Wonderful character development!

Don't Believe the Hype

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

I found this to be one of Dolph Lundgren's most accessible movies. Now, I know that isn't saying much, but this film actually has a far-reaching story with some real issues to comment upon. These may only be superficial, but they certainly give the film a more realistic edge over the usual action fare that Lundgren has found himself in in the past decade. Of course, in the end the Soviets are still the blacker-than-black bad guys and the good guys (the rebels) win out in the end, but it still makes you think.As it was actually filmed in Africa, this film has some authentic and beautiful locations, especially in the desert scenes. I'm just a sucker for nice scenery but this film makes good use of it at every opportunity. It also has a slightly higher budget than most action fodder, as judged by the ridiculously high number of explosions we witness at the film's conclusion. Lundgren's minimalist style of acting actually fits the bill here as he plays the impassive soldier who gradually begins to realise that the side he is fighting for is the wrong side, and he makes a believable transition from baddie to rebel leader at the end.The American supporting cast is pretty forgettable, though. M. Emmet Walsh plays an obnoxious reporter who spends almost the entire movie swearing or shouting at somebody, so it's impossible to warm to his character. On the other hand, T.P. McKenna's Soviet bad guy barely registers apart from his over-the-top accent. Brion James also pops up in a minor role as a Russian sadist (what else?) but is sorely underused; halfway through the film his character just disappears never to be heard of again! However, many of the local African actors are very good, especially the guy playing the native who is, quite simply, excellent. Incidentally, the sub plot in which Lundgren turns native and grows to appreciate life out in the desert is brilliant, and I wish it could have lasted longer than twenty minutes.The action itself is mainly routine for most of the film and consists of the standard truck chases, shoot-outs, and occasional display of martial arts from Lundgren. However, at the very end this film turns into Rambo with Lundgren and his rebel pals taking on a Russian base and winning. Here, the death toll is high, and Lundgren beats up and knifes many a bad guy. In the sadistic highlight, he actually shoots the arm off a Cuban officer to prevent him throwing a grenade! Then everything blows up in a spectacular fashion that will leave you satisfied. While RED SCORPION is far from brilliant, it spins a believable and very different from the norm plot which had me interested throughout.

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.

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.'

Plot Synopsis: Nikolai, a Spetznaz (Soviet Special Forces) commando is sent to an African country to assassinate the leader of a resistance group fighting the Soviets. Thrown in jail for disorderly conduct, he helps a resistance soldier & an American journalist escape. Failing to kill his target, Nikolai decides to help the resistance overthrow the Soviet base camp.You'd think that the popularity of the "Rambo" trilogy would give rise to a whole host of clones, imitators & rip-offs, but that is not the case. So far, only "Red Scorpion" was made to copy the legendary Stallone character. While both the idea of the film's hero being a Soviet & the casting of Dolph Lundgren in the role was inspired, the film fails to make the idea work as well as it should. Certainly the first few minutes, with Lundgren managing to stage a hilarious bar-room brawl in order to get in close with his target, along with an effective chase scene, works to the film's favour. But the film does not explore the idea fully, only giving a failed mission & an interrogation as the reason for the commando to betray his superiors & help the locals fight. Brion James' character is built up to provide a menacing villain but is not seen at the climax. All in all, the film is a decent popcorn flick.