Diamond Dogs (2007)

A mercenary is hired to protect an expedition group while they search for a Tangka, a Buddhist artifact worth millions of dollars.

Directors:

Shimon Dotan (as Samuel Dolhasca), Dolph Lundgren (uncredited)

Writer:

Léopold St-Pierre (screenplay)

Stars:

Dolph Lundgren, Nan Yu, Xue Zuren

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dolph Lundgren	...	Xander Ronson
Nan Yu	...	Anika
Xue Zuren	...	Ang Shaw
William Shriver	...	Chambers
Raicho Vasilev	...	Zhukov
NuoMing Huari	...	Sonia (as Noming)
Hu Sha	...	House Manager
Gregory MacIsaac	...	Sinister Man
Chunnian Zhang	...	Eye Patch
Huriga	...	Mongolian Man
Heping Wang	...	Old Monk
Xinmin Wang	...	Main Judge
Wang Lusha	...	Young Judge
Wang Jun	...	Female Judge
Davy Williams	...	Jim (as David A. Williams)

Storyline

American ex-soldier Ronson (Dolph Lundgren) has fallen on hard times. He has been reduced to brutal illegal prizefights in the dingy backstreets of a city in Inner Mongolia in an attempt to pay off his debts. Things go from bad to worse after Ronson is caught in the act and arrested. The judge offers Ronson a choice: pay off all his debts in a month or return to jail. While Ronson is busy debating his limited options, he encounters the alluring Anika (Yu Nan), whom he follows down an alley only to be attacked by three thugs. After successfully beating off his attackers, he learns that the fight has been an elaborate audition for Anika's stepfather Chambers, a wealthy New York art collector. Chambers offers Ronson enough money to settle all his debts if he will guide an expedition composed of Chambers (William Shriver), Anika, several of Chambers' men and archeologist Ang Shaw into the rugged mountains of Mongolia. With the help of a secret map, Chambers hopes to locate a fabled temple...

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Plot Keywords:

mercenary | buddhist | temple | ex soldier | battle | 

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Taglines:

Soldier. Fighter. Seeker. Legend.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and some language

Details

Official Sites:

Imagem Filmes [Brazil] Moonstone Entertainment [United States]

Country:

Canada China

Language:

English Mandarin

Release Date:

1 November 2009 (China)

Also Known As:

Anthropokynigos

Filming Locations:

Huhhot, Inner Mongolia, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Ocean Entertainment, Moonstone Entertainment, Red Orm Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Shimon Dotan was replaced by Dolph Lundgren during most of the production.

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Goofs

When Anika is assaulted by the Russians her right eye is OK, then when Ronson lifts her up a little later she has a black eye. But when she is seen in the restaurant talking to Ronson, she once again has no black eye.

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Quotes

Xander Ronson: A curse works if everyone is dead.

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Connections

Referenced in Making of 'Diamond Dogs' (2008)

User Reviews

Nothing special, but neither dull nor awful

Just another Seagal-Van Damme-Dudikoff type movie where martial arts, beautiful Asian women vs ugly Asian men, picturesque Oriental landscape and treasure hunt have been somewhat clumsily mixed into an action movie. Like in many movies with Lundgren, Russians are bad and greedy again... And of course, there are lots of fight and chase scenes so playfully resolved by Lundgren's character himself. In spite of his age (he was almost 50 during the filming) he still looks strong and fit.

The plot, directing and camera work have their shortcomings, but the movie is not "yawning", logic of the course is still there, the ending is not 100% anticipated and the length (1,5 hours) is just appropriate for killing time.