UNIVERSAL SOLDIER: DAY OF RECKONING (John Hyams, 2012)

[savagesketch]

Day of Reckoning is indeed a direct sequel to Regeneration (which i loved).

It's set much further into the future....

In Regeneration, at the end when JCVD runs off... It was stated before that they didn't know what JCVD would do, after the mission was complete.

Well, what he does, inevitably ends up doing what he is doing in Day of Reckoning...

The NGU from Regeneration has a new role in Day of Reckoning... and he is a clone....
Seeing how much more advanced the NGU of Regeneration was, and how they could reattach limbs? Well...
Technology has progressed... And they make a point of this, but it's lost on the viewer, unless you watch it more than once. I've seen Day of Reckoning 3-4 times, since I downloaded it from the PS3 Online store.

Now, to be specific....

People wonder why Scott Adkins/John and the Plumber are able to regrow limbs. Just like the NGU had limbs reattached... since this is so far in the future, the NEW Unisols (the government ones that are sleeper agents like John and the Plumber) are able to regrow limbs. This is sorta explained vaguely through a phone recording that John listens to that Issac left... Andrew Scott is indeed a clone. But a more refined clone. The cloning process of the first movie wasn't perfected, as Andrew Scott was very much not himself. He was very cold, harsh, inhuman, and couldn't remember anything. He was asked questions constantly about "the meaning of life", etc. So cloning has progressed since Regeneration. As you noticed at the end of Regeneration, the final scene, they were doing more cloning experiments. At the end of the movie, they recovered all of the bodies, except for Andrew Scott's clone. The package that was being sent up river to the Unisols led by the last surviving original unisol (JCVD) was, from what I gather, additional cloning material, as Lundgren noted that they would soon multiply. So that's a dead give-away, obviously that Andrew Scott/Dolph is a clone (well, he has to be, if he got a gunshot through the head in Regeneration, dur... In regards to why JCVD would run off and create a Unisol army... well, the government USED him in Regeneration to do their bidding... Maybe he was just sick and tired of the manipulation... and in that movie, they were trying to get him "back into the world"... Maybe this led him to find a way to free Unisols (cloned or not) from their government mind control. Obviously, I think, many of those in his group that looked up to him, were government unisol clones that were produced years after the experimentation seen at the end of Regeneration.

So a lot of what i just put in the spoiler blackness above may just be my theory. But I see it as a clear link.
Not explained... but that's how I see it. I like that Day of Reckoning isn't completely straight forward. It's got tons of re-watchability. Even though I've also seen Regeneration countless times.

Maybe i'm over-thinking the Regeneration and Day of Reckoning link.
Maybe there is no link at all?

If you haven't seen the movie, don't look at those blackened spoiler info.
But if you have, i'd like to hear thoughts from others...

Did I mention that i LOVE this movie? ha

Then perhaps you can clear up the confusions that I had with the film...

So if I understood it correctly, Luc Devereaux and Andrew Scott were each leading rogue Unisol factions... Were these once mortal enemies suddenly working together, or were the groups separate? The film was extremely fuzzy there... I understod that Adkins' John character was a clone of a unisol who was implanted with memories in hopes that he would hunt down (and hopefully eliminate) Luc... Was he also supposed to track down and destroy Scott as well?

While the action was all extremely well-done, the story was pretty rough and could have used some editing... The continuity between this film and Regeneration was pretty faint...

[xclaw]

I'm off to rewatch Regeneration and then will come back to this.

[Jox]

The continuity between this film and Regeneration was pretty faint...

That was on purpose. Hyams obviously doesn't hammer/beat the audience with explaining everything and I applaud that. Otherwise take it as a "new kind" of sequel, or a sequel set in an alternate reality. (And it's not like the other UNISOL sequels are so consistent either if you take them in terms or continuity)

Here's some interesting quotes from John Hyams on FB:

It's not that I don't like continuity, it's that this movie is told from a specific point of view. Any information that was not necessary to this story was left out. How Luc traveled to the United States wasn't important to us. What's important is that he's here. Some viewers are conditioned to receive information in movies a specific way, and when they don't get it that way they are confused. Others are not confused. If you disagree with the way the information is presented, than it's probably not a story for you. In the end, my goal is not to please everybody -- it's to please the people that share my taste. If that amounts to enough people to turn a profit, I will remain employed. If it doesn't, I won't be heard from again. So, cast your vote, sir.

I do believe the answers are in there, but they're not necessarily obvious. It's a movie that is designed for multiple viewings.

think it's my responsibility as a filmmaker to challenge myself and the audience each time out in ways that are unexpected. Of course, not every choice will resonate, but I can't go about it any other way. There's just no reason to repeat yourself. I could have made another version of Regeneration, and that might have pleased the studio and many fans, but what's the point? That movie doesn't need to be made twice.

CHUD review
http://www.chud.com/114391/review-unive ... reckoning/

Hyams brilliantly has taken the franchise and taken it as far off its original course as he could. This is the best possible thing he could have done. This is Stallone taking John Rambo from First Blood, and turning him into the one man army superhero in First Blood Part II level of change.

There are some seriously “Kubrickian” shots in the film, that lend a higher quality to it. Kubrick and Universal Soldier don’t exactly go together, but when you have scenes that invoke a certain type of style (looking like living photographs, which is how he composed some of his shots since Kubrick was originally a photographer), and that style is on display in Day Of Reckoning, it’s hard to ignore that someone brought that to what was originally just another sci-fi action franchise, and made it work to the benefit of the film.

Day Of Reckoning also takes from Apocalypse Now towards the end, and makes that work in the film’s favor as well. So what do we have so far? Sci-fi action film franchise that has veered into horror territory, and has Kubrick-like shots, as well as uses Apocalypse Now as an example for its finale.

The revenge cliche is also turned on its head brilliantly by John Hyams, and sets up the final sequence in the film, that packs in more action than most major studio action films. The beginning of that sequence also reminded me of the scene in Total Recall where they’re trying to bring Hauser back, and Quaid doesn’t want that to happen.


The actors fare very well. Adkins has been accused of not being charismatic, and dour, but that works very well in his favor in this film, basically just being a man running on revenge and confusion. Dolph Lundgren has the showiest role, bringing a bit of the old Sgt. Scott back and having fun with his role, which is not that small, and he has several cool sequences, including 2 fights with Arlovski and Adkins.

The music is yet another thing that this film gets right. The previous film employed a largely synthesizer oriented score, and this film continues that with some haunting piano notes that once again, sound like something Kubrick would have used in one of his films.


This is a dark and serious film people. If you’re looking for funny one liners and silly action, this is not it. John Hyams himself has expressed displeasure at the film being marketed as just another action film. Right down to publicly commenting that the final poster for the film is not what he would have done. He even crafted his own poster that he believes properly evokes the feel for the film.

This is also a brutally violent film. On par with Verhoeven’s films. Body parts are hacked off with an axe, whenever someone is shot, they explode with huge squibs. It is pretty amazing that they got away with an R-rating with this film. Of course, even though this film is serious and dark, it doesn’t forget its roots, and still brings the action and great fights. Fights of which there are many in the film.

Can’t say it enough. See this movie. It is not just a simple B-Action film. John Hyams was given the opportunity to make the film he wanted to, and I hope he does another one, because he is the right man to continue this franchise. You won’t regret plunking down the money to see it On Demand. I know I didn’t. This is seriously a contender for my film of the year now. Something that I thought was already a forgone conclusion with The Expendables 2. I mean, when a 4th film in a series like this is this original, and this well made, you have to hand it to them. This series has only gotten better with each installment.

[dolphage]

Hyams brilliantly explains what I was trying to. I know I was forced to watch a lot of art house movies in school so I am slightly more conditioned to having to work things out myself in movie than the average viewer but I truly don't think the movie is difficult to follow at all.

Also, the film didn't make sense until I saw it, meaning that I hated the over the top outfits from the stills, and the trailer made it seem like the movie just missed the mark a little, but it all makes sense as soon as you enter the world of Day of Reckoning (=John's living nightmare).

I'll say it again it IS one of the best action movies I have EVER seen.

[dolphage]

SPOILER ALERT!

People wonder why Scott Adkins/John and the Plumber are able to regrow limbs

They are already CLONES, the government can bring soldiers back FROM THE DEAD and turn them into SUPER HUMANS. I don't see why it takes a leap of faith to understand how the Uni Sols can regrow limbs...

[Abyss-Lord]

Then perhaps you can clear up the confusions that I had with the film...

So if I understood it correctly, Luc Devereaux and Andrew Scott were each leading rogue Unisol factions... Were these once mortal enemies suddenly working together, or were the groups separate? The film was extremely fuzzy there... I understod that Adkins' John character was a clone of a unisol who was implanted with memories in hopes that he would hunt down (and hopefully eliminate) Luc... Was he also supposed to track down and destroy Scott as well?

While the action was all extremely well-done, the story was pretty rough and could have used some editing... The continuity between this film and Regeneration was pretty faint...

They were part of the same faction. Working together. Remember when Andrew Scott mentioned that Luc Devereaux showed him "the way"... "the truth" and "freed his mind"? He tells the "plumber", "You will serve him!!

[Jox]

http://www.filmthreat.com/reviews/57383/

The excitement of this film boils down to Hyams. He tossed out all of the bullshit he used in his first attempt at a Universal Soldier film and made an incredible, intense cyberpunk action film that would make Nicolas Winding Refn crack a smile. Hyams traded in boring fast cuts and close-up kicks and punches for carefully stylized violence. He’s come a long way since Regeneration.

It was also a smart move to give Adkins the lead role. He’s credible enough to lead a film and his fans would agree he should be a bigger movie star than he currently is. It’s a shame, but Scott has learned to really bring out the punches in every film he’s in. His fighting in Reckoning is a slow burn and we don’t get to see much of it until almost the very end. This is actually a brilliant (and courageous) move from Hyams. It gives Adkins room to actually act (which he is exceptional at, by the way) and when it comes time for him to do what he does best (beat the shit out of people and look awesome while doing it), he does not disappoint. This is a treat for fans both new and old.

Even though we don’t get much of Van Damme or Lundgren, that’s OK, because Hyams has fearlessly taken the franchise in a whole new direction and pulls it off admirably. This could very well be the start of a fresh new and much deserved successful franchise for Universal Soldier.

[savagesketch]

They were part of the same faction. Working together. Remember when Andrew Scott mentioned that Luc Devereaux showed him "the way"... "the truth" and "freed his mind"? He tells the "plumber", "You will serve him!!

Thanks for clearing that up. While I respect the fact that Hyams was deliberately trying to take the series in a whole new direction, making Van Damme and Lundgren partners on the same side just doesn't feel right... Maybe that's just me though...

[Abyss-Lord]

I agree. It kinda is odd having them on the same side.

At least Andrew Scott is a full formed clone of absolute craziness this time! haha.

Many years have passed, and there's like no mention of Vietnam. Heh. none at all.
I guess they may have come to terms and let it be water under the bridge.
Realized that their real enemy was the government unisols being sent to eradicate the freed ones.

[Jox]

It seems StudioCanal/Planet Media had to cancel the 3D edition in Germany, where it might also be cut... More extras should be added though.
http://www.studiocanal.de/blu-ray/unive ... ng-blu-ray

Review by Jonathan Urban from the Van Damme Fan forum
http://moviehole.net/201259223jonathan- ... -reckoning

• "It is without a doubt a complex, thought-provoking film"

"John Hyams (...) unleashes his brooding vision for 'Universal Soldier: Day Of Reckoning'. "

"It is great to see Adkins, Van Damme and Lundgren in an ambitious movie such as this"

"Lundgren truly looks like he is enjoying every bit of his onscreen time, dominating his scenes"

[Jox]

A conversation with John Hyams

http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2012/10/a ... ector.html

[Mosquito]

Don't mean to sound arrogant but if you concentrate on the movie it shouldn't be to hard to follow.

dolphage, agree on what you say about stills versus movie.

PS: Sorry for the short reply. I'm not that talkative when I type on my phone.

[Jox]

Here's the clip that should sell you the movie right there:

[whiteandblank]

I saw this! finally!

Its great, really really good. Dolph isn't in it for much, but he really stole the show, his scenes were memorable.
I also agree that its not difficult to figure out the story, in fact its pretty straight forward.

[shooby]

Its great, really really good. Dolph isn't in it for much, but he really stole the show, his scenes were memorable.

Have you still a doubt about it ?