Soldier (1998)

Simply Perfect

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Soldier a sci-fi Western about a gun-slinging born bred soldier who must protect a small community from his former comrades. Its a throwback to the '50s cowboy and cavalry flicks.Written by David Webb Peoples best known for his work on Unforgiven, Twelve Monkeys, and Blade Runner (though it's never overtly stated, Soldier is set in the same fictional universe as Blade Runner, and contains references to the earlier film). However, the movie's pulp charm belongs to its director, Paul W.S. Anderson—the genre maestro best known for directing video game adaptations (Mortal Kombat, the Resident Evil movies) and movies that feel like video game adaptations (The Three Musketeers, Alien vs. Predator).  Casting Kurt Russell a charismatic wise ass if there ever was one as an emotionless, antisocial killing machine might seem counter-intuitive, but his performance is so perversely committed (he spent 18 months preparing for the role) that it becomes compelling. Soldier is a seriously fun movieIt's pulpy but not campy, brisk but not frenetic. It's everything a B- movie should be.

Before poor Paul W.S. Anderson made a fatal misstep with Alien Vs. Predator and was maligned, he made a few really excellent genre flicks back in the mid to late 90's, one of them being the mostly forgotten and excessively fun Soldier, starring a mostly mute and wholly badass Kurt Russell as a genetically bred super soldier who has fallen on hard times. His name is Todd 3465, and he's from the last line of soldiers who are in fact real humans, albeit altered. There's a new program moving in, wherein actual replicants are produced, rendering Todd obsolete. The head of the new outfit is sadistic Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs in full evil prick mode), who wants to do away with anything that isn't state of the art. Todd is thrashed in a one on one smackdown with Mekum's lead soldier (Jason Scott Lee), and then left to die on a remote planet used only for trash disposal and inhabited by wayward crash survivors who scavenge what they can. Todd is immediately the outsider, an unfeeling asset bred only for combat and alien to human qualities. A few among the group, including their leader Mace (Anderson regular Sean Pertwee) and Jimmy Pig (Michael Chicklis) attempt to connect, but it's gorgeous Connie Nielsen who finally breaks the ice. He may be conditioned to kill, but he's still a human man after all, and there's some base instincts you just can't ignore. Trouble brews when Mekum shows up again, that bastard. Now he wants to vaporize their planet on the grounds that the refugees are essentially squatting. Undermining him is Todd's former boss Church (an unusually restrained Gary Busey), an honorable military veteran who'd love to put Mekum six feet under and restore order. Todd must help his newfound friends, fight tooth and nail against replicants and win his superiority back. Russell is a tank in the role, letting both silence and action speak volumes, a one man old school ass kicking hero of the highest order. The world building and outer space effects are incredibly fun, the villains are broadly characterized with the force of a western, and the whole film knows what people want for a good time at the cinema. Oohh and fun fact: this takes place in the same cinematic universe as Blade Runner, and you can listen for the brief tie in reference that only die hards will pick up on. Great stuff.

Soldier (1998):Dir: Paul Anderson / Cast: Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Connie Nielsen, Gary Busey, Jason Isaacs: An ugly and repulsive bag of garbage that gives new meaning to the word "cheap." It contains perhaps the worst production all year. I have seen McDonalds commercials that contained better production effects that what is seen here. Title suggests one being born into an uncontrollable environment, such as someone being forced to watch this film. Kurt Russell is trained from birth to become a mindless fighter and comes to realize that fighting is all he knows once he is placed in a camp with peaceful civilians. He doesn't fit in but realizes that other soldiers are set to attack. So we are given endless gory scenes of Russell in combat including a scene where he plunges his fingers in an opponents eye sockets. Story is unrealistic, predictable and totally dense. Director Paul Anderson should not be proud of this or his efforts involved. Russell's dialogue consists of words like, "Duh." Jason Scott Lee makes more noise than most musicians. Other dull performances come from Connie Nielsen because the screenwriter obviously felt that a female lead or damsel is needed. Gary Busey also appears for whatever it is worth, and that is likely not much. This film is a pointless parade of graphic violence that should be smashed with a sledgehammer. Score: 1 / 10

Director Paul Anderson's Soldier is a really under rated and misunderstood action movie starring the legendary Kurt Russell. The screenplay was written by David Webb Peoples who is best known for penning classics like Blade Runner and Unforgiven. Set in a dystopian, futuristic sci fi setting. Kurt Russell is Sgt. Todd, a super soldier killing machine who has since birth only known fear and discipline. In this function, Todd excels. Todd was bred to be a soldier and by age 40 he has spent his entire life fighting and training. He ends up getting replaced by a new genetically engineered soldier that is faster and stronger. He is left for dead under high command and resides on a waste disposal planet in a community of outcasts. Todd has trouble coping with domestic life and throughout the course of the film finds some humanity. The new soldiers lack experience and end up on the waste disposal planet. The commander(Jason Issacs) has declared any survivors are hostiles and are to be used as target practice. What the military does not know is they are occupying Todd's new home and he has a score to settle. Soldier is mostly a straight up action movie, but there is a whole lot of subtext here that the critics of this film miss. As much as Todd excels at warfare, he can't function in normal civilian situations and has no idea how to function like a normal human being. Kurt embodies this character well and spent a year and a half training to prepare for the role. Most action actors are also dedicated to that part of the job. However, Kurt is equally effective in playing Todd's flaws as well. Todd is very effective in battle, but is very awkward and inept in a social setting. Kurt also conveys much of Todd's feelings with minimal dialogue, which Kurt makes look easy but is very difficult for most actors to do. This film bombed at the box office at the time of its release and probably has too much amped up testosterone for the wimpy 90's. Action fans however, should enjoy this. Plus Soldier has a bit of substance as well once you scratch the surface.