Leofwine_draca DIAMOND DOGS, a Canadian production shot in China with a Chinese crew and supporting cast, is Dolph Lundgren's worst movie yet - and that's saying something, given that he's starred in a fair few trashy movies. It's an almost plot less, badly written and atrociously-directed story about a group of treasure seekers searching for an ancient artifact in a forgotten tomb.What this ends up as is a mind-numbing series of three or four jeeps driving around some barren location interspersed with scenes of Lundgren killing some derivative bad guy soldiers. The direction is notably appalling, with so many scenes shot into the sun so that the whole frame is filled with glare and you can't see the actors, and the action is bad even by B-movie standards; there's not one moment of excitement here.Lundgren proves a strong physical presence as always but his character is underwritten as are the rest. Nan Yu as the female lead/love interest comes off the best and it's interesting to note her appearance here after she later teamed up with the star in THE EXPENDABLES 2. Bad guy duties are filled by IN HELL's Raicho Vasilev who has equally little to work with.

winner55 They don't make them like these anymore - and I'm really glad they don't. I was truly shocked at how bad this is. I expected at least a mind-numbing time-waster - this wastes time but it doesn't numb the mind; throughout I was reminded how foolish I was for renting this. The composition and editing and design are pure '70s chop-socky, except without any real kung fu. Very amateurish production; plot that promises much and goes nowhere. An attempted Chinese-Canandian production that doesn't really know what it wants to accomplish. Stereotypical performances of stereotypical characters. There are some hints at something finer in the script but the poor direction and impoverished production subvert it. Big disappointment even for Lundgren fans.

harold_harcourt Judging by the comments here on IMDb, public opinion on this movie is divided into 2 distinct camps. Firstly you have the salivating fans for whom the mere presence of Lundgren is enough to make any film a work of cinematic genius. If that's all it takes to please you, then no comment on here will change your mind. That's fine, enjoy your Dolf - try not to drool on him. Then you have those who expect, nay DEMAND that any movie which features plot elements such as relics, temples and gunfights follow the big budget Hollywood formula of intricate death traps, load bearing treasure and near superhuman heroics which made the Indiana Jones movies, Mummy series and Tomb raider so successful. This is where I begin to have a problem. The aforementioned films derive most of their entertainment value from witty one liners, flashy special effects and slick choreography. Diamond Dogs on the other hand goes in the opposite direction, moving the focus of the film away from elaborate action and adventure, on to the characters and their survival. The majority of the film appears to have been shot on location and most of the characters (played well by a less than famous cast) lack the exaggerated personalities and convoluted motivations you'd find in a Hollywood blockbuster. The result of this shift is that the whole film feels more 'National Geographic' than 'National Treasure'. The sporadic action is fast and lethal, no fancy footwork and no coming back with multiple wounds for one last shot. The 'bad guys' are bad as opposed to villainous and the 'good guys' are played straight, behaving in a practical and decidedly un-heroic manner. I for one found the lack of comedy quipping a refreshing change. In fact the only thing that bothered me in the whole movie was William Shriver's portrayal of 'Chambers' which WAS admittedly slightly over the top toward the beginning of the film.All the above waffle basically boils down to this; You want an action adventure romp, packed with booby traps, wisecracks and villains? Go watch something else. If however you think you could appreciate something a bit different, with beautiful scenery, an unusual soundtrack and a sizable (but rarely flashy) body count, then you could do an awful lot worse than Diamond Dogs.

udar55 Former Green Beret and now professional fighter/gambler Xander Ronson (Dolph Lundgren) is hired by millionaire Chambers (William Shriver) to lead his group on a search in Mongolia for the Tangka, a Buddhist text missing since the Russian crackdown on religion in the region in the 1930s. Naturally, there is a sinister group after them looking to steal the Tangka once it is discovered. This Dolph vehicle was finished 2 years ago, but is finally seeing release in the US via Sony DVD. While not up to the level of his recent directorial efforts (THE DEFENDER, THE MECHANIK, MISSIONARY MAN), it is worth seeing for the gritty tone and tons of violence. It also features some great location photography in mainland China and the unknown supporting cast also helps out with the realism. Now if anyone can explain why it is called DIAMOND DOGS, please let me know. :)