Red Scorpion (1989)

Director:

Joseph Zito

Writers:

Jack Abramoff (story)
Robert Abramoff (story)

Release Date:

19 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

He's a human killing machine. Taught to stalk. Trained to kill. Programmed to destroy. He's played by their rules... Until now.

Plot:

A Russian KGB agent is sent to Africa to kill an anti-Communist black revolutionary. However, he has...

Plot Keywords:

Russian | Agent | Anti Communist | Africa | Tribe

Cast

Dolph Lundgren	...	Lt. Nikolai Rachenko
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Dewey Ferguson
Al White	...	Kallunda Kintash
T.P. McKenna	...	General Vortek
Carmen Argenziano	...	Colonel Zayas
Alex Colon	...	Sgt. Mendez
Brion James	...	Krasnov
Ruben Nthodi	...	Ango Sundata
Vuzi Dibukwana	...	Guerilla Officer
James Mthoba	...	Guerilla Officer
Dinky Motsemme	...	Guerilla Officer
Ernest Ndhlovu	...	Guerilla Guard & Guerilla (as Ernest Ndlovu)
Thapelo Mofokeng	...	Guerilla (as Thapeld Mofokeng)
Mxolisi Hulana	...	Guerilla
Nicky Rebello	...	Occupation Officer (as Nicky Rebelo)

Also Known As:

Red Exterminator (Philippines: English title) (new title)

Runtime:

105 min | Germany:98 min (cut version)

Country:

South Africa | USA | Namibia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:16 (heavily cut) | West Germany:18 (cut) (video premiere) | Germany:18 (DVD rating) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | France:U | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Namibia

Company:

Abramoff Production

Trivia:

The filmmakers used a real bushmen tribe and Regopstaan was their 95 years old leader who only agreed to play in the movie if his tribe can follow him everywhere.

Quotes:

Colonel Zayas: Are you out of your mind?
Lt. Nikolai: No. Just out of bullets.
[Burps]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Resident Alien (1990)

Soundtrack:

Good Golly Miss Molly

excellent pile of junk!!!!!!!!!!!

OK now I'm not going to try and say that this film is by any means a true classic, BUT it is a type of classic.

in so much as that it has the man Dolph, mostly half nude, and it has guns, and some really nasty ones at that. so the plot is really weak, nobody is going to buy into the fact that one guy can save a nation but thats not the point, its really just a vehicle for Dolph to do his thing, which is to look tough and sound funny in a monotone kinda way.

i really like the torture scene where the guy is sticking large needles through Dolphs anatomy, actually looks pretty realistic considering its not a big budget film, and also i like the scarification that Dolphs little tribesman friend does for him while he is drugged.

the highlight of the film for me is probably the goofy relationship that is forged between Dolphs character and the little bushman, its really fun. the language barrier is well played out but the writers and actors have enabled this element to flow very well and their means of communication is really very effective at translating the messages of the relationship for the film.

so do yourself a favor and go rent the DVD as it has at long last been released, and sit back and enjoy some cornball action for all its worth.

just don't expect any special features cause their isn't any.