Retrograde

I thought that this movie had something going for it, because not only did it have Dolph Lundgren (one of my favorite B movie actors) in it, but that one of the producers was Joseph Merhi, who made some great B action movies in the 1990s. Unfortunately, I thought the end results were a big let down. Partly because of an inadequate budget, most of the movie looks really cheap, with interiors that were obviously not shot on a real ship, and exteriors that look nothing like the real Antarctic. An additional problem is that director Christopher Kulikowski directs the various going ons with a lack of conviction. The action scenes are sluggish and badly choreographed, and there is a curious matter-of-fact feeling to many scenes despite the plot of the movie centering around the fate of the human race! Even if you are desperate and it's a slow night does not make this movie worth watching.

A note to Joseph Merhi: Reunite with your old producer partner Richard Pepin and get back to making those great action movies you guys once made!

"Retrograde" aka "Time Travelers" is a typical B movie, I had low expectations, but in the end it wasn't too bad. Dolph Lundgren plays a guy from the year 2200 who travels back to our time to avoid the discovery of an alien virus who killed most of mankind till 2200. The meteor which brought the virus to Earth was discovered by the crew of a ship near Antarctica. Now there's no denying we have loads of rubbish in this movie: they are searching for microorganisms in a lab that isn't sterile at all, the spaceship can also travel through time just like that, day and night near the South Pole last 12 hours each, and the hero's enemies don't really make sense when they try and stop him on his mission. However, he is in an interesting situation as he tries to protect the ship's crew, but on the other hand can't tell them he's from the future, so they only know he must be hiding something from them. Lots of fighting going on which one expects in a Dolph movie, and then there's the hostile environment and the nasty virus - a scratch could kill you. So... it isn't "The Thing", but I've seen worse.

Yesterday I bought this DVD on sale in Blockbuster (Rio de Janeiro). The price was less than US$ 4,00 for an used DVD (called "previously seen"), which is very cheap for Brazilian usual prices. Unfortunately, I have just watched 10 minutes of the awfullest movie I have ever tried to see. Simply unbelievable how a producer can put his or her money in such a flick. Further, why the Brazilian distributor Europa bought such a garbage to distribute in Brazil? Meanwhile, in Brazil we have many important movies that have not been released on video or DVD, such as the work of Yasujito Ozu or "Fahrenheit 451" of Truffault. I saw another brave IMDb user that was capable of watching 30 minutes of this trash, and I would like to congratulate him for his courage. I would like to indicate this flick to "The Jerk of the Daily Votes". My vote is one.

Title (Brazil): "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 !

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.