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Direct Contact

  • 2009
  • R
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
4.2/10
3.2K
YOUR RATING
Direct Contact (2009)
An ex-U.S. Special Forces operative, who is imprisoned in Russia, can earn his freedom if he can rescue an abducted American woman. But when he secures her release, he realizes the deal was just a ruse, and his new companion has alerted the attention of a ruthless government, paramilitary and underworld organizations -- all of whom want them dead.
Play trailer1:14
2 Videos
11 Photos
ActionThriller

An American prisoner in a Balkan prison is given a chance at freedom if he can rescue a kidnapped American woman.An American prisoner in a Balkan prison is given a chance at freedom if he can rescue a kidnapped American woman.An American prisoner in a Balkan prison is given a chance at freedom if he can rescue a kidnapped American woman.

  • Director
    • Danny Lerner
  • Writers
    • Danny Lerner
    • Les Weldon
  • Stars
    • Dolph Lundgren
    • Gina May
    • Michael Paré
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.2/10
    3.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Danny Lerner
    • Writers
      • Danny Lerner
      • Les Weldon
    • Stars
      • Dolph Lundgren
      • Gina May
      • Michael Paré
    • 47User reviews
    • 30Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos2

    Direct Contact
    Trailer 1:14
    Direct Contact
    DVD Clip: Escaping With the Girl
    Clip 3:26
    DVD Clip: Escaping With the Girl
    DVD Clip: Escaping With the Girl
    Clip 3:26
    DVD Clip: Escaping With the Girl

    Photos11

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    Top cast37

    Edit
    Dolph Lundgren
    Dolph Lundgren
    • Mike Riggins
    Gina May
    • Ana Gale
    Michael Paré
    Michael Paré
    • Clive Connelly
    Bashar Rahal
    Bashar Rahal
    • General Drago
    James Chalke
    James Chalke
    • Trent Robbins
    Vladimir Vladimirov
    • Vlado Karadjov
    Raicho Vasilev
    • Boris
    Nikolay Stanoev
    Nikolay Stanoev
    • Gun Dealer
    Mike Straub
    Mike Straub
    • Lead Marine Guard
    Les Weldon
    Les Weldon
    • Anchorman
    Yoan Petrov
    • Vlado's Son
    Uti Bachvarov
    • Zoran Posternoff
    Alexander Kadiev
    • Chopper Pilot
    Teodor Tzolov
    • Janitor
    • (as Teodor Tsolov)
    Mariana Stansheva
    Mariana Stansheva
    • Screaming Woman
    • (as Marianne Stanicheva)
    Gemma Garrett
    Gemma Garrett
    • Trent's Assistant
    Slavi Slavov
    Slavi Slavov
    • General Drago's Guard #1
    Boyan Anev
    • Drago's Soldier human shield in final showdown
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Danny Lerner
    • Writers
      • Danny Lerner
      • Les Weldon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews47

    4.23.1K
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    Featured reviews

    2orlin-9

    Don't waste your time!

    The worst move ever shot in Bulgaria probably since I didn't watched many. Poor acting, poor stunt, poor effects many mistakes. Not very convincing story. Too much blood and unnecessary show of that. In that cheap movie you can see cars that you cannot see in this region from many years -like Trabant, Moskvich, Lada or GAZ. You can hear moaning in many languages like Russian, Bulgarian or some mix, but nothing sounds like real. I am sorry that I have spent so much time for that stupid film. There is really no point in that movie that I could like, sorry. Although I like good actions.... The only reason for watching this movie was the play of Dolph Lundgren. He act normally, not bad but that cannot compensate the lapse of a logical reasons for his hero's acts. The only real chance for some romance thread was missed in the worst not convincing way.
    lost-in-limbo

    "I understand you have a problem with authority"

    Dolph Lundgren hits us with another by-the-numbers straight to DVD action fare set in Europe where he plays an American ex-marine turned arms smuggler who's spending time in a Russian prison, that's until he's given his freedom in exchange for the rescue of an American heiress who's being held hostage by some Russian criminals and rogue soldiers. But what he is to believe is not quite the case and it triggers a domino effect of violence and destruction. The action clichés come fast and furious, but these formulaic staples offer up plenty of carnage; metallic and flesh. It's speedy, swift and frenetic. Onslaught after onslaught. Chase after chase. The blood simply flows, numerous splatter on show in the many glorious shootouts, explosions and thank god no CGI is used either way. Director Danny Lerner does a competent job. Predictable, but workable even though it might get repetitious and a touch clumsy in the jaunty fight choreography. The locations add to the spectacle too. Lundgren is on cruise control, but still looks good kicking ass. One man, well equipped and going it alone. Michael Paré and Gina May also shows up.

    "Do not shoot the girl!"
    3andrew-552

    More like, "Avoid Contact"

    A few things you should know about, "Direct Contact.":- 1) It is not very good at all. In fact, it's pretty dire. Don't believe all this stuff about it being, "action packed," as half of those sequences come from other movies anyway and are badly edited in.

    2) It's badly made. The continuity in this film is all over the place, partly due to scenes from other films being shoe-horned in. I lost count of the number of times gun miraculously change from one make to another as characters walk through scenes. We get a helicopter hovering in a bright, cloudless sky that is in a snow storm any time there is a close-up, cars that rocket back and forth in condition during chases, and, best of all, a motorcycle chase that goes from sunny day, to ice covered road in the middle of nowhere, to sunny day in the middle of town in three, continuous cuts.

    3) It's badly written and makes no sense whatsoever. The dialogue is like something a teenager who's seen too many bad action movies would churn out. The plot manages to be non-existent yet totally unfathomable at the same time (why hire Dolph to kidnap the girl when you have the general and his entire army guarding her in your pocket?) and it contains one of the worst excuses for a love scene ever committed to film. They literally go from not giving a stuff about each other to doing it in five seconds flat.

    4) It's badly acted. It's saying something when Michael Pare puts in the best performance in the movie. Dolph lumbers around like he's only half-interested in what's going on and, at times, his movement is so laboured I was wondering if he was injured. By far and away though, the worst is, "Uncle Trent." He is so bad as to be hilarious and has the immortal (misread) line of, "What if he goes A.O.L?" A.O.L.??? 5) The director really does have something against roadside cafes. I counted no less than three that were trashed in three separate car chases. He does however love showing the same wall being hit with bullets and showing great gouts of blood erupt in slow motion from people when they are shot.

    Not as bad as DTV Seagal.... but not by much!
    1ztamir

    Bad! Really bad!

    If i'll ever have to torture anyone, i'll show him this movie. bad acting, bad special effects, bad storyline - bad everything. if you want to see how to make a film BAD, watch it.. it's hard to believe anyone dares to make such awful movies these days. I was really surprised when i found out it was made in 2008. it looks like a movie made 20 yrs ago - the sounds are not synchronized with the video, the car chases are in fast forward so it would look fast (it's funny to see the people in the street moving i an unnatural fast phase), action scenes where the stunt don't wear the same cloths as the actors - you can even say that the stunts act bad (can't even ride the bike straight). But hey, if you have to much free time on your hands, and want a good laugh, watch it..
    4koohii

    So bad, that it's almost good, but then it falls back into banal

    Hard to believe that people involved into this direct-to-video mindless flick made it to become part of the crew for The Expendables. The "style" and "direction" are amateurish cheese, and the story is pretty crap. This is a decidedly inferior movie--the sort I'd expect to see "Cannon" on the front of it, if they hadn't gone bankrupt. If you're a devotee of Lundgren or Pare', then this might be worth watching for yuks, but otherwise, hard skip.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Released theatrically in United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and China.
    • Goofs
      In a car chase scene, the footage has been obviously sped up, since even the pedestrians are moving at impossibly high speeds.
    • Connections
      Edited from Warhead (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      Pesnya O Tebe
      Performed by Marina Verenikina (as Marina V)

      Written by Marina Verenikina (as Marina G. Verenikina) & Nicholas M. Baker (as Nick Baker)

      Published by Crazy Apples Worldwide

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    FAQ17

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 20, 2009 (United Arab Emirates)
    • Countries of origin
      • Bulgaria
      • Germany
    • Official sites
      • First Look Studios (United States)
      • Official site (China)
    • Languages
      • English
      • Bulgarian
    • Also known as
      • Tấn Công Trực Diện
    • Filming locations
      • Bulgaria
    • Production companies
      • Millennium Films
      • Millennium Films
      • Höger Human Service Medien & Personal GmbH
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $148,337
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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