In a post-apocalyptic world, a warrior wandering through the desert comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by a murderous gang that is after the water they control. I like science-fiction films, particularly when they mess with your head, and to be honest with you, this film definitely does not do that. I also enjoy the odd post-apocalyptic film, but this one was simply boring. Okay it had action in it, and it had sword fights as well, but it was simply a remake of the Mad Max movies, in particular Mad Max II, and Mad Max II was so much better.<br/><br/>Patrick Swayze plays this guy, who used to be a high ranking soldier for this good guy, and fought in a war that no doubt put the world into the situation that it now is in. No doubt nobody actually emerged from this war as a winner, and thus everybody has been forced to return to an agrarian lifestyle, and the main commodity in the world is access to water. Now, you can probably guess what actually happens in this film: Yep, that's right, Swayze, who is a wondering loner, comes across a farm, which is run by a rather attractive woman, but is being harassed by a bunch of bandits. Swayze sleeps with the woman, kills the bad guys, and then wonders back off into the desert because his job here is done (despite the fact that he slept with the woman and no doubt is upsetting her because he is now wondering off).<br/><br/>Now that I think of it, this is probably the same plot that a lot of the old Westerns followed as well, so in a way this film is nothing more than a Western set in a post-apocalyptic world. Okay, there are simply films, such as Harley Davidson and the Malboro Man, that put a new twist to the Western, but this film doesn't. The only difference between this film and the old spaghetti westerns is that it is set after the world has been obliterated in a nuclear war. Decade of 80's was full of movies similliar in nature to Mad Max. Nuclear war happened, and people who survived catastrophe are now fighthing for water resources. Steel Dawn is one of that many movies. Many of this movies are forgetable but somehow Steel Dawn stays in your mind for some time. The main charachter is played by Patrick Swayze, don't forget that this is the same year he starred in planetary hit Dirty Dancing. Swayze looks really funny in the role of tough guy, he is more for dancing movies definetely, but that is what makes this movie magical, other cast is really cool, Brion James, how i miss this guy, he was must have for this kind of movies, just that face and look, and the movie becomes interesting in second, also there is Anthony Zerbe as main villain, such a great actor, i still remember his role as main villain in The Omega Man (1971). Other cast is also solid. Soundtrack was written by Brian May, the same man who created music for Mad Max 1, and Mad Max 2, it is beautiful soundtrack and goes well with the film, just love those synths, the story is simple but the movie has really good atmosphere, maybe because it is filmed in stunning Namibian Desert, magical location. If you love adventure/action movies similliar in nature to Mad Max this movie is definetely for you, or just are 80s obsessed guy or girl give this movie a chance.
Ehatalma replied
291 weeks ago