Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2010)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Lee ?

  
  Finally a worthy sequel to the highly entertaining original. It takes a while for Van Damme and Lundgren to join the fray, the majority of the ass-kicking is done by MMA star Andrei Arlovski who plays a super "UniSol" being used by a rebel separatist group who threaten to… More
  Finally a worthy sequel to the highly entertaining original. It takes a while for Van Damme and Lundgren to join the fray, the majority of the ass-kicking is done by MMA star Andrei Arlovski who plays a super "UniSol" being used by a rebel separatist group who threaten to unleash a radioactive cloud into the atmosphere unless their demands are met. It wastes no time getting into the action and it flows fairly frequently too with bloody urban wasteland shoot-outs and brutal bone-crushing fighting all with a gritty realistic look to it. Not quite as good as the original and it was disappointing that Van Damme and Lundgren only started to engage in the action during the last 25 minutes (it's an awesome 25 minutes!) but there was enough ultra-violent action to please me and there wasn't any noticable cheap or tacky moments that usually plague straight-to-DVD action flicks.

• Emily A

  
  "What an ideal killing machine! Scott's a soldier like I've never seen." "Beware of that guy, His body count's high 'Cause he killed all the other marines."

• Mike S

  
  Reeking with mediocracy, this is the kind of film, to which existence you'll feel completely apathetic. Because if you were to look at my face while I was seeing it, you'd see an expression as indifferent as the robot-like soldiers of this movie. I sensed beforehand this was… More
  Reeking with mediocracy, this is the kind of film, to which existence you'll feel completely apathetic. Because if you were to look at my face while I was seeing it, you'd see an expression as indifferent as the robot-like soldiers of this movie. I sensed beforehand this was going to be of average quality or less, but I never imagined it would be this pale and boring. With JCVD and Dolph Lundgren reprising their roles, I thought I was in for some good action, but for the better part of the story, they are mostly kept in the background. Not until the very end do we get to see them fight off eachother, and by that point I had completely stopped caring. My advice is therefore to take a pass on this. Because trust me when I say that you're not missing anything.

• Jani H

  
  I liked the original 'Universal Soldier' a lot. Most of you who know me a bit, know that I'm secretly a fan of Dolph Lundgren. There's just something about him. He stole the show in that movie and while it was a some kind of hit it was inevitable that the story… More
  I liked the original 'Universal Soldier' a lot. Most of you who know me a bit, know that I'm secretly a fan of Dolph Lundgren. There's just something about him. He stole the show in that movie and while it was a some kind of hit it was inevitable that the story would continue at some point. Two very bad direct-to-video sequels were made, none of 'em starring Van Damme or Lundgren. Then a third sequel was made starring Van Damme and it was also of very low standards. Now at the time of all these remakes and reboots, 'Universal Soldier: Regeneration' was made but it feels as if no one knew about it. This film stars the same cult action movie stars as in the original! Lundgren is back but can he spare the victims ears in this one? A group of terrorists have taken over the power plant in Chernobyl, Ukraine. Their demands are simple: free 227 political prisoners and give freedom to Pasalan (a made up government) or they will blow up the abandoned reactors, making Chernobyl the largest dirty bomb ever. And while they're at it, they'll also kill the Russian president's two children that they've taken hostage. Luc Deveraux (Van Damme), who has tried to find his humanity all over again by the help of his own doctor, is once again called for. His job is to secure the bomb and rescue the kids. This time he is facing a more advanced Universal Soldier, code-named NGU. Has he got what it takes and oh yeah... What's Andrew Scott (Lundgren) doing in the picture? 'Universal Soldier: Regenaration' is a low budget movie and that can be seen so clearly. Like so many other similar movies, this fifth installment to the series was shot in Eastern parts of Europe for cheaper costs. There are so many things that bothered me in this movie and I'm sure that a lot of you would feel the same. Some explanations are as followed... The action, especially the one with the U.S soldiers doing their operations is below any standards. It feels as if the crew had taken any random guy from the streets of Bulgaria and asked them if they want a part in a movie. There's like no authentic military procedures in the movie. None. The close combat scenes are a bit better but there's no wow factor here. The use of anticipated characters. I chose to watch this movie because of Dolph Lundgren and Jean Claude Van Damme. I mean, the cover shows 'em both highlighted at the center. The screentime that the both get is so little that it left me very disappointed. Van Damme is the key character in the movie but he is basically shown at the beginning and in the end. Lundgren's main purpose here is to just give Van Damme an ass-whoopin'. Why? Why haven't they written this film entirely with a focus on these two figures? Ok, there's some questions answered at the end but I felt robbed. 'Universal Soldier: Regeneration' was also called 'New Beginning' at some point. So it is. There's no question about that this is not the last time that we will se these über soldiers in action. But I wanted Lundgren and.. well I got to see him but I wanted more, dammit! For those who are seeking closure to the series as they want it (before they fuck up the series again), 'Regeneration' comes recommended but ye be warned... You'll not be satisfied.

• Dean M

  
  God knows what batteries it's running on, but <i>Universal Soldier</i> is one of those frachises that just keeps on going while nobody's looking. <i>Part III</i> co-starred Burt Reynolds. <I>Part IV</i> saw Jean-Claude Van Damme kickboxing… More
  God knows what batteries it's running on, but <i>Universal Soldier</i> is one of those frachises that just keeps on going while nobody's looking. <i>Part III</i> co-starred Burt Reynolds. <I>Part IV</i> saw Jean-Claude Van Damme kickboxing the lid off a supercomputer. This is the fifth. In theory, it should have Steve Guttenberg punching a toaster. Part reunion, part reboot, <i>Regeneration</i> lives up to its name by rematching Van Damme against his original, cereal box-jawed nemesis, Dolph Lundgren, dragging a ton of retro-action baggage with them. Actually, it's a bit of a cheat - you expect a versus movie, but both stars are AWOL for long stretches, Dolph, as a weirdly sympathetic FrankenSoldier, gets 15 minutes; Van Damme shows up to foil a terrorist nuke halfway through. Filling the gap is formidable walking fist Andrei Arlovski as a next-gen UniSol who likes to punch heads until they explode.

• EightThirty .

  
  21/04/2010 (DVD) I sort of expected more. I really tried to like it but some of the actors acting was painful to watch. However, there's cool UFC action but that's about it. The story is okay, but in comparison to the first 'Universal Soldier' movie that was a… More
  21/04/2010 (DVD) I sort of expected more. I really tried to like it but some of the actors acting was painful to watch. However, there's cool UFC action but that's about it. The story is okay, but in comparison to the first 'Universal Soldier' movie that was a hit, not even close even part two in my opinion was a better film. This is more like a TV flick.

• Al S

  
  A total blast. A tough, thrilling and riveting action-packed thriller. This is the best sequel in the series, it truly plays the story as the star and makes it better. An exhilarating and adrenaline-pumping action extravaganza that's an assault on the senses. It's loaded… More
  A total blast. A tough, thrilling and riveting action-packed thriller. This is the best sequel in the series, it truly plays the story as the star and makes it better. An exhilarating and adrenaline-pumping action extravaganza that's an assault on the senses. It's loaded with awesome gun fights, stunts and fight sequences. Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lungdren are back and better than ever, showing that they still got it and kicking more ass than ever. Van Damme and Lungdren bring a subtly and emotional regret to their characters which makes their performances more compelling. Van Damme shows the regret, pain and weight of responsibility in his performance. Lungdren gives an intense, unsettling and nuanced performance. A solid sequel that that's more true to its original and packs hard-hitting punch.

• Khris N

  
  its pretty bare, and don't expect Hollywood treatment. But the Europeans did well to at least give the series another shot, but I think the Van Damme era is over, and we need fresh faces. Not to say this movie was down right crap, it just hit on average, making it watchable by… More
  its pretty bare, and don't expect Hollywood treatment. But the Europeans did well to at least give the series another shot, but I think the Van Damme era is over, and we need fresh faces. Not to say this movie was down right crap, it just hit on average, making it watchable by the fans.

• Steve K

  
  Watchable but unexceptional. Setting it at Chernobyl is an interesting idea, but striving to put the film in a gritty, realistic setting saps the fun out of it. Instead of big and dumb, you just get dumb. Best part is where JCVD's character is at the beginning of the film.

• Brian D

  
  Van Damme and Lundgren are back but its not the best of come back.Lundgren bare only about 20 mins of screen time as Van Damme seem to grace about half of the movies running time too.Story is ho hum and is what you expect from this type of movie.But the saving grace for me is the hard… More
  Van Damme and Lundgren are back but its not the best of come back.Lundgren bare only about 20 mins of screen time as Van Damme seem to grace about half of the movies running time too.Story is ho hum and is what you expect from this type of movie.But the saving grace for me is the hard core action scene not bad for a b grade and DTV effort.Over all if you like the first one then give it a go and forget the horrded second one.

• David L

  
  For all you action fans, the wait is finally over. At long last, Jean- Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren have re-teamed for Universal Soldier: Regeneration; yet another sequel to their 1992 hit. With so many Universal Soldier flicks floating around, it can be confusing if one… More
  For all you action fans, the wait is finally over. At long last, Jean- Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren have re-teamed for Universal Soldier: Regeneration; yet another sequel to their 1992 hit. With so many Universal Soldier flicks floating around, it can be confusing if one attempts to get a handle on where all the various entries fit into the overall series. Just to be clear, Regeneration is a direct sequel to the original movie - it disregards the two direct-to-DVD follow-ups that came before it, as well as the 1999 theatrical sequel Universal Soldier: The Return. The product is downright awesome, startlingly competent and highly entertaining. It may not be a masterpiece, but as superfluous sequels created for the direct-to-DVD market go, this is definitely above average. The story, naturally, is a simple one - the Russian President's offspring are abducted by terrorists who occupy the Chernobyl Nuclear Complex; rigging the reactor with explosives and threatening to detonate these explosives unless the President complies with their demands. The terrorists also have a second generation Universal Soldier under their control (an enormous, unstoppable brute played by Andrei 'The Pitbull' Arlovski). With traditional armies failing to diffuse the dire situation, the powers that be have no alternative but to resurrect their 'Universal Soldier' program. Eventually, when things get desperate, the government recruits Luc Deveraux (Van Damme); one of the originals of the 'UniSol' program. Universal Soldier: Regeneration was written by Victor Ostrovsky and helmed by newcomer John Hyams. Interestingly, John is the son of Hollywood mainstay Peter Hyams, who was responsible for such Van Damme vehicles Timecop and Sudden Death. Peter merely acted as cinematographer here; allowing his son to handle the directorial duties. Speaking from a critical standpoint, Regeneration is pretty poor, but John Hyams absolutely nailed the action sequences. The flick opens with a humdinger of a car chase - an effective, gritty, technically sound slice of cinema, which is particularly laudable given the lowly $14 million sum Hyams was playing with. Well aware that every penny counts, and keen to show off his film-making skills, the relatively inexperienced director displays real flair throughout the constant action sequences (some of which resemble Call of Duty: Modern Warfare). Topping this off, the fight choreography is sensational - the various punch-ups scattering judiciously throughout the runtime are guaranteed to get pulses pounding. The crown jewel is, of course, the battle between Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. The first Universal Soldier, helmed by Roland Emmerich (before the man went on to become a destroyer of worlds), was nothing more than an excuse to pit two of the biggest action stars of the era against each other time and time again. Arriving seventeen years after the original film, this very basic formula is reused for Regeneration, and it still brings about a highly entertaining action vehicle. Granted, Van Damme only appears in about half the film, and Lundgren only receives roughly 15 minutes of screen-time, but even this is enough to saddle the film with a "Worth a Look" sticker. The boys bring it, and then some - they beat the tar out of each other, and their size difference works just as well here as it did in 1992. They're the real deal, too - it would appear they didn't have stuntmen doubling for them very often, because most of the time Van Damme and Lundgren can be clearly seen either receiving the beatings or dishing them out. In addition, the work of Van Damme and Lundgren in Regeneration truly suits the acting range of both stars: they merely play emotionless thugs whose single objective is to kick some serious ass. Witnessing these two masters of mayhem at work reminds us (and will hopefully remind Hollywood) just how deserving Van Damme and Lundgren are of being given a chance at a big theatrical comeback. Granted, they are dire thespians, but they remain watchable in the context of a hardcore action film. These two aren't the only muscle-bound performers to see in Regeneration, mind you - wrestler Andrei 'The Pitbull' Arlovski is given ample opportunity to slaughter people and show off his fighting chops. Taken merely at face value, Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a success. It achieves everything it sets out to do, and doesn't short the actionphiles one bit. It's easy to acknowledge the film's flaws - the highly predictable screenplay, the unremarkable dialogue, the not-so- compelling plot - but it all comes with the territory. Why expect the next The Godfather of a Universal Soldier flick? The final 30 minutes delivers the type of slam-bang, balls-to-the-wall action movie-making that's easy to appreciate. Regeneration is atmospheric, brisk and knows when to quit. It's a great beer and pizza flick, fellas.

• Stuart B

  
  A much grittier film than any previous Universal Soldier. The soviet backdrop lends itself to this film perfectly. Action set pieces are well done without too much over the top martial arts. The opening is one of the most memoral parts of the movie. Lundgren is nothing more than a… More
  A much grittier film than any previous Universal Soldier. The soviet backdrop lends itself to this film perfectly. Action set pieces are well done without too much over the top martial arts. The opening is one of the most memoral parts of the movie. Lundgren is nothing more than a cameo but Arlovski does a very good job as the new style Unisol. Enjoyable and a goor return to form for JCVD..

• Phil H

  
  This has the most mundane and uninteresting opening credits ever haha what follows is a reasonable action set piece that like much of the film is bland and basic. This is a better Van Damme flick than his last few efforts, the fight set pieces are actually pretty good and you feel the… More
  This has the most mundane and uninteresting opening credits ever haha what follows is a reasonable action set piece that like much of the film is bland and basic. This is a better Van Damme flick than his last few efforts, the fight set pieces are actually pretty good and you feel the blows as blood splatters the camera lens, its just a shame this is a waste of a great franchise. Ever since the original gun fest which was really cool the franchise just skydived into shite with terrible real life wrestlers taking roles turning it into a joke, this new film has good fighting but another wasted chance to really make a good comeback. They got one thing right with Dolph coming back but they just threw him in there with no real thought or proper plot, such a waste :(

• Shawn M

  
  A rematch I've been grinding my teeth for, the high energy action that is packed into this film at the age of Van Damme and Dolph are at, really made it like Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, old but still full of life. I'm glad the makers of the film put a budget behind the film… More
  A rematch I've been grinding my teeth for, the high energy action that is packed into this film at the age of Van Damme and Dolph are at, really made it like Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair, old but still full of life. I'm glad the makers of the film put a budget behind the film because the movie was crystal and the script was gold. Thank You!

• Deb S

  
  Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren are back for one last showdown together. It is not as good as the first Universal Soldier, but quite entertaining in its own way and it was fun seeing two old action stars together again. The fight scenes were graphically violent and the return… More
  Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren are back for one last showdown together. It is not as good as the first Universal Soldier, but quite entertaining in its own way and it was fun seeing two old action stars together again. The fight scenes were graphically violent and the return of Dolph Lundgren was quite enjoyable even though he just had a brief appearance. We also have Andrei "The Pitbull" Arlovski as the Next Generation Universal Soldier (NGU). Well he just blew me away with his great action performance and his hand-to-hand combat scenes were quite brutal and bloody.

• John M

  
  Pretty pointless sequel with lack of focus and entertainment thought there is a coule of fight scene that are decent but not enough to make the movie a decent fun.

• Chad R

  
  I was surprised that this was a decent follow up to the original. Holy crap does Dolph look old, still a big bastard, but not in the "I must break you" Ivan Drago days. Jean-Claude can still move pretty dang good. Basically a B film but still a decent storyline tying into… More
  I was surprised that this was a decent follow up to the original. Holy crap does Dolph look old, still a big bastard, but not in the "I must break you" Ivan Drago days. Jean-Claude can still move pretty dang good. Basically a B film but still a decent storyline tying into the original. Lets just say if you were a fan of the original back in 1992, you will like this one as well. Now I have to go back and see if the original holds up to my 20 year old memories...

• Jim W

  
  In this only decent sequel, Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) is brought back in action to stop a new super soldier ( Andrei Arlovski). While Andrew (Dolph Lundgren), Luc's enemy from the first film is secretly reanimated and in Luc's way as well. Van Damme just looks depressed… More
  In this only decent sequel, Luc Deveraux (Van Damme) is brought back in action to stop a new super soldier ( Andrei Arlovski). While Andrew (Dolph Lundgren), Luc's enemy from the first film is secretly reanimated and in Luc's way as well. Van Damme just looks depressed that he's older and Lundgren just looks happy to be in a movie lol. There's a lot of action, yet the movie isn't that well done or exciting. The scenes where Arlovski fights and kills soldiers is like an Ultimate Fighting match, there's a lot of use of leg scissors and mounted punches to the face until his victims stop moving. So the fight scenes aren't all that exciting, in fact the movie isn't all that exciting either.

• Barry L

  
  OMG...10 years after the follow on from the brilliant original this little gem was made. Much darker, less hopeful for mankind and I tell you what, he is still a fantastic mover even at 50 years old. Okay most of the fight scenes were extras but I tell you what, the action was superb… More
  OMG...10 years after the follow on from the brilliant original this little gem was made. Much darker, less hopeful for mankind and I tell you what, he is still a fantastic mover even at 50 years old. Okay most of the fight scenes were extras but I tell you what, the action was superb and very bloody, the plot was pretty good and overall well worth watching it. Arlovski is a monster and you wouldnt fancy running into him in a dark alley way....even Lundgren was giving it some........he does loook bloody old though....

• James B

  
  I actually had a lot of fun with this one! A much better sequel than this franchise has received in the past! Lungren is awesome in a small role, but appropriate for someone who was chopped up in a wood-cutter! Solid production values for a DTV flick!

Read all 20 featured audience ratings