Harry here, and boy does this fella just ravage the heck out of SOLDIER, so far the score here at home is 15 negatives to 2 positives. Maaaaan, if this movie sucks, I'll be so pissed. I love Kurt Russell, and I really liked the script, but ya know... Paul Anderson has sucked pretty consistantly so far (Event Horizon, Mortal Combat), so it is possible. But this was an early screening. Maybe they can fix some of it. Ya think? I hope so, cause I want to like the film. We'll know more the closer we get to release.
I recently saw a test screening of "Soldier" (OK, it wasn't that recent, but I haven't seen anything on your site about it, so maybe nobody else has scooped me yet). Well, let me lay it down straight. The movie sucked hard-core. I know that it was an unfinished test screening, blah, blah, but the only possible way this movie could be saved would be to start over completely from scratch and make a completely different movie. More than just sucking, it was laughable. The script was ludicrous, it made Rambo: First Blood look like King Lear. (No disrespect to Rambo, which I liked.) Kurt Russel mumbles and glares his way through the film like some kind of killing-machine, idiot savant in an extremely silly one-dimensional performance. Of course, there has to be a little kid who softens the tough soldier's heart, and this movie provides that obligitory sub-plot in an embarrasingly awkward and smarmy sub-plot. This film is being billed as a "sci-fi western." Unfortunately it desecrates both of those noble genres.
Quick synopsis: Perfect Soldier Russel, recently deemed obsolete, is uncermoniously dumped on a garbage planet where he encounters an incredibly peaceful and good natured group of natives. (Actuall people who were stranded like him.) They take him in because they are peaceful and good natured. Russell, in their care has all sorts of flashbacks and goes a little haywire from time to time. (Oh yeah, and he doesn't speak at all - Shouldn't a good soldier have been taught to COMMUNICATE in battle? Apparently not.) Of course the people debate whether or not to kick the unstable soldier out and they eventually do. In the extremely convenient plot device category, a platoon of the new genetically enginered soldiers arrives on the garbage planet and their commander decides to arbitrarily wipe out the peace-loving indigenous population so his soldiers can gain "experience." Since when did blowing away unarmed women and children (at long range with super-weapons no less) give soldiers a "trial by fire?" One of the many ridiculous plot points built on retarded reasoning. Russel single handedly destroys the invasion force, blah, blah, blah. I've already spent too much time describing this dog's "plot."
Direction was paint-by numbers, automatic pilot. The script was probably the worst I've ever seen produced in years, (Did I already say it sucked? It bears repeating.) full of every ridiculous action cliche in the book, and was filled with an overall complete inanity. How many times does a bad guy have to be impaled? Can't Hollywood think of anything new? Even the "action" in the movie was BORING. On top of everything else, this "action movie" commits the unforgivable sin, it is not in the least way exciting. Lame, lame, lame. I'm sure when it comes out it will bomb horribly and the perpetrators of this crime against humanity will be suitably punished. Thank you for your time Harry. If you see fit to use this "scoop" then let my alias be... "The Unforgiving."
