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:

plague | pirate | cyborg | mercenary | vengeance | 

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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:

Heat Seekers

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, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$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 film was originally going to be the sequel to Masters of the Universe (1987) starring Dolph Lundgren. Jean-Claude Van Damme would later work with Dolph Lundgren on the Universal Soldier films and The Expendables 2 (2012).

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Goofs

When Prophet Pearl tells Jean-Claude Van Damme's character that she can trust him. The camera shows the same actress on close-up shots. After Van Damme responds he thought she was somebody else. An animotronic lookalike of his former lover Mary is used instead. It's when Fender walks over and stares at her . Again, the camera closes up but with the wrong actress's face.

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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!

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Connections

Version of Fist of the North Star (1995)

User Reviews

Not really good, but overly maligned.

"Cyborg" is actually passable stuff if you watch it in the right frame of mind (and that thought occurred to me only in the SECOND viewing); if you're expecting a movie made with artistry and professionalism or anything resembling class, you're in for a disappointment. But if you know that this is only supposed to be a low-grade showcase for Van Damme's rather impressive kickboxing skills, then you may like it a little. It IS primitive filmmaking, but a bit more elaborately staged than other Cannon releases (for example, the Bronson vehicles of the 80s). (**)