Well, let first things be first: there are no bridges in this whole movie. And absolutely NO dragons. So what the title has to do with this is anybody's guess. Instead what we get is a fast-paced, action-packed B-movie, kind of like the type that Chuck Norris used to make back when he was still fairly young (I'm thinking DELTA FORCE 2 here). The ageing action star this time around is Dolph Lundgren, looking lean, tanned and muscular as a super-warrior and leader of his general's armies. The general is played by none other than Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (the sadistic villain in Dolph's SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO). I would probably pair this film with Dolph's critically-maligned SWEEPERS, another decent flick that everybody seems to hate. For me, these two films act as the highlights in his 1990s career.
Of course, this is a B-movie, and its packed with the usual B-movie style problems. The film is set "where the past meets the future" (or so the STAR WARS text at the beginning tells us) which means that its shot in Bulgaria, with a load of Bulgarian extras, ruined buildings and props left over from some WWII flick – all the soldiers wear Nazi uniforms! The plot is extremely thin and consists of characters running from one scene to the next, but that doesn't matter because every ten minutes there is at least one engaging action scene to enjoy. Starting off with an opening shootout between soldiers and rebels, and moving on to various battles where Dolph takes on numerous bad guys, this is a really fun action flick. Keep your eyes peeled for a cheesy helicopter chase, a bloody and explosive rebel massacre, and the over-the-top finale, which is just sheer movie heaven.
Lundgren is good here. Well, he's not a good actor, but he does okay. He looks great and his martial arts skills (although rarely used) are fantastic, with some wonderful sweeping kicks. Rachel Shane (MORTAL KOMBAT) is also decent, a not bad actress and a great fighter, showing her skills in a decent pole-fighting scene at the start. Tagawa makes for an effective bad guy, with a mean haircut and a constant sneer; truly a guy you love to hate. It's a little disconcerting when you realise that this film was shot without sound and the voices dubbed in afterwards; listening to the range of accents is pretty funny (I love the Israeli-looking guy with the Scottish accent!). British TV regular John Bennett shows up as a registrar, whilst Jo Kendall, as Shane's nurse, seems to think she's in a Shakespeare flick. All in all this combination makes for surprisingly great entertainment, packed with slow-motion shooting, tons of incendiary action and a hard level of violence. Recommended.
Of course, this is a B-movie, and its packed with the usual B-movie style problems. The film is set "where the past meets the future" (or so the STAR WARS text at the beginning tells us) which means that its shot in Bulgaria, with a load of Bulgarian extras, ruined buildings and props left over from some WWII flick – all the soldiers wear Nazi uniforms! The plot is extremely thin and consists of characters running from one scene to the next, but that doesn't matter because every ten minutes there is at least one engaging action scene to enjoy. Starting off with an opening shootout between soldiers and rebels, and moving on to various battles where Dolph takes on numerous bad guys, this is a really fun action flick. Keep your eyes peeled for a cheesy helicopter chase, a bloody and explosive rebel massacre, and the over-the-top finale, which is just sheer movie heaven.
Lundgren is good here. Well, he's not a good actor, but he does okay. He looks great and his martial arts skills (although rarely used) are fantastic, with some wonderful sweeping kicks. Rachel Shane (MORTAL KOMBAT) is also decent, a not bad actress and a great fighter, showing her skills in a decent pole-fighting scene at the start. Tagawa makes for an effective bad guy, with a mean haircut and a constant sneer; truly a guy you love to hate. It's a little disconcerting when you realise that this film was shot without sound and the voices dubbed in afterwards; listening to the range of accents is pretty funny (I love the Israeli-looking guy with the Scottish accent!). British TV regular John Bennett shows up as a registrar, whilst Jo Kendall, as Shane's nurse, seems to think she's in a Shakespeare flick. All in all this combination makes for surprisingly great entertainment, packed with slow-motion shooting, tons of incendiary action and a hard level of violence. Recommended.