 USA 2012 114m      Directed by: John Hyams. Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins, Mariah Bonner, Andrei Arlovski, Tony Jarreau, Craig Walker, Andrew Sikking, James DuMont, David Jensen, Audrey P. Scott, Rus Blackwell, Dane Rhodes. Music by: Wil Hendricks, Michael Krassner, Robin Vining.
John awakens from a coma to discover his wife and daughter were slaughtered in a brutal home invasion. Haunted by images of the attack, he vows to kill the man responsible: Luc Deveraux. While John tries to piece his reality back together, things get more complicated when he is pursued by a relentless UniSol named Magnus. Meanwhile, Deveraux and surviving UniSol Andrew Scott are preparing to battle anarchy and build a new order ruled by Unisols without government oversight. They are weeding out the weak and constantly testing their strongest warriors in brutal, life-and-death combat. Luc has emerged operating the Unisol Church of Eventualism, taking in wayward Unisols whom the government has been secretly operating as remote-controlled sleeper agents. His mission is to liberate these Unisols from the implanted memories and the lies the government has inserted in them. As John gets closer to Deveraux and the rogue army of genetically enhanced warriors, he discovers more about himself and begins to call into question everything he believed to be true.
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Disclaimer: If you are a viewer that mainly prefers art-house-type movies, then you might as well ignore this review. In addition, if you're not able to take a Scott Adkins action horror flick, ignore this review, as well. We'll both be better off.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning I liked this one for a reason. I think is much, much better than Universal Soldier: Regeneration. I have enjoyed the action scenes, I love seeing Scott Adkins kicking ass. I love the actress Mariah Bonner in here. This movie is more for Scott Adkins fans, which I have like it a lot. But still it Is not a Van Damme film! They ruined beloved character Luc Deveraux. The story does borrow from Apocalypse Now (Van Damme looking like Brando does help with the comparison), but it still provides a solid story that maintains your interests. It's all done in a very serious tone and can get rather confusing at points, but I loved that it emphasized the sci-fi and even horror elements that the franchise potentially had hidden. I think Adkins vs. Arlovski is my personal favorite scene in the and wins the award for best fight scene of the year. The sheer brutality on display will make even the most hardcore viewer wince.
The fight scenes are choreographed by Larnell Stovall who also did sterling work on Undisputed III, Bunraku and many more and he really ups his game to a whole new level of awesome in this movie. This scene between Scott Adkins and Andrei Arlovski is incredibly brutal and yet thoroughly awesome at the same time. The way they just tear strips from each other using baseball bats and whatever else they can get their hands on make this the real stand out scene of the film. Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is a visceral nightmare that will not be for everyone, but it's original, brutal, well acted and with the best fight scenes you'll see this year. Check it out, if you dare. Just don't watch it with your mommy.The Universal Soldier franchise has come a long way since it's debut 20 years ago with the original. 2 made for TV sequels that got ignored when Van Damme came back for the official "The Return" sequel which was a total bore. then director John Hymms re-teamed Van Damme along with Dolph Lundgren in some important cameo's for 2009's "Regeneration" which brought some high-octane fun into the mix. Now with Day of Reckoning the plot is confusing and more or less ignores what happened in Regeneration but gives some bone crushing action in car wrecks and swift fighting. Van Damme sleepwalks through his villainous ways while Lundgren is crazy as ever. Bottom line it's a decent entry to this old series.
The fight scenes are amazingly choreographed, with no shaky cam and no shortage of blood. One thing I should warn you about is if you have photo-sensitive epilepsy, I would NOT watch it. There are a few strobe light effects in it which even messed with my head. It's a really visceral horroraction movie that might just be the best in the series thus far as it tries something different with the concept of the Universal Soldiers while intermixing the horror genre as well. Van Damme in here is only for 7 minutes tops and if you're looking for lots of Van Damme and Dolph then you may be disappointed. They have minor roles but what screen time they have will stick in your head long after. There are some really cool actionfighting scenes in this movie but I found the plot to be more and more confusing as things progressed. In addition, although Van Damme and Lundgren are featured prominently on the cover art, their roles in the actual film are somewhat minimal.
Scott Adkins gives one of the best performances of his career I have ever saw and really gets to display his amazing fighting skills. The fights in this movie are outstanding, this is the third time I see Dolph Ludgren as Andrew Scott dying. The movie was shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA and it is American film not European movie like was Universal Soldier: Regeneration that was shot in Bulgaria and it is an European movie for me not US. I have enjoyed this one much more better. John Devereaux was fantastic character to me, specially the end that he had more clones about him self. The final fight scenes between John (Adkins) and Luc (Van Damme) was just outstanding and I love it.
Overall: I am giving this movie an 8, because I have enjoy it, it was not boring the movie was fast action paced horror film and I love horror films. It is not my favorite Van Damme movie but it is definitely a Scott Adkins favorite film killing Unisols. This is the movie that Regeneration should have been.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (formerly known as Universal Soldier: A New Dimension) is a 2012 American science fiction action film co-written, co-edited and directed by John Hyams, and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren and Scott Adkins. It is a semi-sequel to Universal Soldier: Regeneration.
Review by ivo-cobra8 from the Internet Movie Database.