I wave my 80’s flag proud. You’re going to see me defend such classics as Blood Sport, Footloose, Purple Rain, Roadhouse, Last Dragon, etc. To me…they’re no guilty pleasures, they’re classics. It’s no argument that Van-Damme was one of the most popular Action stars in the 80’s.
Before I get into the review, maybe I should explain the 80’s Action star. Technically starting with 1981 “Conan the Barbarian,” 80’s Action stars were shirtless, muscle bound freaks of nature that were either seeking revenge or wiping out an entire community. Even though Stallone got the ball rolling with “Rocky” this was more a Drama then an Action film. Of course, following up with “Nighthawks,” as great as this movie was it still didn’t get the ball rolling. 1982 “First Blood” set the template for the next decade of Action films. It’s when Chuck Norris released 1984 “Missing in Action” when Martial Arts made a major come back in the Action film. This paved the way for Steven Seagal and Van Damme.
Even though Van Damme wore a 1 piece doing his 80’s dance in “Breakin” (see link below), I first noticed him in the God awful “No Retreat, No Surrender.” Noone in that movie could act for shit, but Van Damme stuck out as the villain. He had the moves, and the right look. I knew I was gonna see more of this cat. Then of course 1987 “Bloodsport” came out. Loved it. Acting still sucked, but the fight scenes were jawdropping, and still holds up today. By 1989, everyone knew Van Damme, and “Cyborg” was released.
I remember seeing this in theaters. Expecting a by the book Van Damme film (being that Kickboxer was another Bloodsport), I was blown away at how dark this movie was. What made me love 80’s action films, is that apparently everyone knows karate. Everyone is a trained fighter. “Cyborg” was no exception. The end of the world concept wasn’t original but managed to show me a Cannon Film perspective on the world. So far, I’m not being very convincing on why this is the movie pick of the week.
It’s an overlooked film. This movie shouldn’t be lumped in with the other Van Damme films. It has its own identity. It’s brutally violent, the villains are absolutely rabid monsters, the score sets the mood, and actually carries the movie in a lot of ways. Van Damme started to get a little more comfortable on screen, and his acting started improving.
But the main reason why movies like this hold up is the Action. The fight scenes are exciting, and still fun to watch. He’s a merciless good guy. He fights like a villain. Fights to kill. Of course, the protagonist is only as good as his antagonist. Vendor played by Vincent Klyn (who also played in Point Break), was absolutely bone-chilling. Supported by his barbaric crew, they do everything possible to keep the dark world they hold so dear.
It’s what I call a lost gem. For younger fans that love the “Expendables” films, I highly recommend this. I own 678 blu-rays, and I find myself going back to this one at least once a month. As much as I enjoy a thought provoking deep art film, sometimes a guy like me just has to have a barebones, meat and potatoes film.
– G.R.E.E.N.B.A.N.K.
MORBID MOVIE MEMOIRS: VHS GENERATION 