Nemesis (1992) is VHS-era low budget cyperpunk sci-fi action that rides off the energy of France’s ‘cinema du look’ and Hong Kong action cinema. It’s all people in shades firing two weapons at one another as they jump out of windows from abandoned buildings out in the middle of picturesque wastelands. Directed by Albert Pyun, this movie was the type of VHS release with a great cover that showed up in video store magazines, and as kid, I’d be like, ‘Is this a real movie?’ and wonder about this circle of knowledge I didn’t have access to: why wasn’t this in cinemas? Who is Olivier Gruner? Is it as good as its cover image? Nemesis directs its budget towards plenty of sunglasses, trench-coats, gigantic weapons and explosive squibs that shoot off showers of electrical sparks. Gruner plays a cyborg LAPD cop targeted with eliminating “terrorists” and it spirals out of control from, eventually encompassing a secret war where machines are replacing humans. People switch occupations, months pass, and missions are eventually declared with a limited time span, a bomb strapped to the heart that will explode in two days. Unlike Blade Runner, this really doesn’t leave much open to academically speculate about the nature of human consciousness or do androids dream of unicorns, etc – Nemesis is really about mindless action, tech-jargon dialogue and multiple fashion ‘looks’ for the muscular, French-accented Gruner. Great parade of B-movie A-talent in the supporting cast including Tim Thomerson, Brion James (with German accent), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa and Body Double’s Deborah Shelton. “This is very silly,” my partner Sally remarked at the scene where Oliver Gruner and a suited-up cyborg punched each other as they fell down a muddy slippery slide. Yes, very silly, but I was fully into its non-stop action, old-school effects and sci-fi clichés. It’s all momentum without much mentally to dig into, but propulsive all the same. So far, my favourite of the Albert Pyun movies I’ve seen – maybe Cyborg needs a re-watch soon. Streamed from Tubi in Australia. Recommended.
VHS Tracking 