- Directed by Stuart Gordon
- November 21, 1990
In a world where conflicts are settled by ‘robot jox’ piloting giant machines, a rivalry between two pilots on opposing sides comes to a head.
This is a movie that has stuck with me for decades. Robot Jox was as close to live-action Transformers (which partially inspired this) as you were going to get at the time. Given modern effects it could be done spectacularly but would certainly suffer from people making comparisons to Pacific Rim which the more I think about it the more Pacific Rim reminds me of this.
Special effects for the film were done in the day before CGI. These giant fighting robots were accomplished with stop motion. I think much of what we get here is as good if not superior to today’s CGI. I’m even of the mind that stop motion should be continued today with CGI used to clean the work up a little bit. The main limitation of stop motion is sometimes movements were not always fluid. Even the great Ray Harryhausen encountered this. But often it offered an immersion and a realism that computer graphics lack today.
Even with some corners cut, Stuart Gordon and pals did a good job communicating the future without visually drowning the viewer. It’s in simple things like video phones and the occasional futuristic car. What I find funny though is the future glasses are really just protective work glasses.
Our story takes place 50 years after a global nuclear war with war being conducted by individuals in giant robotic battle suits. The roots of the narrative begin in the opener over a dispute involving Alaska. Since international politics are involved in this story backstabbing and double dealing and spies are also involved. Keep that in mind because it will reveal twists and turns ahead of time.
Gary Graham was never a huge name, but he was always a regular genre face or just a general quality second tier commodity in film and television. He played the charming asshole excellently but that’s not always enough to get you to the top. As Achilles he is a little more layered than usual but brings an appropriate level of cocky hero to his work.
Achilles, managed by legendary former pilot “Tex” Conway (Michael Alldredge), is about to engage in his 10th and final compulsory fight though his kind is on the way out. Engineered pilots called “gen jox” are taking the stage making the story partially about Achilles proving he (and others like him) are as good as they ever were.
Of course Achilles being the best of the best catches the eye of the gen jock Athena (Anne-Marie Johnson). Unlike many higher budgeted or more glamorous films, their romance is better done. Not one of the great ones of the film but you can see how it begins. There is good chemistry between the two. A sense of equality exists though Achilles is clearly the more proficient pilot based on experience while Athena knows the technicals only.
Main villain of the movie Alexander (Russian because that was a given) is played by Paul Koslo-an actor that spent most of his career playing villains. He was so good at it though. He could say everything with such evil. A look became condescending communicating that whoever was beneath him.
This is just straight up fun. Robot Jox is a character driven battle of good versus evil with unique special effects for the time. Nobody was doing robot battles. Gordon manages to create characters you care about. Achilles and Alexander are two adversaries with a personal grudge that has international applications. Credit to Graham and Koslo for making it believable that these two hate each other.
A subplot runs through this about a spy that has been selling mech tech secrets to the other side. I think they took the easy and rather cliché way out. It truncated the ending but was rather lazy. Rather than get arrested when found out he leaps through a window. Anything more would have impacted the character of Achilles and possibly changed how he handled the final fight that he forced his way into (back into?).
Without a massive budget provided by a major studio a simpler ending than one of robot fisticuffs was called for because the money just did not exist. The issue is that during much of the story Achilles is carrying heavy guilt around for some spectator deaths caused when an illegal weapon used by Alexander knocked Achilles into the stands. The two beat each other up a bit before Achilles gives a speech that convinces Alexander to be good. Huh? As much as I enjoy this movie that still leaves me scratching my head. Achilles was tormented over those deaths then pulls himself together enough to bring his nemesis into the light?
Ending aside this shows you can make a very good movie on a small budget. Smart decision making and wise production choices create an exciting movie. Not a science-fiction classic but certainly one of the better Cult Classics.
Robot Jox is a fine example of low budget filmmaking worthy of the title of “Cult Classic” because it squeezes everything it can from what it has. Great entertainment.
Warren Watched A Movie 