Recon 2022: The Mezzo Incident (2007)

Woefully minuscule budget drags down the promise of this film. I DO understand why this movie is rated very low; among other things the sound quality is horrendous which in some spots makes it virtually impossible to follow the dialogue. Turn it up so you can hear one part of the conversation then the other participant blasts your eardrums--and the soundtrack for most of the movie is downright annoying.There are some decent bits here--the dialogue isn't bad for the most part, and neither is most of the acting(I obviously disagree with some of the reviewers here). I think the acting is negatively affected by the sound issues and bad editing. As it is, I was particularly impressed with the leads and some of the characterizations were interesting. There are a few original bits here that you don't tend to see in films of this type--such as the acknowledgment of PTSD. bereavement, loss and the ongoing problems of sexual harassment (which unfortunately apparently all continue even far into the future). I would have liked to have seen an expanded view on their interactions and the effects on a population after a large portion has been wiped out and forced into hiding, but instead we get a focused and all-too familiar picture of Marines in the future working with the strangely anachronistic tech of 2016 (anachronistic for the far future anyway).The story is familiar and straight forward. Sure there are the usual clichés, and the FXs were more like something you'd see in the 90s instead of 2007, but overall it's a bit of entertainment to while away an hour or two that didn't make me feel as if I wasted my time. This is (nominally) a science fiction film but it plays more like any war movie and even the settings, technology and relationships are far too fixed in today's time period--which detracts from the story line and shows a lack of imagination. I imagine budget constraints prevented any real play with the tech but the script could have demonstrated at least SOME advancements in soldiering (at minimum treatments for the psychological issues--just a little research into cutting advancements could have served as inspiration) and how they deal with life and death challenges. They did this very well in "Aliens" as an example--tech played only a small part in updating the military force--the soldiers were familiar and yet their interactions and tactics were believably updated for that future). I'd love to see what the creators could do with a real budget.

You can bet any review that says something good about this film was written by someone with a personal stake. Especially if it mentions something specific. The sound mix is horrible, the editing is amateur, the cinematography is unexplainable, the directing is non-existent.The story and writing are so hack and derivative of other films, that I recommend the best way to watch this movie is a game where you have to shout out what movie each line or prop is based on, in turn. The guy who brakes the chain drinks.These guys have made half a dozen feature films, how is that possible? That is a HUGE accomplishment, who gives these guys money. This movie is like watching a paintball club playing out a scene from a star trek movie.

Traditional movie reviews will often give a hint as to the plot of the film. Sadly, I am thoroughly incapable of doing this, as that RECON 2022: THE MEZZO INCIDENT is not actually a movie. Rather, it is a series of loosely connected events involving the same merry band of hockey-helmeted-heroes found in RECON 2020. Rather than attempt to review this pipe-dream, I will simply list several facts about humanity's grim future. 1. Porn shows WILL be hooked up to malfunctioning shop-vacs. 2. The bartender WILL serve you motor-oil if you hit on the droid. 3. Said droid WILL "preform sexual programming," but only if it's within mission parameters. 4.It is impossible to shoot someone from 5 feet away with two fully automatic assault rifles. 6."Future" weapons are simply spraypainted versions of their contemporary counterparts. 7."Future" armor can be bought at your local "Play-it-again Sports." 8. Your buttocks clenches when you concentrate. 9.In the future, cyborgs do not simply kill their enemies. They rebuild them. 10.In the future, cyborgs do not simply kill and rebuild their enemies. They rape them too.You will go through this movie with a marginally amused indifference to everything that is happening on screen.

Sure the film won't hold up in the graphics or acting department against the latest multi million dollar Spielberg or Lucas film... well, maybe if Lucas wrote the dialog in his film. lol.But really, this series is a fun little gem. It's nice to know that there are projects like this one out there. And this one improves on the last one. It's concept seems simple, a low budget Scifi/Action serial in the vain of the 1930's to 1960's serials, which focuses on the "continuing adventures" of a few characters. Primarily around the Character of sharp, played to near perfection by Andy Bradshaw. The gruff and grizzled mustang lieutenant who does his job for humanity until he can visit the lost men and women of his command in the afterlife, against the evil alien menace which blew the earth into dust.I love them, and I can't wait till the next one.