With a mega budget adaptation of Marvel Comic's Captain on the horizon, I'd thought I'd check out the cheap, 1990's version, cranked out by exploitation superstar Menahem Golan and his right hand man, director of schlock, Albert Pyun. I've always avoided this film because of it's huge potential to suck...but it served as an opportunity to become familiar with the Captain America lore.
And despite all my fears...it ain't that bad. Sure it's corny in a SyFy channel TV movie kind of way, the iconic suit looks every bit as embarrassing as you'd expect and the acting, for the most part, is as wooden as a Canadian Pine forest. But it's fast and fun, going for a globe trotting James Bond vibe, rather than the costumed- hero wrestling smackdown I'd feared I'd encounter. Fortunately hero Steve Rogers spends most of his time out of costume in fish out of water scenarios, rather than clad in spandex. It's a shame then that lead, Matt Salinger is as flaccid as an inebriated donkey cock. Kim Gillingham, the spunky leading lady, fares little better. Thank God then for supporting thesps Ronnie Cox (as the all action American President), Ned Beatty (poor, poor Ned) and the marvelous Scott Paulin as his Arch Nemesis, the Red Skull, chewing the scenery with verve.
Glossy, cheesy...but surprisingly entertaining. All I hope now is that 2011 brings us a Captain America movie that can pull off that outrageous costume in a mainstream motion picture.
1 comment:
I've seen this. Years and years ago when it first came out on video. Like your reaction, I remember, surprisingly, not hating it, even actually quite enjoying it. My only real memory of the film itself is of Scott Paulin being pretty darn good as the Red Skull and a pretty cool showdown at a castle or something. It's all rather sketchy. Oh, and Cap strapped to a missle as it flies over the White House. Althugh I might have dreamt that bit. I'd really like to see this again. Pass it on to me, dude.
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