Red Scorpion (1989)

Memorable, crazy movie

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

As Good As It Gets

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

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.

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.

One of the best '80's action films you have never seen or heard of! I stand by my statement having watched 'Red Scorpion' aged 9 and finding it even better than I remember when watching it again as an adult. If you want the quick explanation, it's up there with 'First Blood part 2.' It's also a thoughtful war film that leaves America out of the Cold War picture and instead ponders on just how much death and destruction a man must witness before he realizes he's fighting a war that is inherently not only wrong but simply evil.Dolph Lundgren is Nikolai Rachenko, one of the Spetsnaz's finest soldiers. He is exactly how the Motherland has cut him out to be, an intelligent, resilient, unstoppable and obedient killer. Unable to march through Africa because of anti-communist revolutionary Sundata, the Russians send Nikolai in to gain the trust of whoever will lead him to his target where he will then assassinate his target.The plan fails and Nikolai is first captured by the Africans and then sent back across the desert with one intended message; to tell the Russians that even their greatest soldier cannot kill Sundata. Barely surviving, Nikolai finds himself disgraced and left to the Cubans to be tortured and killed but escapes and then only survives the desert a third time thanks to the Bush Man, a lone member of a secretive African tribe, who takes Nikolai under his wing and teaches him the ways of the free African.Nikolai learns how to survive the desert and then learns of the atrocities executed against the innocent people of Africa first hand. Accepting that he is no longer with the Russians after the way they treated him and left him for dead, when he is ready to move on, Nikolai takes it upon himself to go back to see Sundata and show that he now bears tribal honours only to find that the revolutionary has been mortally wounded by the encroaching Russian forces.Feeling that he owes it to Sundata and his people after a heart to heart with the dying man, Nikolai goes on to lead an offensive against the invaders, his former leaders and fellow soldiers, to smash the Soviet and Cuban forces and send them out of Africa.The film was directed by Joseph Zito who reached varying degrees of success in the '80's with three other titles; two Chuck Norris vehicles, 'Missing in Action' and 'Invasion USA' and intended franchise finale 'Friday 13th part 4: The Final Chapter.' Turning Chuck Norris into a legitimate action movie star, the same could almost be said for Lundgren, only it was Lundgren's later features that failed him.Zito makes a great film by taking the old-school action and war molds and applying a sensible amount of politics and intelligence into the African characters and their purpose. Lundgren plays not only an atypical brute of a soldier with little to say for himself, he plays a man reprogrammed by the military to obey who learns to listen to the voice of reason instead and as much as people might argue that Lundgren cannot act, watching his face turn from a constant menacing scowl to one of resolve and respect is effective enough. His change from villain to hero simply does what no other action film of its time dared to and this makes for a feelgood moral tale.The film is literally exploding with stunt doubles doing their various acrobatic death rolls and grenade explosion somersaults etc. Special effects come courtesy of 'Wizard of Gore' Tom Savini (who worked with Zito previously on Friday 13th) and M. Emmet Walsh has a co-starring role as a terminally offensive American photographer, which helps you settle into the very ethnic feel of the movie. Add the Little Richard soundtrack and you have a classic action film with something a little different to offer.'Red Scorpion' is like many other action films of the '80's that could have gone on to have successful and valid sequels, however it's a perfect little gem all by itself and one of the reasons Dolph Lundgren was such a promising star back in the day.I recommend 'Red Scorpion' for an action movie night if you're planning on watching 'Missing in Action' or 'Rambo' or Schwarzenegger's 'Commando.'

Red Scorpion' is one of the weakest efforts from Dolph Lundgren in the first phase of his career (roughly defined as from 'Rocky IV' to 'Joshua Tree'). I personally felt the story behind the making of this film was more interesting than the plot itself; however, 'Red Scorpion' can be viewed without all the political implications and messages the producer and the South African regime that funded it intended in the form of a brainless action film. I can say that the primary enjoyment only comes from seeing Dolph kick some ass, and all the explosions and mayhem that comes with it. The director, Joseph Zito (who also helmed the equally over-the-top Chuck Norris vehicle Invasion U.S.A.) doesn't disappoint, and he keeps Dolph blowin' shiznit up real good the entire film. M. Emmet Walsh was just really annoying as the ultra liberal reporter stereotype, and the only other costars who are tolerable in this are Brion James and the bushman who takes Dolph under his wing. The film drags a lot, and the most annoying aspect of the film, in my opinion, was the overuse of Little Richard's music. I swear, every time there was an action set piece, they would play that crap, and it didn't really fit at all. I demand a re-score.I have to say that this is good Dolph, but in comparison with something of the caliber of 'I Come in Peace,' 'the Punisher' or Showdown in Little Tokyo- dare I say it, even Masters of the Universe?-, it falls far short in the first phase of the Dolph cannon. Yeah, he still delivers here- he's a big, towering dude beating up bad guys, shooting big guns at commies, drunkenly singing the Soviet national anthem and beating up little pansies in a bar, showing off his muscles, hunting warthogs, and blowing a whole crap load up. What more do you really need if it's Dolph?If you want brainless action, you may enjoy this. If you want Dolph, he's done better. But this is still an interesting film to watch if you can't get ahold of 'Joshua Tree' or 'Showdown.'