The ’90s Sci-Fi Action Blockbuster That’s A Secret Blade Runner Sequel, Stream Without Netflix
With windbreakers, colorful styles, and a surplus of boy bands, the 90s were certainly a decade unlike any other. Not to be outdone, the blockbuster films also knew how to go all in with that 90s style, and the often-forgotten sci-film action thriller Solider is no exception. The Paul W.S. Anderson film may not be a part of sci-fi royalty, but with direct ties to Blade Runner, the Kurt Russell-led blockbuster deserves a chance to be a part of your next streaming marathon.
A Blade Runner Side-Quel
With an estimated budget of $75 million, Solider made just over $14 million at the worldwide box office, making it a disastrous financial failure. At the time of its release, the film was panned by critics for its cheesy special effects and its predictable story. However, one thing that critics likely couldn’t predict was Solider’s direct tie-in with Blade Runner.
Screenwriter David Webb Peoples described Solider as a “side-quel” to the sci-fi classic, revealing that the film takes place in the same universe as Blade Runner. One giveaway is the use of the vehicles used by the Blade Runners, known as spinners, which are also used in Soldier. Although not officially canon, there is also a deleted scene in the film that references the Tannhäuser Gate, a location that was spoken about by the character Roy Batty in Blade Runner.
Out With The Old
Just one year after releasing the sci-fi horror Event Horizon, Anderson once again looked beyond the confines of Earth for his 1998 film Solider. The film tells the story of Sergeant Todd, played by Kurt Russell, a highly-trained soldier who was part of a military program that hand-picked orphaned infants and turned them into killing machines. At 40 years old, Todd is on the verge of being replaced by a new squad of soldiers who have been chosen to be even more formidable than Todd.
A Villain You Want To Punch In The Face
In a vicious training session, Todd’s unit is pitted against a new group of younger and stronger soldiers, which quickly turns into a massacre. After a brutal fight against his opponent, Todd is left for dead when he falls from a great height. Along with the other discarded soldier’s bodies, Todd is thrown away on a planet used as a massive garbage dump.
After waking up on the strange planet, Todd discovers a small community made up of residents who had crashed on the planet years earlier. After initially being unable to integrate into the community, Todd is eventually accepted by the residents, forming a bond with a small family. But all of that is threatened when Colonel Mekum, played by Jason Isaacs, sends his unit of unstoppable soldiers to the planet in a training exercise.
It’s Corny But You’ll Be Cheering By The End
While it may not be pretty to look at, Solider is a fun movie that makes it easy to root for Todd and the people of the garbage-filled planet. Who doesn’t like seeing oppressive and overpowered supersoldiers getting their butts kicked? The film knows what works for it, and it never shies away from being the fun-filled, albeit corny, sci-fi thrill ride.
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REVIEW SCORE
With just over 100 words spoken, Russell plays the “man of few words” role quite literally, but he plays it very well. Although Solider marks the first time that Russell’s son Wyatt plays the same character as his father, appearing as a younger Todd, it wasn’t the last time. The father-son duo also appeared as the same character in two different time periods in the series Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Solider isn’t a perfect movie by any stretch, but the film is a blast to watch and well worth sitting through the 90s cheese. With a fun tie-in to Blade Runner, the sci-fi thriller has more than enough substance for most fans. It is available to stream on Apple TV or watch for free on Hoopla.
