THE BLACK SHEEP is an ongoing column featuring different takes on films that either the writer HATED, but that the majority of film fans LOVED, or that the writer LOVED, but that most others LOATH. We’re hoping this column will promote constructive and geek fueled discussion. Dig in!
SOLDIER (1998)
DIRECTED BY PAUL W.S. ANDERSON
So what do you a call a solid cult action film that not only lost $46 million, but grossed $6 million less than its leading star earned? Yup, a F*cking Black Sheep!
Sadly, such was the case for Paul W.S. Anderson’s oft-forgotten and unjustly panned indie-actioner SOLDIER (WATCH IT HERE), which, by the time it hit theaters in October of 1998, was already wiped out by the massive movie asteroid known as ARMAGEDDON, which came out just three months earlier. Made for roughly $60 million, SOLDIER flopped at the domestic box-office to the tune of just $14 million in grosses, yet has gone on to become quite a cult-favorite among fans of both star Kurt Russell, who went on record saying the only reason he chose to do another action movie at the age of 47 was for a paycheck ($20 million mind you), as well as fans of Paul W.S. Anderson, who really only had MORTAL KOMBAT and EVENT HORIZON to his name at that time. Point is, SOLDIER is not only a better movie than most people give it credit for as an outright sci-fi action extravaganza, it’s salient commentary on the brain-washing nature of the military turning its soldiers into mindless killing machines is still as trenchant, topical and timely as ever!
Written by Brian Webb Peoples way back in 1982-1983 as a potential sequel to his screenplay for BLADE RUNNER, SOLDIER was originally titled THE BASE, and had FIRST BLOOD’S star and director, Sly Stallone and Ted Kotcheff, attached. In fact, Peoples, a terrific writer whose credits include UNFORGIVEN, 12 MONKEYS, HERO, etc. still considers SOLDIER a “side-quel” to the Ridley Scott classic. Clint Eastwood then became attached to the project, but when he left, the script sat on the shelf for 15 odd years until it was rewritten for Paul W.S. Anderson to step in and take over. As such, the movie has the feel of both old 1950s sci-fi B-movies and new futuristic technology, almost akin to an honorary lovechild between Paul Verhoeven and George Miller…a TOTAL ROAD WARRIOR RECALL if you will.
As for the actual story, SOLDIER is set in the year 2035. Kurt Russell plays Todd 3456 (3/4/56 is Anderson’s birthday), a ruthless and obedient human drone who’s brain has been so systematically programmed that he’s become a robotic, sclerotic super-soldier killing machine. It’s easy to overlook or dismiss Russell’s inveterate fugue state and 1,000 yard stare, but people don’t realize what a difficult task it is to literally do nothing onscreen and still make the viewer feel riveted. Russell plays the emotionless stoicism so well you forget that he isn’t a digital automaton but rather a human being so thoroughly conditioned to operate in one singular mode – fighting to the death – that it’s easy to miss the fact Russell only utters 104 words in the film despite being onscreen for roughly 85% of the films 99-minute runtime. Just as the entire movie is, Russell’s performance in SOLDIER is severely slept on. The fact that the dude broke his ankle during the first week of shooting and yet never betrayed his injury onscreen is a testament to Russell’s performance, as is the fact that he spent a year working out 3-4 hours a day to attain such a ripped physique – during which Anderson went off and shot EVENT HORIZON mind you – doubles Russell’s impressive dedication.
Anyway, once Todd 3456 is deemed obsolete by a new commander, the ever-oily Jason Isaacs as Colonel Mekum, only the remarkably staid Gary Busey as Church remains faithful to Todd. It’s not good enough, and soon Todd is dumped on the waste-planet to rot with the other impoverished and antiquated mortals. Upon arrival to Arcadia 234, Todd is immediately beset with harrowing PSTD flashbacks to his time serving his country and fighting mercilessly to defend his honor. He meets Mace (Sean Pertwee), a friendly fellow who has a lovely wife, Sandra (Connie Nielsen) and son, Nathan (Jared and Taylor Thorne). The family takes Todd in and shows him how to grow crops and work together sans violence for the greater communal good. However, when Todd overreaches by teaching Nathan how to kill a venomous snake (Thai viper), Mace deems him too dangerous to stick around. A vote is held and Todd is whisked away among the dusty scrap heaps of the planet. Of course, when an invading army directed by Mekum arrives on the planet with high-powered artillery akimbo, badass Todd goes f*cking postal en route to firing one savage solo salvo after another until every damn threat in his way falls to their feet.
And really, as far as the action is concerned, the movie is at its absolute best in the final 30 minutes or so. Sure, the scene where Todd gorily gouges a rival soldier’s eye out while climbing chains early on threatened to earn the film a NC-17 rating, but the fit really hits the shan in the thrill-packed third act. Once Todd enters full on search and destroy mode, the movie becomes less about the character-driven PTSD and more of an out-and-out action blitzkrieg of incendiary death scenes. I for one can’t get enough of the shot where Todd plunges a hunting knife in a soldier’s eyeball until he falls to his death in the water below. Or when Todd submerges into the drink and stoically reemerges like he was John f*cking Matrix – firing off rockets at first, followed by pistols, Uzis, mortars, canyons and the rest – shite’s too killer not to sit back and fully enjoy!
Of course, in true SOLDIER fashion, Todd is not only adept with weapons, but hand-to-hand combat as well. The final showdown between him and Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee) demonstrates how badass Todd truly is. Set in the pouring rain at night with lightening and flaming background, the epic battle begins with ferocious slow-mo fisticuffs, with Caine getting the upper hand by fly-kicking Todd in the chest. A signpost comes crashing down and Todd lunges at Caine before turning into Van Damme style kick-boxer. My favorite part is when, after having his head thrown through a chopper window, Todd grabs the broken fan-blades of the helicopter and forcefully throws them into Caine’s chest, carving a deep horizontal cut-wound across his navel. Shite kicks ass! Undone, Todd pounds Caine in his wounded midsection, rolls over him on the ground and summarily snaps the f*cker’s neck like a twig. Shite’s glorious! The triumph isn’t merely in the defeat of old vs. new, or good vs. evil, but aesthetically, in the way in which Anderson and company choreograph Todd’s most redemptive moment.
In retrospect, it seems that the countervailing extrinsic forces of SOLDIER proved to be its ultimate downfall among the masses. That is, through no fault of the movies own, did it suffer from the massive wake left behind by ARMAGEDDON. Additionally, Anderson always maintained the movie never turned out the way he envisioned, which was meant to be a classic western in space. Yet, because of Russell’s insistence to bulk up naturally without PEDs, the production was delayed several months and the original concept was scrapped. Worse, when it came time to shoot, the infamous El Nino storm system barred Anderson and crew from shooting on their scouted locations, and forced them to shoot on studio sound stages instead. The compromised production certainly hindered what SOLDIER was meant to be, and surely crippled the movies success at the box-office. That said, taken on its own merits, the movie features a wildly underrated performance by Kurt Russell, a highly imaginative production design, a large amount of brutal and bloody violence, a salient social statement on militaristic brainwash, a cool BLADE RUNNER connection, and perhaps most fun of all, some pretty kickass action blows that cut deep and leave a mark!