Cyborg (1989)

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

Director:

Albert Pyun

Writer:

Albert Pyun (as Kitty Chalmers)

Stars:

Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah Richter, Vincent Klyn

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Gibson Rickenbacker is a hired fighter living in a plague-ravaged apocalyptic America where a plague has infested most of the United States and the rest of the world. In New York City, Gibson encounters a woman named Pearl Prophet. Pearl reveals to Gibson that she is a cyborg who is carrying vital-information for a group of scientists in Atlanta who are working on a cure to the plague and Pearl hires Gibson to escort her back to Atlanta. But Pearl is kidnapped by "Pirates" a murderous gang led by Fender Tremolo, who wants the cure for themselves and they decide to take Pearl to Atlanta themselves. Gibson, joined by a young woman named Nady Simmons, goes in pursuit of Fender and his gang, as Gibson sets out to rescue Pearl, stop Fender and his gang from reaching Atlanta and defeat Fender who slaughtered Gibson's family.

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Plot Keywords:

wasteland | cult film | post apocalypse | low budget film | year 2019 | 

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Taglines:

He's the First Hero of the 21st Century...And He's Our Only Hope.

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Genres:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 April 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Masters of the Universe 2: Cyborg

Filming Locations:

Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,179,811, 9 April 1989

Gross USA:

$10,166,459

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,166,459

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cannon Entertainment, Golan-Globus Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The chain mail and forearm guards worn by Fender were part of the costume for the character "Blade" in Masters of the Universe (1987).

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Goofs

In the final knife fight scene in the rain, Gibson sticks the knife in Fender's upheld blocking forearm with a downward overhand stab. In the next scene, when the knife is still in Fender's forearm, his hand is holding the knife in a sideways grip with the palm down, opposite of the grip during the stab. The knife only goes in about an inch or so, but it's shown buried to the hilt.

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Quotes

Fender Tremolo: You think I'm going to swim all the way to Atlanta! I hate... the water.
[shoves metal pole down one of the ransacked villagers mouthes]
Fender Tremolo: Hoist the anchor mates.
[preparing to head to Atlanta by boat]

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Alternate Versions

In 2011 Albert Pyun released the alternate cut of 'Cyborg' on DVD through his website. It is edited by Pyun and contains some previously unseen scenes that were cut from the film to earn a "R" rating rather than an "X".

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Connections

Spun-off from Masters of the Universe (1987)

User Reviews

Violent action trash

Albert Pyun's Cyborg (1989) stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Gibson, who is a lonely avenger in the post-apocalyptic future world in which sadistic hooligans kill and torture people in Mad Max tradition. Damme's character is after the bad guy who killed his family and the film follows his quest to capture and vengeance the ugly baddie and his thugs. What follows is the usual Damme action with plenty of kicks and hits.

This film is technically occasionally interesting, but for most of the time just stupid and unintentionally trashy. The editing in the action scenes is irritatingly restless and pointless as the film tries to show many things with these fast edits, but manages, in fact, to show only less by these too plenty edits. The cinematography is occasionally almost great, and the long segment at the abandoned storehouse offers a great opportunity to use camera with space and thankfully Pyun can use his camera and make his films look professional and interesting, and that storehouse segment is definitely among the more interesting in this film. Otherwise, the acting is the usual Damme level and the baddies are very irritating as they yell and scream without any point like some drunken indians. As an action scifi, this is grade B, but fortunately directed with skill so it is pleasant thing to watch, if one can stand the stupidities and hollowness of this film.

There's plenty of violence in forms of kicking, hitting, punching, slashing, snapping and so on so this is no less violent than your average Seagal/Damme/Norris vehicle which always tend to share these same no brains elements but also sometimes something cinematically noteworthy and interesting. Cyborg gets 4/10 from me and I would've given it much more if it had at least some point and less stupidities in it.