Retrograde

I am a "Dolph completist" like another reviewer put so eloquently, yet this movie has left a bitter aftertaste. It could have been so much more, the story had potential to make the ultimate "The Thing"- meets-"X files" crossover, laden with spooky claustrophobia and an intriguing time-travel tale.

Alas, none of that has come about. The director is partly to blame for his total failure to bring focus and atmosphere to the story. Viewers are left less than ensnared. But what I found most appalling was the ACTING ! It's incredible how most of the cast just stands there, glazed over, rattling off their lines. How hard can it be to get a little immersed in the role ?

Dolph himself is enough of a professional to put in his routine quality, even when he finds himself in what looks like a high school project. I also enjoyed Jamie Treacher, who makes the most of his "pothead" part. And there's David Jean Thomas who manages to bring a natural performance as Doc. But the rest of the cast should be forced to attend drama school !

Dolph Lundgren vehicles have hit DVD every spring for the last few years. Apparently they have done well enough that some studio finally snagged this sci-fi time travel flick that has been sitting on the shelf since completion in 2003. John Foster (Lundgren) pilots a space craft from 2204 back to the 21rst century with the crew's mission to stop scientists from discovering plague carrying meteorites in Antarctica. Naturally, there are traitors on board who want to alter the future for their own personal gains and it is up to Dolph to stop them. This is pretty bad, thanks mostly to the flat direction by Christopher Kulikowski. The guy has no concept on how to stage or film a fight scene. And who casts martial artist Gary Daniels and doesn't give him a big fight scene? Even more disappointing when you see former PM Entertainment exec Joseph Merhi is a producer on this. The acting is uniformly bad with Joe Sagal (as a rich dude funding the scientific expedition) and Ken Samuels (as the boat captain) being the stand outs. Seriously, how do guys this bad get cast and maintain some semblance of a career? One has to wonder if working with such a poor director is what finally made Dolph decide to step behind the camera (his directorial debut was the film made right after this). He has directed 4 films since RETROGRADE and the three I've seen have been infinitely more entertaining than this.

I watched movie this morning and it is not as bad as most people say. Actually it is good for what it is - a sci-fi flick. So don't be confused when you see the box cover and read the names of Dolph Lundgren and Gary Daniels expecting an action movie with a lot of fights.

The movie is about a time traveller (Lundgren) who gets back in time to destroy a virus brought by a meteorite and this way he saves the future from it. There are some bad guys who want to trammel him.

So I suggest that this is a low budget movie and if you have this in mind you'll say that it is a very decent movie. It might have been better, of course.

I give it 6 out of 10 and suggest that all sci-fi and Lundgren fans should watch it.

I have watched many of Mr. Lundgren's films which I have managed to sit through until now. I don't know if it was the low budget or the cast no wait it was the whole idea of actually making this film, why did they bother! We can always do with more science fiction but this was so bad how could they, even my other half agreed with me to change the channel before we had watched the first quarter. By the time they're ship left for Earth arriving 200 years in the past and the crew mutinied I lost interest as the ship rolled in space and they were all still standing except for the ones being shot. Turning over the channel to watch Lethal Weapon 3 meant my evening was not spoilt.

Dolph In Space!....Now calm down.

So far unreleased in the U.S., (almost with good reason). It's for die-hard Dolph fans (like myself) only.

"Retrograde" is about John Foster (Lundgren) who has to stop a bunch of bad guys who are trying to take over a boat in the future. Yes, that sounds like a poor plot and it is, but deep down it looks like they were trying. The budget is low and the special effects are cheap, but Dolph and Gary put in decent performances.

The movie's worst sin was to not pit Dolph and Gary Daniels' characters to a fight to the death. That would've been awesome.

To tell you the truth, if you liked "Direct Action" you won't like "Retrograde", unless you are a Dolph completist.

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