Soldier (1998)

A soldier trained from birth is deemed obsolete and dumped on a waste planet where he is reluctantly taken in by a community of defenseless, stranded wayfarers.

Director:

Paul W.S. Anderson (as Paul Anderson)

Writer:

David Webb Peoples

Stars:

Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Jason Isaacs

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kurt Russell	...	Todd 3465
Jason Scott Lee	...	Caine 607
Jason Isaacs	...	Colonel Mekum
Connie Nielsen	...	Sandra
Sean Pertwee	...	Mace
Jared Thorne	...	Nathan
Taylor Thorne	...	Nathan
Mark Bringelson	...	Rubrick
Gary Busey	...	Church
K.K. Dodds	...	Sloan
James Black	...	Riley
Mark De Alessandro	...	Goines
Vladimir Orlov	...	Romero
Carsten Norgaard	...	Green
Duffy Gaver	...	Chelsey

Storyline

In a futuristic society, some people are selected at birth to become soldiers, and trained in such a manner that they become inhuman killing machines. One of the most succesfull and older of these soldiers (Russell) is pitted against a new breed of soldiers, and after the confrontation is believed to be dead. His body is left behind in a semi-abandoned colonial planet, where everything is peaceful, and he is taught about the other aspects of life. But eventually he has to fight the new breed of soldiers again, this time to defend his new home...

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | minigun | soldier | planet | crash survivor | 

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Taglines:

Left for dead on a remote planet for obsolete machines and people, a fallen hero has one last battle to fight

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and brief language

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Soldier

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,447,237, 25 October 1998

Gross USA:

$14,594,226

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,594,226

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Morgan Creek Entertainment, Jerry Weintraub Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min 91 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Paul W.S. Anderson admitted that the film did not turn out the way he had originally intended. He and screenwriter David Webb Peoples had always envisioned the movie as a classic western, a sort-of Shane (1953) set in space, and wanted to film in wide open environments and existing locations as much as possible, as opposed to using studio sets. However, Kurt Russell insisted on bulking up for the role naturally, without use of steroids, which pushed the production schedule of the movie back by several months. By the time that his lengthy training was finished and filming was about to commence, the 'El Niño' hurricane caused such adverse weather conditions that filming on the selected locations was no longer possible. There was no other option than scaling back the picture and shooting inside a studio, with all its limitations. Anderson stated that it sadly compromised the entire look of the picture; he named the shot where Todd arrives on the planet and walks through the abandoned spaceship as an example of "the kind of imagery I wanted to put onscreen and get more of."

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Goofs

In the initial attack, the three-man fire team consists of three soldiers carrying a flamethrower, a minigun, and an automatic rifle. But Todd kills two soldiers carrying flamethrowers.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Female Voice: [to audience of very young boys] A soldier does not speak until spoken to by a superior officer. A soldier shows no mercy. Mercy is weakness. Weakness is death. A soldier...
[squealing pig led in for slaughter]

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Alternate Versions

Although rated "Not under 18" by the FSK in Germany, this version still contains numerous cuts to reduce violence. The "Not under 16" version removes or shortens nearly every violent part.

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Connections

References Escape from L.A. (1996)

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Soundtracks

Immigrant Song
(Uncredited)
Written by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant
Performed by Led Zeppelin

User Reviews

Soldier on!

Kurt Russell is strong and (mostly) silent in this futuristic action-thriller from Paul Anderson (Event Horizon, Resident Evil.) Set on a garbage-dump planet, Soldier plays like a cross between Rambo and Shane, with Russell barely speaking as the title character, an "obsolete" genetic soldier left for dead. The supporting cast of colonists, including Connie Nielsen, Sean Pertwee and a surprisingly hirsute Michael Chiklis, is able. They spend most of the movie being scared of Russell, and the rest of it running for their lives. Russell's performance here is one of the best he's ever given. With almost no words to say, he conveys emotion, feeling and meaning with looks and glances. It is almost a mime performance. When the action sequences kick into gear, he kicks ass--and does so in a strong, silent, matter-of fact way. There are flaws. Jason Scott Lee is brutish as a "superior" genetic soldier. Jason Isaacs does a great impression of Frank Burns from M*A*S*H as a weaselly commanding officer, and Gary Busey busts a gut (and nearly busts his girdle) as Todd's mentor. This is an underrated, and excellent sci-fi flick, and recommended for anyone who wants a second visit to the universe of Blade Runner--David Webb Peoples wrote both screenplays.