The Vindicator: Frankenstein 2000

The high-tech ARC Corporation that is directed by the unscrupulous Alex Whyte (Richard Cox) is researching a software that provokes violent reaction from someone that is attacked against the attacker. The efficient scientist Carl Lehman (David McIlwraith) has an argument with Whyte since his funds have been cut. On the next morning, Carl has a serious accident while his partner and friend Burt Arthurs (Maury Chaykin) is bringing coffee for them. Carl's pregnant wife Lauren Lehman (Teri Austin) is informed that her husband has died; however, the accident was provoked by Whyte. Carl becomes the guinea pig for the ARC Frankenstein Project and is turned into a cyborg. While testing the remote control unit, the scientist Gail Vernon (Lynda Mason Green) is attacked by Carl that escapes from ARC in a garbage truck. Then he eliminates a motorcycle gang that has attacked him. Carl realizes that he cannot be touched and he contacts Lauren from outside home to arrange a meeting with Burt. Meanwhile Whyte contracts the killer Hunter (Pam Grier) to get rid off Carl.

"The Vindicator" is a low-budget movie with a poor storyline and lame production. The characters and situations are not well-developed and the rushed beginning does not exactly explain the importance of the rage project or why it was necessary to eliminate Carl. The storyline has similarities with "Robocop" that was released more than one year later. Was "Robocop" a rip-off "The Vindicator"? My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Roboman"

as a fan of robocop, i always loved this movie. i seen it when it first came out, and finally i bought it on DVD from Brazil, it was never released in the us on DVD. i like the film, but like everything else in this world, everyone has their opinion, love it or hate it. no matter what a movie does, someone will always say "why didn't they do it another way?" in other words you cant please everyone. if you love robocop, you will love this film. to me, its so unique thats its not cheesy, or silly like a lot of lower budget movies. this film always kept me interested. i can see a few scenes that robocop borrowed from here, but tell me what movies don't do that? a lot of films use other ideas from other movies, and sometimes change them around. fun film!

Maybe I was expecting a little too much from it, but 'The Vindicator' was a so-so Canadian low-budget get-up of a half-human / robot on the rampage for revenge against those who did him wrong. While being tacky, junky and trashy all rolled into one, it just didn't rally up the thrills like it could have done. The story is pure comic-book stuff with some outrageous inclusions and can be loosely tied to the 'Frankenstein' story. But the main cause of interest, and it's been thrown around was how it could be seen as a minor blueprint for Paul Verhoeven's superior 'Robocop (1987)'.

Comparisons aside (which on the other hand James Cameron's 'Terminator (1984)' could've been an influencer to it), it's standard b-grade ho-huh that I didn't find it all that exciting or gripping in it's bland story-telling (which had too many daft moments in a wonky script) and uniformed visuals. Director Jean-Claude Lord's (who was also behind the 1982 slasher 'Visiting Hours') handling is crudely makeshift and the pacing can get blotchy, but the grimy atmosphere and cold-blooded violence (at least the deaths are creative) seems to fit. However the premise had something original to work with, but the way Lord went about it wasn't. At times it seemed to get too mushy with some unwanted details, where I wished it kept to a more straight-forward, but harrowing revenge exploitation path.

Iconic cult actress Pam Grier appears as a hired gun to destroy the cyborg, but even her firebrand presence isn't all that flammable. David McIlwraith cruises through his part as the scientist turned machine. Richard Cox is perfectly snake-like in his performance, but the pick of the bunch is Teri Austin's gallant turn. The always dependable Stan Winston vividly crafts out the space-suit wearing cyborg and make-up FX with great care, and is one of the film's major highlights. Paul Zaza's music score starts off effective, to only go on to be mainly forgettable.

You probably have never heard of this movie but it's a real find. It's a mixture of science-fiction/action and revenge themes. It has a comic book plot but it's presented in a fast paced, razzle-dazzle way. The cast is in pretty good form too. Chaykin really steals the show in an interesting plot twist. It doesn't have much to do with the original Frankenstein legend so The Vindicator is a better title than Frankenstein 88. It was shot in Montreal but you'd never know it. Unlike many Canadian films made at the time, it does not have an ultra-slow, cheap look about it. In fact, the special effects and sets are highly impressive. It only had a minimal release and then turned up on Pay-TV and video. If you like sci-fi even a tiny bit, check this out and tell a friend. You won't be disappointed!

I would also say it was a "Robocop" rip-off too, but it came out before it and for all I know "Robocop" stole from this movie, but I doubt it. A mediocre version of "The Terminator" that has a scientist involved in an accident and his brain and a few other parts are placed in this super robot body meant for space flight. When I think about that it also sounds a bit like "Darkman" doesn't it? The whole scientist in an accident thing. Anyway, this robot has his brain, but if he is touched or something the suit goes off and kills. The scientist has no control over it when it goes through these swings. If this isn't bad enough he is being chased by a really stupid bounty hunter woman. She hates men and would never let her self be killed by one. In fact, she would rather turn the gun on herself rather than be killed by the scientist in the suit. Of course, simply running away from the slow moving scientist never occurs to her, I guess she figured it would be easier to pull a trigger. There is an ending with our hero in quite a fight and then the very ending is kind of cruel. For some reason he is put on display or something.