Universal Soldier Reviews

When I started to go the movies on my own, I was just about 12 years old. My first passion were action movies, I was a huge fan of Jean-Claude Van Damme and I had watched virtually all his flicks on vhs at the time. So, when I heard that this movie was coming out, I was totally excited and I definitely had to see it in the theater. I remember it very well, I went to see it with my brother but the people working there wouldn’t allow him to watch it (he must have been 9 or 10 years old at the time) so I said he should see instead ‘Batman Returns’ (in retrospect, how they figure out it was an Ok choice for him is beyond me…). Since my little brother also really wanted to see this flick as well, he was really pissed off and he resented me for making him watch a movie he didn't care about all but there was no way I wasn’t going to watch it because he couldn’t get inside. Anyway, at the time, Van Damme was really at the height of his popularity and it is probably one of the few decent movies he has made through his career. Obviously, it is not really amazing and rather clunky sometimes, but it remains a decent SF flick with a cool showdown with Dolph Lungren as the bad guy so I think it is actually worth a look, especially if you like the genre.

"Do you really think for one second those wimps at the Pentagon... would allow the regeneration of dead soldiers, American soldiers?"

A masculine action staple from 1992, Universal Soldier represents the perfect recipe for a big, dumb action spectacle. After all, it features genre titans Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in their prime, it is R-rated, it's vehemently old-fashioned, and it was overseen by action filmmaker extraordinaire Roland Emmerich (Stargate). Although it might be challenging to defend Universal Soldier from a serious critical standpoint, it's a near-masterpiece on its own terms: a kick-ass red-meat action film with ample explosions and bloodletting, all played with tongue firmly planted in cheek. The film delivers in this sense, and it does so effectively, with competent production values, memorable one-liners, and entertaining set pieces.

In 1969, while fighting in the Vietnam War, Pvt. Luc Devereux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) and the insane Sgt. Andrew Scott (Dolph Lundgren) kill each other during a confrontation over the murder of innocent civilians. In the early 1990s, the preserved corpses of the two men are reanimated and placed in the top-secret "Universal Soldier" program, which aims to create a counterterrorism unit comprised of elite, super-powered, emotionless warriors. However, Devereux begins recalling his traumatic Vietnam experiences, which snaps him out of his medical trance. When curious news reporter Veronica (Ally Walker) trespasses on a military base and stumbles upon evidence of the UniSol program, the soldiers violently intervene, and Devereux escapes with the young journalist. Meanwhile, Scott likewise regains consciousness and returns to his war zone insanity as he hunts Devereux through the American Southwest.

The premise of Universal Soldier is patently ridiculous, supported by flimsy, high-school-level science. Yet, this should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Emmerich's filmography, as blockbusters like The Day After Tomorrow and 2012 likewise laugh in the face of believable science. Fortunately, Emmerich and the three credited screenwriters embrace the ridiculousness, and Universal Soldier is, therefore, exceedingly tongue-in-cheek and goofy, never taking itself too seriously or pretending to be a serious science fiction production. Unsurprisingly, the film adheres to a standard narrative template, with little in the way of intriguing twists or turns, and there's even a trace of romance that is incredibly forced. This flat romantic subplot, coupled with a few patches of poor pacing, denote the movie's only genuine flaws (beyond its stupidity and cheesiness).

More than anything else, Universal Soldier is an excuse for Van Damme and Lundgren to beat the snot out of one another, and, heavens me, it succeeds in this respect. The two behemoths are trained martial artists, and the resulting fights are exhilarating to watch. Additionally, outside of the fisticuffs, Universal Soldier contains various shootouts and car chases, all featuring real stuntmen and practical effects, making this a refreshing movie to revisit in the 21st Century. Indeed, stuntmen actually repelled down Hoover Dam, while the pyrotechnics crew set off real explosions and destroyed real vehicles. All of this material is delivered with R-rated action sensibilities, allowing for plenty of brutal violence. And, of course, as with any action film from this period, Universal Soldier has some terrific one-liners. Altogether, it's a lot of fun. Say what you will about the slipshod scripting, but Emmerich is a competent craftsman capable of orchestrating exciting action scenes. This was Emmerich's first big movie, following up the low-budget sci-fi thriller Moon 44 with this $20 million production, which also marked his first collaboration with producing partner Dean Devlin. Afterwards, Emmerich and Devlin collaborated on Stargate, Independence Day, Godzilla and The Patriot, with mixed results.

Emmerich and Devlin are acutely aware of their leads' strengths and weaknesses, designing the film to use Van Damme and Lundgren in the most effective way. Thus, Van Damme's dialogue is kept to a minimum, and his lines were even reportedly further shortened during filming. Plus, with the Mussels from Brussels playing an emotionless warrior, he fits the role like a glove, and his martial arts expertise compensates for any perceived lack of acting talent. Alongside him, Lundgren steals the show as the psychotic antagonist, relishing the opportunity to ham it up and generally taunt everybody while wearing a necklace of severed ears. Meanwhile, Walker is merely adequate as the token female/love interest, showing some welcome spunk but making no lasting impression.

Some may find it hard to forgive Emmerich for certain movies (1998's Godzilla being the most controversial), but Universal Soldier is one of the filmmaker's best. Sure, it's a goofy, illogical action blockbuster, but it's also entertaining escapism, and its ridiculousness is all part of the charm. This movie is the very definition of big, dumb, macho fun, and it is the perfect choice for viewers who enjoy this brand of entertainment. Unsurprisingly, the movie spawned numerous sequels, including two cheap TV movies, an awful theatrical sequel, and two surprisingly robust straight-to-video follow-ups in 2009 and 2012.

6.9/10

Just finished watching "Universal Soldier" for...well, I don't really know how many times I have seen it since 1992, but I have seen it many, many times. It still holds up fairly well, and yes, it's maybe not the best movie, but I think it's just one of my guilty pleasures. I love watching Jean-Claude Van Damme's movies, and this is my favourite one. I love the fight scenes, and Dolph Lundgren makes a great bad guy - the two leads play well against each other. And even though I don't much care for Ally Walker (especially after seeing her on "Sons of Anarchy"), she does a half-decent job in her role here.