An underwhelming follow-up to one of the career-stalled action star's better efforts.
Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:51
Fresh:3
Rotten:48
Average Rating:2.8/10
Consensus: This movie fails on almost every level from second rate action to bad acting and a formulaic story.
Runtime: 84 mins
Genre: Action/Adventure
Synopsis: Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) is back! Having retired from his career as a Universal Soldier, he now serves as a technical advisor on a top-secret government project to design a stronger, smarter,... Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) is back! Having retired from his career as a Universal Soldier, he now serves as a technical advisor on a top-secret government project to design a stronger, smarter, generally more universal breed of cyborg soldier. However, SETH -- the supercomputer that controls the soldiers -- taking a cue from HAL, the discontent supercomputer from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, has an agenda of its own, which includes destroying its creators and implementing a reign of terror on humankind. Can the now peaceful Deveraux revert to his old ways and save the human race? [More]
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, Heidi Schanz, Xander Berkeley
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White, Heidi Schanz, Xander Berkeley, Justin Lazard, Daniel Von Bargen, Bill Goldberg, James Black, Brent Hinkley, Woody Watson
Director: Mic Rodgers
Director: Mic Rodgers
Screenwriter: Richard Rothstein
Producer: Craig Baumgarten
Composer: Don Davis
Screenwriter: Dean Devlin
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Release:
Apr 14, 2009
Blu-ray Disc Features:
- Package Note: Region ABC
- Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - Spanish
- Dolby True HD 5.1 - English, French, Portuguese
- Subtitles - French, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch, English, English SDH
Additional Release Material:
Featurette:
- 1. Making of Featurette
- 2. Michael Jai White: "A Universal Soldier's Workout"
- 3. Jean-Claude Van Damme: Looking Back-Moving Forward
Interactive Features:
- BDLive: BDLive Enabled
Reviews for Universal Soldier: The Return
Please, even if it means offsetting a planned schedule, do not see this movie. It could be the biggest mistake of your life. I should know: I made it.
This SF action sequel must have been slapped together fast: live-action stunts created by uninspired editing lead up to computer-generated imagery that's just as lame.
Filling out and greying at the temples, Van Damme is far from convincing, even in the tedious fight sequences.
Close your eyes and repeat after me: pro wrestlers must never ever EVER try to act.
Hopefully this is the last we have seen of the Unisol series, but unfortunately the dearth of creativity in Hollywood, will allow it to live for another abysmal dumbing.
It's devoid of the full-fledged physical artistry of Jackie Chan or the mesmerizing carnage of the best Hong Kong action flicks.
Its sequel is devoid of personality and has an annoying gratuitous sentimental streak.
let's hope, for [Van Damme's] sake, that his own return is not riding on this one.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| 19% 19% | Transformers: Revenge … |
| 55% 55% | Orphan |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 88% 88% | Ballast |
| 67% 67% | The Merry Gentleman |
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