Missionary Man (2007)

I seem to be digging much of Dolph Lundgren's recent output, but while I quite liked Lundgren's "Missionary Man" (which was produced by Andrew Stevens)… however there's no denying the material is lifted right off Clint Eastwood's mid-80s symbolic western "Pale Rider". So much, that there are set-pieces and plot threads that are quite identical, which leaves you thinking it must be some sort of homage. From the first encounter with some thugs involving timber bats, the fascination of a young girl falling for the stranger to the almighty vicious final standoff between the stranger and some bikers that he might share a past with. And that's only a few. It's a western at heart with a modern day face-lift. Lundgren co-wrote, directs and also stars as the stranger who enters town on his motorcycle not just carrying a bible in one hand, but looking for retribution with the other. Sinners better repent, as Lundgren is going to be breaking some bones and taking some lives. There are a lot of confrontations; therefore it means the reckoning is upon those who stand in the way of justice with numerous broken bones and corrupt dead folk. The leering action is brutal and quick, but well captured by Lundgren with his crisp styling. The story is mechanically told, but never does it get too heavy-handed with its themes. The performances are spot on. I like Lundgren in the leading role, bringing that right temperament. Mixing broodiness with mystic. Matthew Tompkins and John Enos III make for effective villains. Clichéd, but bruising action entertainment. "What's your poison?"

One point that is criminally underrated in other reviews is the photography by Xiaobing Rao. I suppose the dark look is not just digital post-production, but to a degree already achieved during filming by use of polarizers. Later on, the colors were tainted bronze/wooden and in the end, the look is grainy, modern and antique at the same time, while the low lens focal length often gives much focus depth (remember the a-dime-a-dozen, flat direct-to-video action flicks of the 80s?), excellent craftsmanship! The music by Elia Cmiral is hardly in the foreground, only giving Dolph a special chord when he appears, but often using percussion instruments to give it an American Indian touch and raise the tension very subtly. The script gives a clever variation of the old story (guy comes into town and cleans it up) which doesn't follow all of the clichés, but respects the rules of the game nonetheless. It even adds a bit on sociology, explaining the situation of the Indians, while it strictly refuses to give us the background story of the hero. Interesting movie, much better than I expected, albeit more in its film making qualities than in the action entertainment, my congratulations to Dolph as the director.

"Universal Soldier" tough guy Dolph Lundgren has written, starred in, and directed a hard-as-nail but hackneyed revenge melodrama that he cobbled together from such past hits as "Billy Jack," "High Plains Drifter," and "Pale Rider." Clocking in at a lean, mean 93 minutes, Dolph has all the clichés covered. If you like your revenge movies predictable as blood gushing from a belly wound where the bad guys get their heads blasted off, this is the ticket! There are no surprises in "The Missionary Man," but Dolph lets the formula smolder like a steer being cooked on a spit so you can savor the wicked villainy of the white underworld who believe that they are indestructible. Some of the acting by the homegrown Texas cast is amateurish, but you'll forget these quibbles when our rugged, enigmatic hero goes into a kill mode for a catharsis of a showdown.Ryder (Dolph Lundgren) cruises into a small Texas town terrorized by white criminals to pay his last respects to a fallen comrade who died under mysterious circumstances. It doesn't take tall, dark, silent Dolph in sunglasses to make an impression. He wears glasses, reads the Bible, and likes to do shots of tequila. The bad guys line up to take it like guys and do they ever more get taken. Jarfe (John Enos III) is the leader of a notorious motorcycle gang and he and his army are summoned to silence Ryder. There is something almost supernatural about the way our quietly spoken champion navigates the dangers. Essentially, it all boils down to an Indian reservation trying to build a casino and the local thugs trying to get in on the action. When they cannot convince one Indian to back down, they kill him and make it appear to be a drowning death. August Schellenberg is good as an older Indian named White Deer.The last 30 minutes is a solid smack-down that makes the previous 103 minutes of build up tolerable. No, "The Missionary Man" isn't high art, but there is an art to taking something this familiar and making it work for the zillionth time. Bravo, Dolph!

No, Dolph, No. That's what I'd tell the Swedish muscle man when he decided upon a career in directing. The actor to Director transfer works if you're Clint Eastwood(Quality Actor and Quality Director). Unfortunately Dolph was never a good actor, so when he turned his hand to writing and directing it could only end one way.A local gangster is strong-arming the Native Indian townsfolk into building a Casino. Anyone who argues with him tends to turn up riddled with bullets. Dolph Lungdren plays Ryder, a bible thumping shotgun wielding maniac who has an axe to grind. He rides into town on his motorcycle to attend the funeral of his murdered war buddy, but quickly starts a one man crusade to free the town.This is a hugely forgettable formula movie with plot points and action stolen from better films. You're left wondering if you actually watched it at all, as it evaporates from memory within minutes. As a director, Dolph is amateur at best. No one bothered to tell him about lighting for a start. All the sets are dimly lit and the characters are in perpetual shadow. With a searing sun above his head there are no excuses. He just had to face his actors in the other direction.As an actor, Dolph reminds us why he barely had any leading parts in movies ( Red Scorpion is the only one that comes to mind). His face only has two expressions; Square jaw angry and a gurning grin that makes PM Gordon Brown's look genuine. You can't help feel sorry for Lungdren. He's obviously not been offered much work and has decided to go it on his own. There's a quiet dignity in that. Buying his DVD makes me feel like I've dropped money in a charity bucket: Save the 80's action stars.Verdict 2/10 It gets two from sympathy.