Robot Jox
1990,USA
dir. Stuart Gordon
cast: Gary Graham,
Anne-Marie Johnson, Paul Koslo
In the aftermath
of World War III, the remaining superpowers agree to outlaw war and
settle disputes by means of one to one giant robot combat. The
Market's (roughly the USA) top pilot, Achilles, retires after an
accident in one of his battles results in the death of spectators. With the state of
Alaska up for grabs, the brass try to replace him with a genetically
engineered successor, but realising the inexperienced Gene-Jox
doesn't stand a chance, Achilles signs on for one last fight.
Essentially
translating all the cliches of the ageing boxer film into a
post-apocalypse dystopia, all Robot Jox lacks on this front is a
montage sequence, though admittedly boxers don't quit because his
robot fell into a crowd of spectators, killing 300 people. If the
drama is cliched, the meat here is the stop-motion robot combat,
which is a real joy, and the only problem is that there isn't enough
of it.
The screenplay is
by legendary sci-fi writer Joe Haldeman, and was apparently butchered
by Gordon into a more simplistic film, which leads you to wonder what
the film would have been like if Haldeman had his way. Frustratingly,
this has been his only foray into screen-writing bar an episode of
the Twilight Zone and none of his novels have ever been filmed.
Far removed from the Lovecraftian schlock of his better known movies, you can spot Gordon regular Jeffrey Combs in a bit part as a prole betting on a fight.
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