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

"Cyborg" was originally written as "Masters of the Universe 2: The Cyborg", which was the sequel to Masters of the Universe (1987), in which He-Man returned to Earth, only to discover Earth has been left as a post-apocalyptic wasteland, when it is destroyed by Skeletor. When Cannon films and Mattel canceled production on the film. Albert Pyun, whom was hired to direct, wrote the script (under the pseudonym of Kitty Chalmers, the name of his cat) from two other previous scripts he had called "Johnny Guitar" and "Alex Rain" and it became the script for "Cyborg".

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Goofs

Early in the film, Nady and Gibson meet up with a group of masked men in an abandoned concrete building. One of them jumps down onto a concrete table and scares Nady. In this scene, Nady has Levi's blue jeans instead of the grey pants she wears throughout the rest of the film.

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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

Referenced in Resident Alien (1990)

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). (**)