The Soldier (1982)

"The Soldier" is a politically loaded, extravagant action-thriller that is very much a product of the Cold War era. Ken Wahl of 'Wiseguy' fame (whatever happened to him?) stars as the title character, a coldly efficient anti-terrorism expert with a squad of four (played by Joaquim de Almeida ("Clear and Present Danger"), Peter Hooten ("The Inglorious Bastards"), cooler than cool Steve James (the "American Ninja" series), and Alexander Spencer). They're an "outside the grid" team that report straight to the director of the C.I.A., and they're called into action when KGB agents, posing as terrorists, steal a nuclear bomb and plant it in a Saudi Arabian oil field, threatening to detonate it. They want Israel to withdraw from the West Bank of Jordan, but didn't count on the Wiseguy factor.You have to turn your brain off a bit watching this gleefully over the top escapism, while it goes and pushes your buttons with zeal. The plot (by director James Glickenhaus, who was following his memorable revenge saga "The Exterminator" at the time) is muddled, but it allows for some extremely impressive set pieces, which of course is what we're really watching this for. You may find some of this material totally implausible, but it's undeniably exciting. One highlight is Wahl escaping down a mountain on skis and turning around in the air to mow down his pursuer.Glickenhaus wastes absolutely no time in amusing the viewer, with Wahl and his comrades baiting a terrorist group into the open so the cretins can get annihilated. The globe trotting aspect is also highly appreciated. Pacing is excellent and those electronic score geniuses Tangerine Dream do wonders with the music.Wahl doesn't have to really DO much with his hero; all we need to know and see is that the guy defines the word "badass". James is as charismatic as ever. The late Canadian beauty Alberta Watson ("The Sweet Hereafter") is a sexy Mossad agent and romantic interest for Wahl. William Prince ("The Gauntlet") is the U.S. President, Jeremiah Sullivan ('The Adams Chronicles') the Russian villain. Buffs will enjoy spotting familiar faces in small roles: Zeljko Ivanek ("Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"), Jeffrey Jones ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), Ned Eisenberg ("The Burning"), Rebecca Schull ('Wings'), and Tom Wright ("Marked for Death"). However, the legendary Klaus Kinski ("Aguirre, the Wrath of God") is utterly wasted in a VERY brief cameo.Provided you don't think about it too much, "The Soldier" shows undemanding action fans a pretty good time.Seven out of 10.

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.

This is the best movie I ever saw in my life. I first saw it when I was 14 year old, and I've watched it over 100 times since then. In fact, I practically watch it every single morning, when I'm nearing my downtime, before going to bed.I always feel a weeping sensation in my heart for those poor KGB agents who get unmercifully executed in the first part of the movie, just because of the stupid mistake of the rookie agent, of forgetting to not keep the baby carriage far enough out in front of her.You all keep forgetting that when the CIA agent jumped the wall into East Berlin, he was surrounded by the EAST German MILITARY, and the HEAD of the KGB training camp said to him "well, it's too bad you weren't able to convince the Americans that you were right!!!" I personally believe that that part about him and his Jewess just walking our of EAST BERLIN was total BULLSHIT!!!!!!!! I think that movie was shown out of sequence, in the wrong order. I don't think those Nuclear Bombs at Silo 8 were being used for an attack against MOSCOW, I think they were being used against ISRAEL, in order to drive the ISRAELIS off the WEST BANK of the JORDAN RIVER!!!!!!!! What I will do is, I will re-edit the movie, and see if I can discover the correct time sequence that points to that conclusion, and then when it get's there, I will merge it will the phone call scene in Miracle Mile, where Dr. Greene gets his little phone call, and Tasha Yar starts planning her failed trip to Antarctica.Do you have your plane tickets from ChristChurch, NZ to Lake Vostok, Russian Federation, handy. You may need them soon.Very truly yours, NVA

Although the actors did a professional, best-that-they-could job with "The Soldier", we are asked to believe that, given the circumstances, the United States would launch a nuclear attack against Israel. Added to this insult to both intelligence and patriotism is the concept that US Armed Forces would transport nuclear material with only two, count 'em, two LTD's as escorts. Ofcourse, if you're ready to believe that, then you'll have no trouble with the ( only ) three men it takes to highjack the plutonium. Then again, it only takes the same amount of guys to - get this - sneak into an Air Force missile base and commandeer a missile silo. Not to worry, though, they're on our side and they are aiming the mega - death at Moscow. Given the anti - American sentiment of the film, it's amazing that they're not pointing the ICBM at the Rose Garden.In fact, the producers again and again seem to see the US as either brain - dead or totally amoral, though the former attempt a visual disclaimer by having the hero and heroine wind up at the Statue of Liberty. The real heroes, the Twin Towers, stand painfully in the background.A positive note, though: the producers did have the good taste to include a Porsche Turbo. However, in another hole big enough to drive a semi through, the Porsche isn't able to outrun a Jeep!Perhaps, the producers were aiming for some kind avant - garde satire, foradd to all this a Jewish interrogator - dominatrix. Gotta be an avant - garde satire. If only they could have afforded Woody Allen.