Sons of Steel

I had never seen this movie before, but I love home-grown Aussie films... so when I saw Umbrella were releasing it on blu-ray, I quickly parted with the cash and bought it. Is it a great movie, as in the classics of modern cinema? No. But it's certainly good fun. I also thought it had a great visual flair, reflecting the era in which it was made. I also thought the soundtrack was fantastic! It came with the blu-ray, so I have been listening to it ever since I watched the movie. I got the impression the actors enjoyed making the film as it looks like they're deliberately camping it up and having fun. Definitely worth a watch.

I have enjoyed showing this film to groups of friends for years who came to love it for the same reasons I do. It's fun! It's a time-travel, pre/post apocalyptic, anti-nuke musical with a few truly inspired moments. Yes, it's low budget and rough as guts, yes, some of the acting is weak or just plain weird. But the heart of the movie is its anarchic spirit, for it truly defies description. You get the impression that the people making it had a great time and that enthusiasm is infectious. Certainly I find it way more enjoyable than a slew of over-hyped, over-expensive, Hollywood block-busters that at heart have less originality to them than this low budget Aussie flick. Sit down with an open mind and a sense of fun and I think you'll enjoy this film.

I get what they were going for, the creators obviously took a lot of time and effort into the production design and look of the film, and the world building, which was pretty decent.

But the script and the acting left a lot to be desired. A sort of cross between Mad Max and 12 Monkeys but both those films are many, many levels above this effort.

Some great ideas that just weren't properly thought out or realised to their full potential are there. The songs that are in the film are also pretty lacklustre and amateurish even for an 80s film.

I dunno, maybe I just need to watch this on as many "mind altering" substances as the screenwriters and director were.. lol.

Somehow, this movie works. This is about as close to a cyberpunk musical as I've seen and we need more of them. While the plot has numerous holes and is a wee bit random, and there are a number of performances that are way over the top, the movie is still worth a watch.

The special effects are pretty good and the dirty sets really work here. The singing is pretty good and helps to set the mood; the mix of metal and blues is rather effective. The dark filming actually works to the advantage of the film, and the mix of attitude and low budget make the movie.

Of special note is a CGI head that pops up every so often; the head is a distraction in a movie that doesn't need them. Nonetheless, this a fun movie and worth watching for lovers of cyberpunk looking for something a little different.

Very much a b-movie but certainly not a bad movie.

Watching this, I can see its influences: Clockwork Orange, Time Bandits, Warriors, Rocky Horror Picure Show. Sons of Steel is the only movie from this writer/ director and I sicnicerly hope he's proud of what he made.

While the story could've used some polish, Black Alice carries the movie with just the perfect amount of machismo. It's unapologetically Australian in a way that's simply fun. Don't judge it for the few too many clock cuts, or that time you can see the boom mic, or the "it's a good time to go pee" music videos. This movie's considerate of your bladder like that.

Judge it for its style, set design, humor, pacing, and its very entertaining uniqueness.

Proper movie rating: 7.

B-movie rating: 9.