Ever since “The Expendables” graced theater screens, it seems every veteran tough-guy star from the 1980s has become hirable again. Dolph Lundgren has starred in his fair share of straight-to-DVD action flicks in the past few years. He now moves into the sci-fi / horror B-movie arena with “Battle of the Damned.” A movie that has Lundgren kicking butt and blowing away the “enemy” can only get better when you add zombies AND robots to the equation.
Commander Max Gatling enters Thailand to rescue an industrialist’s daughter from the clutches of populace infected with a virus that turns them into ravenous cannibals. He soon finds himself leading a small band of survivors across the destroyed city to be picked up by helicopter. As the masses of ferocious sick begin to overtake them, he does what any desperate hero would do to keep himself and his rag-tag group alive… he trains battle-ready robots to help take out every hungry creature they see.
There’s plenty of action, gore, and wanton destruction in “Battle of the Damned.” It’s about as good as it gets when diving into the world of sci-fi / horror B-movies. Did I mention robots? The real surprise with the robots is that they actually look good for a low-budget indie flick. The CGI used for them is quite convincing.
“Battle of the Damned” is rated R for violence throughout and language. There’s lots of digitally enhanced blood splatter as Lundgren chops and shoots his way through the crowds of walking dead. Of course you can’t kill zombies without shouting expletives. One thing the movie doesn’t have is any nudity or sensuality.
The DVD version of “Battle of the Damned” comes with only one special feature. There’s a making-of featurette entitled “Battling the Damned.” It’s made up of B-roll footage and side-by-side comparisons of the filming process and the finished scene.
“Battle of the Damned” will entertain anyone who loves B-movies that fit into the action, sci-fi, and horror genre. The best way to describe it is as a mix of “Night of the Living Dead” and “Escape from New York” with a sprinkle of “Battlestar Galactica” when it comes to the robots. If you can excuse some of the bogus digitally-enhanced explosions and fire, you’ll find yourself pleasantly distracted for an hour and a half.
“Battle of the Damned” is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and as a Digital Download.
For more articles by Eric Shirey, check out:
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