Lambert (HIGHLANDER I, II, & III) as a hard-edged police officer locked in a desperate do-or-die race against time! Teamed with a rookie cop (sexy Natasha Henstridge -- SPECIES, MAXIMUM RISK), he must quickly track down a savage murderer who threatens the world. But when the chase leads inside the killer's dungeon, the hunters find they have become the hunted! Suddenly, they are forced to save themselves -- and the rest of humanity -- in the ultimate confrontation! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An embarrassment for all involved
This is without a doubt the worst movie I've seen in a long, long time. And unfortunately I've seen a lot of those lately, but never mind. How it was possible to get all the famous people who star in this poor excuse for a movie to appear, is probably going to be the question of the century. This is simply put an embarrassment for all these, otherwise fine, actors. They should be deeply ashamed. (I know their fans will be.) What were they thinking ?. -They were making a "serious" action movie, because it takes place someplace in Eastern Europe ?!. Reynolds is wasted completely as a dubious yankie abroad, saying lines that are badder than Madonna's dancing. -Yes, it's that bad. Lowe, as a druggie, is almost unrecognizable under a silly wig and Van Peebles' laughable druglord has got to be seen to be believed. Nothing holds your interest in this "movie" because nothing is happening, except ... music, awful lightning and quick MTV cuts. There's no story, either. Enough reasons to make anyone with the slightest interest in films stay away, if you ask me. In other words, it bears all the earmarks of a director more at home in video clips or TV commercials. -Another proof they make the worst directors. Oh, by the way, the DVD is full-screen despite the fact that the movie plays on TV occasionally in its original 2.35:1 widescreen format. Odd, very odd. Either way; avoid at all cost.

Good action, no brain needed :)
Stilish action, nice filmmaker. Cool down your mind and take some fun from shootings. 4 stars for action, -1 star for Dolby Prologic sound. :( Good-priced movie.

This may be the worst movie I've ever seen.
Incredibly bad. I'm a big Burt Reynolds fan, but he must have fallen on hard times to make trash like this. I'd wager it's the same thing with Rob Lowe. Pretty talented guys, but nothing can save this convoluted story and writing. Horrible stuff!

t could act who knew?
plot is weak but i actually enjoyed it and t was pretty cool and this is for any of his fans

Outstanding B movie!Burt Reynolds is terrific!
Crazy Six is an outstanding sci-fi, action thriller made by an unknown director, with known movie stars. One of the most original, violent and interesting 1998's action thrillers, this film wasn't exhibited at the theaters and it was released directly on video and DVD. And unhappily few people will have the chance to discover this different masterpiece. Crazy Six is a dramatic action movie, about Billie, a.k.a. Crazy Six, a low-level drug dealer who teams up with Dirty Mao (Van Peebles), in order to rob the drugs of a powerful trafficker, Raul (Ice-T, with few screen time). The plan goes awry, and Billie is hunted by Raul and his gang. His only chance is Dakota (Burt Reynolds, who gives an impeccable performance), a cynic American cop. The whole cast's excellent performances, the Pyun's daring direction and the interesting story replete of surprises (written by Galen Yuen) makes Crazy Six one of the best independent thrillers already done. If observed with more care, Crazy Six brings inside itself an intelligent metaphor about the communism's fall and the re-establishment of the capitalism in Russia. Dakota, Billie and the "heroes" are filmed by Pyun's cameras with a blue background (that symbolizes the capitalism), while Raul and Mao are shot with a red one (communism). The action scenes have a lot of style (Pyun films the shootings with the cameras shaking, accelerated edition and nervous rhythm), and although Crazy Six happens to be a drama, it won't disappoint the violence's fans.The DVD by Sterling Films brings the main cast's simple biographies and a trailer, the quality of the picture is great. With certainty, the most original, agile and interesting thriller available! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Direct-to-video stylist Albert Pyun sets this plotless, gun-crazy frenzy to the mambo beat of Prez Prado and runs with it. Mobster Ice-T calls dozens of associates to a newly built prison the day before it's dedicated, locks them in, and pits them against one another for a prize of $10 million, which the last three survivors will split. Bleached blond Christopher Lambert is a grinning psycho having a little too much fun, while the soul of the group belongs to the craggy-faced Michael Halsey, a ruthless killer with an odd sense of purpose and a code of honor. The story is merely an excuse for unending gunplay and giddy violence and Pyun rises to the occasion, executing everything from riotous free-for-alls to elaborate chases to Western-style standoffs (complete with a haunting spaghetti Western style guitar and trumpet theme). The video titles, dingy lighting, and dusky color give away the low budget and ultimately the script doesn't make any sense, but Pyun wisely avoids the confusing plot (which he himself sometimes loses) and concentrates on his particular strength: wild, wicked, practically nonstop action driven by a restless camera and rat-a-tat editing. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (20)

The Best action movie of 1998 and one of the best ever!!!
This movie is really awesome, I dont like to look at it as just a b-movie but maybe just a low budget action movei, low budget isnt always necessarilly a b-movie. The acting is excellent I think. Christopher Lambert is an outstanding actor and I dont care what anyone says about him, he can play any type of role. Ice-T is in top form, playing the all time bad guy. This movie is very cool, not necessarilly plotless or pointless. Just shows alot of the things mercenaries do, and what they will do for it. This movie has alot of humor, often sexy, even a bit dramatic especially towards the end. And is of course filled with nonstop action, and one of the best. Very enjoyable anybody who likes awesome action movies then check this one out, its killer. And as for the bongo music, I dont normally like that kind of music, but it fits quite well for this movie.

Quick, dirty, and oddly contemplative.
MEAN GUNS stars Christopher Lambert and Pyun regular Michael Halsey, and has only the merest shred of plot to propel the story: a powerful crime syndicate wants revenge on those who betrayed them, so it's set up a free-for-all in an empty prison where the condemned must fight to eliminate one another in six hours, or less. The three left standing get to walk away with some big money in their pockets.

Like most Pyun films, Mean Guns doesn't stand up to intense logical scrutiny, but that's not the point. The movie ends up being oddly contemplative, as the script draws out a handful of troubled characters thrust into a grotesque situation. While the emphasis is clearly on the action -- and there's plenty of it, well-shot as usual -- there are surprising moments of quiet where the audience is allowed to get close to these "bad guys" and come to at least part of an understanding of what their lives are like, what they think and feel. Lambert and Halsey are particularly good here, as a killer who's come unhinged because of a familial tragedy and another who's lost all hope of ever walking away clean, respectively. Good stuff, marred only by a very poor full-screen presentation.

Good Stuff
I am not going to sit here and analyze this movie as some people here who have no jobs and plenty of time do. I am very critical, and at first glance I was like what the hell am i watching over here. But then i just got hooked, something about the movie lures people ain and makes them want to watch it. maybe its the way the mambo music is scripted into the movie or the intersting chracters. Either way its a good movie to have around and laugh at every once in a while

Pulse Pounding This Ain't
You really must hand it to Christopher Lambert. After showing great promise in the action film "Highlander" back in the 1980s, his career rapidly took a nosedive. Lambert could have been the next big action star if he had played his cards right, but instead he followed up his initial success with the lengthy and oftentimes plodding "The Sicilian." Actors who make this type of mistake rarely call it quits; they merely head into the realm of B movies where all things are possible if one is willing to throw such antiquated notions like dignity and art to the wind. The 1997 film "Mean Guns" shows Christopher Lambert at the heights of his nadir. To be honest, Christopher shouldn't carry all of the blame for this lifeless excursion on Mount Boredom: Albert Pyun, a noted hack responsible for numerous dead on arrival film projects, directed this plodder. The fusion of an aging and desperate Lambert with Pyun's questionable abilities virtually insured that this movie would disappoint. What is so sad about the whole thing is that the idea behind "Mean Guns" is an intriguing one that, with a little bit of imagination and a bigger budget, could have been one of the best B movie action films made in the last ten years.

A powerful, and as sometimes hinted at, supernatural crime syndicate decides it is time to take out the trash that has been bleeding the operation over the years. This organization sends out invitations to the top killers who have worked for them in the past, inviting them to a meeting set to take place in a recently constructed prison. None of these thugs know exactly what is in store for them, but they all know that when the boss calls it pays to listen. As the criminals file into the penitentiary, they soon learn what's going on: each of these men and women must use whatever skills they possess to kill all of the others. To add a little spice to the contest, the syndicate stashed ten million dollars in cash somewhere in the prison as a reward to the last three people left standing. Heading up this operation is a platinum toothed Ice-T, a goon of especially unsavory reputation whose role is that of master of ceremonies. T rigged the prison with cameras and cellular phones so he can watch and hear the unfolding carnage as the murderers go at each other with gusto. The syndicate even supplies loads of guns and metal baseball bats at the start of the game to help things move along. Is this whole thing a trick or is the syndicate actually willing to shell out millions to figure out who is the best of the best?

Regrettably, "Mean Guns" fails on so many levels that it is difficult to outline all of the problems. I recognize that many people really enjoy this film as it is, but it could have been so much better. First, a movie that promises not stop action should have some nice, bloody shootouts. Forget about it. "Mean Guns" is as bloodless as an episode of "The A Team." People are beaten, shot, and stabbed with nary a popping squib to show for it. I had to go back and check the rating on this film after watching it because I simply couldn't believe that a 'R' rated film would be this prudish with the sauce. People taking a shotgun blast at close range do have a tendency to bleed, but not here. Sam Peckinpah could have worked wonders with this idea, but in the hands of the stingy Albert Pyun, it simply falls flat. Moreover, the director fails to properly design or photograph the massive gun battles that occur with great regularity throughout the film. Again, using Peckinpah's slow motion mayhem technique would have remedied many of these flaws. I don't know if film fans today just aren't used to seeing bloody action films intelligently captured on celluloid, but this movie had great potential to paint the prison red and it failed completely. What a shame.

The characters suffer due to a tedious, hackneyed script. You simply don't care what happens to most of these characters at any point during the film. Sometimes, films can make criminals interesting if the writer and director take a psychological approach to their subject. Look at "The Godfather" or "Casino" as examples. In "Mean Guns," most of the characters are simply cardboard cutouts serving as mere cannon fodder. An attempt to make Lambert's character, a bleach blond killer who cackles and clucks his way through the movie, suffer from some sort of flashback about the death of a child fails because it really isn't all that interesting either in its execution or in its explanation during the film's final showdown. Don't watch this movie thinking you will see smart characters expertly developed, although Pyun regulars will note the presence of leggy Tina Cote, an actress who appeared in "Omega Doom" and a few other Pyun films. Her head catching on fire provides the only sustainable laughs in this film, and only because it is so incredibly cheesy.

What do you get with the "Mean Guns" DVD? Not much, really. Some trailers and cast bios for Lambert and Ice-T is about it. The transfer looks acceptable at least, and if you like mambo music you're in luck as the whole soundtrack to the picture consists of nothing but mambo tunes. Bloodless gunfire and mambo; that is about the only thing I will remember about this movie. If you want to see a good Christopher Lambert film, watch "Highlander" again, for only die hard fans of the man with the French accent will appreciate this clunker.

mambo, mambo
really great story and I liked the way it played out, though theres some stupid bits and characters that really are just dumb, like Deborah Van Valkenburgh's role, the chick who lives at the end, she was stupid. Lambert is so insane in this one and his fight and gunplay scenes rock ass. Ice-T contributes some knife and gun skills as well. people get smashed, bashesd, gunned down, hung, stabbed, strangled, hit by bats, hit by frying pans and other cool ways to die. vicious fight scenes ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A great story with an excellent Charles Sheen
The story could have been written by Stephen King: Psychologically down because of the emotional stress of his job ex-investigator and bestseller author James MacGregor (Charles Sheen) moves from America to the Scottish Highlands. But instead getting some peace to sort out his life he becomes the target of an serial killer who sends him faxes to announce upcoming murders. A dead girl found in his garden makes him the local police's No.1 suspect. This means back to work for MacGregor to find the true killer. Charles Sheen's performance is absolutely brilliant, another proof of his wide spread talents as an actor. Seems he easily plays every role, no matter if it's comedy or serious material.

good crime flick
Good comeback role for Sheen.About a messed up kid who has an inkling towards dead women,and the Scottish investigators and washed out American detective/writer who tracks him down.Plays like a fast-paced episode of "The Bill" and lots of morbid connotation.Overall while lacking the original touch present in crime movies these days,it still has a slight edge over it American counter parts. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Whoever made this, kill yourself
this movie is absolutely ridiculous, you have to be kidding me this is pathetic

IF YOU HATED ''CORRUPT'', YOU DEFINITELY NOT GONNA LIKE THIS
MUCH OF THE CAST AND THE CREW FROM ''CORRUPT'' HAVE REUNITED TO MAKE THIS TERRIBLE ACTION/HORROR MOVIE. A PREACHER [SNOOP DOGG] SEEKS VENGEANCE AGAINST A CRIME SYNDICATE THAT BURNED DOWN HIS CHURCH AND KILLED HIS FAMILY. LIKE ''CORRUPT'', IT'S REALLY SHORT, IT'S CHEAPLY MADE, IT'S FILLED WITH ICE-T SONGS, AND IT'S UNDENIABLY BORING. I ONLY WATCHED THIS BS JUST TO SEE THE LATE GREAT BIG PUN. EVEN THOUGH THIS MOVIE WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN ''CORRUPT'', IT'S STILL A HORRIBLE MOVIE. THE MURDER SEQUENCES ARE VERY CORNY AND VERY UNREALISTIC. THE SPECIAL EFFECTS ARE OK, BUT THE MOVIE IS VERY VERY WACK. SNOOP DOGG DID THIS KINDA ROLE MUCH MUCH BETTER IN ''BONES''.

One of the worst of all time
Looking at the cover and reading about rhe movie made me think: "Dang, this can be one funky movie with Snoop Dogg and all" but watching the movie almost made me puke.

First of all the filmmakers are using some really weird filter which makes everything seem all fluffy and weird. And the sound is very weird as well, as well as the camera-work.
And there is no introduction in SNOOPS mission, the movie starts in a factory in Russia and ends one hour later in the same factory.

And the only words that the "actors" are saying are stuff like: "Dang, I wanna Smoke some W**d" and "M****erF**ker, Kill That N***a"...

If I would have made the movie It would have been 200 times better

as a true snoop fan you will like this movie !
what would you expect if robert de niro would make a hip-hop record ?

come on !

why ?
i wouldnt reccomend this film unless you are the "actors" that starred in this "film" or someone who likes anything they do. however i would recomend watching it if you feel suicidal, it'll make your mind up one way or the other ... Read more

Amazon.com

In Morons from Outer Space, a trio of very dense aliens abandons their equally dimwitted pal Bernard (coscripter Mel Smith) and crashes their rented spacecraft in England, where they become pop media icons under the guiding hand of a disgruntled television employee (coscripter Griff Rhys Jones). Bernard eventually finds his way to America, where his claims of interplanetary pedigree land him in an asylum. This satire of science fiction and societal quirks from British television comics Smith and Jones and director Mike Hodges (Croupier) generates its biggest laughs early, when the hapless trio is pitted against the British and American military (James B. Sikking appears briefly as a trigger-happy Yank officer). The remainder quickly dissipates into generic slapstick and feeble pokes at media hype, though Smith and fellow U.K. performer Jimmy Nail (as beer-guzzling spaceman Dez) have some strong individual moments. Smith later directed such films as Bean (1997) and High Heels and Low Lifes (2001).

Alien from L.A. is a slight but watchable science fiction adventure about a nerdy gal (model Kathy Ireland, hiding behind Buddy Holly specs) who discovers a lost civilization at the center of the Earth. Following clues in a letter concerning her missing adventurer father, Ireland travels to North Africa (the film was actually shot in South Africa), where she discovers–-and falls into-–a pit that contains the spaceship Atlantis, which crashed and sunk into the Earth generations ago. With the help of a friendly miner, Ireland searches for her dad and gains her self-confidence after wrangling with a host of creatures and treacherous Atlanteans. Alien from L.A. won't win over sci-fi diehards with its tongue-in-cheek tone and overly familiar Mad Max/punk-rock set design, and Ireland's performance can be charitably described as befuddled, but camp and "bad movie" fans may get a kick out of the lighthearted proceedings, and Ireland's sarong and bikini wardrobe isn't too hard to take. Director Pyun (The Sword and the Sorcerer) and Ireland reunited for the 1989 semi-sequel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. --Paul Gaita ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Only to be watched on MST3000!
Awful awful movie, but Mystery Science Theater 3000 fans will recognize it fondly. Pass this disc up, and go for the MST3k treatment of it!!

Subterranean world below our feet...
I really like Alien From L.A. Maybe It's because I like Kathy Ireland's sweet little voice? They used to show this often on HBO/Cinemax & Showtime in the early 1990's. It was a fun way to waste 90 minutes on a summer afternoon.

Sure, Alien From L.A. is a complete fantasy and way over the top but it has a certain charm to it that I really love. It often has that Roger Corman B-Movie "cult atmosphere" going for it. Personally I wouldn't change a thing about this movie. It is so much better than similar types of films released in the last few years.

Most people probably don't like this film because it seems so unrealistic and cheesy. I think that it was really meant to be satirical comedy, and only a limited percentage of viewers will actually "get" it. You don't have to really believe the things happening in the story could really happen...after all, it is only a fantasy movie!

As for the new DVD from MGM...They've done yet another admirable job on this release. It is in full-screen format, but that may possibly be it's original format. This is actually the way many movies are shot, some are later "matted" for theaters. The Picture quality and Dolby 2.0 Surround track are just about as good as could be hoped for on the DVD format. It is vastly superior to the old VHS video I used to have of Alien From L.A. THANK YOU MGM!!!!!!

Another time, Another place
Considering the high pitched voice of Kathy Ireland and a B-class plot line, this movie ranks amoung the top in my cheesey B-class movie collection. In another time, another place this was a great movie.

One of the Top B-Movies
If you like B-Movies, like Kathy Ireland or both then you will like this movie. Except for Wanda's (Kathy Ireland) high pitched voice, I thought it was kind of cute. It is a funny, science fiction adventure with a little romance thrown in.

Listen to how her voice even changes...
One of Kathy's first starring role. Follow her throught her change from beach bunny to women, even her voice changes. Lots of sexy Kathy, lots of plot, sort of, and her hero. Pick this one to see how Kathy use to sound and where she got her start from. This is a must for any Kathy fans. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Doesn't belong on DVD. More like....a garbage can.
This film looked like it was shot on a handheld videocam, and it had the storyline of a television drama. Had about as much acting talent and creativity as one any way.

This made WB dramas look like Laurence Olivier films.

a BRILLIANT commentary saves this from godawful wackness
this film is simply woeful.theres no other way to describe it.utterly devoid of acting,basic character development,and utterly no plot.i may slag certain films for poor dialogue or acting,but this doesnt contain ANY!!!!! the thing is,theres a certain enjoyment in watching something so pathetic that they seem ignorant to the fact its rubbish.it jerks and jumps and goes absolutely no where.there is no plot.no plot whatsoever.however,switch on the ice T commentary,and hey!!! its great!!!! this is possibly one of the best commentarys ever!!!! almost everything he says is hilarious!!! he basically admits the film is terrible and he was just having a laugh.he asks why silkk the shocker appeared in it."he's rich i dunno why he agreed to it".yeah,so do we. he goes on at length about how they didnt bother to film in new york,instead filming in a cheepo dump somewhere in eastern europe.theres so many quotes that ice T said that stick in my mind.for example,theres shots of new york when it switches from scene to scene."look at this,this is what new york is...tenements,hills....." wow thanks for that one."if you hear any noises,i had taco bells before i came here"."i dont know what the hell thats supposed to mean"."that B**** keeps looking at the clock,i dunno what message that means though".are brilliant!!!!!!! ice t is hillarious in this!!!!!! the guy has a great sense of humour,and i get the feeling what he does is meant to be taken slightly ironically.so,to summarise it; if you're looking for a film with action and thrills,look elsewhere.however,if you're looking for a rubbish film,and have someone make great comments about it,then look no further!!!!! id DEFINATELY recommend you buy this!!!!!!! i laughed pretty much the whole way through it. 4 outta 5

ONE OF THE SHORTEST MOVIES I'VE SEEN IN MY LIFE
THIS IS ONE POOR EXCUSE FOR A GANGSTA MOVIE. A YOUNG THUG [SILKK THE SHOCKER] TRYS TO ESCAPE THE WRATH OF AN O.G. [ICE-T]. THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE SHORTEST MOVIES I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. COME ON, THIS MOVIE DIDN'T EVEN LAST AN HOUR! FILLED WITH ICE-T MUSIC FROM BEGINNING TO END. THIS MOVIE IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED. AS ALWAYS, IT'S FILMED ON A CHEAP BUDGET AND IT'S FILLED WITH BAD ACTING. THIS HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST EMBARRASING MOVIES THAT ICE-T HAS EVER APPEARED IN. DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID. STAY AWAY FROM THIS TRASH AT ALL COSTS.

Awful, but hilarious.
Corrupt *is* terrible from an aesthetic perspective, but Ice-T's hilarious commentary is worth the price of admission alone. If you're an MST3K fan, or just a fan of hilarious terrible films in general, you might enjoy Corrupt.

wha!
this movie was real short but it was aight. i luv silkk the shocker so i watch it alot, but, if u just watched it 2 c silkk the shocker like i did, he's not n it dat much. the movie is basically about how people can get caught n situations even if there innocent. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

wrecking crew
hello
snoop dog is the best actor in this movie, he gets shot before the film begins. and he makes it to the cover of the movie!?
the rest of the movie is so bad and unprofessional that you ask yourself many times, is this possible?
how can a guy like ice-t live with an impression of that this is a movie to release all over the world
get a life.
okey.
but this moive is a classic now, i love to think of it.
it is halerious. i give it 5 stars, just because it is great to think of.
rent it or buy it, either way, watch it!
a memory for life.

Even if u liked "Urban Menace" U probably won't like this
Urban Menace, The Corrupt & this one: The Wrecking crew are all three similar films...
This is becouse almost the same crew of actors appears in everyone of them & also Al Pyun is the director of all.

First of all SNOOP DOGG is not in the movie, they have taken interview footage of him speaking about his music and then pretended that this is suppose to be the character Dra-man a gangster & rapper.
They took old footage from the movie "Urban Menace" and pretended that Ice-t killed him off in the beginning of the movie.

Even though this movie is longer than "Urban Menace" , Wrecking Crew's 78 minutes has about 13 minutes of start-credits and 13 minutes of end-credtis, while Urban Menace is 72 minutes with only the half runningtime of the credits. (which means that Urban Menace is longer, and also a whole lot better storywise).

I was interrested in the dvd-version becouse u get the "soundtrack" so I expected at least one Ice-T song, but NO only "spooky music" seems to be the feature.

The movie itself is really bad, It's like URBAN MENACE but 10 times worse

THIS FILM IS BAD!!!
I spent 8 quid on this film only to watch the first 10 minmainly because i've never seen a film so amature in the way its scenes are shot, the texture, the acting and just about eveything about the bad film, the story is??? i don't know! all you can hear is rap music in the background which covers the audio to maike this film..... THE MOST C**P FILM I'VE EVER SEEN!!!

Never ever, EVER, EVER buy!
This movie is so bad i can't express myself enough. I like Snoop and that is the ONLY good thing about this film, i wouldn't even go as far as to call it a film.Even if your a snoop fan you WILL hate this movie,anyone who says it is good is just in denial because they wasted money buying it.Usually i couldn't be bothered writing a review on a film but since this film was so bad I just had to add my 2 cents. (...) After the first 2 minutes it was so bad i nearly turned it off there and then.Bad actors,bad plot,bad quality.I seriously DO NOT recommend!

Worst movie ever?
This is probably the worst movie I've ever seen. The plot is barely noticable, the actors do even worse. Snoop, who is heavily announced on the cover is only a part of the intro, then he is not to be seen throughout the rest of the movie. To be brief: Do not buy this DVD, it's a waste of money! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Doesn't belong on DVD. More like....a garbage can.
This film looked like it was shot on a handheld videocam, and it had the storyline of a television drama. Had about as much acting talent and creativity as one any way.

This made WB dramas look like Laurence Olivier films.