4K Ultra HD Review – Soldier (1998)

      Soldier, 1998.

      Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.

      Featuring Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Jason Isaacs, Connie Nielsen, Sean Pertwee, Gary Busey.

      SYNOPSIS:

      An aging, highly trained soldier is presumed dead by an upgraded type of super soldier but is rescued by a peaceful community he must protect when the new breed attacks. Written by David Webb Peoples, co-writer of Blade Runner, Soldier embodies the era of its release, reflecting themes from Peoples' more renowned work. With many hints suggesting it could exist within the same universe, Peoples has both confirmed and denied this at various times. The film navigates familiar ground with elements reminiscent of The Terminator, which was Peoples’ initial inspiration, as well as Universal Soldier, and showcases a transitional phase between practical and CGI effects, making it an intriguing artifact for film historians. However, this aspect might be more captivating than the actual film because, despite having some solid action sequences and a cast that should have elevated the material, Soldier lacks the awe-inspiring spectacle or rewatch value of similar films categorized as 'Action/Sci-fi Blockbusters.' Ultimately, it comes off like a lower-end TV movie version of its more impactful genre counterparts.

      This is unfortunate since Kurt Russell stars as Sergeant Todd 3465, a role that was also considered for Schwarzenegger and Stallone. At the time, Russell was slightly younger and still had a rising star, making him a fitting choice. Todd is an orphan trained to be a highly skilled and devoted soldier, but at 40, he and his unit, commanded by Captain Church (Gary Busey), are being phased out for enhanced soldiers developed by Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs), with their standout being the formidable Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee). After a show of strength escalates into a hostile takeover, Todd is left for dead by Caine and disposed of in a galactic waste container, landing on Arcadia 234, a planet inhabited by a peaceful colony. Mace (Sean Pertwee) and his wife Sandra (Connie Nielsen) take Todd in, but he struggles to adapt to their nonviolent lifestyle, having always been conditioned for combat. When Mekum targets Arcadia 234 for a training exercise, the community gains a means to defend themselves.

      Kurt Russell embodies Todd with only 104 words of dialogue and an impressively fit physique, presenting a smaller build than Jason Scott Lee, who has also noticeably bulked up since his role as Bruce Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story. The dynamic features Russell at potentially his fittest, led by the charming Gary Busey, who had appeared in Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms the previous year, thus connecting both franchises. They face off against a overacting Jason Isaacs, but despite having the elements for something exciting, Soldier feels generic and lacking the craftsmanship needed to rise above mediocrity, despite the cast's efforts.

      Hints throughout the film suggest that David Webb Peoples and director Paul W.S. Anderson – coming off the well-received Mortal Kombat and Event Horizon – aspired for Soldier to be a more profound, meaningful sci-fi action film than a typical Universal Soldier imitation, such as Todd’s unusual chemistry with Sandra or the struggle of the pacifist residents of Arcadia 234 against the formidable military forces. However, these nuances never truly resonate, leading to repetitive action scenes filled with explosions – and there are plenty of impressive explosions – against CGI backdrops that, while not groundbreaking for 4K UHD, hold up reasonably well for their time, with practical miniatures blending adequately for a 1998 release. As long as viewers can accept 1990s CGI for what it is, Soldier hasn't fared poorly visually. Arrow's transfer appears to maintain the clarity of the original filming without noticeable alterations.

      Overall, Soldier does not deliver the quality or satisfaction one might expect from its components. While Kurt Russell excels as the strong, silent lead and seeing Gary Busey and Jason Isaacs face off is enticing, the script fails to leverage these strengths for an enjoyable movie experience. If the film had embraced the darker tone alluded to by its deeper narrative threads or had gone over-the-top with the theatrical performances of its supporting cast, Soldier could have been a noteworthy film. Instead, it fails to fully commit to either approach and, akin to its special effects, becomes a compromise between two styles that ultimately lacks excitement.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Chris Ward