Cyborg (1989)

User Rating:

4.2/10   

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writer (WGA):

Kitty Chalmers (written by)

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

He's the first hero of the 21st century.

Plot:

A martial artist hunts a killer in a plague-infested urban dump of the future.

Plot Keywords:

Plague | Future | Cyborg | New York City | Low Budget Film

Cast

Jean-Claude Van Damme	...	Gibson Rickenbacker
Deborah Richter	...	Nady Simmons
Vincent Klyn	...	Fender Tremolo
Alex Daniels	...	Marshall Strat
Dayle Haddon	...	Pearl Prophet
Blaise Loong	...	Furman Vux / Pirate / Bandit
Ralf Moeller	...	Brick Bardo (as Rolf Muller)
Haley Peterson	...	Haley
Terrie Batson	...	Mary
Jackson 'Rock' Pinckney	...	Tytus / Pirate / Bandit
Janice Graser	...	Vorg
Robert Pentz	...	Base / Pirate / Bandit
Sharon K. Tew	...	Prather / Pirate / Bandit
Chuck Allen	...	Vondo / Pirate / Bandit
Stefanos Miltsakakis	...	Xylo / Pirate / Bandit

Also Known As:

Masters of the Universe 2 (USA) (TV title)
Masters of the Universe 2: Cyborg (USA) (TV title)

Runtime:

86 min | Germany:59 min (VHS version) (heavily cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Germany:16 (heavily cut) | West Germany:18 (original rating) (cut) | West Germany:18 (DVD rating) (JK/SPIO) | Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1989) | Finland:K-18 (1990) (cut) | Finland:K-18 (2001) (uncut) | Denmark:15 | Australia:M (DVD re-rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Brazil:16 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:15 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | France:-12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Castle Hayne, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Cannon Entertainment

Trivia:

Fender says "we have a skinjob", a reference to Blade Runner (1982).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: After Gibson Rickenbacker separates from Pearl for the first time, Fender comes to say "I will give you the horror show". A crewman with a white T-shirt can be seen on the reflection on Fender's sunglasses.

Quotes:

Fender Tremolo: First there was the collapse of civilization: anarchy, genocide, starvation. Then when it seemed things couldn't get any worse, we got the plague. The Living Death, quickly closing its fist over the entire planet. Then we heard the rumors: that the last scientists were working on a cure that would end the plague and restore the world. Restore it? Why? I like the death! I like the misery! I like this world!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Resident Alien (1990)

Campy, but quite serviceable sci-fi

This is an earlier van Damme effort -- and he's pretty wooden in this one, but the simple, linear storyline makes this movie an entertaining one, definitely a good "popcorn movie". The movie makes a few feeble attempts at humanizing the characters, but the flashback scenes used to show us that the main character is a tortured soul are contrived and occasionally laugh-inducing.

The plot -- get the life-saving data about a plague to the scientists across the barren 'no mans land' is thin, but carries this sci-fi vehicle pretty well, despite the fact that all the characters seem to be named after guitars. The fight scenes are, as usual, believable and exciting.

All in all, definitely not a good movie, but certainly worth an hour or so, if you like sci-fi. FOr some it might be MST3K material, but if you can get past the camp, it's not too bad.