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

[Jox]

Kickassualties of War
How the Universal Soldier series became the weirdest, most indestructible film franchise of our time

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/863 ... e-our-time

[Jox]

Since Tom is shy when it comes to his posting his great reviews, I'm doing it for him
http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2012/11/m ... ay-of.html

[Jox]

http://moviemavericks.com/2012/11/unive ... 12-review/

John Hyams is without question the strongest talent working in the Direct-to-DVD market and arguably the best director either Van Damme or Lundgren have ever performed for. I thought Hyams brought a fresh look to things with his handling of the last film, Regeneration. The acting and character depth was foreign to long-time fans of the series, but much appreciated. The characters of Deveraux and Scott were more vivid and relatable than in the cartoonish earlier sequels. Yet, Day of Reckoning blows them all away nearly changing the genre completely and setting the bar high for future installments.

One of the film’s greatest strengths’ is in the top-notch technical departments. The editing, cinematography, fight choreography and sound design is way above the norm for this level of production. Be warned Hyams employs a strobing effect to the point of near caesurae, a small blemish on an otherwise outstanding film.

If you’ve ever listened to an action star in a press junket talk endless about stretching and taking on great roles in movies like the classics, this is the right application for that sort of endeavor. By using the structure of pre-existing backstory and an established brand, Hyams and his collaborators have deftly swept in the hallmarks of a cinematic and literary classic. If action/horror movies had been this ballsy in the last 15 years the genre and former heavyweight box-office stars never would have fallen from grace.

[Jox]

16 minutes interview with John Hyams on the Arrow In The Head Podcast (at 9:39)
http://www.joblo.com/horror-movies/news ... l-reviewed
Download
http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3 ... -ep182.mp3
iTunes
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZSt ... =319725510

The Undying Power of the 'Universal Soldier' Series
http://blogs.indiewire.com/criticwire/f ... ier-series

[Jox]

Arlovski Sinks Teeth Into Hollywood But Remains Hungry For MMA
http://www.fighters.com/11/19/arlovski- ... ry-for-mma

Stepping into the Octagon to do battle with an adrenaline-fueled MMA heavyweight is one thing.

Stepping onto a movie set to do (simulated) battle with Jean-Claude Van Damme is another thing entirely.

Straddling both worlds is Andrei Arlovski, the former UFC Heavyweight champ whose menacing stature and fighting pedigree made him practically a shoo-in for the role of a ruthless, brainwashed killer in the latest installment of the Universal Soldier franchise, Day of Reckoning.

Although Arlovski was mindful to pull his punches in the choreographed battle scenes, he says the role felt strangely natural for him.

“It was easy – (there were) no lines for me, so I just had to kill people and be mean,” Arlovski told Fighters.com from his most recent training base in Chicago. “So that’s what I did!”

The man known to fight fans as The Pit Bull – he wears a fang-toothed mouthguard in the cage to fully embody the nickname – said he is enjoying his newfound career as an action movie bad guy.

“It was a lot of fun,” he says, his thick accent a holdover from his upbringing in Belarus. “This movie is just full of awesome fighting scenes.”

Awesome fighting scenes – the real kind – are exactly what fans have come to expect from Arlovski, given the ferocity with which he steamrolled through UFC opponents between 2001 and 2008.

The vast majority of his fights during that period were won by knockout or technical knockout – a testament to his background in Sambo and kickboxing.

A four-fight losing streak between 2009 and 2011 led many to speculate that Arlovski might retire from the fight game, but insists the thought never crossed his mind.

Instead, Arlovski believes he is at a “new beginning” in his MMA career, and that “every fight is like another first step in MMA.”

Those steps have been in the right direction lately, such as the first-round knockout victory Arlovski scored against Devin Cole at the inaugural World Series of Fighting event, broadcast on NBC Sports Network on Nov. 3.

Amid his rebirth as a fighter, Arlovski has been getting a kick out of his emergence as a supporting action hero. Day of Reckoning marks his second appearance in a Universal Soldier flick, having debuted in the 2009 chapter Regeneration.

“When I was a little kid I watched movies with Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Van Damme,” he says.

So appearing onscreen alongside Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren – whose iconic portrayal of the Russian boxer Ivan Drago in Rocky IV bears some striking similarities to Arlovski himself – has been something of a boyhood dream come true.

His grown-up dream, however, remains the same as it was since he first walloped a heavy bag: to be a mixed martial arts champion.

He doesn’t know if he’ll fight again in the UFC – “that’s up to the UFC to decide,” he says – but he is determined to get their attention by continuing his winning ways in other organizations.

Although it’s not yet confirmed, Arlovski is expected to square off against veteran fighter Jeff Monson in Brazil this February. If it happens, he says, it will be another important jump on his upward trajectory back into the mainstream consciousness of fight fans.

“Just being a good fighter is not enough for me,” he says. “I want to be the best fighter in the world. One day I will be.”

Given his track record – both as a champion cagefighter and a remorseless b-movie killing machine – who’s going to argue with him?

[Jox]

Animated gif
http://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/201211 ... 009568.gif

Japanese cinema
http://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/201211 ... 893147.jpg
http://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/201211 ... 893148.jpg
http://stat.ameba.jp/user_images/201211 ... 891140.jpg
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[Jox]

This is not a great review but it's at least argumented:
http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/revie ... oning/6696

[Jox]

French cover preview?

[leigh1975]

So, I did see this, and while I enjoyed it, I have some problems with it. Firstly, there's barely any connection to 3 (what happened to all the Mike Pyle clones seen at the end?), Deveraux's character is completely changed from the previous films with no explaination, and why does the new Scott, who was clearly cloned from DNA from the first film, now sport the scar on the back of the neck he had from cutting himself in 3? Why and how is Arlovski living a civilian life? And finally... what EXACTLY does all this have to do with Scott Atkins? Is it me or was his role far too ambiguous? Or is this all clear and I REALLY wasn't paying attention?

[leigh1975]

This will be released in the UK by Studio Canal, rated (unsurprisingly) 18, and they have also confirmed they have classified the 3D version:

http://www.bbfc.co.uk/AVV296487/

[dolphage]

So, I did see this, and while I enjoyed it, I have some problems with it. Firstly, there's barely any connection to 3 (what happened to all the Mike Pyle clones seen at the end?), Deveraux's character is completely changed from the previous films with no explaination, and why does the new Scott, who was clearly cloned from DNA from the first film, now sport the scar on the back of the neck he had from cutting himself in 3? Why and how is Arlovski living a civilian life? And finally... what EXACTLY does all this have to do with Scott Atkins? Is it me or was his role far too ambiguous? Or is this all clear and I REALLY wasn't paying attention?

All the Mike Pyle clones work if you just exchange him with Adkins (actor switch). Adkins/Pyle are the same person played by different actors in 3 and 4.
Deveraux going over the edge happened off camera, but he was well on his way in the last one.
The Scott clone is a new clone, which ALSO had to remove his tracking device, just like the clone from 3.
Arlovski is a plant, living a normal life until he gets called upon to do a job for the government.
And the last question I don't undertstand; what it all has to do with Scott Adkins... Adkins is sent out to find and kill Deveraux. Therefor the memory implant of a family that was killed by Deveraux.

But having said that, it's a nightmarish, memory loss movie, it's not suposed to have the same overly easy to follow story as a summer blockbuster.

[Jox]

Finally saw it yesterday on the big screen and all I can say for now is WOW!!!

[leigh1975]

So, I did see this, and while I enjoyed it, I have some problems with it. Firstly, there's barely any connection to 3 (what happened to all the Mike Pyle clones seen at the end?), Deveraux's character is completely changed from the previous films with no explaination, and why does the new Scott, who was clearly cloned from DNA from the first film, now sport the scar on the back of the neck he had from cutting himself in 3? Why and how is Arlovski living a civilian life? And finally... what EXACTLY does all this have to do with Scott Atkins? Is it me or was his role far too ambiguous? Or is this all clear and I REALLY wasn't paying attention?

All the Mike Pyle clones work if you just exchange him with Adkins (actor switch). Adkins/Pyle are the same person played by different actors in 3 and 4.
Deveraux going over the edge happened off camera, but he was well on his way in the last one.
The Scott clone is a new clone, which ALSO had to remove his tracking device, just like the clone from 3.
Arlovski is a plant, living a normal life until he gets called upon to do a job for the government.
And the last question I don't undertstand; what it all has to do with Scott Adkins... Adkins is sent out to find and kill Deveraux. Therefor the memory implant of a family that was killed by Deveraux.

But having said that, it's a nightmarish, memory loss movie, it's not suposed to have the same overly easy to follow story as a summer blockbuster.

See, I recall a lot of this in retrospect now you mention it, but it's all so throwaway and vague. I do feel it's style over substance dressed up by Hyams as ambiguous left- field art. However, weirdly it works for this project. Having said that, if Hyams makes a fifth, he really needs to grasp a stronger narrative. I still enjoyed it though.

[Jox]

About the German release, not sure what it says, uncut or uncut?:
http://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=4545

[leigh1975]

About the German release, not sure what it says, uncut or uncut?:
http://www.schnittberichte.com/news.php?ID=4545

Jox, there's an English language version of the site, entitled Movie-censorship.com which is identical, but for the sake of brevity, here's the post.

Universal Soldier 4 - Cuts for the R-Rating
Censored Theatrical Version, Unrated on DVD/BD



Even though Jean-Claude van Damme and Dolph Lundgren don't get any younger, one of the franchises that brought them fame and fans is still something they want to participate in. In Day of Reckoning, which is the 4th installment of the Universal Soldier series. Here, Scott Adkins (Undisputed 2 + 3) has to face the two of them.

We found new, interesting information regarding the versions of the film in the German message board VanDammeFanz.com. One of their users got to talk to director John Hyams and was told that the MPAA wasn't too glad with the original version of the film. Here's what Hyams had to say about it:


"To the best of my knowledge, I believe the cut that you saw is the original director's cut. However, I'm under contract to deliver an R rated cut for the United States theatrical release. The MPAA felt that my original cut was too violent and I was forced to make edits. The original cut will show at Fantastic Fest in the US, and be the main version released on bluray. I've also been told that Magnolia is considering releasing both versions VOD. However, as I said, the domestic theatrical will be the R rated, edited version. Of course, I like my original version better."



It'll be interesting to see how the later DVD and Blu-ray will turn out. Hopefully, it turns out as Hyams speculates and we get the unrated version on there. Time will tell and we'll surely keep an eye out for further developments. However, this should be warning enough for those who wanted to catch it in theaters. Some of the goods will surely be missing.

Also, here's the link to the English version of Schnittberichte;


http://www.movie-censorship.com/news_en.php?ID=4153