Steel Dawn

Just caught up with it after 25 years and while this is not a classic, this is not a bad movie. I saw this when it first came on video and remember enjoying it and feeling it was a solid action flick for Patrick Swayze. I am very surprised all these years later after seeing it today on TV, that it still is, though I would only recommend it to people who like old movies and/or post-apocalyptic stories.

First of all, it was nice to see Patrick Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi paired together on screen. They had a tremendous relationship in real life; one of the only Hollywood couples to whom "till death do us part" really meant something. They clearly have an easy demeanor around one another that makes their scenes memorable. Most of all what's good about this movie and similar old flicks made on clearly-low-budgets is the lack of pretense. It's not trying to be flashy, it's not trying to be epic, nor is it trying to be something it's not. This is just a simple tale of a wanderer (Swayze) who comes upon a tiny village and learns to help the people in exchange for food, water and a bed and comes to defend them from marauders. Nothing more. His character, called "The Stranger" in the film, becomes a man of example, whose actions speak louder than words and who shows us how we can trust someone based on how they act and not what they say. Swayze has charisma and that's what makes it better than average for this type of old film. He was such a good dancer we forget he had some action chops as well. NEXT OF KIN, and ROAD HOUSE were made after this, along with POINT BREAK, and are better known. This is a quiet flick, a good one to watch on a lazy weekend afternoon.

The direction and music score are a little dated, as is Niemi's hairstyle (very popular in the '86-'87 years). The acting is okay overall, though Anthony Zerbe always makes a good villain. Mostly the excellent fight scenes keep the film moving forward. The choreography of the action is very good and Swayze truly has the grace of a dancer in his hand-to-hand combat. STEEL DAWN holds up as a nice reminder of simple, unpretentious 1980s storytelling.

I have no idea why this is such a comfort film, it just works somehow, all of the elements feel low budget and strange, yet still it's fun to watch. Nothing deep, pure entertainment, for that, it's great. It also proves that Patrick Swayze is capable of being great in anything.

Wars and drought have ravished the future, a distant reality, and the world is now a husk of its former self. Civilisation now exists in small pockets spread across the desolate landscapes. It is the time of heroes, fighters, and bronzed men who know how to kick butt in a big way.

Steel Dawn, is has an interesting premise, but as a story struggles to develop much higher than a collection of action set pieces. Swazye plays a nomad (the man with no name), who after a tangle with some strange human like creatures of the waste lands, runs into his old mentor on the way to the pub. His mentor is killed and Swazye's character is now after revenge. The film has a spaghetti western feel to it but with out the mystery.

But despite that it has its good side too, as always Swazye is enjoyable to watch and the supporting casts do an admirable job with their characters. Christopher Neame brings a likeable side to his fallen warrior turned assassin, Sho. Who after all just wanted to challenge a worthy opponent to fight. Brion James is good as Tark, Kasha's foreman, whose initial jealousy of the Nomad make him suspicious of all he does, so of course Tark's trust must be earned.

This is not an example of cinematic magic. It is in many ways though a fun film, silly and enjoyable , with out a doubt oh so cheesy.

Enjoy I did.

Of all the post-apocalypse movies spawned in the 1980s after the success of the likes of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and the MAD MAX trilogy, STEEL DAWN has to be one of the cheesiest - and that's a surprise when you consider all the silly nonsense that the Italians were churning out during the same decade.

Despite the sci-fi trappings of the scenery and scenario, STEEL DAWN is a western through and through. Patrick Swayze plays a nameless drifter who wanders into an idyllic small town and soon finds himself required to defend the townsfolk from an evil overlord, played by Anthony Zerbe. What follows will surprise nobody, but it is mildly entertaining thanks to its nostalgic appeal - in the form of dated costumes and hairstyles - and a pretty good pacing.

The narrative is heavily indebted to the likes of MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR, with a few things changed around (for instance, water is the scarce and valuable commodity here, rather than petrol). Fans of Swayze will get to see him do his martial arts stuff on some rather defunct bad guys (including the sand people from STAR WARS, it seems) as well as some zen-inspired meditation techniques.

Fans of B-movies may spot the likes of Arnold Vosloo (HARD TARGET) in an exceptionally early role, while British star Christopher Neame (DRACULA AD 1972) dons a fright wig as a tough. Veteran Anthony Zerbe embarrasses himself as the chief villain, but best of the lot is Brion James in an oddly touching performance as a bodyguard with a heart. I'm so used to seeing James typecast as a bad guy that it's a refreshing change to see him as a goodie for once, and he's the best thing about this movie by far.

Steel Dawn (1987) is Patrick Swayze's underrated post-apocalyptic sci-fi action cult-classic gem! It is my second personal favorite Patrick Swayze's action film he ever did! It is a cult classic film Patrick Swayze ever did. I miss the guy I really do. The first movie will always be Road House (1989) this is my second favorite film! In my honest opinion this movie is a classic of the 80's and it is MILES way better than Point Break (1991), Ghost (1990) and Next of Kin (1989) the characters that Patrick Swayze played. I have this movie on Blu-ray I hardly got it and I love this movie to death! I have so fun watching it and I enjoy it. This is a sci-fi post-apocalyptic action samurai flick, it is not Mad Max: The Road Warrior a copycat film like was in Resident Evil: Extinction that movie was mainly a copycat of that movie this wasn't. Directed and produced by Lance Hool who earlier directed Missing in Action 2: The Beginning my favorite Chuck Norris film! This was his second movie he directed and starring Patrick Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi. I love Nomad it is Patrick Swayze favorite character of mine.

Plot: Water becomes a precious commodity in the desert community of Meridian. When a mob, led by the evil Damnil (Anthony Zerbe), takes over the town's supply, the good people fight back by hiring Nomad (Patrick Swayze). Nomad is the only person who can put an end to the greet in this modern interpretation of the Western classic "Shane."

Let it be known, that "Steel Dawn" is a favorite of mine, one of those rare, nostalgic, obscure and imaginative beauties, a film that from my viewpoint, never really got the attention it deserved. Why it didn't, I don't really have any idea, as it's lined with a star-studded cast. Very well directed and acted (even enjoyably "over-acted" at times). With a super-cool futuristic take on the classic western genre, and not to mention, one of the most quotable movies I' ever seen! Though it never quite grabbed the multitudes (perhaps because audiences were becoming worn out on doomsday & post-apocalyptic films of the era), it did most certainly grab my attention and I' been hooked on it ever since catching it on television.

This is a childhood film, yes it is a film from a childhood that I have grown up with it. It has a great cast: Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi, Brion James, Anthony Zerbe and John Fujioka. Actor John Fujioka was also in American Ninja (1985)my favorite martial arts Ninja film, before was cast in Steel Dawn. This is my favorite Patrick Swayze film and it is awesome, the sword fights were excellent and I love it so much! The acting in this movie was decent from Patrick Swayze and the rest of the cast. I have enjoyed this film, but it is really underrated the same as it is Missing in Action 2: The Beginning but for an 80's flick for an 1 hr. and 40.minutes hey I enjoy it, watching Patrick Swayze kicking ass is my guilty pleasure.

I love samurai sword fights, Patrick uses a sword to kill mysterious sand creatures. Throughout the battle with Sho (Christopher Neame) and Nomad (Patrick Swayze), I at least felt like they were actually trying to kill each other as opposed to posturing and/or baton twirling... I actually think this was a fight choreographer who was doing the best they could with what/who they had to work with. Patrick Swayze helped with the choreography. He definitely knew what he was doing and how to work the hardware. He was legit bad-ass, this final fight between those two is epic!

Theme Song for this movie: Australian composer Brian May (not the one from Queen) did the music for the post-apocalyptic Steel Dawn. He also did the music for Mad Max and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, which the makers of Steel Dawn brushed off as pure coincidence. Brain May must be an expert at post-apocalyptic atmospheric movies.

Patrick Swayze has to jump in to help, and instantly kicks everyone's ass. Steel Dawn is a damn solid action cult classic gem!

R.I.P. - Patrick Swayze (1952 - 2009) I really miss you so much and I wish you could do more bad ass action movies, I am your biggest fan and so was my mom we all miss you and we all love you, I love you to death!

Steel Dawn is a 1987 American post-apocalyptic feature film that mixes the genres of science fiction, western and samurai cinema. It stars Patrick Swayze and his wife, Lisa Niemi.

Steel Dawn (underrated) (why doesn't THAT film get the cult/appreciation/notice of this POS) Road House and Black Dog are my top 3 personal favorite best Patrick Swayze movies he ever did! This movie get's 10 out 10 the best underrated unappreciated cult-classic post-apocalyptic sci-fi action western samurai movie!