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...

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | Sci-Fi

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and brief language

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

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, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$14,567,883, 6 December 1998

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

Original script by David Webb Peoples was written in 1982 or 1983, and it was originally titled The Base. Director Ted Kotcheff and Sylvester Stallone were involved in the project around that same time, right after they made First Blood (1982), but once Stallone left, and Clint Eastwood, next actor who they had in mind for main role also left, the project was cancelled, and after the script went through many different studios next 15 years, it was finally re-written and turned into Soldier (1998).

---

Goofs

When Col. Mekum first enters the hanger, the aftermath of the chain fight (which hasn't occurred yet) is clearly visible.

---

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]

---

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.

---

Connections

References The Terminator (1984)

---

Soundtracks

The Flowing Bowl
Traditional Arranged by Solas
Courtesy of Shanachie Entertainment Corp.

User Reviews

love the idea but...

It's 1996 year zero of Adam Project. Orphans are raised from babies to soldiers. Sgt. Todd 3465 (Kurt Russell) leads his men in various wars. Years afterward, Col. Mekum (Jason Isaacs) has created genetically engineered superior soldiers. Capt. Church (Gary Busey) insists on a real fight. Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee) wins a three on one combat but Todd is able to gouge out one of Caine's eye. The older soldiers are reduced to menial jobs while Todd's body is abandoned in a wind-swept waste dump planet. He is taken in by the inhabitants Sandra (Connie Nielsen) and Mace (Sean Pertwee). The inhabitants are crash survivors ignored by the dump ships. The community decides to push out Todd. When Mekum comes to clear the planet, Todd comes to the rescue.

I really like the concept and the start of this movie. However the society on the planet adds very little. Todd's development is clunky at best. His relationship with Sandra and her husband Mace is somewhat of a mystery. I can't tell if the movie is trying to gin up a romance. It would be much better to concentrate on their son and Todd. Todd could be a Frankenstein monster to the boy. It would probably be easier to not make the mom so hot. They shot a lot and blow up a lot of stuff for the final act. It's passable action but felt relatively repetitive.