Instant Favorite.

Good idea lost in the noise

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.

...and frankly, I don't care if you like it or not. Without having much dialog at all, Kurt Russel gives an outstanding performance in a rather awkward yet entertaining scifi adventure...yes, Soldier is both a scifi movie, and an adventure movie in one. It has elements of several genres, in fact, including a kinda shadowy love story of sorts...I'm not even gonna throw in spoilers here, but I am sure you will enjoy it for what it is. The settings are very well done, with little CGI, and believe it or not, it is easy to follow the story...I frankly watch it every time I see it come on TV...

Paul Anderson's follow-up to EVENT HORIZON is another multi-million pound special effects space extravaganza, but it seems that the problems which faced EVENT HORIZON - namely that it was little more than a rehash of other, better movies - also faces this latest, violent movie. This time around the influences are even clearer, and yes, it's Rambo in space time, with a beefed-up Russell taking on a squad of superhuman soldiers and, predictably, winning. In one scene we see Russell applying camouflage paint to his face in a scene directly copied from Schwarzenegger's COMMANDO, while the nomadic colony brings to mind the MAD MAX trilogy, with even a touch of ALIEN 3 thrown in for good measure (the refuse planet being a giant scrapheap). At least SOLDIER tries to do something different this time around, but in the end we have yet another mindless film which substitutes plot for effects, and the plotting really is minimalist.The theme of an almost android-like person trying to discover humanity has been explored loads of times, and this time it's no different. Kurt Russell struggles to convey pathos in his role and very nearly succeeds, while he is no great actor he is adequate in a role which only gives him a few scant lines of dialogue, and, just like Christopher Lee found in THE MUMMY, it's pretty difficult to convey feelings using only your eyes, but Russell just about does it. If not entirely successful, it's still a entertainingly bad effort. Also, for a man nearing 50, he's in great shape.He is given able support by Jason Isaacs and Sean Pertwee, both returning from EVENT HORIZON, and Isaacs fits naturally into the old school type of leader who destroys anything in his path. Pertwee too is a long way from the kind of stuff his father was in, and both men cope well with their respective roles, even if they are quite small. Gary Busey also has a small role as a military man, and it's good to see him in a film again, even if he doesn't play the baddie this time (something of a rarity here folks). Jason Scott Lee, with a fake eyeball, visually plays the part of a heavy well, although he doesn't act (unless you count having a mean expression on your face as acting).Once the action starts, however, it soon all falls apart. Firstly, it's all predictably bigger and more expensive than we've seen before, with rockets flying around in every corner and debris being scattered. Men getting shot is always a boring death to me, especially when it's repeated loads of times. However there are a few enterprising deaths to be had, the best being, of course, the final showdown between Lee and Russell, wherein Lee is slashed with an iron girder, has his arm and then his neck broken. It's bloody and gruesome (although when the film shows a brief glimpse of a man's blown-off leg, you have to give it some respect for not dwelling on the moment, the impact of the glimpse working much more effectively when the viewer uses his/her imagination), so you immediately see why I liked it. In the end, though, SOLDIER is an insubstantial film, much like EVENT HORIZON was. It's an intriguing premise, to be sure, but one which is severely hampered by poor execution. So-so.

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.

It's 1996 year zero of Adam Project. Orphans are raised from babies to soldiers. Sgt. Todd 3465 (Kurt Russell) leads his men in various wars. Years afterward, Col. Mekum (Jason Isaacs) has created genetically engineered superior soldiers. Capt. Church (Gary Busey) insists on a real fight. Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee) wins a three on one combat but Todd is able to gouge out one of Caine's eye. The older soldiers are reduced to menial jobs while Todd's body is abandoned in a wind-swept waste dump planet. He is taken in by the inhabitants Sandra (Connie Nielsen) and Mace (Sean Pertwee). The inhabitants are crash survivors ignored by the dump ships. The community decides to push out Todd. When Mekum comes to clear the planet, Todd comes to the rescue.I really like the concept and the start of this movie. However the society on the planet adds very little. Todd's development is clunky at best. His relationship with Sandra and her husband Mace is somewhat of a mystery. I can't tell if the movie is trying to gin up a romance. It would be much better to concentrate on their son and Todd. Todd could be a Frankenstein monster to the boy. It would probably be easier to not make the mom so hot. They shot a lot and blow up a lot of stuff for the final act. It's passable action but felt relatively repetitive.