More straight-to-video nonsense from action man Lundgren, here ripping off everything from COMMANDO to INDIANA JONES. Still, despite being clichéd and ripping off loads of great movies, SWEEPERS is a low-budget, violent action flick that actually manages to be pretty entertaining and, for once, delivers in the action stakes! The first half is pretty slow, with Lundgren losing his son in a sickening sentimental scene and then becoming an alcoholic. Meanwhile, we're introduced to Clare Stansfield who plays the thankfully tough and unglamorous female lead and love interest. After much to-ing and fro-ing in the outback of Angola (a fresh setting which makes a change from the tired bustling streets of America which figure predominantly in these action flicks), Stansfield persuades Lundgren to team up with her to battle some evil terrorist chaps.
The second half is basically one long string of action scenes, with Lundgren battling people in a house, street, in a mine and finally on a speeding train (yep, John Woo's BROKEN ARROW seems to have been a strong inspiration, although this is equally good). The body count is high and the amount of shooting is enough to satisfy any red-blooded male. There are also a requisite number of hand-to-hand combat situations and explosions to enjoy. Lundgren here is pretty good and seems to be enjoying himself; his character goes from being a drunk to an Indiana Jones look alike explorer complete with leather jacket, hat and shotgun! Finally he strips to the waist and becomes Rambo, killing off dozens of bad guys in bursts of violence.
The chief villain is the ever-smarmy Bruce Payne; at first his character seems to be on the side of good, but anybody who's ever seen any of his other movies will inevitably guess that he turns out to be the main bad guy at the end. Stansfield is good, the supporting bad guys deserve to die, and the African extras acquit themselves well with their mainly sympathetic turns. Although a cheap, uninvolving action film, this is still highly entertaining if cheesy stuff, surprisingly good for Lundgren.
The second half is basically one long string of action scenes, with Lundgren battling people in a house, street, in a mine and finally on a speeding train (yep, John Woo's BROKEN ARROW seems to have been a strong inspiration, although this is equally good). The body count is high and the amount of shooting is enough to satisfy any red-blooded male. There are also a requisite number of hand-to-hand combat situations and explosions to enjoy. Lundgren here is pretty good and seems to be enjoying himself; his character goes from being a drunk to an Indiana Jones look alike explorer complete with leather jacket, hat and shotgun! Finally he strips to the waist and becomes Rambo, killing off dozens of bad guys in bursts of violence.
The chief villain is the ever-smarmy Bruce Payne; at first his character seems to be on the side of good, but anybody who's ever seen any of his other movies will inevitably guess that he turns out to be the main bad guy at the end. Stansfield is good, the supporting bad guys deserve to die, and the African extras acquit themselves well with their mainly sympathetic turns. Although a cheap, uninvolving action film, this is still highly entertaining if cheesy stuff, surprisingly good for Lundgren.