Amazon.com

Searching for new directions, Sylvester Stallone starred in this farcical, 1993 SF piece about an ex-cop (Stallone) freed from 36 years of forced hibernation to help catch a criminal (Wesley Snipes) who released himself from a similar incarceration. The futuristic story finds Los Angeles a sea of Taco Bells and enforced peace, and within that satiric overview Stallone's character becomes a gun-toting fish out of water. The film plays like a live-action cartoon, and while there is nothing particularly wrong with that, Demolition Man is a rather flat experience. The irony of a peaceable society that both requires and despises its bloody saviors has been captured far more profoundly in movies like Dirty Harry. Sandra Bullock costars. The DVD release has optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, production notes, theatrical trailer, Dolby sound, optional Spanish soundtrack, and optional French and Spanish subtitles. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Not your typical police action flick.
1996: The city of Los Angeles is an absolute wreck. Crime abounds, with the most notorious bad guy around, Simon Phoenix(Wesley Snipes) taking it all in like one big joke. John Spartan (Stallone) has been after this guy for several years, but in the process of finally arresting Phoenix, the building around them explodes, appartently taking several innocent hostages up with it. Spartan is stripped of his rank and sentenced to cryogenic imprisonment for 70 years.

2032: Spartan has served 36 years of his sentence. Phoenix, who was imprisoned in the same facility, escapes and begins to reinvigorate his reign of terror. The only problem is that the LA that Spartan, Phoenix, and the rest of us all know and love has turned into a megalopolis called San Angeles, a politically correct paradise where there is absolutely no violent crime---correction, no crime of any kind---whatsoever. (There is also no profanity, and anyone who swears is fined for violations of the Verbal Morality Statute.) Consequently, people have forgotten how to deal with a fugitive like Phoenix. The only solution is to bring Spartan out of the freezer, which is exactly what happens.

This movie introduced me to action movies, particularly Stallone movies, and the movie soundtrack genre. The special effects will blow you away all by themselves. This was also the first movie I ever saw with Sandra Bullock. Perhaps it's because of her airy portrayal of Lt. Huxley that made me think of her as my favorite actress for a while. But that's another story.

I think that San Angeles is a funny bone-tickling example of political correctness gone to far. Either that or it's social conservatism. Sometimes I wonder if San Angeles is the kind of world people in the family values crowd would like to live in. In any case, even if you don't like action movies very much, I think you will like this one.

Not Just Another Dumb Action Movie
This action-flick is an excellent satire, spoofing such themes as "political correctness", "moral correctness", & extremes in philosphy & thought, within the context of a live-action "comic-book"-type of story. Of cousre, it also has exciting, well-paced action sequences & fun (because they're so dopey) one-liners. The producers even manage to pull off obvious plugs for their sponsors in a funny, yet (ironically) plausible way. (Taco Bell is the ONLY restaurant left in "the future!" I also wonder if Armor Hot-Dogs & frozen vegetable & dog-food companies also sponsored, since their jingles are the "hit songs" in the future. Well, popular "oldies" at least, according to Sandra Bullock's character.)

Two reasons why I didn't give it 5 Stars:

First, Stallone's daughter is mentioned yet that matter is never resolved. (Why mention something if you won't follow through?)

Second, since this is done in a "comic-book" style, as a personal preference, I would have liked to have seen Snipes' death left somewhat "ambiguous" (so he can come back & plague Stallone in a sequel!) That's just a preference, though.

Of interest: The whole "Rip Van Winkle" frozen-cryogenic plot device used here is almost repeated in exact detail in "Austin Powers."

Listen for Bullock's reference to Jackie Chan's movies BEFORE he hit it big in the U.S. & is it just me, or does anybody else notice that Wesely Snipes' "Simon Phoenix" character resembles the Joker?

NZ Beware
If you bought this like me expecting the Joel Silver commentary; it wasn't on there. Major dissappointment. Also in the version I purchased all references to Taco Bell had been replaced with Pizza Hut. Diff from what I saw at the pix. Loved this movie but dissappointed by this version. Box misled me into thinking extra features were on there. I should have looked closer. 5 stars for the movie though!

Very Entertaining!
Stallone in one of his better roles as a cop frozen in suspended animation as part of a jail sentence. He is awakened several years later because his arch-nemesis (Wesley Snipes)was also awakened from suspended animation and the pacifist future cops have no clue how to stop him. Stallone's rough ways do not bode well for those in charge but he is worshipped as a hero by his new partner (Sandra Bullock). Great exchanges of dialogue and action scenes between Stallone and Snipes. A great deal of comic relief as old commercial jingles have become popular music and Stallone doesn't know how to use the future bathroom or bond with a future woman (Bullock).

Keep watching it and havent got Bored yet
Good movie, i watched movie alot and for some reason i never get bored of it. its a to buy movie ... Read more

Amazon.com

A science-fiction adventure that steals from Alfred Hitchcock's 39 Steps and Stanley Kramer's Defiant Ones. Director Lewis Teague may not be in the same league as those two directors, but he did a dandy job with this futuristic prison flick. Originality may not be its strong card, but Deadlock offers appealing performances by Mimi Rogers and Rutger Hauer. They play convicts linked by high-tech neckbands that explode if one prisoner ventures more than 100 yards from another prisoner with a matching collar. None of the inmates knows to whom they are paired, so all are forced to stick around. When Rogers and Hauer discover that their collars match, the duo embark on a gutsy prison break. Of course, they must to stay together as they head for the diamonds he hid before his arrest. This may not be art, but it is, ah, a great escape. --Rochelle O'Gorman ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A-minus concept, B-plus execution
I'd like to see this one on DVD. It's a pretty good movie.

The idea behind it is extremely clever. Rutger Hauer (who was so hauntingly dangerous in _Blade Runner_ and so terrifyingly menacing in _The Hitcher_) is here cast somewhat against type as an electronics wizard who is enlisted into a diamond heist by a beautiful woman (Joan Chen) and then double-crossed. Off he goes to an experimental maximum-security prison.

The really clever bit is how the prison works. There are no walls holding the prisoners in; instead, each prisoner wears a collar with a charge of plastic explosive in it. Will it go off if they step outside the prison boundaries? Nope, that wouldn't be secure enough (or sadistic enough either). Instead, each prisoner is _paired_ with one other prisoner (in what is euphemistically called 'wedlock') and their collars attuned to each other so that if they get more than 100 yards apart -- powie. And since nobody knows which prisoner s/he is paired with, nobody can ever get more than 100 yards from anybody else.

Unless, that is, a pair of partners could _find out_ that they were partners and escape together. I won't give away any of the plot developments, but since Mimi Rogers is Hauer's co-star, you can probably do the math here.

The credible-at-best dialogue isn't going to win any awards or anything, but at least we don't run out of plot before we run out of movie. Stuff keeps happening right up to the end, most of it clever, some of it deliberately funny, and all of it kept personable by Hauer and Rogers. And there's some nice play (occasionally sharp-edged and satirical) with the concept of wedlock that makes the thing worth rewatching.

Drawbacks? The budget obviously wasn't very big here and it's pretty clear some corners were cut. Then, too, some of it is derivative of _Cool Hand Luke_, _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_, and any number of other loner-individualist-in-prison and/or two-outlaws-on-the-run flicks.

Nevertheless it's a good, reliable movie that won't disappoint you if you like this sort of thing. If it ever shows up on DVD, grab it; until then, the VHS version is serviceable if you can get it.

RIVETING......
The concept is totally progressive and intriguing while you get totally drawn into this wildly insane and intense "game of life" For anyone who wants some excitement for a couple of hours! But beware, it will stick in your brain - - this could very well be the future........

Good Rutger Hauer+Mimi Rogers combo.
Good science fiction, with a novel twist (prisoners are kept together by explosive neck-braces that will explode if they are seperated more than 100 yards) is nearly done in by mediocre production values and a plot that nearly deteriorates near the end. The love story is pretty pale too, though Hauer and Rogers make it worth seeing.

The whole cast is excellent.
A science fiction movie that is different. A very good cast (Rutger Hauer, Joan Chen, Mimi Rogers, James Remar). A few twists that add to the suspense. Very well done. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

GREAT MOVIE!!
They seriously need to put this on DVD!
The Ultimate Warrior is a blast! YUL ROCKS!

Yul Brynner as a super-samurai post-apocalpytic hero
"The Ultimate Warrior" is a post-Holocaust action film that came out in 1975 after "The Omega Man," but just before the genre became popular with "Mad Max" and "Escape From New York." The film is set in 2012 in a New York City that was decimated by a biological plague a couple of decades earlier that has created a world in which nothing grows. Now in the decaying city Baron (Max Von Sydow), leads a group that has barricaded a street against a rival gang of thugs, run by Carrot (William Smith). Wanting his pregnant daughter, Melinda (Joanna Miles), to have a better future, Baron hires Carson (Yul Brynner), a super-Samurai, who has been standing outside the public library waiting for somebody to make an offer for his services. Baron has heard of a mythical island off of the coast of North Carolina and wants to relocate his band there. Of course, this means fighting their way out of what is left of the Big Apple. Melinda's husband, Cal (Richard Kelton) is a scientist who knows the secret of growing plants from seeds, so humanity might have a chance after all.

Director/writer Robert Clouse is therefore offering up the first combination Science Fiction/Kung Fu film, which is not surprising since he directed Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon." From that perspective the film offers up the tradition two warring sides with champions that face off to settle the issue. The script is actually halfway decent, although surprisingly the action sequences are the weakest part of the film until the climatic battle between Carson and Carrot. However, the opening scene does a nice job of establishing the world in which this film takes place. The film hinges on Brynner's performance, which is actually fairly complex because we are not completely sure that Carson is a cynical anti-hero; in fact, we suspect he might be the only truly human character in the film. "The Ultimate Warrior" is no where near being the ultimate example of the post-apocalyptic action film, but it is a solid, unpretentious little B-movie. Plus, it has Yul Brynner.

Baldly the Last of it's Kind......
The Ultimate Warrior baldly set precident for other films of similar genres. I had read about this film a while back and had been waiting for a chance to view it. The Ultimate Warrior is far from perfect but brings forth a lot fun that todays watered down made for video flops can't seem to do. This movie seems like a combo of Logans Run, Man Max, and Kung Fu. Wow, where to begin? I personally like Yul Brynner's character, it makes me remember when movies with masculine heros existed. Bynner doesn't play a pretty boy, he is a bald tough guy who has a job to do. I like the independance of the hero character, he doesn't rely on a affirmitive action based sidekick or allow himself to be overtaken by feelings towards [beautiful] woman.... A thinking man of the sorts who smokes cigars and does what is right even if it means chopping his own hand off. I'm not going to ruin the plot of this gem for you, just add it to your collection and pray they don't try making a remake of this post appocalptic rarety.

Brynner is good but no at his best.
To appreciate this film I believe you have to consider the time it was released. During the mid 1970's the cold war was looming over the U.S. and somehow a film like this seemed almost possible. Viewing it now in the year 2000 viewers will realize they are living in what this film indicates will be a post nuclear war environment. Obviously the events in this movie never materialized, thank heavens. Cadillac's are still being produced. Although unlike the mid 70' when people purchased then they are now leased.

This film is good because for those of us who lived with the fear of nuclear war it reminds of us of how we as a nation worried about some things other than how long this bull run in the stock market will last.

Yul Brynner was a little old to be running around with his shirt off. This film was made about 20 years after THE TEN COMMANDMENTS but for some reason the producers must still think Brynner's body will get the women viewers attention. Not so.

Post-apocalyptic movie isn¿t bad.
It's been quite a while since I've seen this film, but surprisingly I remember it pretty well. I'm a fan of this genre, so this film, along Costner's work and one of Gibson's "Mad Max" stories, I do enjoy (at certain times). Even Patrick Swayze's "Steel Dawn" has many things that I liked.

While none of these films are 5-star material, they do well to fill in the blank/bland spots in ones' day or evening. Surprisingly, "The Ultimate Warrior" ended up being pretty darn good (related to others of the genre).

If you're hunting and pecking to find a film that you haven't seen (and like this genre), try it out. I certainly won't guarantee that you'll like it, but heck, two bucks for a rental won't kill ya. Between 1 and 10, I give "The Ultimate Warrior" a solid 6 (a rating within the genre--I'd be hard pressed giving anything more than a marginal 5 otherwise). ... Read more

Reviews (61)

Excellent futuristic sports film with a message
Definately one of the best science fiction films ever to grace the big screen, and one of James Cann's finer films. Rollerball is an excellent futuristic ports film with a message. A message that informs the audience of a future that could happen. Corproartions running the world, as well as Orwellian themes. The film tells the story of a Rollerball player Jonathan E. who is the top player in a violent futuristic sport that is a combination of roller derby, ice hockey, football, and gladiatorial fighting. The film has outstanding sets, costumes, music, characters, a solid plot, and good actors. Indeed an international flavor. One that ITC Entertainment could have produced. The film also tells the story of how the corporation wants Jonathan to retire from the game for fear of him being too good for his own good, and fear of him in general. Yet, Jonathan does not want to retire, which leads to the corporation making certain decisions that would make Jonathan retire. Retire or die.

The film has some violent moments, bordering on the graphic and explosive. Yet, it is still entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Filmed on location at Pinewood Studios in London, England and Munich, Germany, the film truly represents a 21st Century world that could very well happen. The ending of the film is even better. One of the most thought-provoking. If you enjoy good science fiction as well as sports, check this film out. The melding of the two is very unique, if not lethal.

"This was never meant to be a game! Never!"
The rollerball game of the future was created for a special reason. "To show the futility of individual effort." To make anyone that wants to go his own way, bow dowm to the powers that be. James Cann, in one of his best roles, is Johnathan E, rollerball's super star. He's relaxed and friendly off the track, and a determined gladiator on.

The action is great and strangly hypnotizing as skaters and motorcyclists race around a large circular track, trying to throw a steel metal ball into a basket.

John Housman makes one of the best establishment heavys as he hints, demands, and threatens Johnathan to retire. For people that like gladiator movies, sports action, or the lone man trying to survive, Rollerball will excite you. You'll be shouting Johnathan's name along with the crowd. And after it's over, you'll feel like taking on the world. Yes, a great motivational movie as well.

Pay no attention to remake. This is the one and only "Rollerball".

are you kidding me?
I've heard nothing but bad reviews and it looks like they were justified because this movie blows. Plot is pretty weak and the fact that its set in Kazakhstan is even stupider. I think filmmakers just like the way it sounds because its they seem to forget that they are many other soviet republics ( but I guess any time there is any action is all happens in Kazakhstan) . Geez. Naveen Andrews who did quite a good job in Kama Sutra looks like a total dweeb with a wedge haircut. Jean Reno is a caricature of a villain. It also looked like the half of the cast of La Femme Nikita had supporting roles in this movie. And that green light in the final sequence! What the hell were they thinking?! I guess they wanted something artsy but it just looks ridiculous. Oh, and the last straw was that Chris Kline nerd. Not only he is a lousy actor but casting him as a main bad boy who loves adrenaline is the stupidest thing anyone could have done. He has no personality and no charisma. He is bland, bland, bland.

A cult movie
In the future you will live horror nightmares , and feel the pression of an overcrowded world , but instead you'll have always Rollerball!
I saw this film from its release in 1975 , and I watched again three months ago . The film hasn't lost just a bit from its initial impact.
The knock out performance given by James Caan supported by a dark story about the fate of these future gladiators will let you thinking about the entertainment as mass media phenomen and the deep implications about the way of living .
Caan obviously is tired , he refuses to keep that job and wants to escape from this show business cycle but you know : the rules are the rules. The conflict is announced and the final combat will be an unforgettable experience.
Good transfer on DVD!
Superb script and dazzling direction!

Great Movie - But You'll Need Coffee for the Commentary
The commentary uhhhhhh option for this film, dirrrrr, uh, director Norman Jewison, uhhhhhhh, talk..... ing about the making of, uh, the film, really makes one wonder ahhhhhhh how a narcolepsy-inducer like this could ever make an action film as fine as Rollerball. Buy the DVD for sure, but -- uh, errrrrrr -- SKIP the director's comments! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Fifteen years after John Carpenter squandered a great idea on a mediocre movie (Escape from New York), he does it again--this time on the Left Coast. Kurt Russell is back as the terminally cynical one-eyed action hero Snake Plissken who, this time, has been coerced into saving the world in Los Angeles. It's 2013 and L.A. is now an island maximum security prison off the coast of California. Snake has 10 hours to find a doomsday weapon that's fallen into the hands of revolutionaries before he dies of a virus with which he's been injected. But the action is clumsy and unimaginative: lots of shootouts and very little suspense. Even the bad guys aren't particularly inventive; only Pam Grier, as a transsexual gang leader, strikes any sparks. Russell growls his way through the role but can only blame himself: He cowrote the script with Carpenter. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A good B-movie ride while it lasts
15 years after crafting the low budget comic cult classic Escape From New York, director John Carpenter finally got the budget he needed in this sequel/reworking of the original film. Kurt Russell reprises his role as one eyed badass Snake Plisskin as he is dropped into the island of Los Angeles to seek out the president's daughter. Parts of the film seem more aimed to make a social satire of our dwindling freedom, but sometimes the action gets too incoherent and parts of the film seem uneven. Not to mention that there are times when the film feels rushed, like Carpenter just wanted to get the film over with. Either way though, Escape From L.A. is still a fun B-movie ride with a great comic flair, and the great supporting cast which includes Steve Buscemi, Pam Grier, Peter Fonda, Stacy Keach, Cliff Robertson, and B-movie icon Bruce "Evil Dead" Campbell make this one of Carpenter's more decent films of late.

Rebirth of a classic
Kurt Russell collaborates with John Carpenter to bring snake back in our homes, and I know far too many people that feel that it never should of happened, but I disagree. Accept this movie for what it is, the Escape from New York "Special Edition" with a totally reworked yet incredibly similar plot line. And not just incredibly similar. To this day, I still laugh at Snake sitting in the lawn chair out front of Eddie's place just like he did when he was next to the plane crash in New York. Every single subtle plot point of New York is somehow included into the L.A. storyline. But, if you let your mind enjoy it, and let yourself be captivated by the gritty, downright scary conception of our future and one man dealing with it, it's the same successful movie that New York was, but with 90's movie technology. Steve Buscemi shines in this as "Map to the stars" Eddie, and Bruce Campbell is extremely entertaining for all of the five minutes he's in the film.

As far as the DVD is concerned, this is just one more in my collection of DVD's that frustrates me everytime I look at it. No commentary, no making of featurette (which I saw on HBO, and was interesting), and the transfer is actually not the greatest.

The movie's worth it. Just a dissapointing DVD. Give it a shot and enjoy.

"Escape From L.A." is more of the same!
This sequel to Carpenter's 1980 cult classic "Escape From New York" is more or less a bigger budget retelling of the same story. Russell is back as Snake Plitsken, the one-eyed outlaw hero who once again will be offered a full pardon if he goes into a criminal-infested prison that used to be a major American city. This time, he has to confiscate a "doomsday device" from a sadistic terrorist who is using it to blackmail the United States. Despite the more than fifteen years that seperate the two films, this one really doesn't offer much on "New York" aside from a cool underwater sequence involving a certain Universal Studios attraction and a couple of cool special effects scenes. Russell is still great as the over-the-top anti-hero and the addition of some cool character actors keeps it from being a total waste of time but this script is seriously lacking. This one has "retread" written all over it. There is about as much of a difference in the stories as there is in the titles.

A Joke?
When I first saw this film in the theaters, I really didn't like it. In fact, I was pretty let down! I had grown up with Escape From New York, and to my horror, John Carpenter remade his own film! I'm not kidding, REMADE it. Right down to Snake getting shot in the leg and limping for the last half of the film. Years later I revaluated my opinion. You can't make a film as corny as this on accident, especially if you're a veteran director like John Carpenter; It had to be done on purpose. I've read numerous interviews over the years and have found out two things, and I think these two things are the reason this film ended up the way it did. First, John Carpenter hates sequels. He never wanted to make sequels to his films. He never wanted a sequel to Halloween(let alone six! That's why he produced Halloween 3 which people hated so much, coz he was trying to take this series in a different direction and not retread the whole Michael Myers thing). I also understand that both Carpenter and Kurt Russell were under alot of studio pressure to make this film. I don't know what kind of favor Carpenter owed the studio, but he made this film. And my theory is that he made this film intentionally bad to say to the studio, "There, I made the stinking sequel you wanted, don't ask me to do it again!" I mean really, if he had wanted to make a sequel to Escape From New York, don't you think he would have struck while the iron was hot and made it at the height of the first film's success instead of waiting 15 years? Think about it. When I consider this scenario, I can watch Escape From L.A and have a good laugh thinking that John Carpenter may have played a big joke on the Hollywood studios. Really, there's no way Carpenter included that surfing scene with the intention of it being taken seriously. The film is just way too overblown, way too cheesy and obviously a carbon copy of the original to be anything other than a joke. Kurt may be older now, but he's actually still able to play Snake Plissken like it's 1980. The performance is great, it's just the film surrounding Kurt that's silly. Try watching it again and see what you think.

escape from new york on acid
Escape from new york is a classic.It is a dark and moody action adventure with an 1980s feel,with a modest budget.Escape from l.a. is a big budget pumped up roller coaster ride that goes for broke and explodes with a wave of energy and the coolness of snake plissken.This follow up does tell the same story as the first,but guess what! thats what they had in mind.I hope they make a third. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you can stifle the urge to laugh at its pastel unisex costumes and futuristic shopping-mall décor, this extravagant science fiction film from 1976 is still visually fascinating and provocatively entertaining. Set in the year 2274, when ecological disaster has driven civilization to the protection of domed cities, the story revolves around a society that holds a ceremonial death ritual for all citizens who reach the age of 30. In a diseaseless city where free sex is encouraged and old age is virtually unknown, Logan (Michael York) is a "sandman," one who enforces this radical method of population control (but he's about to turn 30 and he doesn't want to die). Escaping from the domed city via a network of underground passages, Logan is joined by another "runner" named Jessica (Jenny Agutter), while his former sandman partner (Richard Jordan) is determined to terminate Logan's rebellion. Using a variety of splendid matte paintings and miniatures, Logan's Run earned a special Oscar for visual effects (images of a long-abandoned Washington, D.C., are particularly impressive), and in addition to fine performances by Jordan and Peter Ustinov, the film features '70s poster babe Farrah Fawcett in a cheesy supporting role. Jerry Goldsmith's semi-electronic score is still one of the prolific composer's best, and Logan's Run remains an interesting example of '70s sci-fi that preceded Star Wars by less than a year. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (108)

A visually stunning sci-fi spectacle
I have fond memories of seeing "Logan's Run" in the theaters many years ago, and am delighted to see this film getting a fine presentation on DVD. Directed by Michael Anderson, the film takes place in a post-apocalyptic future where humans live a hedonistic life in the shelter of a domed city. There's just one catch to this pleasure-oriented utopia: nobody is permitted to live past the age of 30. The title character, played by Michael York, is a Sandman: an elite policeman assigned to kill those who flee the birthday death sentence. But a surprising assignment takes Logan on a voyage that will change him profoundly.

"Logan's Run" is an adventure tale, a love story, a crime drama, a social satire, and a sumptuous visual spectacle all in one. The whole package is superbly enhanced by Jerry Goldsmith's inventive and varied score. This is one of the most visually stylish science fiction films ever made; it's full of scenes that are truly unforgettable.

The film is really grounded by the performances by the superb cast. Michael York and Jenny Agutter make an absolutely enchanting screen couple; the evolution of their characters' relationship is one of the key pleasures of the film. Richard Jordan brings complexity and intensity to his role as a fellow Sandman. And Peter Ustinov is delightfully warm, funny, and loveable in a critical supporting role.

The DVD includes a vintage "making of" featurette, as well as a full-length audio commentary by actor York, director Anderson, and costume designer Bill Thomas. The three discuss casting, stunts, special effects, Peter Ustinov's ad-libbing, and other aspects of making the film. They reveal some fascinating and delightful bits of trivia along the way. This is one of those great commentary tracks that makes you appreciate the film even more.

Solid sf adventure less than the sum of its parts
Logan's Run started off with a pretty amazing concept--(courtesy of science fiction writers William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson)what if our youth obsessed society put everyone over the age of 30 (21 in the novel)to death as a means of population control? This film version of a classic cautionary tale is intermittantly successful. David Zelag Goodman's screenplay condenses and changes around several key characters. Goodman's script essentially refocuses the novel into The Fugitive in the future. In the original novel Francis (played brilliantly by the late Richard Jordan)and the Old Man character (played as befuddled by Peter Ustinov) were one and the same. You'll need to read the novel to see why this was an important altered plot point.

Additionally, Sanctuary did exist in the novel while here it's clear that it's something of an urban myth. While these plot points might not seem essential, altering them radically reshaped the film. Still, it's clear that the film's director, producer and screenwriter (respectively, Michael Anderson the late Saul David and Goodman)wanted to streamline what could have been a confusing plot if not layed out correctly.

The basic plot--In the future our society is enclosed in domes. As a means to control the population, everyone has a life clock crystal on their hand. When you reach 30 you have the option to become "renewed" in a ceremony attended by the citizens. Logan (Michael York) and Francis (Richard Jordan) are Sandmen who hunt, capture/or kill runners (people who choose to not go through renewal and try to escape).

After one incident, Logan is debriefed by the computer that runs the city. The runner wore a symbol representing life. During this debriefing he is send undercover to become a "runner" and find out 1)Who is behind the network that tries to get people out of the city and 2) If sanctuary exists. Logan's life clock is prematurely aged to 30. He contacts a girl who he had met before on the circuit (a system where people can "dial up" others for casual sex)who he had seen wearing the same symbol. Despite her better judgement, she elects to help him escape.

Francis, alarmed that his friend is running, elects to chase him and either bring him back for renewal or kill him.

The film is quite good despite some gaping plot holes. Michael York gives a impassioned performance as Logan 5. Jenny Agutter is enchanting as Jessica. Richard Jordan shines as Logan's former partner Francis who feels betrayed and hunts Logan down. Roscoe Lee Brown is exceptional in his cameo as the demented cyborg Box. Michael Anderson, Jnr. gives a nice cameo performance as the surgeon hired to alter Logan's appearence. Made for $6 million, Logan's Run looked quite good when it was released in 1976. The symbolism of having Francis and Logan fight in the House of Representatives with an American flag was quite evident given the year of release (1976).
In many respects the themes in the film are more timely than ever. The obsession with youth, looking good and plastic surgery have come to define our culture in the 21st Century. The only thing missing from the film are botox injections.

Jerry Goldsmith's brilliant score is a highlight of the film. Like his score for Planet of the Apes, Goldsmith chose to go with a mix of sythesizers and orchestra to portray the city of the future. He eschews cliches in his music and the various themes and cues are at turns suspenseful and witty. The optical effects are pretty good given the time. The matte paintings by Albert Whitlock are outstanding and fairly convincing. The miniatures are a mixed bag. They didn't look completely convincing in 1976 nor do they today. Part of the problem has to do with the fact that waters don't fare well when placed in miniatures. You can't miniaturize the bubbles and water drops. Also, the use of the miniatures in combination with live action is quite grainy due to the film stock and amount of composites. Still, if you can suspend your disbelief, you'll enjoy the film despite its limitations.

Logan's Run attempted to tell an adult cautionary tale in a world of light weight escapist movies. It's a commendable film and the film makers frequently bite off more than they can chew. I'd rather have a film that's too ambitious than not at all.

Still, I appreciate the ambitions if not the execution. It's nice to finally have this fine if flawed movie on DVD. The transfer is quite good although the print has a number of flaws. There's also quite a bit of dirt evident on the print. These probably could have been cleared up with a direct digital transfer. Additionally, the 5.1 soundtrack occasionally sounds "tinny" and when played in the stereo format can be quite difficult to hear.

The extras are limited but nice. The commentary by director Michael Anderson and Michael York is quite good and informative. A pity the terrific actor Richard Jordan isn't around any longer to give us his perspective. I would have liked to see a fresh retrospective documentary on the making of the film. It's not likely to happen, though as no one is going to champion this film at the expensive of other newer projects (particulary since producer Saul David is gone). The featurette included is the original one made to promote the film. It's actually pretty decent given the age and purpose of it. The trailer is included as well. The disc is a dual sided single layer DVD with the widescreen and pan & scan versions on the same disc.

classic!
logan's run is a real gem. love the cast and the look of the film and it's a good dvd to have when you want to see something that's out of this world!

fantastic futuristic fun
Logan's Run was one of my faves as a kid. It was different from othe Sci Fi at the time. It created a weird world that was great to watch. I also watched the TV show version and loved it too (sure it was just a TV show and not quite as grand as the the more expensive flick but it was still weird enough to keep me watching). You've just got to love a show that creates it's own strange world and takes you away from reality. Logan has it's own style that provides just the right escape from the played out worlds of other Sci Fi flicks and shows. Give this a chance if you want something that's different and you've never seen it.

A bit excentric, but absolutely worth watching.
This is an awsome movie, even by today's standards. Granted the special effects can sometimes look corny or cheesy, but for the time when this movie was produced, the effects were top notch.

The story line goes like this. It is the year 2275. Disasters have forced what remains of civilization into a self contained, domed city. No one goes outside the city becuase they all beleive it to be a barren wasteland, incapable of supporting life. This is because it WAS that way when the city was founded, but that was over a hundred years ago. Since the city was founded, there was realised a great need to maintain the population to acceptable levels. So, it is determined that at age 30 you will "terminate". If you do not want to end your life at 30, you can participate on the "Carosel" on your "Last Day" (30 years to the day of your birth). The recorded message basically says that if you have a strong enough desire to renew, you will. Renewing gives you an unstated amount of extra time. If you are ready to end, you don't have to participate on Carosel. However, there exist a few people who don't want to follow the rules. They "run" from their fate. To prevent people from running (as well as for general law enforcement) there are a group of cop like folks. Each is refered to as a SandMan. It is their responsibility to enforce law in the domed city, and to track down anyone who decides to run, and terminate them.

Now meet Logan 5. He's a sand man, and he loves his job. But one day when he is doing his job and terminates a runner, he finds an Ankh on the runner. He doesn't think much of it. So he picks it up with the rest of the runner's belongings, and heads back to HQ to be "debriefed". But the central computer DOES recognise the Ankh. It is determined to be a symbol associated with a legenday place called Sanctuary, where runners can go and hide and live out their life normally (as you and I would consider normal). The computer determines that Sanctuary must be either right on the inside of the dome, or outside the city. Logan 5 is assigned to find sanctuary, and destroy it.

And so begins his Grand adventure, during the process of which he leaves the city, Falls in love with his "partner in crime, Jessica" (which is strictly forbidden in the city), Finds a man who has more cats than I could count, and returns to the city to try and stop the madness.

A very good movie on all counts. It should have been more popular. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

A strong candidate for the designation of most thrilling action movie ever made (the turbo-charged exhilaration of its full-throttle highway chases has never been equaled), the second part of George Miller's post-apocalyptic trilogy is also a magnificently imagined movie myth. Like the Star Wars trilogy (by that other George) the Mad Max films draw their inspiration from the works of mythologist Joseph Campbell. In the 1979 original, Max (Mel Gibson) is a policeman, the last guardian of civilization and order in a devastated world reduced to chaos. But when a leather-clad gang of sadomasochistic speed demons mows down Max's family, his remaining connections to humanity are also permanently severed. After brutally exacting his revenge, Max wanders off into the wasteland alone, "a burned out shell of a man" who (to paraphrase The Searchers) is destined to wander forever between the winds. In The Road Warrior, Max rediscovers a sliver of his shattered humanity, and a spark of redemption, when he helps an embattled colony of pioneers fight off the savages who are after that most precious of all commodities: "guzzline." Max is transformed into a legendary hero, just as Mel Gibson was catapulted to international movie stardom. With its final stirring images, The Road Warrior transcends its genre (whatever that may be--science fiction? Western? action adventure?) and becomes something timeless. It's a great movie. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (117)

One of the best action movies ever made.
Movie:
The Road Warrior, set seven or so years after the events of Mad Max. Max is now a heartless man, wandering the wastlands of the outback. The third world war has left the world in total ruin, and many have turned to the cruelness of the gangs that rule the wastland. The few that maintain the humanity are few. Max stumbles apon an little sliver of civilization which is constantly assulted by evil biker gangs. Soon he finds himself involved in their flight for survival. The last chase scean is epic compaired to anythng made to date. This movie as many movie buffs like me say, is possibly the best Action/Scific movie ever made. One might think that it is a very poor movie to the small amont of talking, this just adds to the brillance of the movie! This is kind of like Star Wars: Even if you don't like it, you have to see it at least once.
Movie 5 out of 5 stars
DVD:
Whoever owns the rights to this breakthrough-of-a-movie is out of his mind! Shure the picture and sound quality is good, but look at the extras! Zero, nada, zip. What a good way to ruin a great movie's DVD!
DVD: 1 out of 5 stars

The best, hands down
This is easily one of the greatest action movies ever made (and, personally, I think it's one of the greatest movies ever made, period.) It is also one of those rare movies that defines its genre, and yet, at the same time, transcends its genre. Actually, you have three different genres being represented in this film that, in the years since, have become intertwined as the norm for this type of movie because of "The Road Warrior"'s influence. You have the much-copied post-apocalyptic wasteland, populated by barbaric savages and helpless victims; you have the classic western and the classic western's "reluctant hero," represented here by Mad Max, the drifting loner, scarred by his past, who only comes to the aid of others when it serves him; and, of course, you have the spectacular car chases, amazing stunts and crashes and huge explosions of the modern action movie. "The Road Warrior" brought all three of these elements together, and you can still see them in movies today, such as the much-inferior "Waterworld" and "The Postman" (man, Costner must've liked this movie too--you'd think he'd get it right eventually.)
And, as an action movie, "The Road Warrior" has yet to be topped. All of the stunts, chases, crashes, explosions you see on the screen are 100% real. No computer enhancement, no technical junk -- when you see a guy drive into a car on a motorcycle and he flies about 75 feet through the air, it's real. And when I say this movie transcends its genre, I'm talking about the style in which it's directed. All of the action becomes almost operatic because of the expert direction and musical score. It comes across as a beautiful-looking action movie, in spite of all the violence and carnage.
I wouldn't hesitate to rate "The Road Warrior" as one of the best action movies of all time and Mel Gibson's Mad Max as one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) action "hero" in cinema history. If this movie were made today, the writers would probably have him cracking lame one-liners throughout the film, but, instead, Max hardly speaks at all (the strong, silent type that also goes with the western genre) -- his actions speak for him. I wish Hollywood at least attempted to make action movies and action movie heroes like this these days (well, come to think of it, I guess they did attempt it with "Waterworld," and that became one of the biggest money-losers in film history, so I guess the moral is: Don't try to duplicate perfection.)

MEN OF THE WORLD, WATCH THIS
This is quite possibly the greatest MAN movie ever made. Cars, guns, blood, exploding heads. I can't even begin to say how much I love this movie. It is truly a fantastic spectacle and the best sequel I've ever seen.

Not very interesting
I guess the folks who made this movie decided to make an all-out pitch to a mediocre audience: it's all about cars and gasoline and violence.

The way it is put together is mildly interesting, but incoherent. The purported hero, Mad Max, has been subjected to an enormous personal loss (his wife and child) which occupies about ten seconds of the movie. He finds a bunch of liberal-hippie types running a gas refinery (??? huh ???) in the middle of the outback, in a world where gasoline means life or death. The liberal-hippie types are being attacked by a really weird group of folks, including a very obvious gay couple. There is a feral boy with a razor-sharp boomerang who knows more than anyone else.

It seems hard to find any connection between this movie and anything in reality.

Recommended only for curiosity value.

This is what it has come to...
Okay, here's the deal. Mad Max (Max Rockatansky) is THE baddest BELIEVABLE movie hero that ever was and will be. Enough said. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

a hundred thumbs up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this is without question the best movie I have ever seen, probably best movie ever made, too!!! A must-see for everyone and anyone. Steven Speilberg sucks compares to the producer and director of this movie. The only movie comparable to this one is "Toxic Avenger", but this movie might even be a little better than that gem. Trust me....renting or buying this movie is worth every penny and then some. It's a lifetime of beautiful memories all rolled into a two-hour film. It makes "The Godfather", "Titanic", "The Matrix", and other top movies look like kiddie-play. Now go watch it!!!

I'm in the Acid Zone... everything's weird here...
I have seen literally hundreds of movies of all types, and Roller Blade is hands down the most bizarre thing that I have ever experienced on video. The closest I can come to describing it is to say that it is a little bit like what might happen if Alexandro Jodorowsky and Russ Meyer directed a lost Ed Wood script with the cast of a Fred Olen Ray movie. But it is so much more. It defies description. It must be seen.

Simply Horrific :=8P
This is probably the only moovie to beat out Robot Holocaust for the title of Worst Moovie of the 80's. Think "Mad Max" and "The Warrior" on rollerskates, with a rubber midget, topless nuns, and the worst dubbing this side of Hong Kong. I can't imagine what vile, horrifying, no-talent universe this dreary little slug crawled from, but I don't wanna go there. :=8( Absolutely pathetic - and they made a sequal!!!

Naked nuns on rollerskates chase evil doers.
This is one of the best sexploitation movies. Many original ideas and quite a bit of humor. Not for everyone but if you like a little originality with your nudity then this ones for you.

Overlooked and underrated CLASSIC!
Donald G. Jackson has to be the most overlooked and underrated Director in the business. ROLLER BLADE released by NEW WORLD in 1986 was at least ten years ahead of its time. This SCI-FI ACTION masterpiece hopefully will be re-released soon on DVD so it can be re-discovered and celebrated as a major influence on such movies as EL MARIACHI, and many others. MIKE FINE. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Let's be honest: this 1995 epic isn't nearly as bad as its negative publicity led us to expect. At the time it was the most expensive Hollywood production in history (it had a Titanic-sized $200 million budget), and the film arrived in theaters with so much controversy and negative gossip that it was an easy target for ridicule. The movie itself, a flawed but enjoyable post-apocalypse thriller, deserves better. Waterworld stars Kevin Costner as the Mariner, a lone maverick with gills and webbed feet who navigates the endless seas of Earth after the complete melting of the polar ice caps. The Mariner has been caged like a criminal when he's freed by Helen (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and enlisted to help her and a young girl (Tina Majorino) escape from the Smokers, a group of renegade terrorists led by Dennis Hopper in yet another memorably villainous role. It is too bad the predictable script isn't more intelligent, but as a companion piece to The Road Warrior, this seafaring stunt-fest is adequately impressive. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Engrossing story suffers from card-board antagonists.
"Waterworld" had a lot going for it, and I'm a sucker for post-apocalyptic disaster films/novels. Although the premise of the polar ice-caps melting and covering the Earth is a little far-fetched (I doubt all but Mount Everest would be covered as depicted in the movie), I forgave that improbability and enjoyed the film anyway. What I didn't really enjoy that much were the card-board characters representing the "smokers", although I have to admit, Dennis Hopper did give the movie some comic relief. If the movie would have stayed primarily on the boat and dealt a little more with the interesting relationship developing between the mariner and the woman and little girl, and gave a little less time to the "smokers", I'd have enjoyed it more. As the movie played out, I often thought I was watching Mad Max on water. With that said, I have to admit the actions scenes were first-rate, and some were quite amazing.

Actually, I enjoyed the expanded television version more than I enjoyed the theatrical release. The simple reason is because they added needed scenes (not action scenes) to round out the story. Between 1 and 10, I give the theatrical release and the VHS I purchased a 6, or a 3 star rating. The tv version, I give a 7, or a 4 star rating. (I should have taped the tv version).

Better than it's given credit for
Waterworld drowned in its own negative pre-release hype, which I along with pretty much everyone else bought into at the time (a similar set of circumstances rightfully crushed Gigli, which is so much worse than this film as to be in its own category). Upon age and reflection, Waterworld stands on its own as a coherent, enjoyable apocalypse film. It simply doesn't look like something that $200+ million was spent on (much of which went into rebuilding set pieces after a storm, so it had no effect on the look of the film). If you can get past whatever expectation that budget might have placed for you in terms of shiny effects, this is a pretty darn good movie. Costner is believable and entertaining as the Mariner, and the supporting cast does a good job. Hopper has fun chewing the scenery as the Deacon, leader of a huge pack of scavengers called Smokers due to the fact their vehicles and industry run off crude oil carried in their massive mobile oil tanker home.
Most people bash Waterworld because of either its huge price tag, which didn't "deliver," or because they feel it is simply a rehash of Road Warrior but on the ocean. I believe there are strong counterarguments to both these claims. I love Road Warrior, but I hardly believe it invented the genre; there were films coming out 25 years earlier that had the same theme. An apocalypse film is usually the only way to posit an alternative reality movie without having to bloat up on futuristic robots and/or aliens (the other possibility is a caveman film, which we all know will be a resounding success). Costner's film parallels Road Warrior really only to the extent both involve a lone warrior in a savage post-apocalyptic world, which is how every single other film in the genre is also set up. It basically IS the genre.

Waterworld takes its place in that genre quite adeptly. It has plenty of interesting but disposable side villians, neat gadgets and surprises, a cynical central adventurer with lots of deadly skills, and surprisingly good dialogue. Heck even the annoying child actor gets thrown overboard when she becomes too annoying. If only The Phantom Menace writers were taking notes. Likewise, the action in this film proves satisfying, as it is CGI free.

Waterworld was a failure at the time, but it has aged well and deserves another look. It's not as good as Road Warrior, no, but what is? I'd take a screening of Waterworld over most of the recent "summer" action films (Hulk, Daredevil, S.W.A.T. etc) of this past summer any day of the week.

Hello? Am I the only one that understands what Fiction means
First I want to state that I really enjoyed this movie. I liked it's post apocolypitic view of the world covered in water. The story was done well and the look and feel of a watered down Mad Max was creatively done. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

Now on to all the people that apparently do not know what ficiton is. This movie is fiction! That means it's not real or based on total possible reality! So all these people saying, it's not possible for a guy to have gills, or that one scene just couldn't be possible, go get an A&E special if you want reality. If you find yourself repeating to yourself "It's only a movie", go get an imagination too!

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but sometimes I wonder how people allow their ideas to be skewed by the majority.

By the way after the 4th viewing I just barely noticed Dry Land is Mt. Everest!

Um... Yeah
In the scene where the little girl is in the water and Kevin Costner bungees down to get her, even if Costner had not retrieved the girl, the two water-jetting enemies would have crashed into each other anyway.

I just wanted to point out this humerous fact, I'm sorry.

They should release the extended version
I first saw this movie as a rental of the theatrical version. It was okay. But I liked it much better when I saw the extended version on broadcast tv. About 45 minutes of footage is added to the extended version, which actually helps the movie a great deal in my opinion. While the extended version is shown on sci-fi channel from time to time (in a four hour time slot), it is not available on video. Nor is the additional footage contained on the DVD release - to my knowledge. So they should release the extended version on DVD, which would be worth buying. ... Read more

Reviews (230)

Futuristic dragons and unbeatable British talent
Having grown up on films such as "Krull" and "Dragonslayer" I was excited yet hesitant to see "Reign of Fire." (We've all been burned before on these types of films.) But since I'm a huge fan of the very talented Christian Bale, I decided to take the risk. Wow! The dragons sent chills from my head to my toes. As did Bale and his side kick Gerard Butler. (He was the best thing about "Dracula 2000." Probably the sexiest vampires EVER! Can't wait to see him in "Tomb Raider 2.") But the actor who surprises the most was Matthew McConaughey. With biceps bulging and shaved head, he came off as a real force to reckon with. What's even more impressive about the story is its unique combination of genres, fantasy and sci-fi. It's a clever concept.
Any fan of Rob Bowman ("The X-Files") will appreciate this effort. And the closing song by Mad at Gravity is fantastic. Not without some holes, but a very enjoyable 1 hour and 40 minutes well spent. I'm certainly going to buy the DVD even though it doesn't look like it has many extras.

Looking for dragons? Won't find many of them here.
Despite the wonderful science fiction premise -- a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by bestial creatures responsible for the dragons of legend -- "Reign of Fire" fails to deliver in an important department: dragons! Although supposedly the cause of the near annihilation of the human race, the dragons seem strangely absent for most of the film, dropping in for the occasional none-too-thrilling action sequence, then vanishing for long periods. The short finale is especially disappointing and delivers none of the promise of humans going head-to-head with a dragon. The only action sequence that really works is a clever piece near the beginning involving skydivers with nets chasing down the fire-breathing nasties.

Strangely, the film works better in the character category, and is at its best between the dragon attack scenes. Usually films of this type have the situation completely reversed. The portrait of survivalists facing the end is wonderfully, vividly portrayed, and McConnaughey's grizzled and slightly insane American dragon hunter (the "Captain Ahab" character of the story) is a good performance. The role certainly is a big departure for the actor away from his image in films like "The Wedding Planner." Much more drama goes on between him and Christian Bale's character than ever occurs with the absentee dragons.

If you're a dragon lover, rent "Dragonslayer" instead; you won't feed your need with this underwhleming picture. (And wouldn't it be nice if someday someone did a film adaptation of Anne McCaffrey's "Dragonriders of Pern" novels? There's a science-fiction take on dragons that would make a great movie series.)

Better than most
Gerard Butler brings a sensitivity to the movie, as well as the courage and bravory of a "Knight".
The movie is for the "thinking man", the bad reviews are not to be considered. This film seems true to life in believe-ability; the dragons could not have been more "real" in looks movements and fire breathing action; in flight they are magnificent!
The men are wonderful with the children, in keeping them strong and unafraid in there horrowing situation. They are as men Should be these days, protective of their women and children.
The costumes are rustic and real.
The movie can be compared to "King Author" in style. A Great action movie, mystical, gritty and Wonder-full.

not bad despite the negative reviews
Many people felt the need to trash this movie just because it didn't have dragons in every scene. While there are better dragon films, Reign of Fire had some good special effects to it. There are a few points of intensity,the violence factor isn't too heavy (otherwise this film would have received an R rating), and the ending seems a bit mediocre but the movie is still worth a look.

great dragons but little else to recommend it
This sure seems like it should be a winner, and as someone who enjoyed all the Mad Max movies and who likes Matthew McConaughey and Christian Bale, I was prepared to be thoroughly entertained, but this was a mess that started out well and then deteriorated. Strangely enough, things seemed to grind to a halt when McConaughey's character (Van Zan) enters the picture, so to speak. And who thought it was a good idea to take a good looking guy like McC and turn him into a bald cigar-chomping neanderthal? The dragons were excellent and the sets and design were great, but the script and plot needed work.

DVD extras include a trailer, a 12-minute conversation with director Bowman, a 15-minute making-of featurette and an 8-minute sfx featurette. The film can be heard in English or French and subtitled in English or Spanish. ... Read more

Reviews (117)

One of the best action movies ever made.
Movie:
The Road Warrior, set seven or so years after the events of Mad Max. Max is now a heartless man, wandering the wastlands of the outback. The third world war has left the world in total ruin, and many have turned to the cruelness of the gangs that rule the wastland. The few that maintain the humanity are few. Max stumbles apon an little sliver of civilization which is constantly assulted by evil biker gangs. Soon he finds himself involved in their flight for survival. The last chase scean is epic compaired to anythng made to date. This movie as many movie buffs like me say, is possibly the best Action/Scific movie ever made. One might think that it is a very poor movie to the small amont of talking, this just adds to the brillance of the movie! This is kind of like Star Wars: Even if you don't like it, you have to see it at least once.
Movie 5 out of 5 stars
DVD:
Whoever owns the rights to this breakthrough-of-a-movie is out of his mind! Shure the picture and sound quality is good, but look at the extras! Zero, nada, zip. What a good way to ruin a great movie's DVD!
DVD: 1 out of 5 stars

The best, hands down
This is easily one of the greatest action movies ever made (and, personally, I think it's one of the greatest movies ever made, period.) It is also one of those rare movies that defines its genre, and yet, at the same time, transcends its genre. Actually, you have three different genres being represented in this film that, in the years since, have become intertwined as the norm for this type of movie because of "The Road Warrior"'s influence. You have the much-copied post-apocalyptic wasteland, populated by barbaric savages and helpless victims; you have the classic western and the classic western's "reluctant hero," represented here by Mad Max, the drifting loner, scarred by his past, who only comes to the aid of others when it serves him; and, of course, you have the spectacular car chases, amazing stunts and crashes and huge explosions of the modern action movie. "The Road Warrior" brought all three of these elements together, and you can still see them in movies today, such as the much-inferior "Waterworld" and "The Postman" (man, Costner must've liked this movie too--you'd think he'd get it right eventually.)
And, as an action movie, "The Road Warrior" has yet to be topped. All of the stunts, chases, crashes, explosions you see on the screen are 100% real. No computer enhancement, no technical junk -- when you see a guy drive into a car on a motorcycle and he flies about 75 feet through the air, it's real. And when I say this movie transcends its genre, I'm talking about the style in which it's directed. All of the action becomes almost operatic because of the expert direction and musical score. It comes across as a beautiful-looking action movie, in spite of all the violence and carnage.
I wouldn't hesitate to rate "The Road Warrior" as one of the best action movies of all time and Mel Gibson's Mad Max as one of the greatest (if not THE greatest) action "hero" in cinema history. If this movie were made today, the writers would probably have him cracking lame one-liners throughout the film, but, instead, Max hardly speaks at all (the strong, silent type that also goes with the western genre) -- his actions speak for him. I wish Hollywood at least attempted to make action movies and action movie heroes like this these days (well, come to think of it, I guess they did attempt it with "Waterworld," and that became one of the biggest money-losers in film history, so I guess the moral is: Don't try to duplicate perfection.)

MEN OF THE WORLD, WATCH THIS
This is quite possibly the greatest MAN movie ever made. Cars, guns, blood, exploding heads. I can't even begin to say how much I love this movie. It is truly a fantastic spectacle and the best sequel I've ever seen.

Not very interesting
I guess the folks who made this movie decided to make an all-out pitch to a mediocre audience: it's all about cars and gasoline and violence.

The way it is put together is mildly interesting, but incoherent. The purported hero, Mad Max, has been subjected to an enormous personal loss (his wife and child) which occupies about ten seconds of the movie. He finds a bunch of liberal-hippie types running a gas refinery (??? huh ???) in the middle of the outback, in a world where gasoline means life or death. The liberal-hippie types are being attacked by a really weird group of folks, including a very obvious gay couple. There is a feral boy with a razor-sharp boomerang who knows more than anyone else.

It seems hard to find any connection between this movie and anything in reality.

Recommended only for curiosity value.

This is what it has come to...
Okay, here's the deal. Mad Max (Max Rockatansky) is THE baddest BELIEVABLE movie hero that ever was and will be. Enough said. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

road warrior / beastmaster = steel dawn
No one watches Steel Dawn for the smart dialogue, the existential motifs, or the brilliant cinematography. This isn't Beckett here. If you like movies where a renegade with a sword gets the bad guys and protects small-town interests, this is for you. It's like the "Road Warrior" without the cars meets the "Beastmaster" without religious cults, and add a touch of Jimmy Stewart's western "Destry Rides Again." This is escapist cinema, and the best kind.

A note on the DVD: this is a full-screen edition that looks pretty cheap--no great remastering job here. There are no special features, no sound options, no languages. But if you want to see a movie featuring a guy with a sword, you don't need Dolby Digital and a pristine print: you need "Steel Dawn."

ANOTHER OF MY KEEPERS!
Not top notch? -- Ah well, It can be thoroughly enjoyed without picking it apart.
But how many different ways can the same kind of stories be portrayed? Actually it is the writers fault for not giving a different twist to life's story. [Underground pure water?]
I enjoyed the acting - the characters - the desert? but the hairdo's were awful.
This is another one that I like to watch again - what can I say? I like the futuristic SiFi - even the outlandish ones.
The villian's got what they deserved. [grin]

Shhhhh, don¿t tell anyone....
Have you ever watched a film that you know isn't very good, yet you ended up secretly liking it, but wouldn't tell a soul (at least those you know personally) that you do? Well, for me, this is one of those films.

I've always been a sucker for post-apocalyptic films/novels and the loner hero, and maybe that's why I ended up enjoying it. Hey, I liked Costner's "The Postman" and "Waterworld", and Yul Brenners "The Ultimate Warrior", and at least one of Gibson's "Mad Max" vehicles (so you know where I'm coming from).

Patrick Swayze and his wife are just fine in this standard yarn, and the fight scenes were done very well. Alas, there is nothing new to find here, but if you are attracted to the cast you might sneak this video in one night (very late, while everyone else is asleep).

Between 1 and 10, I rate "Steel Dawn" a very marginal 6, but in reality, I know it's not much above a 4;-).

Post-Apocalyptic Swordfighting with a Familiar Plot
Yes, this is another rehash of the Shane/Road Warrior story of the lonely wanderer who defends the intrepid farmers against the evil baron/barbarian horde/wealthy landowner. Yes, it is another post-apocalyptic wasteland action movie. Yes, the dialogue is predictably lame ................... What gives this movie a slight edge over some others of this ilk is the sturdy performance of under-appreciated Brion James as a tired old soldier, the hammy intensity of Christopher Neame as the hero's rival, and the ........... swordfights.

Patrick Swayze plays a member of a knights-of-the-round-table type outfit who's days of glory and effectiveness has passed. He travels incognito through the wastelands, finding a farming community under threat from the local rich & powerful bad guy. He winds up fighting against one of his former fellow defenders of justice, now working for the bad guy.

The Brian May music and desert scenery gives the obligatory road-warrior flavor. The costumes and set dressing give the impression of the return of some culture and industry while still picking over the remains of the old world. The existence of these "guards" implies that there was a "world order" that emerged from the catastrophe, but that there has since been a descent to lawlessness.

The weapons combat was very skillful and, as movies go, convincing. The comatants move with efficiency, speed, and convincingness, fighting with the equivalent of quarterstaffs, bastard swords, and two-swords. It is the strongest feature of the movie and pretty much the only reason to watch it over any other genre movie. This, and the fact that the film achieves at least the minimum big-studio stardards of technical proficiency (cinematography, sound, edtiting, etc) and has a story without any big holes in it gives it the extra star. END

Pretty good but has some flaws
The dialogue in the movie is pretty bad, but the fight scene at the end is fantastic-- excellent swordplay (very fast, with great foot work) between Patrick Swayze and Anthony Zerbe. This movie reminded me of The Road Warrior, only not as violent. ... Read more

Reviews (667)

Good movie, packed DVD
Why 5 stars? Well I looked at what everyone else was writing, and as far as their complaints go, they seemed to be frustrated with some dialogue issues and logistics in the characters. I saw most of the original Planet of the Ape films, and while they were fascinating, they didn't quite stack up to this.

The dialogue, were it was corny "Get you stinking hand off me" was one of a few inside jokes within the movie that was a referrence to a Charlton Heston line in Planet of the Apes. As I recall this was the first line the Apes spoke in the film (as Attar demonstrated). Heston spoke those same words (from a different point of view) to the apes when he was captured, much to their surprise. There a quite a few inside jokes in the movie. So you need to be familiar with th first film to appreciate this one.

It also makes intriguing referrences to cultural issues of the past, in particular, slavery, using humans and apes. Course there is more to the story. Planet of the Apes was always breaching ground for Civil Rights. This was a more emphatic example.

The costumes and special affects were stellar. Definitely two Oscars will nodded for makeup and costumes. Tim Burton did a good job in directing and respects go to the screenwriter for his visions. THis was a labor 12 years in the making with numerous names attached (Arnold S. and Oliver Stone at one time).

The DVD is loaded with everything you could want. I got some kind of limited edition CD-Rom. Not sure if everyone else got it, but it offers cast interviews as well. I and my parents enjoyed it, so good for the 20- somethings and 50- somethings..

Not a remake of the original but a totally different story
First let start off by saying that this is not a remake of the 1968 classic but a totally different telling of the story. I respect Tim Burton for not trying to do your basic remake, which consists of updated special effects but the same story. The story in this movie is entirely different than the original. Other than the fact that Apes are involved there are very few similarities. The story is well thought out and keeps you engaged throughout the movie. Tim Burton also knew that Mark Wahlberg is no Charlton Heston, so he kept his dialogue to a minimal. Actually Tim Roth and Michael Duncan Clark have more dialogue in the movie than Wahlberg does. Rick Baker does an outstanding job with the makeup, which allows the actors facial expressions to come through which is key for this type of movie. I will not ruin the ending but will tell you that it is unique and as unexpected as the first one was in 1968. Now onto the DVD, the Anamorphic transfer is flawless and the DTS 5.1 soundtrack is superb. The video shows no signs of edge enhancement, artifacting, or color bleeds. The blacks are deep and rich and all the colors are vibrant. The DTS 5.1 audio track is just awesome; it utilizes the rears and subwoofer frequently. All dialogue is focused on the center channel and is well balanced. The DVD has more special features than any other DVD to date. There are at least 6 documentaries, a "first person" point of view feature, and all the other normal fanfare that comes with a special edition DVD. This by far and wide is Fox's best DVD to date as it pertains to special features.

not a very good version
this is tim burtons adaption of the original movie from 68.the story strays way off course from the original but is way funnier.marky mark stars in it.oh yeah!now will take it seriously.as if it wasnt bad enough we were watching a bad remake of an old classic,now it stars one of the worst bands in histories brothers.bbbboooooooooooooo!the kids will like it.tim burton directed it.besides the lack of keeping with the original and bad casting,this movie is good.it is a disapointment from a lot of his far better movies though.there are a lot of racial undertones in it.they are done in a funny way.is this even possible?its kind of a down but still manages a 3 star rating due to tim burtons masterful save.