Assassin

Making TV-movies in the 1980s wasn't all that difficult, in fact. The only thing you needed was enough guts to shamefully rip off an R-rated blockbuster and re-enact it straight-faced, as if you invented everything yourself! It's what writer/director Sandor Stern did, at least, and it worked surprisingly well. "Assassin" is a blatant copy of James Cameron's "The Terminator", although obviously a lot milder in terms of violence and less disturbing when it comes to atmosphere. For example, the cyborg here is also a gentle lover and he (or "it") allows for the innocent Sarah Connors to escape.

Former secret agent Henry Stanton is called out of retirement to stop and destroy a hi-tech but loose cyborg, programmed to kill off a bunch of prominent people that were on the hate list of its deceased creator. The mean machine, wittily named after the folklore creature Golem, is as strong and indestructible as T-800, but he dresses fancily and interrupts his mission to bunk up with a woman who's a dead ringer for Linda Hamilton. Nice! Oh, he must also recharge his batteries after 72 hours of action and adventure, so he's basically the prototype of Elon Musk's Tesla EV-model.

The first hour of "Assassin" is quite enjoyable, thanks to a couple of neat stunts and reasonably suspenseful moments. It is cool how we, together with the amazed and reluctant agent Stanton, discover just how superior and sophisticated the cyborg is. The plot loses its energy and wit, rather ironically, after Golem finishes his battery charging session in the hotel room. After that, the film turns into a mundane and derivative cat-and-mouse thriller, with cliched revelations and a standard finale.

Worth mentioning: the rather unknown and unsung writer/director Sandor Stern did return greatly once, two years after this, with the unique 80s horror gem "Pin".

This science-fiction film stars Robert Conrad as Henry Stanton, a retired C.I.A. operative who is persuaded by his former supervisor (Robert Webber) to accept another mission, one in which it is hoped that he may be able to address a problem of a rogue agent, Robert Golem (Richard Young), who is homicidal, with his victims being Agency and high government officials. Stanton is accompanied in his efforts to locate the vicious renegade by another former Agency employee, now one of Golem's targets, Mary Cassales (Karen Austin) who reveals to her new partner that the killer as an almost indestructible robot, designed for assassination purposes, and that she was instrumental in its production. The script, by director Sandor Stern, contains some interesting material, and neatly explains Asimov's three laws of robotics, but elements of romantic love between the two protagonists and between Golem and a smitten woman (Jessica Nelson) seem extraneous, and a point of view is difficult to find throughout. Conrad is most effective during the film's first half, when he is able to use his deceptively simple naturalistic skills, and Austin always contributes a developed interpretation, with only a lack of any sensual chemistry between Conrad and her serving to somewhat hamper the narrative's rhythm. Stern directs well and the work never becomes dull; however, his scenario is rather serried with story lines and he loses his way as the picture moves along, inevitably giving most emphasis to a series of frenetic action scenes, most of which demonstrate the android's superhuman physical talents. Although obviously derivative, the score by Anthony Guefen is effective, and particularly so in connection with scenes meant to generate feelings of suspense, while Chuck Arnold handles the cinematography nicely and there is crisp editing as always by James Calloway.

This mid-80s made-for-TV sci-fi thriller takes its cues from The Terminator, with a human-like robot assassin, created by a top secret government agency, programmed to kill those on a hit list compiled by its deluded, deceased designer. Ex-agency operative Henry Stanton (Robert Conrad) reluctantly comes out of retirement to try and stop the renegade mechanical menace, aided by attractive robotics expert Mary Casallas (Karen Austin).

Writer/director Sandor Stern is no James Cameron, but he still manages to deliver a fair bit of tension and some hokey fun from the premise, with his murderous machine (effectively played by Richard Young) interfacing with an ATM to extract cash, taking a couple of high dives from several stories up, leaping over moving cars, opening up compartments in his body to modify himself, and even bedding a desperate bar floozy when his mission calls for it (he's anatomically correct and can go for hours on a full charge!).

The plot does get unnecessarily convoluted and clichéd at times, with Henry haunted by his past, developing a relationship with Mary, and discovering that his superior has been hiding a terrible secret, but Stern just about keeps the pace going right up to the hilariously explosive ending.

5.5 out of 10, rounded up to 6 for IMDb.

Robert Conrad is called out of retirement by screenwriters who saw at least the opening ten minutes of "Firefox" to stop a man-made killing machine named Robert Golem and played by character actor Richard Young. He's good. Aiding Conrad in his mission are a fetching lady cybernetics expert who helped devise Mr. Golem and several gleefully corrupt CIA agents who excel in not comprehending Golem's one purpose to exist, which is to kill people. Referring to the film as a "Made for TV Terminator" is about right, with the premise of a scientist who programs a hit-list of everyone he can't stand prior to offing himself not outside the realm of possibility even if the robot currently is.

He's some robot too, the tall dark handsome type, which makes sense. Why craft an ugly android who can't function socially? and if you ask me he is the most interesting character in the movie. Standout scenes include a one-night stand with a Linda Hamilton lookalike, leaping from various buildings to land on his feet, straighten his tie and amble off into the night, and a bizarre scene where he hacks an ATM with a greasy haired street punk looking on. He gives the kid a mocking raised eyebrow before sauntering away with his cash, demonstrating that he was also programmed to have at least a vestigial sense of humor. I'd hit the bars with him.

Others may disagree but I find the movie to be an engaging passable timekiller, with some decent action scenes, a healthy body count and an interesting perspective on how unelected government officials often regard the elected ones as obstacles to their wishes to govern the way they'd prefer. Gives one reason to pause in the Pandemic Age about whose line to believe, with scientists or physicians serving as pawns for those who are determined to play by their own rules. Conrad makes a decent lead, even getting the Girl in the end, with the robot's inevitable demise a marvelous laugh-out-loud moment for those who wonder how such things might take place. Easily found on YouTube or any number of bargain-bin DVD movie collections, which is where it likely belongs.

Dou you already heard that old story of an US's agency calls back those former collaborators when some situation running out of control??, How about Schwarzenegger's COMMANDO or even Lambert's FORTRESS 2: RE-ENTRY also RAMBO III just name a few, it's happened with Robert Conrad to be back with full power to stop a hitman that going mad after many killings, they just don't aware him that in fact he is dealing with a powerful Cyborg, what a double-crossing.

I thought that he'd returned just by the gorgeous Scientist Karen Austin working as supporting high tech computer, the top-secret Cyborg's developing was under oversight of Robert Webber, now they ought stop the hybrid-human when he has to be recharging his plutonium batteries for a thirty minutes only, meanwhile it is impossible to break, (why they figure out a dynamite for instance or a bazooka, certainly not it will destroy the whole concept). Well it should be asking too much.

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First watch: 1987 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 5.