El Professor Movie Reviews: Robowar

1988
Director: Bruno Mattei
Starring: Reb Brown, Catherine Hickland, Massimo Vanni, Romano Puppo
* * * 1/2

Italy's loveable hack, Bruno Mattei created a bad movie masterpiece in 1987 when he directed 'Strike Commando'. This was a hilariously warped Rambo ripoff staring Reb Brown whom 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' fans will know as Big McLarge Huge in the classic episode 'Space Mutiny'. The following year, Bruno and Reb returned to the Phillipine jungle to film 'Robowar' which managed to simultaneusly trample on the good names of both 'Predator' and 'Robocop' (O.K. mostly Predator).

Full review after the jump.


The 'plot' consists of Major Murphy (Reb) and his squad, B.A.M (which stands for Badass Motherfuckers) being sent on a secret mission to seek and destroy a rogue robot. Said robot is causinng all sorts of jungle carnage and picks off B.A.M one by one. Murphy (who suffers from 'Nam flashbacks) ultimately reconizes the robot as having once been a commrad in arms and is now conscious stricken over how to deal with his one time cronies' new form.

As with 'Strike Commando', 'Robowar' is a non-stop thrill ride of hilarity. Reb Brown is once again at his high pitched er, thesping best, the supporting cast give it their all in wonderfully loopy, over the top 'Predator' character riffs and the whole no-budget production is about as crazily up-tempo as any I can think of. There is very little dialogue on display (a good thing) and this allows for mucho low tech gunplay, explosions and faux macho yelling and shrieking. The robot itself is as simplistic as you could imagine, wearing what appears to be simple leather topped with a motorcycle helmet. It also is constantly mumbling in some sort of garbled 'robot' talk that after a while, caused me to collapse in fits of laughter every time I heard it.

Complete with a bad '80s style synth score, 'Robowar' is great, goofy fun and should be seen by any and all fans of cheesey action fests. God bless Bruno Mattei and his shameless, vision-less, go-for-broke Italo rippoffs. The world is a better place because of them.