Soldier

Soldier

WARNING - SPOILERS!

Synopsis - Futuristic action flick about an initially unlikeable genetically-engineered soldier (Todd) abandoned by his makers. He's left for dead on a 'garbage dump' planet and becomes the good guy when he helps the residents of the planet fight off the same people who raised and trained him. * You're probably going to think I'm insane, but I liked this movie. Got two thumbs up from the 14-year-old son too. We were both cheering like mad for Todd. Yes, we were in a silly mood (maybe that's a requirement for watching this movie), but we had fun with it. We even threw popcorn at Mekum. * And it got us talking about a lot of things (children raised without any emotional or physical attachments and the requirements of being a 'good solider'). And when something gets you talking with your teenager, it can't be all bad, right?

Released - 1998

Character - Colonel Mekum

Accent - American

Good guy or bad boy? - Icky smug military guy (much like Father Smythe in a uniform)

Bastard rating -10

Blood & Bullets - Yep, lots of both. Rated 'R.'

Costumes - Gray uniform. The color looked good on him, but the design was a little too 'Space Nazi' for me

Pinky Ring? - No. Don't think so.

Hair - short hair and the cheddar of cheesy mustaches. I just wanted to hold him down and shave the ugly thing off. Or rub if off because it looked like it was drawn on with a Sharpie marker.

Other cast - Kurt Russell was Todd, (although I prefer him as a character with actual personality - like Snake Plissken), Sean Pertwee (cool character), Connie Nielsen (gorgeous), Jason Scott Lee (wow, he's really bulked up since 'The Jungle Book')

Squidge factor - Man, the lowest one yet. Maybe a 3 out of 10? Arrogant, smug, yet oh so cowardly. Total disregard for human life. Ick. The mustache definitely hurt in this category. Not the least bit 'Tom Selleck-y.' And heck, no coffee. Or any sort of drink. Maybe that's the problem, hmmmm?

Death - Yep, "he blowed up good." Again. Or as he says on the DVD commentary, "Jason Isaacs - dead as ever." Would have preferred a more 'visceral' sort of death though (like D.J.'s for instance). I think this is the first time I've actually cheered when a Jason character died. Although this totally blows the long string of 'non-dying-Jason' movies . . .

Favorites Quotes - "What exactly does that crap mean in English?" * "I am NOT panicking!" * "Fuck 'em. Let's just go." 

Video/DVD - Buy it if you like silly blow-'em-up SciFi action flicks