Rating: Summary: funny Review: Great movie with lots of great action. Rutger Hauer best movies. If you are looking for a movie to buy, you got the right one.
Rating: Summary: Must See for Hauer Fans Review: I always enjoy watching a movie with Rutger Hauer in the cast. He is a good, sometimes great, actor who often appears in low-grade junk. Moviegoers know him from such stand out films as "Blade Runner" and "The Hitcher," but he is quite capable of turning in excellent performances in movies that, for all intensive purposes, reek. Some movie fans would probably castigate Hauer more than I would for making so many B films, and they would be right to some extent, but at least when this actor shows up in schlock you know you will see something interesting. If you have any doubt as to Hauer's acting skills, look no further than an obscure little film made a few years ago called "Fatherland." There is a scene in that movie where Hauer's character tells his son a story about a watchmaker that comprises one of the most powerful moments I have ever seen in a film. My admiration for this wonderful actor prompted me to recently view this Rutger Hauer double feature DVD. The two films on the disc are 1989's "Blind Fury" and 1995's "Omega Doom.""Blind Fury" is the more recognizable of the two films. Hauer plays Nick Parker, a recently returned Vietnam veteran who went blind due to a combat injury. Afterwards, Parker spent years living in a Vietnamese village learning how to cope with his disability. Several of the men in the settlement taught Parker how to use a sword by relying on his sense of hearing, and through this training the former soldier knows how to get around quite well in the world. Parker's first goal on returning to the United States is to visit his old war buddy Frank Devereaux, a man supposedly living in Florida with his wife and young son. What Nick doesn't know is that his old friend left his family and now faces a heap of trouble after losing at the roulette wheel from a gambling tycoon in Las Vegas. The baddies want Devereaux, a chemist by trade, to whip up a batch of designer drugs that will help the tycoon keep his casino out of the hands of creditors. In order to persuade Frank to help them, the goons attempt to abduct his wife and child. A series of events beginning with Parker's arrival on his friend's doorstep culminates with a showdown between the blind man and Devereaux's enemies in Vegas. Nick also manages to bond with his buddy's son and find some closure about his disability. "Blind Fury" is a fun movie, loaded with lots of shoot 'em up violence, nifty swordplay, and great character actors. Along for the ride with Hauer are Randall "Tex" Cobb as the right hand baddie of the tycoon, Terry O'Quinn as Parker's hapless war buddy, Meg Foster in a small role as O'Quinn's wife, and Nick Cassavetes as one of the thugs pursuing Parker. There are more recognizable faces in this movie than there are at a family reunion. Everybody does a good job with their roles, especially Hauer, who looks like he is having a heap of fun playing a blind guy who can wield a sword, drive a van, and generally beat up bad guys. Sure, there are plot holes you can sail a battleship through: why does the tycoon shell out big bucks to hire a sword-wielding assassin if he faces bankruptcy? Moreover, wouldn't be easier to just give up on Devereaux once the trouble with Parker starts instead of sending out waves of hired thugs to kill Nick and Devereaux's family? I could pick "Blind Fury" apart on point after point, but I really don't want to. I liked the movie and if you enjoy Hauer, you will too. "Omega Doom" comes from the mind of Albert Pyun, a schlock director who occasionally manages to produce something worthwhile (see "Nemesis" and "The Sword and The Sorcerer" for proof of this claim). In the case of this 1995 Hauer vehicle, Pyun finds himself on shaky ground with a low budget rip-off of the spaghetti western genre set in an apocalyptic future where androids and cyborgs rule most of the planet. Hauer plays Omega Doom, a robot soldier who fought against the armies of the human race before receiving a wound to the head that destroyed his memory. Reconfigured by surviving humans, Omega Doom now roams the wastelands of America hunting down troublesome gangs of robots. The entire movie takes place in one or two buildings in a wasted city, where two groups of robots called droids and roms square off over the rumor of a huge cache of firearms. Both groups wish to acquire guns so they can deal with the potential threat of a renewed offensive by human beings. Omega Doom proceeds to play both groups of robots off of one another while killing off the more hostile machines. Pyun uses the robot characters to examine philosophical questions about destiny, change, and existence. This film is far from great, but it isn't nearly as bad as many people say. Action fans will likely be disappointed with "Omega Doom," as will those viewers looking for lots of flashy special effects. The fact that the "killer" robots resemble Go-Go's guitarist Jane Wieldin with a bad case of vitiligo will certainly cause more laughs than anything else, and the robot known as "The Head" is downright offensive on every level. But if you accept this lack of conventional sci-fi attributes along with a few laughable scenes and cheesy effects, you might just enjoy "Omega Doom." Between "Omega Doom" and "Blind Fury," I think I can recommend this DVD. The picture quality of both films looks good, and extras include a Hauer talent bio and three trailers. Rutger Hauer fans will enjoy this disc.
Rating: Summary: BLIND FURY/OMEGA DOOM Review: I saw this film when it first came out and thought it was the second best movie to Blade Runner.Rutger Hauer plays a good role here and some very nice punch lines too.If you are a action fan then this is for you.The film is also nicely transferred to dvd and so is the sound : perfect in every way. But my big question comes now How did they ever make a film like Omega Doom? the worst film ever produced and made in world.The story is bad,it's so rubbish that it will make you laugh so hard that the dvd will flip out by it's own. Frankly it's a rip-off from a Fistfull of Dollars all the same jokes are here. I also noticed that there wasn't many actors in this film.Which wouldn't have helped much. I would give Omega Doom 0 out of 10. sorry the second film is bad,sometimes i wish the dvd studio's would stop conning the public in this 2 movies in 1 business.
Rating: Summary: Blind Fury Review: I will always watch most of Rutger Hauer's movies -- I admire his acting ability and presence, according his roles. He is capable of much more than the story lines he is given -- Blind Fury is my second pick to Ladyhawke and am looking forward to seeing Split Second [kind of far out]. Love his sword work - his acting ability -- Blind Fury is well worth seeing for the action, most of the story and entertainment value.
Rating: Summary: Best blind sword fighting movie ever made Review: If you like movies that are lame than this movie is for you. The story is simply torture and the acting is as good as a porn flick, but I must admit that the coconut cutting scene gave me chills. Watching this movie made me wish I was blind!
Rating: Summary: Rutger Hauer has Blind Fury Review: If you're wondering why I give this film such a high rating it's because I'm a big Rutger Hauer fan. The Dutch actor is one of my favourites and even a bad movie is good if it has Rutger Hauer in it. This is one of three films with Hauer that I like the most. Nick Parker, blind vietnam vet is taken in by a group of natives and is trained in swordsmenship. He then returns to America many years later trying to find his long lost vietnam buddy (Terry O'quinn from TV's Millenium and Jag)that is being blackmailed in making chemical drugs to a Las Vegas mobster (Noble Willingham from Walker, Texas Ranger). The mobster tries to kidnap his young son (Brandon Call from Baywatch) but the son is rescued by Parker and the two try to get to the boys father. If the movie didn't have such good actors and especially Hauer it would be another acton flick on the shelves of the videostore. The action is good and the actors make the most of the plot but it is the special bond that developes between Hauer and Call as the young boy that works the best. All actors make good, Terry O'quinn is the father that tries to be a hero and save his loved ones but always chickens out. There is only two really unnecessary characters in the film but they are mostly used as the comedians to make up for the two heavies, Noble Willingham as the main mobster and his hitman Slag, a great Randall "Tex" Cobb.
Rating: Summary: GOOD AND FUNNY ACTION FLICK Review: Just guessing, but seemingly this is a Hollywood version of the Japanese cult-series Zatoichi, the blind swordsman. Hauer plays an American serviceman in Vietnam who's wounded (blinded) in action and subsequently ends up the in the hands of benevolent villagers. While staying with them, they not only take him in, but ( apparently not having cable t.v. and having nothing else to do between sowing and harvest seaons) teach him to fight with a sword despite his loss of vision. This happens as the pre-film credits are rolling, and when the film actually begins, it then fast-forwards 15-20 years and Hauer is back in America, a blind and wandering loner, who still retains his martial arts skills and whose wooden cane carries (that's right, you guessed it) a straight edged Japanese style sword . When he goes to visit an old war buddy, said buddy is in danger from various "bad guy" types and you can guess what happens next; Hauer's sword comes out and he cleans house. This film could have been a nightmare of banality, but it was actually quite entertaining within the context of action movies. An often humurous script coupled with good but not gratuitous action including a final duel between Hauer and Sho Kosugi, (himself a real life <I heard> Japanese sword master) make this a well above average viewing experience. So Blade of Fury is worth watching if you're an old Kung Fu Theater fan or just like a good and intelligent actioneer. As for Omega Doom, I never saw it, so I can't say.
Rating: Summary: Blind Fury Review: Rutger Hauer is a great actor. This movie would be nothing if it wasn't for his ability to help us suspend believe and be amusing. This may not be his best but it is certainly entertaining. Best known for his role in Blade Runner as a replicant (robot) that is hunted by Decker (Harrison Ford). He has made many other good movies. If you like him at all be sure to catch this one and Ladyhawke, Soldier of Orange, Escape from Sobibor, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Split Second, The Hitcher (not for the squemish), Deadlock, Nighthawks, and Surviving the Game.
Rating: Summary: A lot of fun Review: The film is not very well-known at all, which is a shame, because it's an excellent film, full of both action and humor. Rutger plays a Vietnam vet blinded in the war. Concerning his affliction, he comments that his life didn't end..."it just changed." He becomes an expert swordsman, with his sword of course hidden in his cane. Some people try to pick on him because he's blind--swish. They no longer pick on him. Rutger is what makes this film; had it not been him I don't think it would have worked. It's definitely worth seeing.
Rating: Summary: Great Overall Value; Contrasting Adventure Tales Review: This DVD combining 1989's "Blind Fury" and 1996's "Omega Doom" is a great value for your entertainment dollar. Two adventure tales that take differing paths. Using Lake Tahoe's gorgeous Squaw Valley Resort (home of the 1960 winter olympics) and Reno as the backdrop for most of the scenes, "Blind Fury" is the more typical approach with lots of location changes and several fight scenes. It has a quick pace, playing a blind character shows how good Rutger Hauer can be as an actor. Early 80s heavyweight boxing contender Tex Cobb is well cast as a bad guy. No plot surprises, just sit back and enjoy the action. "Omega Doom" is a much more intellectual effort, a minimalist tale with very few locations and somewhat haunting background music. Rutger playing a robot reminds one of his superb robotic performance in "Blade Runner." "Omega Doom" is a mystery/sci-fi flick that has Hitchcock-like suspense, those looking for the special effects-driven movies (shootouts,car crashes etc.) typical since the mid-80s will likely be bored. If you like the first "Salem's Lot" (with David Soul) and its gradual buildup of suspense, you will likely really enjoy "Omega Doom." This DVD combo is a solid value.
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