First things first, I hate low budget Sci-Fi. When I think of low budget Sci-Fi, I think of Albert Pyun. Which is not a not a pleasant thought. In fact, in general I don't like much Sci-Fi at all with the likes of Terminator being one of the few exceptions. I was in a shop which sold second hand VHS and DVD when I stumbled upon this with the price tag of £2.99. Noticing it was a PM Entertainment production who've been responsible for some very good DTV action material and that it starred Don "The Dragon" Wilson who I've had a soft spot for after seeing Ring Of Fire 3: Lion Strike, I decided that to throw down £3 that could just as easily disappear on a couple of beers was probably worth it. And for what it was, in my mind it was certainly worth those three English pounds!
I'm not quite sure when the setting of this movie is. The world it is based in, is not in the slightest bit futuristic bar all the computers. All of the vehicles are those of 80's/early 90's, so I'm guessing that it's set not long after it's present day and that computers have suddenly taken a huge leap in technology. In fairness though, computers in the 90's did advance hugely, with the sudden take off of the internet around 1995 and by now having grown into something which almost everyone I know has in their home. They just did not evolve *quite* as much in a short period of time as this movie may suggest. But anyway, even though the non futuristic world is probably due to the budget of the production, it certainly looks a lot less corny to look at nowadays than the world Timecop portrays as 2004, where you just tell a computer in your car where to go and it takes you home! Or the world that Escape From New York portrays as 1997, where Manhattan is one large high security prison!
Granted, this is much more of an action flick than a Sci-Fi flick and all the better for it. Special effects are kept to a minimum and those that are there are certainly acceptable. It's hard to call it a Terminator rip off as it brings new things of it's own, even if they are rather basic, rather than machine vs machine. This time, we have a human targeted by the villains with machines called "Cyber-Trackers". Unfortunately for them though, our Cyber-Tracker is no T-1000, as it appears to be a rather basic machine without much of a brain which does nothing but fire directly at it's target therefore can be easily outsmarted and burnt out.
The movie is full of your typically exaggerated PM Entertainment fiery action which is always a hell of a lot of fun. Some exciting car chases, shoot outs, and entertaining fight scenes are what keeps the movie going.
As with most Don "The Dragon" Wilson flicks, the acting is mediocre at best, with him being probably the best actor here and if you're the type who's concerned about that kind of stuff, then this could be a huge drawback. But some excellent action scenes, good pacing and a rather entertaining finale, rise it above mediocrity.
At the end of the day, it's not something that's going to change the weather or leave a huge impression on you after watching but it's fine entertainment, and is certainly light years above the Albert Pyun school of DTV Sci-Fi junk. Go in not expecting much, and you may just come out enjoying it like I did.
Rating: 06/10
