Cyborg

"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). (**)

Cyborg has got to be van dammes best film for me along with bloodsport re watching them gives me so much nostalgia. Classic!

The stage curtains open ...

This was the very first Jean-Claude Van Damme movie I'd ever seen on the big screen, having missed out on "Bloodsport" until it's video release. My girlfriend (at the time) and I had a big fight that night, but after we made up we decided to go watch this movie in the theater. I know ... it's a weird film to pick when you're making up - LOL. But, we both had a good time and enjoyed it.

Van Damme plays the part of Gibson, a slinger - who is basically a hired gun to protect people or to hunt down other people. A notorious pirate named Fender (played by Vincent Klyn) has abducted a cyborg named Pearl (played by Dayle Haddon) who holds information that would cure the plague that is killing off earth's remaining population. As Gibson tracks down Fender and his band of pirates, we learn that there is much more brewing under the surface than we first realize.

This is a very good post-apocalyptic action film with well choreographed fight scenes featuring your typical Van Damme athletic moves and high flying kicks. The story was fairly generic, but well executed. Klyn made a formidable opponent and was solid in his role.

Maybe this isn't the best movie to share with your girlfriend or boyfriend if you are trying to set a romantic mood, but for action lovers, this is a recommend and a fun flick.

Produced in the dying years of Cannon films, directed by Albert Pyun, starring an early Van Damme claiming to be "the first hero of the 21st century", claiming to be a "post apocalyptic battle" and with the title "Cyborg", somehow I don't think it will bring many to a state of disbelief when I announce that it's a very poor film. Cheap and tacky in every area, unless you're a huge fan of Van Damme it really should be avoided.

For Albert Pyun in the 80's and early 90's, a "post apocalyptic" movie was just an excuse to avoid any expense for sets and have a bunch of goons in ragged clothes running around large areas of open land or empty buildings. The "post apocalyptic" world Cyborg takes place in was filmed in North Carolina and looks like…uh…North Carolina.

There is action, but it's all rather dull and extremely forgettable and the overly dramatic musical score which accompanies it is extremely irritating. Plus there's no buildup to them, just randomly thrown together which throws away any excitement they may have had. On the plus side, the fights aren't half as bad as those I've seen in later Albert Pyun movies but Van Damme has done a lot better.

As far as acting goes, you'll get zero. Not that you'd expect award winning performances in a movie like this, but still, Van Damme has absolutely minimal dialogue and could pass off for somebody who doesn't speak any English simply being told to speak his lines phonetically. He is that poor, but at least it's evidence enough that he has tried in later movies. I do find many of his movies entertaining, this isn't one of them. The villains are the complete opposite, and they overact and make embarrassing howling and screaming when fighting Van Damme without being remotely scary in the least. Although it certainly doesn't say much for the state of humanity if the world was to be under threat for a second from these clowns!

The post apocalyptic genre is generally one of the weakest in the field of B-movies with the likes of Steel Frontier being one of the few exceptions and this is just about as poor as it gets. Not good enough to be worth watching or not even bad enough to be funny. At best it's tedious and dull so unless you're a huge fan of Van Damme I recommend you to stay away. On the plus side, it remains the best film by schlock director Albert Pyun I've seen to date but that's probably even more of a reason to avoid it than anything else.

I used to rent this movie all the time as a kid, as I've always enjoyed apocalyptic movies, and I still do. This movie is the classic "hero's tale". It has some great action sequences, gore and cinematography. It was also made on a shoestring budget by one of my favourite defunct film companies, Cannon!