Thursday, February 20, 2014
Michael Allen
Cast: Dolph Lundgren, Melanie Zanetti, Matt Doran, David Field and Jen Sung.
Battle of the Damned is an indie actioner from Bleiberg Entertainment. This viewer knows Bleiberg more from its acquisition and sales in film. However, this company's action production arm, Compound B, has brought together a memorable outing in their latest collabortion. A throwback to action films of the late '80s and early '90s, Battle of the Damned places actor Dolph Lundgren as Max Gatling in the middle of an environmental disaster. This title focuses on violent action and a few characters, with the film delivering some light entertainment. Battle of the Damned is an indie action film of note and fans of strong heroes with few lines will enjoy this straight-to-video outing.
It is all about the rescue. The central character Max is tasked with infiltrating a walled off city, in Thailand. He must rescue the daughter of a corporate executive before the city is bombed. You see, an infection is raging amongst the populace and the city must be purged by fire. Somehow, robots are introduced into the mayhem and Max must do his best, with only a few lines, to escort several survivors out of the city. His mission hits a few speedbumps, but Max responds with unbridled violence. And, few characters will make it into the credits.
At its heart, Battle of the Damned is an action film. There are elements of horror here, but the film relies on its action sequences. Much of the choreography involves Max and his crew fighting off the hordes of running infected. The menacing populace uses numbers to overwhelm some of the characters late in the picture. As well, a contingent of robots adds to the body count. Flames from above, explosions below and double-dealing adds to the chaos, with this title offering lots of action and thrills.
Max Gatling is at the centre of the film, through much of the runtime. A man with such a powerful name should be forefront! And, Max is a proto-hero from the past. He speaks little and comes across as uncomplex. But, Max is the leader of this loose band of survivors. One question remains late in the picture. Why would a mercenary face so much danger for such a small payoff? Perhaps, Max might want to reassess his life as a mercenary. But, without him, this film would not have quite as many great one-liners and brutal clashes. Long gone are the days of Cyborg (1989) and Universal Soldier (1991), but Max still soldiers on as an action hero, based on these earlier films.
Battle of the Damned is light entertainment. The film's story is fairly straightforward, a rescue mission. Instead of complex plot scenarios, the focus here is on a handful of characters in a dire situation. The scenario is quite dangerous and one's imagination might increase the tension on screen. The pacing is consistently uptempo. And, excitement is generated in all of the close quarter combat. Director and writer Christopher Hatton keeps the film rushing forward as the infected threaten from all sides. This title is a fun watch, if you are in the mood for such a thrilling title.
Battle of the Damned released on home video formats February 18th, 2014 (DVD, Blu-ray) and fans of action are encouraged to check this one out. Actor Dolph Lundgren holds his own as an action star into his mid-50s. In fact, all in the cast are excellent in their roles. Some of the action becomes repetitive over time, but the film is continually entertaining, with more and more threats popping up along a small city street. Battle of the Damned is a good time spent in a brutal environment and many film fans will enjoy Hatton's elaborate set-up.
Overall: 7.25 out of 10 (solid acting, a straightforward story, a solid climax).
A trailer for the film is available here on 28DLA:
Battle of the Damned Trailer on 28DLA
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Posted in: 2014,cast,crew,horror,movie,movie review,review,science fiction,science fiction movie review,story,synopsis,zombie,zombie apocalypse,zombies
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