Cyborg 2 (1993) - By Danny Runion

Film Reviews: Cyborg 2 (1993) - By Danny Runion
Posted on Sunday, August 01, 2004 @ 00:17:47 Mountain Daylight Time by Duane

Do you like Angelina Jolie being chased by a flamboyant Billy Drago? How about supporting the career of Elias "Casey Jones" Koteas? Would watching Jack Palance in his most un-kosher role ever be a thing for you? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then Cyborg 2 is the movie for you, but there's something you need to be aware of. Cyborg 2 has about as much to do with Cyborg as Halloween 3: Season of the Witch did with Halloween. Basically, there's very little relationship between the two. Likewise, the relationship between Cyborg 2 and 3 falls into the same category.

This is a far from original movie. Has there ever been a future movie involving an evil corporation that has been original? We get the slowly turning fans used in every dystopian future stolen from Blade Runner. Apparently, the country has suffered some unmentioned economic disaster and now the average people live in bombed out ghettoes and junkyards. Giant corporations are motivated by power and will do anything to gain more, but the future still has those weird clubs on every corner that seem to resemble raves. All of these come from the standard "future movie" cliche playbook.

The giant, evil corporation decides to use an unwitting pawn in a mass assassination to destroy their competition. But, Angelina and Casey Jones have this unspoken attraction which of course is love. Don’t all movies need to have a couple in peril to fall in love? Our intrepid couple is running from a demented Billy Drago. They would be in serious trouble except Jack Palance randomly appears throughout the movie to help them escape. Casey Jones gets his sweet lovin' power up with Angelina before he has to fight Billy Drago in poor man's Thunderdome. Of course, after a close call, our heroes escape and Jack Palance destroys the evil corporation.

The main reason for watching this movie is Angelina Jolie. This movie was made before Angelina had several tattoos and chestical augmentations. Cyborg 2 wasn't going to get people to acknowledge her for acting skill, but she gets through it better than you would expect. Her fight scenes haven't really gotten better from this point to the recent Tomb Raider movies.

Jack Palance isn't as much of a character as a deus ex machina to come in at the right second to save everyone. We are never given any reason how he appears on ancient televisions. Most of his scenes consist of his digitized eye or lip on a monitor offering Zen-like philosophy. He is known for hamming roles and, this is no exception, either. At least, he is an actual cyborg in this movie unlike the androids that are mislabeled as cyborgs.

A lot of subplots are thrown out there but are never developed. Could any of these missing plots being fleshed out make the movie better? Apparently, Jack Palance's cyborg wife scarred Billy Drago before dying. Palance and Drago never have confrontation. The fight between Casey Jones and Billy Drago mentions rules concerning the number of knives used in each round, but no knives are used in the fight. And as far as the whole thing about the mercenary plotting with a villainous executive to take over the company; big surprise, nothing comes of that plot line either. Cyborg 2 had a lot more ambition than money.