Movie Review: Steel Dawn

Steel Dawn 

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi, Anthony Zerbe, Christopher Neame, Brion James, John Fujioka, Brett Hool, Marcel van Heerden, Arnold Vosloo, James Whyle, Russell Savadier, Joseph Ribeiro, Alex Heyns, Brad Morris, Tullio Moneta, David Sherwood 

Director: Lance Hool 

Vestron Pictures, Silver Lion Films, Namibia, USA, 1987. 

In post-apocalyptic desert sand digging tentacle-faced mutants harass a man called Nomad (Patrick Swayze) and try to steal his stuff. He is a skilled swordsman and he manages to kill most of the mutants. He meets his old mentor Cord (John Fujioka) who has become a Peacemaker. Peacemakers are kind of Jedi knights, upholding law and peace. Cord is murdered and Nomad goes to find the culprits. 

Nomad fighting sand mutants

Nomad

Peacemaker Cord

Bad guys are after a water farm that is Kasha (Lisa Niemi, who was also Swayze's real-life wife) and her son Jux (Brett Hool). The foreman of the farm is Tark (Brion James, Leon from Blade Runner). There is also a eccentric doctor Cali (Joseph Ribeiro). Wicked Damnil (Anthony Zerbe) wants to rule the valley. 

Kasha

Tark

Damnil

Nomad beats up some bad guys and teaches Jux to meditate in a difficult position. Kasha and Tark are hesitating about whether Nomad is dangerous or not. Nomad helps Jux build a wind-powered cart (this is beginning to look more and more like Star Wars: Episode 1!) Eventually Kasha falls in love with Nomad and Nomad must defend the farm from Damnil's troops. Damnil sends also assassin Sho (Christopher Neame) after Nomad. Sho happens to be the man who killed Cord.

Doctor Cali and his cart

Jux

Sho

The story is a bit like Mad Max 2: Road Warrior, with "Shane" western style approach combined with sword fights. Nomad and several other characters were former soldiers who fought in the apocalyptic War. However the soldiers were trained to use swords and also meditation skills. There is a hinted back story of a loose government that was formed after the War. 

Tark shows some WWE moves

Post-apocalyptic western wagon

Nomad and Sho test who is the boss

Swayze is good as the mysterious wanderer. He also shows some nice martial arts-skills. With a beard he looks like Steve Reeves:

Brion James better known from his villain roles makes a nice role as a big and a bit tragic protector of the farm. Swayze's evil counterpart Christopher Neame has a funny hairdo, he is good also in his role as a rogue warrior. Another familiar face is Arnold Vosloo from "The Mummy" movies, as Daminil's henchman. The movie does not rise to the level "Mad Max" trilogy but is still one of the slightly above average post-apocalyptic adventures. 

Arnold Vosloo long before "The Mummy"

Rating: Good