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Universal Soldier: The Return

EMAILPRINTSony Pictures Entertainment

Universal Soldier: The Return reviews
24
5.8 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 14 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 8 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Adventure

Written by: William Malone
John Fasano
(characters) Richard Rothstein
Christopher Leitch

Directed by: Mic Rodgers

Release Date:
Theatrical: August 20, 1999
DVD: December 28, 1999

Running Time: 82 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: R for nonstop strong violence, and for language and nudity

Starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai-White, Bill Goldberg, Heidi Schanz, Karis Bryant, and Kiana Tom

Luc Deveraux (Van Damme), who has survived his experiences as a Universal Soldier, recovered, and is now retired and working as a technical advisor on a government project to revive and improve the Universal Soldier training program, creating stronger, smarter and more versatile cyborg Soldiers. When S.E.T.H., the supercomputer controlling the Soldiers, becomes discontent and takes over a la HAL, Luc is the only one who can battle this team of deadly warriors and save the human race.

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

80

Los Angeles Times Kevin Thomas

Sleek...This is one "return" that's surely welcome.

75

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Has a shameless B-movie exuberance.

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59

Mr. Showbiz Kevin Maynard

Engagingly silly sub-"Moonlighting"-style banter.

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33

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Jean-Claude Van Damme's latest dud.

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30

TNT RoughCut Matt Kelsey

This testosterone-fest even features a battle inside a strip bar replete with topless women. Talk about your guilty pleasures.

30

Variety Joe Leydon

Lightning fails to strike twice -- an underwhelming follow-up to one of the career-stalled action star's better efforts.

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30

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

Must have been slapped together fast: live-action stunts created by uninspired editing lead up to computer-generated imagery that's just as lame.

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25

New York Post Rod Dreher

The Return is about bullets, bombs and boobs - the biggest boob being Van Damme, natch, but there are also mammaries aplenty.

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25

Boston Globe Betsy Sherman

Devoid of personality and has an annoying gratuitous sentimental streak.

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20

TV Guide Ken Fox

Plenty of bone-crunching brawn, but not a brain cell in sight.

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20

Film.com Tom Keogh

Custom-made for an audience of mouth-breathers.

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10

Film.com Sean Means

Slow-moving and violent mess...feels slow even at a scant 82 minutes...Even by the slack standards of Van Damme's oeuvre, "The Return" is a letdown.

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10

LA Weekly Paul Malcolm

A mind-numbing exercise in high body counts and big tits.

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0

Austin Chronicle Russel Smith

Lame, mindless dialogue makes Wing Commander seem Cukoresque by comparison.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 5.8 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Noggin Knife gave it a5:
I think Bill Goldberg is a good addition to the movie 'cuz he's lean and mean and fits the part very well. All the other parts can be thrown out.

Stan gave it a 10:
One of the best movies ever!!!

The Gilbert Mulroneycakes Fayre gave it a 0:
Who keeps watching these things? They wouldn't keep making them if people didn't keep watching them, so who the hell is it?

Sasha G. gave it a 0:
OMG this is one of the worst movies ever!

Felipe Dog gave it a 10:
Best ever!

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