I found this film recently, during one of my many stumbling to find hidden treasures forgot by time and overlooked by audiences alike. I really thought and hoped this would be a hidden scfi gem, unfortunately it wasn't. The first 20 minutes were compelling industrial post-apocalyptic backdrop, red tinged sky, cyber-punk stylised scavengers, Iggy Pop as Nihalistic Radio DJ "Angry Bob" (which I love as a narrative tool i.e. The Warriors - completely undeveloped in this film) and there was even a midget thrown in as well (one of the time bandits i think).
Off to a good start, nicely paced with wide angled shots, I like the landscape good now lets build on this. Then this is where the movie fails or at least the director fails in bringing it to life, there's no momentum building its filmed at a singular pace, clearly watched blade runner in the run up to making the film and wanted to imitate the haunting and beautifully shot slow marauding pace that Ridley Scott provides - but then you need interesting character development.
The meat and bones of the film is the robot skull that Mo brings back for his girl as a xmas present manages to replicate itself back to life, in her apartment and now she has to deal with that, which is not a particularly expansive idea in itself but workable. This concept means there should be a pace change more tension or even horror, it offers the opportunity for the director to inject some momentum (that the dialogue has been hinting at) - but it doesn't happen - there is no peril, at no point do you think she is any really danger. You may argue that limitations with the special effects were at the route of the problem, but we all knew going it the film even in the 90s we knew the sfx would be bad, in a low budget scfi movie there always bad - just get on with it. Show the whole robot, make it mobile and workable - yeah but now it looks fake and lame so what, your watching a low budget cyber-punk scfi movie what were you expecting, who cares as long as its not tame like the one the director has used here.
It looks like i am throwing a lot of blame towards the director and well i am he is to blame for the pacing problems and the using the slow zoom or drifting camera smacks of ridley scott (blade runner and aliens).
This may seem harsh but its frustrating when all the pieces are there to make a good post-apocalyptic romp, but then is just lost due to a lack of narrative or film direction.
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