Following up from watching ROBOT JOX a while ago, I decided to check out a sequel to it I somehow missed in my days at the video store, ROBO WARRIORS. It’s a pretty loose sequel, if at all, and while it gives credit to Stuart Gordon’s original movie, it doesn’t seem to have anything else related to it outside of the giant robots.
The movie takes place on Earth, where aliens known as the Terridax have occupied Earth. We’re told that giant robot combat has replaced traditional warfare and that Earth lost, but never get to see that. Instead, we’re thrown into the mix as Gibson (James Remar) is leading a team of soldiers through the jungle to retrieve Earth Bot to fight against the aliens. Unfortunately, the Terridax are waiting and ambush them, seemingly killing all of the resistance.
Bummer.
Ten years later, we’re introduced to young Zach Douglas (Kyle Howard), whose father was one of the men killed along with Gibson. His father Charlie (Bernard Kates) was a mech designer and fills his head full of stories about Gibson and the robot and how one day they’ll come back and save the day. After getting into some shenanigans with the Terridax, Zach tracks down the very-much-alive Gibson and finds that his hero might not be all the stories made him up to be. Will Gibson sack up and help save the world? Will Zach hack the planet? Does the Earth Bot even exist anymore?
Watch it and find out!
ROBO WARRIORS has a lot of lore and feels like it could have been a miniseries or several movies in one (or at least a longer one than the breezy 93 minutes we got). Due to budget, we don’t see a lot of the good stuff that would have had Earth being subjugated. That’s not to say there isn’t some value on screen. The aliens have a fun design, and their outfits sort of remind me of the Phantom of the Paradise in design. Their makeup is basically one color with some ridge prosthetics on the nose but it works well. Mainly we see that on Quon, the Terridax leader, played by James Tolkan and his son, Darius (James Lew).
The robots have some cool designs, with the Earth Bot having some of the transformation capabilities as the one in ROBOT JOX. The main alien robot is equally impressive. But honestly, both pale in comparison to the glory that is the jungle mech that looks like a freaking dinosaur skeleton. That’s what we’re here for, people! I love it when people think outside the box and do some cool things like that and it pays off on the screen. Due to budget, they didn’t do stop motion for the mechs, instead utilizing suitmation, but as a Godzilla fan, I am down with that every day of the week. I just wish there was more of it as for a movie that is called ROBO WARRIORS, there’s not a lot of robos doing some warrioring.
Out of the cast, James Remar steals the show as Gibson and honestly has the most to do as he moves on from being haunted by his past failure to becoming the hero everyone thinks that he is. Kyle Howard is chipper as Zach and optimistic, with not much in between, but that’s not unusual for the kids in these type of movies. His character is at least helpful and can repair the mechs, so he’s not just along for the ride as a cheerleader.
The story is serviceable. Nothing to write home about but it doesn’t get bogged down and keeps the movie going. There’s a betrayal scene that is out of the blue and doesn’t make much sense later on but it’s handled so fast that you don’t have time to think much about it.
I think I found another bit of inspiration for PACIFIC RIM, too, as there’s a scene where Gibson fights other robo warriors for the right to battle the Terridax, which brought to mind the scene where Raleigh Beckett has to fight people to find someone he’s drift compatible with. Might be a stretch but it gave me the Leo pointing at the TV moment so please don’t crush my dreams.
If you’re looking for a fun ride filled with robot combat, well, this isn’t quite the movie you want. But if you can live with two or three scenes, then this is the movie for you. It doesn’t quite live up to the highs of ROBOT JOX, but it’s a decent enough time for what it is.
Check it out.
