Outland (1981)

Peter Hyams wanted to make a western and so he set it in space with Outland (1981). From the title credits to the interiors, the aesthetic is clearly following the path of Ridley Scott’s Alien to the point where it feels like it takes place in the same galaxy and settles into a grimy, lived-in […]

Narrow Margin (1990)

Gene Hackman’s presence as a thinking man action star occupied video store shelf space in the 1980s with stuff like The Package, Bat 21 and Company Business. Pre-Tom Clancy, Cold War era, Dad movies utilising Hackman’s trademark quality; an affable chuckle that could snap into authoritarian rage. For the film noir remake, Narrow Margin (1990), […]

Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009)

I’d read good word on this Direct To Video sequel, Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009; also not to be confused with the previous DTV sequel Universal Soldier: The Return) and was curious to see if it matched the hype expressed about it among action fans. Even though it has the trappings of a DTV franchise action […]