Assault on Dome 4

I was prepared for low-grade sci-fi action. From the outset it was clear how low a budget this claimed. While I maybe should have known better based on Bruce Campbell's involvement, what I was not prepared for was abject tongue-in-cheek schlock. Exposition is startlingly direct, the finished film includes flubbed lines and what would in any other production be dubbed "bloopers," and the acting ranges from suitable but unremarkable to questionable. One can only wonder if much of the acting is a result of deliberate ham-handedness, bad first takes, bad direction, or simple inability. Please don't miss the outrageous first death scene, and note the clear inspiration that this picture takes from the first 'Die hard,' or scenes and story beats that it outright borrows. Suffice to say that 'Assault on Dome 4' is not major studio fare, and is a bit of An Experience.

This isn't to say that it's not enjoyable. While obviously steps down from a genre essential, it's modestly well made such as it is. This only the second credit for writer Hersh Rephun, or director Gilbert Po, and that inexperience surely does shine through at times, but their contributions are baseline competent, with some genuine cleverness every now and again. Special effects are less than seamless and a little garish at points, but practical effects are decent enough, and any stunts or moments of action are done reasonably well, if suffering from the stated low budget and level of experience. The filming locations, sets, and props are swell. And while the cast mostly struggles owing to one factor or another, the least that can be said is that Campbell is absolutely having a great time portraying antagonist Alex with all the playful, self-confident smarm that he can. Relegated to a smaller supporting part, Jocelyn Seagrave demonstrates more polish in her acting than arguably anyone else involved.

With all this said, even at its best the level of entertainment that 'Assault on Dome 4' can provide is probably restricted to the most open-minded of viewers. Between Po's direction, the limited resources, and general meager pacing and low production values, there are times when this absolutely struggles to inculcate a sense of authenticity that would best sustain suspension of disbelief. I commend the earnest effort everyone put in to make this a fun sci-fi romp, and it does succeed in some measure - this is, ultimately, all that it wanted to be, and doesn't carry illusions of being anything more. Yet there's no mistaking that this exists on at best the middle portion of the spectrum of quality and value, and is best reserved for those who already appreciate B-movies. For such viewers, this isn't a must-see in any way, but it's passably satisfying for what it is, and sometimes this is all we want in a film. Save 'Assault on Dome 4' for a lazy day, then just shut off your brain and enjoy a recognizable and reliable bit of silliness.

Like most people (I would imagine) that have seen this film, my only reason for doing so was the fact that it stars Bruce Campbell. It's a good job Bruce is on board too; otherwise this cheap mess would be a complete dead loss. It's clear that the film's main influence was the classic action flick Die Hard, and indeed Assault on Dome 4 is basically a carbon copy of said film, except instead of being set on a skyscraper, it's set on a research facility somewhere in space. Bruce Campbell plays Alex Windham; an intergalactic terrorist. He breaks out of jail (it's supposed to be a very high security prison, but in my opinion the security is rather lax) and escapes into space along with a load of other convicts he has freed. They set their sights for Dome 4; a research facility that Alex wants to capture and use for his own special research program. Meanwhile, and unbeknown to Alex, Chas Moran - an ace 'peacekeeper' (futuristic cop) is visiting his wife, who happens to work at Dome 4. The terrorists take the place hostage, while Chase attempts to bring them down on his own.

I am extremely glad that Bruce Campbell is in this film; his scenes are really the only ones worth watching and he does seem to relish his role...but if I'm honest, he was the wrong choice to play a terrorist. He spouts off one-liners and its lots of fun, but he doesn't look like a terrorist at all. On the other hand, Joseph Culp, who plays the 'hard as nails' hero, doesn't look the part either! ...so the whole thing is a bit difficult to swallow. Still, there's plenty of fighting and shooting (maybe even too much) and some of it is decent; although director Gilbert Po would do well to lay off the slow motion. The plot itself does basically run in exactly the same way as Die Hard does, so anyone who's seen that (which should be everyone who has seen this) is likely to know exactly where it's going to go. A major problem for this film, though, is the fact that it's so difficult to like the hero - Chase Moran is just dull, and I found myself cheering on Bruce Campbell's terrorist for most of the film. Anyway, the ending is not too bad and while this film is cheap and hokey, it's worth a look for Bruce Campbell fans.

This is the kind of movie that assures Bruce Campbell of his cult status. The movie is downright awful, but Bruce shines by overflowing with his characteristic cockiness. If your interested in story, special effects, good screen writing, or little things like a cohesive plot or originality, then pass on it; but if you appreciate the over-the-top idiocy of a pure guilty pleasure B-made-for-TV movie, then this is definitely a must see.

I love the movie because of the sheer balls it must have taken to produce: The dialog is awful. The characters are cut-and-dried stereotypes. The entire movie seems as if it was written overnight. It was awesome.

Assault on Dome 4 could have been a completely disposable Die Hard in Space movie made on a Sci-Fi Channel budget, however, it is made all the more memorable for the fact that its villain is just Bruce Campbell but evil. He chews the lack of scenery up a treat even when he's given some truly awful dialogue, but Campbell manages to make it all work. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the rest of the film. It keeps intercutting the main Die Hard plot with an unnecessary and dull trial which is all happening after the fact so there's zero stakes for the majority of its runtime, most likely a consequence of it being made for TV. The music in the film is lots of simplistic synth work and the sound mixing is shoddy at points. The direction feels locked down and restricted, lacking any form of energy, all resulting in a meandering pace even at 90 minutes. However, despite these flaws, the film is entertainingly chaotic from beginning to end, more than worthy of a watch kicking back with friends and a few beers.

Oh and Jack Nance, Eraserhead himself, turns up in a small role that is comparable to that of Marvin from Die Hard 2.

"Assault on Dome 4" is certainly not a good movie. In any sense of the word "good". The filmmakers didn't do a "good" job; The storyline wasn't a "good" idea; The movie, if left alone, wouldn't provide for a "good" time. However, there is but one man we can count on to save even the most awful drek that any channel (Sci-Fi included) can produce. And that man is Bruce Campbell.

I highly reccomend this movie, solely for Campbell. His performance is hilarious, his character is dead-on, and he actually seems to be glad to be there, unlike most Sci-Fi Channel actors.

One note, though - if you're not a Bruce fan, SEE EVIL DEAD FIRST. He does a terrific job in this movie, but...come on. There's not much to think about there.

"Oh, YOU KILLED ME!" Thanks for another great effort, Bruce.

My score: 5 (out of 10)

Number of those points attributed to Campbell: 4.8