Mark Thomson

I'm going to rant here briefly about something that's really starting to annoy the crap out of me. I know that triple or multi dipping on DVD releases has been going on for some time, but the current bout of misadvertising or misrepresenting what your actually getting in a release is taking things to a new level.

Firstly, I purchase Watchmen when it came out. All the info floating around had said there was a Theatrical Release and the Director's Cut with the additional footage, and amazing new commentary technology. So I went out and bought the Two-Disc Special Edition, thinking that this was the Director's Cut here in Oz, as they sometimes put different labels on releases over here. Special my ass! It was the standard theatrical release, with no special extras and no amazing commentary.

Quite a few people seem to have been sucked in by this, and the only response from the company distributing it was "The Director's Cut is not being released in Australia". Why?? I'll tell you, so they can suck in the early adopters, who'll then have to re-buy it when they do another release down the track. It's already bad enough that we get ripped off with what we're charged for DVD's here, vs what it costs in the US. But this intentional obfuscation of the facts, followed by re-releases later down the track is really starting to chaff.

Now I'm hearing Watchmen Director's Cut might be out here in December, and who knows when the Ultimate Edition is going to show up after that.

The latest one this week that really got on my wick was the release of Monsters vs Aliens. It was a movie released to theatre's in 3D, and it comes with 4x 3D glasses in the packaging, yet they don't upfront tell you that the movie release isn't in 3D, only the 15 minute short additional Bob's Big Adventure is. So your mislead into buying it, only to be disappointed, and what's to bet a 3D release will come out later??

So basically, now I'm stuck avoiding first releases of things, and I'll have to pay even more later for the subsequent releases because they won't come out with special first-release pricing, and I'll have to wait even longer.

Why can't they just release all the versions at once and you can choose which one you want to buy at the time? I mean Watchmen must have come out with at least 8-10 variations - I've seen the DVD, Bluray, lenticular pacakaging, Rorschach packaging, tins, steelbook, etc. Hell with Bluray why do they even bother with re-releases since I'm pretty sure most current releases probably don't fill the discs to their capacity?

You can't tell me people are going to go out and keep buying all the different variations and releases of these things? So what's in it for the movie companies?? Surely this has got to eventually be hurting their bottom line?

Blade
This is probably one of the better minor- comic book movies. I thought this was very slickly done, with good effects, action, and characters. It's got some great black humor too. Plot Synopsis: Blade, a vampire-hybrid (with all of their strengths, but none of their weaknesses) hunts vampires around with globe with the help of his partner Whistler. He's hunting a group belonging to Deacon Frost, when a haemotologist crosses his path. He takes her in, after she is bitten, and she assists him as he tries to unravel what Frost is up too. Frost is attempting to stage a coup, and wants to use the heads of the born vampire clans to awaken La Magra, the Blood God, giving him ultimate power of the Earth. He eventually discovers he needs Blade's blood to effect the transformation, and captures him (killing Whistler in the process), and uses his blood to empower himself. Blade is aided in escaping, battles Frost in an underground temple. Blade ultimately defeats him, and continues hunting in Russia.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
This was better than expected, with mixed reviews. I enjoyed the movie just fine, and my earlier misgivings about the obvious looking CG-ness of it all, went away - I think I felt the trailer scenes of Area 51 looked a bit fake initially. Ultimately it was a lot of fun, and I would probably rank it ahead of Last Crusade. If they do a sequel though, I would like to see them make the storyline a little more challenging, as it seems a little simple compared to the previous movies (although I think that's why I'm not as fond of Last Crusade). Plot Synopsis: Russians break into the US facility at Area 51 that's housing all the collected Occult artifacts looking for something. They've abducted Indiana and his current partner. After locating a coffin with a magnetized corpse inside, and enduring a double-cross by his partner, Indy escapes with the help of a rocket sled. Wandering onto an atomic test site, he narrowly escapes being vapourised inside a lead-lined fridge. The US Military discover him, and after decontamination, question him about his dealings with the Russians. Back at the University, Indy is suspended from his job after accusations of dealings with the Reds. When Indy decides to leave on the train, he meets up with Mutt who's been sent to find him because his mother and Indy's mentor Oxley have gone missing after searching for a Crystal Skull. When they are pursued by Russian agents, Mutt helps Indy escape on his motorcycle. They then travel to South America, to pick up Ox's trail. They discover some clues which leads them to a graveyard, the resting place of a Conquistador that had found the City of Gold, and bought the Crystal Skull. They locate the Skull, but are captured by the Russians. Taken into the jungle, they are reunited with Ox and Marion Ravenwood. They escape again, but are quickly recaptured after becoming stuck in quick sand. Indy discovers that Mutt is his son with Marion. When they are taken deeper into the jungle, they make another escape attempt, this time successful. Marion pilots their stolen 'duck' amphibious vehicle down the river, and over three water falls. At the bottom, they find their way into the City of Gold. They are almost killed by natives, but Ox uses the skull to keep them at bay. Indy helps them get inside the temple's inner sanctum, where they find vast stores of wealth. Deeper inside the pyramid, they find a chamber with crystal skeletons sitting on thrones around the chamber walls. When the Russians arrive, their leader takes the Crystal Skull, and when it is reattached to one of the bodies, the skeleton's come alive. The temple also comes alive, and as it starts to fall apart, Indy and his group make their escape. The Russians are disintegrated in thirst for power, and Indy's group watch from the hillside, as the temple crumbles, and a silver flying disc rises from the rubble. It leaves in a burst of light. Indy finally marries Marion.
Alien vs. Predator II: Requiem
This is a much better effort than the previous installment. Sure you don't care much about the characters, and a lot of the character development doesn't amount to anything (for instance, Dallas has returned from prison, and its hinted at some event having occured, but it's never explained, and doesn't mean anything in the story). But at least it's adult, it's gory, and violent, and what the Alien-/Predator- franchises are about - vicious creatures battling it out. The effects are really good, and they attempt to introduce new devices and expand on the Predator universe a bit more. It connects in nicely to the first movie, picking up directly after the first concludes. Overall a good effort, lets hope the third installment continues to raise the bar. Plot Synopsis: An alien bursts from the chest of the Predator that was killed at the end of AVP, and goes on a rampage through the Predator's ship. The larger ship releases the smaller hunting ship, and the smaller ship returns to Earth, crashing after the Predators blast a hole in its hull while trying to repell the Predator/Alien hybrid. Face huggers are freed in the crash, and escape the wreckage along with the hybrid. They retreat into the sewers where they begin impregnating victims from the local town. The crash of the ship alerts a Predator 'cleaner' on their homeworld, and he is dispatched to Earth to clean up the mess. He arrives and goes to work, disposing of the wrecked ship, and tracking down the Aliens. The town is eventually consumed in the war between the two races. One group eventually manages to escape the town in a helicopter from the local hospital, as the town is destroyed by the National Guard with a nuclear weapon. Finally, Ms Yutani (of Weyland-Yutani) is given recovered Predator technology from the town.

Another great comic book film this year. Both this and the darker Dark Knight were very popular, and quite rightly so. This is a fun film, and although it suffers from the usual origin tale baggage, and a weaker third act, promises to become a highly entertaining series. The sequel should be even better now they can jump straight into the story. Hints at links to the Mandarin and SHIELD should provide possible future plot directions. The cast were excellent in this, and I really think they got the perfect Stark - Robert Downey Jnr. The supporting actors were also good, and I'm hoping to see War Machine in the sequel, giving Rhodes more to do. The effects are fantastic, and the sound effects should give the home theater setup and good workout. I watched it on a stereo setup because my theater setup is in storage till we move into our new house, but it sounded excellent even on that. I can't wait to re-watch it on a proper setup. Highly recommended.

Plot Synopsis:

Weapons Manufacturer Tony Stark is traveling through Afghanistan after demonstrating a new missile system to the US Military. The convoy comes under attack by terrorists, and Tony is injured after one of his own missiles is used in the attack, and explodes near him, hitting him with shrapnel.

We flashback to days before, and Tony is shown as a careless playboy, enjoying life with little care for those around him. He is surrounded by his good friends, Pepper Potts, James Rhodes, and Happy Hogan who try to keep him out of trouble. Obadiah Stane, former associate of Tony's father Howard, helps to run Stark Industries. Eventually Tony goes to Afghanistan and the attack occurs.

Tony is given life saving medical treatment in a cave, and when he awakes he's had an electromagnetic device implanted into his chest, powered by a car battery, to keep pieces of shrapnel from traveling into his heart. He's threatened and told to build a replica of the missile he demonstrated for the terrorists, and then he will be allowed to go. Tony discovers the terrorists are well stocked with weaponry from Stark Industries. He reluctantly agrees to comply, but aided by Yinsen (another prisoner) builds a miniature arc reactor to power the device in his chest. He then shows Yinsen his escape plan - a armored suit that can be powered by his mini reactor. They construct the suit in secret, using components scavenged from the various parts they are supplied to build the missile from. Yinsen sacrifices himself to buy Tony time to escape. The prototype suit is damaged after coming under heavy fire. The suit is smashed after crashing into the dunes, but Stark makes his way across the desert, and is rescued by the military.

Back in the US, Tony calls a press conference and announces that Stark Industries will no longer be making weapons. Obadiah isn't happy about this news, and tries to downplay it. Tony tells him he doesn't want his legacy to be nothing but destruction and misery. He's thinking of using his improved Arc Reactor technology to produce new non-military products. Obadiah tells Tony to lie low for awhile and recover.

Tony throws himself into developing the next generation of his armor. He builds a new improved arc reactor for his chest, which Pepper has to help him install. He labors in the basement of his home with his computers and robots building a new suit. As he tests and develops new parts, gradually refining the idea. His first test run of the Mark II suit, sends him into the skies, but when he flies too high and the suit ices up, he is almost killed, narrowly avoiding plunging to the pavement below.

After some further modifications, Tony puts the final MK III into production. While the robots are building the suit, he attends a company party that he wasn't invited too. There he is confronted by a reporter about Stark's latest attrocity - photos of Stark weapons being used in Afghanistan the day before. Tony confronts Obadiah, and Obi admits that they are selling weapons to whoever will buy them. He also says he was the one who approached the board of directors about locking Tony out of Stark Industries.

Tony returns home and watches the news footage of the attacks in Afghanistan. The robots assemble the MK III suit on his body, and he flies to Afghanistan. He liberates a village from the terrorists then sets about destroying their stockpiles of Stark weaponry. Returning to the US, Stark is pursued by military jets intent on identifying what attacked the terrorists. They open fire on him, while trying to avoid them, damages one of the planes. When the pilot's chute fails to open, Tony risks his own safety to rescue him. Rhodes covers up Tony's involvement.

Meanwhile, the terrorist leaders have recovered the pieces of Tony's MK I suit, and reassembled it. They hand it over to Obadiah, who has been conspiring with them to kill Tony since the beginning. He takes the prototype suit, and has the terrorist camp wiped out. Back in the US, he sets his scientists to building a new improved suit based on Tony's prototype.

Pepper finds Tony struggling to get out of the damaged suit, and is upset to find it full of bullet holes. Later, Tony is repairing the suit, and asks Pepper to go to the office to retrieve some files so he can get evidence of Obadiah's double-dealings. Pepper initially refuses because she doesn't want to help Tony kill himself, but he convinces her. At the office, she is copying the files from Obadiah's office when he walks in. She manages to escape with the files, but he quickly realises. As she is leaving, she grabs a SHIELD agent, and explains what's going on.

Obadiah goes to check on the suit his scientists are building in Area 16, but finds they are unable to construct the miniature Arc Reactor needed to power it. That evening, he break's into Tony's house, incapacitates him, and steals the device from Tony's chest. Obadiah brags how he has been trying to kill Tony, but was worried about killing the golden goose. Now he has Tony's final innovation, and he'll use it to make newer, more powerful weapons.

Tony manages to claw his way to the garage, where the original MK I device is, and reinstall it before he dies. Rhodes is alerted to Obadiah's plans, and helps Tony. Tony suits up in the MK III armor, and goes to rescue Pepper from Obadiah. Unfortunately, the MK I arc reactor cannot provide enough power for the MK III suit, and is losing power rapidly.

Obadiah powers up his Iron Monger suit and pursues Pepper and the SHIELD agents through the factory, when Tony interrupts and they fight out into the streets and onto the freeway. Obadiah smashes him with a car and motorcycle. Tony lures him into the atmosphere, where the Iron Monger suit ices up, and crashes back to Earth. Drained of power, the MK III erratically hops back to the factory. Iron Monger survives, and continues attacking Stark on the roof top of the Arc Reactor building at Stark Industries. Tony asks Pepper to help him by overloading the Arc Reactor. She does so, and Iron Monger gets blasted by the full power of the reactor. The disabled suit crashes through the ceiling of the installation and falls into the reactor, which explodes.

Tony survives, and SHIELD helps to clean up the mess, arranging for Obadiah to be found in a light plane crash, and creating the story that Stark was saved by one of his security personnel in the armored suit. The press are calling him Iron Man. At the press conference, Tony goes against instructions, and admits that he is Iron Man.

After the credits, Tony arrives home to find Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD in his living room. He has come to talk to him about the Avengers Initiative.

This was a bit of fun. You can't really take it too seriously though. I mean hey, it's from the guy that did Fast and Furious, and that wasn't exactly sophisticated entertainment! But yeah effects are really good, got some good action, and Jessica Biel - rowr! Surprising that they chose to kill off one of the team members part way through, especially given who it was.

Plot Synopsis:

Three Navy stealth pilots are assigned a new wingman; an experimental stealth plane piloted by an advanced AI named EDI. Despite reservations by the team, their commander pushes the experimental plane on them. They are assigned to an aircraft carrier where the AI observes and learns from the teams interactions, but after being struck by lightning, the AI rewrites itself, and goes rogue. The team are assigned to retrieve the plane, but when they try to destroy it, it kills one of the team, and damages another. The remaining team member continues to pursue EDI at the orders of his commander. EDI initially tries to kill him too, so that it can continue its chosen mission: destroying a fusion research facility in Russia. When EDI sustains some damage, the team leader convinces it to go to Canada with him for repairs. The commander is now keen to cover up his mistakes by having EDI erased, and the team leader killed. EDI is rescued from deletion by the leader, and they escape together, contacting the carrier's commander and alerting him to the situation with EDI and the actions of their superior. He later kills himself. EDI goes to North Korea, and arrives to rescue the downed team member, sacrificing himself as the remaining team escapes over the border into South Korea. The AI finally advanced itself enough to gain some humanity.

I watched the DVD of this the other night with my son. I think he enjoyed it, but it was a bit boring from an adult perspective. The story is very simplistic and you could pretty much see what was coming from the outset. All the funny bits are in the trailer, so no real surprises there. As a kids movie, it's successful, but as something an adult can go to with a kid, it's a huge flop. I don't even think it's that bankable based on old-age nostalgia by the parents.

Plot Synopsis:

Failing music writer Dave encounters singing Chipmunks when they move into his home. After they drive him nuts for awhile, he has some success when they sing his songs. A greedy music promoter manipulates the Munks into leaving Dave, and then proceeds to overwork them to exhaustion. Dave finally "grows a pair" and gets them back, reuniting their little family.

I finally got around to seeing this. First I wanted to see this when it came out, and my daughter begged me for weeks to take her, but it only ever ran after 9pm, once per day, and it just became too hard. Then I preordered the DVD, and a couple of weeks before it came out, I lost my job. So that solved that! This time I rented it on $2 night at the video store. Happily I can say, it was better than the last one, and better than I expected. It's by no means the abomination that everyone was making out. In fact the heavy R-rating and gore this time, was much better than the PG kiddie-friendly outing last time. This was the way these creatures are supposed to be. Yes the character development is nothing much, and you never really care enough about the characters to be bothered whether they live or die, but what are you expecting. It is what it is - two nasty monsters battling it out. It's not Shakespeare! The effects and creature work was great, there was plenty of creature action, and everything else was kind of peripheral. I'm probably going to keep an eye out for this and pick it up when it finally dips down to a more reasonable price.

Plot Synopsis:
Picking up immediately where AVP ended, the Predator ship is invaded by a new Alien/Predator hybrid, after it bursts from the corpse of their fallen comrade. The Hybrid causes havoc aboard before escaping in a Predator shuttle and returning to Earth. The shuttle ultimately crashes on Earth, and its cargo of face huggers along with the Hybrid escape into the wilds.

A Predator is dispatched from their homeworld to clean up the mess. The aliens start impregnating the towns folk. When the Predator arrives, it locates the crashed ship, gathers some data about the aliens, then destroys all evidence of the ship. It tracks the aliens into the sewers under the town.

We are introduced to members of the town, and as they gradually cross paths with the creatures, they are killed or caught in the crossfire. Eventually as the Predator hunts them down, the aliens are forced into the township proper. The National Guard is summoned and after some troops are wiped out, elect to destroy the town.

A small group of survivors try to escape, but split into two groups; one deciding to go to the hospital to use their helicopter to flee, and the other elect to meet the Guard in the center of town. They fight there way through more aliens, manage to escape in the chopper. The second group is killed along with the Predator and Hybrid, and any remaining aliens, when the town is nuked.

The chopper crashes in the wild, and is recovered by rescuers. At the end, government agents hand over recovered Predator technology to a Ms. Yutani.

I really wanted to see this film when I came out, but was told no because it looked too violent. Cue my disappointment and a few years of waiting before I finally got to see it. And damn it was worth the wait. It's a really good film, original, and beautifully told. Although I wish the studios hadn't tried to make a franchise out of it, and kept churning out inferior sequels. With each new one, the continuity gets more messed up, and don't even get me started on the Tv series. There should have been only one! Christopher Lambert is really good in this, even more so when you consider english isn't his first language. I also really enjoy Sean Connery, although he's one of those actors who'd be great even if he was just reading the phone book. Some stunning locations on show, makes me want to visit Scotland one day. Highly recommended!

Plot Synopsis:

Connor McLeod sits watching the wrestling at Madison Square Garden. He watches the wrestling and his mind drifts back to an ancient battle, Scottish highlanders in a bloody battle in the highlands. He suddenly gets up and leaves, going down into the parking garage. A man attacks him with a sword, and they fight. McLeod cuts Faziel's head off. Energy flares from Faziel's body, causing destruction throughout the garage, and coursing through McLeod. He hides his sword and runs when he hears the sounds of approaching sirens.

Flashing back to Scotland 1536, the clan McLeod ride out to battle. On the field of battle, a dark warrior tells the oppositions leader that ConnorMcLeod is his to kill. Both sides attack and fierce battle breaks out, but no one will fight Connor. The black warrior rides in and challenges Connor. He quickly stabs him through with his sword. Connor's clansmen comes to his aid and stop the warrior from severing Connor's head. The warrior tells Connor he will return.

Back at Madison Square Garden, Connor tries to leave but is apprehended by the New York police. He is using the name Russell Nash, and he is arrested for the murder of Faziel.

Back in Scotland 1536, Connor is read the last rights by the priest, and declared dead. Connor's woman weeps over his body.

The cops investigate the murder scene. Brenda Wyatt from police forensics has been called in to gather evidence. The police assume that Nash killed Faziel for his priceless antique sword, as he is listed as an antique dealer. Nash is questioned by the police about Faziel. Nash feigns ignorance, and provokes one of the officers into fighting with him. Without any solid evidence, the police are forced to release him.

The dark warrior is driving to New York. He checks into a hotel room as Victor Kruger. In his room he unpacks and assembles a very large sword.

Brenda is given samples of metal taken from Faziel's wound by the coroner. She analyses the metal and realises there must have been another sword involved. Back at the garage, McLeod is retrieving his sword, when Brenda arrives. Using a metal detector, she finds pieces of McLeod's sword embedded in one of the garage pillars. McLeod meets up with Brenda at a local bar. As he's leaving she follows him home.

On the way home, McLeod encounters the dark warrior. He has returned for him, and they fight in an alley. McLeod tries to protect Brenda who stumbles into the fight. Luckily a police helicopter arrives and interrupts the fight. McLeod warns Brenda to stay away from him and not to follow him again.

Back in 1536, the Clan McLeod think Connor is possessed by the devil because he is still alive and has recovered from his wound, when he was a corpse the night before. His woman declares that Connor is in league with Lucifer, and they drive him from the village, beating and pelting him with rocks. His clansman Angus banishes him even though the rest of the village want to burn him. He wanders off into the highlands.

Back in New York, McLeod is returning home. He goes into a room in his loft filled with mementos of his time alive. He remembers blacksmithing and building a tower with his new woman, Heather. As they finish making love, the Spaniard Ramirez arrives to speak with McLeod. He knows his story, and has come looking for him. McLeod is effected by a lightning storm, and Ramirez explains it is the Quickening he feels. Ramirez claims he is the same as McLeod.

Brenda distracts her captain, and then checks through the file on his desk, finding the pictures of Nash. Meanwhile, McLeod is repairing and resharpening his sword. He looks at a book about ancient swords, turning it over to reveal it was written by Brenda. He remembers Ramirez.

On a Scottish lake, Ramirez is training McLeod, and they are trading insults. Ramirez responds by tipping him into the lake, and Connor complains that he cannot swim. Ramirez tells him he can't drown because he is Immortal. McLeod walks across the bottom of the lake, surfacing to attack Ramirez on the shore. Ramirez easily avoids his attack, and then starts to tutor McLeod in proper swordsmanship. Ramirez explains to Connor about the time of the Gathering, when the few who are left will gather to fight for the Prize. He explains the only way they can die is if his head is severed from his neck. He is safe only on holy ground, and they will all fight until only one is left. They train and practice until Connor is finally able to beat Ramirez.

Later, Ramirez warns McLeod that he must leave Heather because they cannot have children, and it will be too painful to watch her age and die. Ramirez explains that he has been alive for over 2,000 years, and when his last wife died he was shattered, and he does not wish him to experience that pain.

Back at McLeod's tower, Connor tells him of the black knight. Ramirez tells him he is the Kurgan from Russsia, and explains that he is the strongest and most evil of the Immortals. He must help stop the Kurgan or mortal man will endure an eternity of darkness.

Ramirez is entertaining Heather while McLeod is away when the Kurgan arrives. Ramirez attempts to protect Heather. They fight in the tower, and leave it in ruins. Ramirez manages to slash across the Kurgan's throat, but doesn't sever his head. The continue to fight and the Kurgan gains the upper hand, taking Ramirez's head, and raping Heather.

Back in New York, Brenda has come to see Nash, and is asking about a japanese sword with the metal in the blade folded 200 times. McLeod invites her to dinner. The police are watching Nash and they report back that Brenda was talking to him. Rachel, McLeod's assistant in his shop, asks what to tell people when they ask about him. He flashes back to World War I, when he found Rachel in the rubble of a destroyed building, and saves her from the Nazis.

Rachel tells him that she knows he is lonely and he should find someone to be with. McLeod leaves to go on his date with Brenda. He arrives at Brenda's place, and quickly discovers her hidden tape recorder, a .45 pistol, and the police unit watching her home. He seems amused by her deception, and tries to get the truth from her. He brings a bottle of brandy from 1783, and then tells her about the events of the year. She asks about the gift he bought for her, and when she opens it she finds her book. She realises the jigs up, and he confronts her. She tells him she just wants to see the samurai sword, because it shouldn't exist. She says its far too advanced for the time it was made. McLeod leaves her.

Flashing back, McLeod has built a new home near his ruined tower with Heather. We see a montage over time as Heather slowly ages, and dies. He stays with her to the end, unchanging.

McLeod meets with Castigere, another Immortal who has come for the gathering. They talk of the Gathering and decide to have a celebration. McLeod remembers the last party they had in 1783, when McLeod had a drunken duel with Mr Bassett on Boston Common. Bassett becomes frustrated when he is unable to kill McLeod despite repeatedly stabbing him with his rapier. He eventually turns his duelling pistol on his man servant and shoots him in the buttocks.

The Kurgan is fighting with Castigere. An American military veteran driving past witnesses the fight, and gets out armed with a machine gun. He witnesses the Kurgan take Castigere's head. He unloads the entire machinegun clip into the Kurgan, and when he goes to look for the body, the Kurgan stabs him with his sword. Kurgan takes the Quickening, then flees into the street, stealing a car with a little old lady in it, and then terrorising her all over the city.

The cops go to see the veteran in the hospital, and question him about the swordsman. They show him Nash's photo, and he confirms it wasn't Nash. The veteran tells them about Kurgan's scar across his neck. He can't understand how he got up after he filled him full of lead. He then tries to tell them about the Quickening, and the cops dismiss him as a kook.

Brenda is researching Nash's background and discovers that his identity belongs to a child that died young. She trails back through history, a succession of newborns that died, and their identity's taken, the previous identity leaving their posessions to the new identity. She has the handwriting on the birth certificates checked and compared to Nash's, all the way to 1796.

At a cathedral, McLeod goes to light a candle for Heather to remember her on her birthday. The Kurgan arrives and threatens McLeod, telling him Castigere is gone and they are the last. He provokes McLeod, and says he will come for him soon.

Brenda confronts McLeod about his past. He takes her to his treasure room, and tells her the truth. He stabs himself to prove to her that he is telling the truth. They end up kissing and making love. The next day at the zoo, McLeod tells Brenda that it won't work and he cannot get involved again. The Kurgan spies on them, and abducts Brenda when she gets home. He then calls McLeod and tells him to come meet him or Brenda will die.

McLeod goes to the Silvercup Building. He finds Brenda tied to the Silvercup sign, and the Kurgan attacks while he is freeing her. A fight breaks out atop the sign, moving down to the rooftop when the sign falls from its mounting. They fight on the roof, and they both fall through a skylight to the warehouse below. McLeod gets the upper hand and manages to cut further through Kurgan's neck, severing his head.

McLeod wins the prize, his mortality, and supreme knowledge. He goes to start a new life with Brenda.

Another reasonably standard Arnie actioner. It's pretty good, and only let down slightly by some dodgy CG croc's in the zoo sequence. I suppose they were pretty advanced for the time, but they don't look very real. Otherwise, there's some good action sequences, and some humor. Recommended if your passing it in the cheapie bin, or just an Ahnuld fan.

Plot Synopsis:

Special Agent John Kruger (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is assigned to make people disappear for the witness protection program. Mobsters have broken into an informants home and are terrorising them when Kruger arrives and deals to them. He then fakes the informants death, and helps the couple to disappear. The cops arrive to find the home ablaze.

Back at the Justice Building, John changes the couples fingerprints and dental records to match the corpses he substituted them for in the house fire. John's workmate Robert Deguerin (James Caan) comes to speak to him. John gets assigned a new witness to protect; Lee Cullen (Vanessa Williams) to protect. She worked for a Defence Contractor, Cyrez, and has uncovered some illegal dealings.

The FBI watch as Lee goes to collect evidence from her employers. She goes into the security vault to copy the data from the secure server. While there she makes two copies of the data. As she's leaving, security ask her to report to the director's office. He confronts her about copying the data. The director discovers the camera Lee is carrying, pulls a gun on her, but turns it on himself committing suicide. During the ensuing confusion, Lee manages to escape to the FBI.

Kruger meets with Lee to explain her new identity, and she refuses to give up her life, and goes home. The FBI check the data disc into evidence, and the clerk takes the disc and gives it to someone else. Lee arrives home and checks the second disc, but finds she is unable to run the program because it must be used on the secure corporate server. The disc's program alerts security officers at the company. She calls her friend at a newspaper and lets her know what's happened.

Some men arrive and murder the FBI watching Lee's house. They then start shooting at Lee using a high-tech railgun from Cyrez. Kruger arrives to protect Lee as the shooting starts. They dodge the shots, until John is forced to improvise a trap destroying her house so they can escape. John offers to hide her until the hearings.

Higher up, politicians connected to Cyrez are starting to panic. Orders are given to clean up the mess. John takes Lee to stay with a person in China Town. He tells her he works alone, so if anyone comes looking for her on his behalf, shoot them.

John meets with Robert who tells him someone has been murdering their suspects, and they suspect a mole in Witness Protection. He tells them they have to go meet their witnesses face to face. They go to check in on Alice, a witness of Roberts. A gunfight breaks out, and Robert kills Alice. He fakes giving her mouth-to-mouth when the other agents come in. He then cuts off her air. He plants evidence on the man near Alice's body - a photo of Lee. Robert asks John where she is, and John tells him Atlanta.

Back on the plane, en-route to Atlanta, Robert drugs John. John realises he's been drugged, but manages to text his warning code to Lee. They intercept the cell phone call and divert the plane to New York. When John awakens, Robert has murdered another agent and framed him. John pulls a concealed knife, and stabs Robert. He then grabs and parachute and escapes out the plane door. Unfortunately he drops the chute, and is forced to sky dive after it. He gets it, puts it on, and opens it. Robert has the plane turned around and tries to ram John. He becomes entangled in his chute, but manages to free himself and open the reserve. It opens a little too late though, and he slams into a wrecked car in a junkyard.

Robert lands and figures that John would have sent Lee to the New York Zoo. He sends his team of hitmen there. Meanwhile, John is on his way to New York in an acquired tow truck. One of the men finds Lee at the zoo, and tells her John sent her. She shoots him and runs off. The other men search for her and eventually pursue her into the reptile house. John arrives crashing the tow truck through the zoo gates. John shoots out the glass on the alligator exhibit, freeing the creatures. They start attacking the hitmen.

John and Lee hide out in a church. John makes contact with his captain and explains what's going on. He tells him he'll make contact again when he has proof. Lee shows John the second disc she made, but explains they can't use it outside of the Cyrez building. John goes to ask for help from the mob informant he rescued at the beginning.

Johnny agrees to help them. Robert is already watching Cyrez with his men. Johnny arrives disguised as a pizza delivery man. He fakes a heart attack to get into the building infirmary. John and Lee arrive disguised as paramedics. The Cyrez security team detect John accessing the disc but can't understand how he isn't running it from the server room. One of the technicians suggests he must be running it from a terminal in the building. They try to locate the terminal through the network. John discovers the Russian Mafia are buying the railgun weapons that day at midnight. The technicians finally track John to the Director's office. The security team burst in shooting. Robert grabs Lee as they try to escape.

Johnny goes with John to the Baltimore docks to stop the arms sale. His cousin Tony runs the docks and can help them find the ship the weapons are going on. They enlist the help of Tony and his mob crew. John contacts his boss and tells him where the arms deal is going to happen.

The mob guys create a diversion while John sneaks onto the docks. Hitmen armed with the railguns start sniping at John. He manages to get one of the weapons away from them, and starts using it against them. He disrupts the arms sale, and ends up fighting with Robert atop one of the shipping containers. Lee escapes from the Russian mob guy that is holding her aboard the ship. The wiseguys start shooting at the Russian mob guys. Robert is bought in by John, but looks like he might escape justice. John is cleared, and fakes Lee and his death in an explosion outside the courthouse. He then erases Robert and the corrupt Senator by arranging to have Johnny leave their limo on the train tracks. Their car is destroyed by an oncoming freight train.