Red Scorpion 2

RED SCORPION 2 (1994)

Directed by: Michael Kennedy
Written by: Barry Victor & Troy Blotonick
Starring: Matt McColm, Jennifer Rubin, John Savage & Michael Ironside

Low budget, action packed fun that’s all kinds of absurd but that all adds to the cheap charm of Red Scorpion 2. A sequel in name only to the Dolph Lundgren starring original, this has nothing to do with part one. Red Scorpion was an ok but often dull Lundgren vehicle that’s not too fondly remembered. Red Scorpion 2 is actually probably an improvement. Not that it’s a better film per se but it’s just a lot more fun and packed with cool shootouts and stunts. Matt McColm (Cellular) is a bad ass soldier type fella who along with his team of rag tag Special Forces folks (who, in typical action movie style, he is reluctant to work with as you know, he works alone) must infiltrate a gang of Neo Nazi’s led by John Savage (The Deer Hunter).

Now Red Scorpion 2 was made and released in a time when action movies, especially of the low budget and straight-to-video variety, just had to have a couple of abandoned warehouses/industrial estates to stage a whole load of action and explosions and a ridiculously over-the-top villain for the hero to blow up. Red Scorpion 2 has both of these by the bucket load and is all the better for it. The story is just plain bonkers with the once great John Savage hamming it up to pantomime levels and even wearing hilariously camp leather gloves. His speech about the wind is even more hilarious and gives off the impression he is shouting about some kind of stomach upset rather than making some kind of connection between him and nature. On top of this we have the most unconvincing team of soldiers possibly ever committed to celluloid, Neo-Nazi’s shooting up Christian get togethers, a bit of nudity, some Russian dude training the Yanks for the mission (ah, there’s the connection with the first one), and the Spear of Destiny. Yep, the spear that pierced Christ’s side makes an appearance and in true B-movie fashion gets well and truly blown up. And I’m pretty sure the great Michael Ironside (Total Recall) was in there somewhere too.

I had a hoot watching Red Scorpion 2 as it’s jammed with lots of cool warehouse/abandoned factory style action. Lots of shooting and no-one getting hit, squibs, high falls, diving while firing two guns, bad dudes thrown through windows, some cool fist fights and loads and loads of explosions. In fact, for a low budget flick they cram in a lot of action, stunts and explosions the stunt community getting ample chance to earn their wage. Low rent fun.