Thy Davideth Death Machine is your standard "trapped in a building with some evil $#!+head lurking about trying to kill us" cliche. And although the concept is overused and abused like a dildo, whatever that means, it was well directed and lots of fun. I do suspect the director is heavily influenced by Sam Raimi because it felt that way, at least in the action sequences. But I don't give a $#!+. The cinematography was good with a cyberpunk feeling to it, the monster machine was cool, the acting was nice but what stands out is the action. There are instances of blood and gore, plentiful chase scenes and gun shooting but the fight between the cyborg and the monster was great. The only complaint is at times the pacing is a bit uneven but eh. Good sci fi horror action film.

mstomaso This horror/psycho thriller/sci fi story pits a hard-nosed, naive and ethical businesswoman against the existing power structure at a very large defense contractor, Chaank Industries. What Hayden Cale (Ely Puget) does not know is that, underlying most of what she knows as Chaank Industries, is a murderous maniac - Jack Dante. Dante is played by the remarkable, under-rated, Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Eyes of Laura Mars, Blue Velvet, Dune, Wild Blue Yonder, Lord of the Rings, etc etc). Dante will do ANYTHING to avoid having his sick little world disturbed... anything. The plot and characters are a string of clichés, but the movie does not take itself very seriously, and what results is a campy, intelligent, self-parody. Direct homages are paid to off-beat directors who frequently use comedy to liven up sci fi and horror stories - There are major supporting characters named Sam Raimi, John Carpenter and Scott Ridley. Dourif, the deft pacing of the film, and the cleverly written script make this predictable farce thoroughly enjoyable. Richard Brake makes a very good impression in a support role, and lead Puget is charismatic and manages to play her role laudably straight as a counterpoint to Dourif's utterly bizarre behavior. Death Machine was Stephen Norrington's directorial debut. Norrington has done and continues to do a lot of visual effects and robotics work on major releases which require substantial, cutting edge, effects. He also directed the decent but disappointing League of Extraordinary Gentlement and is now working on a re-make of The Crow.

PanzerKunst 1.- (And most importantly) This movie needs to be released in its original uncut version of 120 minutues. 2.- This movie should only be seen in its original uncut version of 120 minutes. The UK 111 minute DVD cut is alright but not merely enough, or even admissible. Seriously, why not let Ridley say "Shut the *beep* up" to Carpenter at the corporate meeting scene and soooooooooooo on? Total mystery... And don't give me that crap that straight-to-video b-movies like this one shouldn't go on for 2 hours with all the insufferable long junk that's out there I mean, please. 3.- This movie deserves some kind website that makes justice to it's cult following. 4.- This movie is (like one of the reviewers here greately suggested) a total RIOT and therefore should be discovered (and even re-discovered) by all the rightfully lovig of the genre fans. Meaning the ones that can afford to really dig this. 5.- This movie alone should prove once and for all that Stephen Norrington is more than just another special-effects guy turned to film director (even though they say he hates this movie...) "We are talking Geraldo!"

Zombified_660 On watching Death Machine, I had no real idea what to expect other than a Sci-Fi movie. I'd heard it mentioned in the same breath as Hardware, a film I love dearly, and had seen Norrington's League of Extraordinary Gentleman and Blade, so checked it out. Death Machine is an efficient, exciting slice of sci-fi action, with more or less everything one looks for in the genre.The first thing that hits with this movie is the look. Every frame oozes pure class, and the production design is flawless. From Jack Dante's hellish office through to the Death Machine itself, everything has been designed to a tee, with all elements gelling together like clockwork. Production design is often an area cult movies skimp on, and to see such painstaking work will fill anyone, especially cult movie buffs, with a sense of glee.Second thing is the wonderful cast. Just as the design was obviously a labour of love, so was the casting. Everyone is just right for their part, and acts with great gusto, never jolting the viewer out of the film world. Main players Ely Pouget and Brad Dourif (a personal favourite) turn in performances of a calibre rarely seen in the cinema, let alone a straight to video title, both more watchable than any Hollywood star or starlet I can think of. The supporting cast are fantastic too.There are a few unfortunate aspects to the Death Machine though. Firstly, the movie is long for an action movie (longer in Britain than America, strangely) and therefore may not appeal to the 'quick rental and a takeaway' crew that these movies normally filter down to. Secondly, the movie has unfortunately dated a little, purely due to the fact that the blockbuster action genre took a turn for the worst somewhere around the release of The Fast and the Furious and they therefore don't make 'em like this anymore. I had no problem with this, having been brought up with the movies of the 80s and 90s, but newer film enthusiasts may find this a tricky movie to get their heads round as a result.Still, as always with good STV titles, your perseverance and curiosity will be firmly rewarded if you take a chance on this. It's a brilliant movie, and shouldn't be overlooked as one of the better sci-fi movies to come out of the 90s. Add to that the fact that it's recently been reissued at a budget price in my native UK, and you have the makings of a bona-fide rediscovered underground classic.