breakdownthatfilm-blogspot-com Once Mr. Dolph Lundgren began pursuing an acting career, it wasn't until he played He-Man in The Masters of the Universe (1987) that he began approximately putting out a movie per year. Next in that line up was this action film. It's also probably the last time Dolph Lundgren ever played a Russian character. Good thing too because being typecast as a certain character frequently doesn't give the viewer something more to look forward too. Here, he plays a devoted Russian soldier who is trained and highly skilled in the art of killing. But as the story continues, he realizes maybe he's not seeing the whole picture.With a screenplay written by first timer Arne Olsen, it isn't great nor is it terrible. The story does contain some meaningful moments, but most of them are frequently overshadowed by scenes that are predictable enough that regular viewers could see it coming a mile away. There are also some points in the film that would make the viewer question "How does this pertain to the development of the character?". It can be far fetched at times. Like how is learning the way of a hunter open one's eyes to reality? Is it really that powerful of a activity?That's not to say the actors perform badly though. Dolph Lundgren portraying a Russian is accurate. He's a blonde, large, hulking mass of muscle and can speak with the basic accent. Al White plays an African rebel leader who is also legitimate in his role. M. Emmet Walsh plays a an American reporter who accompanies Al White's character. My question is though, how did an American reporter get caught in the middle of this? Lastly, Brion James makes an appearance too, who would play the British character, Requin in Tango & Cash (1989) a year later. It's an alright cast for this movie.However, the way the action is executed reminds me of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Commando (1985). There's lots of explosions and plenty of shootings. Just like Schwarzenegger, Lundgren runs around in war paint firing his machine gun without getting a scratch. But perhaps what helped this movie to excel further than Commando (1985) was the human aspect of it. Al White's character leads a bunch of poor followers who seek freedom from the Russian oppression. And when the audience sees them fall, it's hard to watch. Assisting those particular segments was Jay Chattaway's music to the film. In some places it worked but the rest didn't. It was an average listening experience.At least, the film was directed by a competent person. Joseph Zito, the man behind Chuck Norris' Missing in Action (1984), Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) and The Prowler (1981) knew what he was doing. Also accompanying him is cinematographer João Fernandes who has also worked with Zito in the past. Fernandes was able to get nice shots of the arid terrain, which at least allows the audience to believe the place Lundgren was set in wasn't forgiving. In the end, it's not great or terrible. It's just average film making.As Dolph Lundgren's last film to play a Russian character, it comes off as a better rip-off of Commando (1985) but doesn't take the story in any direction that hasn't been explored. Just average on the whole.

dworldeater I'm pumped that Synapse films gave this the proper treatment on bluray ( my first generation DVD is basically VHS quality ). Red Scorpion is a bit underrated in my opinion. It came out at the end of the cold war and around this time action movies were still in demand , but less than a few years previous . I love the action genre and while movies like Commando and Rambo First Blood pt.2 came first and are better films, this movie is similar and delivers . This is by no means a drama , just a pure action film with lots of one liners and a high body count. Dolf Lundren plays Soviet super soldier who switches sides and did a fine job in this one man army flick . M.Emmet Walsh is great in this and completely hilarious . Brion James is a great heavy and director Joe Zito blows up half of the continent of Africa. If the same movie came out in 1986 it would be much more popular , but if you want action this movie was made for you. Also, like Predator you get the music of Little Richard.

Scott LeBrun Never mind any sort of political angle or goal of propaganda in this agreeable bit of non- think entertainment. All that matters is that it does do its job when it comes to the entertainment aspect. Sometimes it's good for laughs, sometimes a strong and touching anti-war message comes across, and sometimes it's genuinely action-packed and exciting. Dolph Lundgren plays a *supposedly* top notch Russian operative dispatched by his superiors to get close to an African rebel leader who's objecting to the occupation by Russian and Cuban forces. The surprising thing is that Dolph's character isn't too good at his job and gets figured out. While awaiting punishment for screwing up the mission, he escapes and befriends a local bushman. The gentle and helpful ways of the bushman and his people help Dolph to realize he's fighting for the wrong side and he leads the rebels in a wonderfully over-the-top action finale. Director Joseph Zito is an old hand at this kind of action fare, having already directed Chuck Norris in the classics "Missing in Action" and "Invasion U.S.A.", and he and a capable crew give this all the juice that it needs, with a decent pace and violence aplenty. Zito also works with makeup effects expert Tom Savini once again; they'd collaborated previously on "The Prowler" and the fourth "Friday the 13th" movie. Dolph is fairly stiff as always, and it's up to the very amusing supporting cast to bring life to the story. The movie really hits its stride once the great character actor M. Emmet Walsh shows up, bringing lots of xenophobia, energy, and comedy relief to the proceedings, playing an investigative journalist. T.P. McKenna is the slimy Russian villain, Carmen Argenziano a thuggish Cuban bad guy, and the late Brion James brings a ridiculous accent to his Czech adviser the same year that he pulled the same gag for "Tango & Cash". (Annoyingly, his character is never properly paid off.) Ruben Nthodi is fine as the rebel leader, with his associate played by Al White, whom the viewer may recognize as one of the jive talking dudes from "Airplane!". But the performer who gives this movie a good deal of charm and presence is 95 year old Regopstaan, a natural in the role of the bushman Gao. These actors do help to make this fun. It's decent action fare where one can loudly root for the villains to meet their doom and where it's nice to see the redemption of the lead character. As an aside, helping to give this film some notoriety is the subsequent fate of this film's co-writer and producer, lobbyist Jack Abramoff, but that shouldn't distract from what is basically acceptable escapism. Seven out of 10.

homman-hofield OK now I'm not going to try and say that this film is by any means a true classic, BUT it is a type of classic.in so much as that it has the man Dolph, mostly half nude, and it has guns, and some really nasty ones at that. so the plot is really weak, nobody is going to buy into the fact that one guy can save a nation but thats not the point, its really just a vehicle for Dolph to do his thing, which is to look tough and sound funny in a monotone kinda way.i really like the torture scene where the guy is sticking large needles through Dolphs anatomy, actually looks pretty realistic considering its not a big budget film, and also i like the scarification that Dolphs little tribesman friend does for him while he is drugged.the highlight of the film for me is probably the goofy relationship that is forged between Dolphs character and the little bushman, its really fun. the language barrier is well played out but the writers and actors have enabled this element to flow very well and their means of communication is really very effective at translating the messages of the relationship for the film.so do yourself a favor and go rent the DVD as it has at long last been released, and sit back and enjoy some cornball action for all its worth.just don't expect any special features cause their isn't any.