Exo-Man

Another good idea ruined by the TV people. "Exo-Man" is the story of a college professor who is crippled by a spinal injury during a break-in (the bad guy whacks him across the back with a length of pipe). He uses his talents to build an exoskeleton (actually a suit) to enable himself to walk - and to avenge himself on the bad guys.

The movie started out OK, but the special effects were poor for 1977 and the script was horrible.

If this sounds familiar, the idea was handled a bit better in the short-lived series M.A.N.T.I.S.

It's hard to remember now what an impoverished time the 1970s were for science fiction and superhero television shows. While the SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, BIONIC WOMAN, INCREDIBLE HULK, and WONDER WOMAN seem to have done well in our memories, their budgets were limited and the creativity was hampered by the SFX technology of the time.

But that did not stop studios from trying. And occasionally a network would begrudgingly cough up the money for a pilot in the form of a made-for-TV flick.

In this case, the guys behind the two bionic shows on ABC got NBC interested in their pitch for another Martin Caidin concept. Caidin was the leading "tech thriller" writer of the 60s and 70s. His NASA novel MAROONED (actually three novels) was a famous film. His gritty novel CYBORG was softened into the popular SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN. NBC probably asked for "something like the $6M Man but different." They got it.

Caidin again looked to cutting edge technology for his gimmick. NASA and the Pentagon had been working on "man-amplifiers", powered frameworks a user could wear and use to possess forklift-like strength. The chemical industry had developed "memory plastic", materials that could be deformed then spring back into shape when an electric current was supplied. So there was the concept-- a man-amplifier suit that used memory plastic joints to make it work.

Of course this is television so they needed a crisis to compel the hero to build the thing in the first place. In this case, the hero was a college professor who witnessed a crime. The local mobsters tried shutting him up by nearly killing him. Now paraplegic, the hero decided to combine his work with memory plastic with research by his colleagues to produce an armored plastic suit that can walk on its own. And of course, this being TV, he used the suit to get revenge on the mobsters. He even picked up the obligatory street-smart young assistant along the way. The idea looked good on paper. The only problem was, the best mid-70s SFX tech could come up with was plastic plate mail the wearer could barely move in.

NBC took a look at the pilot, let it air once, and quietly forgot about it. As did most of the viewers.

Martin Caidin just cashed his check and went on with his life. After all, he still had the royalties from the bionic shows coming in. A few years later, Caidin decided to recycle the basic ideas behind EXOMAN in his early-80s tech thriller MANFAC. Like CYBORG, this is a very serious, very adult novel that still holds up well. MANFAC also enabled Caidin to have his final say on some of the exaggerated powers of THE $6M MAN, especially that "running at 60 mph" trick (the suit's legs literally run out from under the wearer).

At no time as seventies has so many super-heroes available on countless TV series as The Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, The Incredible Hulk, Man from Atlantis, The Invisible Man, Wonder Woman" and so for, Exo Man is a hybrid of Iron Man and The Six Million Dollar Man, about a physic brainy Professor Dr. Nicholas Conrad (David Aycroyd) who is developing process of a device that move thru a laser beam a piece of iron, such sudden discovery could change of physic for good.

Sadly in a failed bank robbery he catches one of burglar and he is willing testify at courthouse, unfortunately Dr. Conrad is dealing with powerful mobster Kermit Haas (José Ferrer), no witness is able to appears at courthouse due them send hitman to avoid it at all coast, after a failed attempt to kill him exploding his car which had killed his faithful assistant, a further attempt the killer doesn't get kill him, however upon hitting his backbone, letting Dr. Conrad crippled for good, thus he decides drop out the case.

Aftermaths Dr. Conrad disband all his research crew and secretly he retarget his researches in another purposes in making a Exo-Bionic Armour suit in order to he fits him properly, also he gear up a Van with high advanced computer and a special chamber to change into a Exo Man, which is able to walk, becomes virtually indestructible, previously he'd received an off-the-record agent Arthur Travis (Harry Morgan) delivery some classified photos from criminals connected with his sad fate, including his deadly perpetrator that injured him and the mentor, then Dr. Conrad will acting in the shadows to get his so await revenge.

This Pilot to an upcoming series Exo Man didn't wowed the executives of the studios and has been shelved due so many others most attractive series on developing process, when I'd watched it in 1988 I'd found it weird due some sequences where Exo Man breaks the wall and rip up a steel's door, quite sure an odd offering, as usually done by Hulk on those cardboard wall or something.

When we saw the expensive coast to build the Van with deck's hydraulic system to lift a wheelchair, all those advanced electronic panels inside with a chamber to be overlay his body, also the laboratory and the high designed suit armour, maybe should be better on prospective episodes and somehow it would be trying.

Resume:

First watch: 1978 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.5.

I was quite a young child but remember this movie. I recall the handicapped man visiting museums and studying chain mail while designing his special armor. He would climb into a tanning booth-like device that would encase him in the suit. Once in it, he was able to walk and, of course, fight crime. Ah, the 70's! ;)

For years I had assumed it was a short-lived series...I had no idea there was only one movie ever made! Apparently there was a lot of studio wrangling that prevented this pilot concept from taking off. Too bad. It's interesting that this idea has since been used in other film productions.

Search YouTube for "Exoman" and you'll find a five-minute clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0KSqelmgN8

Key word interesting, the acting ranges from awkward on occasion to surprisngly good (enough), the special effects are minimal but easy to tolerate, the story has some intrigue, mostly it's just fascinating too see such a primitive attempt of a iron Man type hero on the small screen. I've heard many people talking about this recommending m.a.n.t.i.s. (I can't wait to check it out) but I will forever find this sort of thing thing interesting. Overall I enjoyed this movie but I wouldn't give it more than a 6, it just doesn't do anything very well and without the novelty it just stands as slightly enjoyable.