BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Steineded How sad is this?

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Comeuppance Reviews Evil Russians steal some nukes, plant them in an oil field, and threaten to detonate them, thereby contaminating a large part of the world's oil supply. For some unexplained reason, they are anti-Israel bigots who want to move the Israelis off the West Bank. Sadly, The President (that's actually his credited character name) (Prince) is all too willing to comply. But there's one more ace up the USA's sleeve: The Soldier (Wahl). He's a highly-trained agent who controls a super-secretive and elite unit, and he's working with the Israelis to save the world.This movie has a killer opening sequence that really pulls you in. Its themes of terrorism and anti-Semitism (even from the highest levels of government) are, disturbingly, quite relevant and even prescient for today. The Soldier, for all it's 80's-style anti-commie plot threads (not that those are a bad thing in any way), was ahead of its time. Plus it has an unbeatable combination of Ken Wahl and Steve James fighting the baddies. So for that alone The Soldier is worth seeking out.Of course, there is some top-notch stuntwork as well. The ski chase sequence is a movie highlight, and director Glickenhaus must have loved it so much, he also included it in his movie Shakedown. Sam Elliott is watching it in the movie theater. It's truly Glickenhaus on Glickenhaus. And it's top-notch Glickenhaus. He's only directed eight movies, and out of those, The Soldier stands out. He's adept at action sequences, as amply proved here.Wahl is cool, and he's as cool here as we've ever seen him. He should have done more projects like this. His sweaters are very stylish and we liked his attitude. As for Klaus Kinski, one of the most underrated actors of all time, he does about a five minute cameo and has no spoken dialogue. Hmmmm...talk about a paycheck role. The Soldier could have been improved if Kinski was the main bad guy and Wahl had to face off against him. That would have been awesome. Chalk that up to a missed opportunity.Loaded with three of the best things you can ask for in a movie like this: top-quality stunts, over-the-top action violence and 80's atmosphere, these elements overcome some plot weaknesses. Additionally, the soundtrack by Tangerine Dream rules.You should definitely enlist The Soldier into your collection.For more action insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

t_atzmueller Not being a big fan of Ken Wahls wooden style of acting (if you want to call it that), there was one reason I went and watched „The Soldier": next to Wahls name on the promo-poster, stood the name Klaus Kinski and a Kinski-performance was always something special, no matter how mediocre the film itself.Well, Kinski does appear as the informant 'Dracha' – for an estimated minute and a half. If ever there was a shorter cameo in any movie, the only thing that comes to mind is Harrison Ford's performance in "Bruno". Kinski, notoriously short on cash, looks like he just walked in on the set, while being on vacation in Switzerland, wearing his own ski-suit – let me correct me there: he actually was on vacation and it was his own suit. Though Harrison Fords mentioned guest-appearance in "Bruno" was shorter, the acting was infinitely better, leaving this one of Kinski's weakest performance ever.So, what else do we get in "The Soldier"? We get a suitably no-brainer action flick, produced fast and cheap. No-brainer, because if you'd use that organ between your ears, you'd notice plot-holes that are big enough to swallow an entire galaxy. You'd also notice that director James Glickenhaus has stolen more stunts and action-sequences from more films then I care to remember – or you might not notice it at all, if you're the type of action-fan who'd reply to the question, whether you like James Bond films, with a puzzled, "James… who?" At times it's good and wholesome to turn the thinking-apparatus off for a little while and wallow in cheap acting, cheaper special effects and lots of gunfire and explosions. "The Soldier" is perfect for moments like those – just don't expect a good movie. In other words, you'll get what you wanted, when you rent "The Soldier" – unless you expected "On the Waterfront", and that kid in the video-store gave you the wrong film.7 out of 10 points.

Alec West When I first saw the film, I enjoyed it thoroughly. The acting, far from being bad, seemed more a realistic portrayal of how people might speak and act in the given situations. And, those who speak of it today as a 'relic' of Cold War times should take a good look at Russia today. There are those who don't particularly care for Vladamir Putin and the current status quo in government. And, the K.G.B. didn't go away, it just changed its name to the F.S.B. -- still very active in Russia and, perhaps, with elements unfriendly to the Russian status quo among their numbers. Nationalist candidates still only capture minority interest but this can change ... as can the F.S.B. The film portrayed fictional incidents in 1982. And, while those incidents might seem Cold Warrish in 2002, future events could alter that perception. I saw the film recently and like it better than when I first saw it.

deapod I saw THE SOLDIER in the theater, on HBO or Movie Channel (I can't remember which), and in college. Now, I was a freshman at a military college, and they showed this one weekend. Everybody cheered during the title sequence, when words like "DEMOCRACY" and pictures of B-52s were shown, and booed for "COMMUNIST" and pictures of Soviet leaders. Yes, it was the height of the Cold War, and we were training to fight the Soviet Menace, the Evil Empire, the Reds. And we all loved the opening scene in Philadelphia, when the limo, targeted by the terrorists, turns out to be bait to draw the bad guys into the open, so Ken Wahl and his team can hose them with their weapons. But, let's face it, the dialogue was bad, and Ken Wahl has two acting modes--steely resolve and steely anger. But it was a fun little movie in which the good guys will, the bad guys lose, and a Porche gets destroyed jumping the Berlin Wall! It's James Bond with naked breasts and more firepower. And, of course, the "Politically Correct" crowd hates it. But THE SOLDIER, like RED DAWN and THE FINAL OPTION, are definitely products of the Cold War. We, the US and NATO, are good. We stand for freedom, democracy, and peace. They, the Soviets and their minions, stood for oppression, conquest, and war. Of course, we are going to win in these films. Did they ever make a movie about WW2 in which the Nazis won? It seems that most people will try to quickly forget the past, even if that past is less that 20 years earlier. Just enjoy films like these for what they are, movies from an earlier era. Just remember, "SKY BLUE ICE DAWN!"