Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie''s plot.
Famous because not only did it start the infamous Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich partnership, but it also brought together the two most underrated action stars in Jean Claude Van Damme (Death Warrant) and Dolph Lundgren (Dark Angel), Universal Soldier is surprisingly highly rated in some circles, and rated as appalling by others.
The movie begins in Vietnam 1969, American soldier Luc Deveraux (Van Damme)’s tour is just about up, but he runs into Sgt.Andrew Scott (Lundgren). Scott has been driven mad by the war, and has slaughtered all of his squad, and is out to kill a group of innocent villagers. Deveraux saves a woman, but at the cost of his life. However, with his last act he takes Scott down with him.
The next day, their bodies are found, but the finders are told not to mention this to anyone, and to store the bodies of the soldiers in ice…
25 years later, the two are revived as part of the top secret ‘Universal Soldier’ or ‘UNISOL’ project. This involves the rejuvenation of dead soldiers, who are then genetically modified to be the ultimate soldiers. They are getting drugged to erase their memories, and so they can be easily controlled.
But, on a mission in which he sees a bound Asian woman crying, Deveraux starts to have flashbacks to Nam, the problem is cleared up though, at least for the time being.
Then a reporter by the name of Veronica (Ally Walker – Kazaam) breaks into the Unisol project with her cameraman. But when they are caught, Deveraux and Scott are sent to confiscate their video. However, Scott has other ideas and shoots the cameraman in cold blood. This sparks Deveraux’s memories of Nam again and he attacks Scott and helps Veronica escape.
As the Unisol’s pursue Deveraux across the country, Scott’s memories have also been triggered, and he now believes he is still fighting the war, and that Luc is a deserter. Scott assumes control of the Unisols, and this sets up the battle between the becoming more and more human Deveraux with the mad Scott and his army of indestructible killers…
Universal Soldier features some of the best acting you will ever see in an action flick. Both Van Damme and Lundgren start off emotionless, and get slightly more and more character as the movie goes on. The pair, often criticised for their less than stellar acting abilities actually perform this very well.
Lundgren deserves special mention, as the more mad Scott gets, the better he gets.
Walker is also good as the woman who starts out just to get a story, but ends up staying with Luc, despite the danger.
The music is also well suited, and includes some great action movie themes.
The special effects are also top notch. While they only really count as explosions and wounds, there really can’t be any complaints.
As funny as it sounds, Universal Soldier just plain works. The movie gives you ample amounts of top class action, and also a good, if not too groundbreaking, story to keep you going along.
The last fight between Lundgren and Van Damme is the kind of thing you don’t see in every movie, with two great stars duking it out.
The only real criticism I have of the movie, is that it isn’t the type of movie I would have ideally had Lundgren and Van Damme meet in. Seeing as both men are talented martial artists, maybe a tournament movie with the two would have been cool, but as it is Universal Soldier is pretty damn awesome.
The movie is also one of those few titles that can claim to achieve the perfect balance between kicks and Bullets when it comes to action. Most movies only focus on one, but this, along with Hard Target are two examples of getting it just right.
The action here is top notch. It’s the kind of action you don’t get in movies these days. The explosions art big, and the battles bigger.
There really isn’t all that much else I can write. The movie is a perfect action/Sci Fi blockbuster. Regardless of your views on Lundgren or Van Damme, if you like action movies, you really should be giving Universal Soldier a try. Its one of the only movies on each actor’s resume that you don’t have to be a fan to enjoy.
One thing that always annoyed me as a kid, that really wasnt a fault of the movie, was the lack of merchandise it got.Sure there was a videogame, but it wasnt huge. Where were the toys? all those cool Unisols and that big bad truck they live in?
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