Cyborg Cop (1993)

Cyborg Cop (1993)- * * *

Directed by: Sam Firstenberg 

Starring: David Bradley, Todd Jensen, John Rhys-Davies, Alonna Shaw, and Rufus Swart

Jack and Phillip Ryan (Bradley and Jensen, respectively) are brothers and renegade cops from Denver, Colorado. When Phillip travels to the Caribbean island of St. Keith, ostensibly to fight drug runners, he runs afoul of the evil Kessel (Rhys-Davies) and his goons. Because Kessel is a mad scientist, he's trying to create a master race of human-robot cyborg people, and Phillip is his latest experiment.


Jack arrives in St. Keith to see what's going on, and he has to fight his way through the place to get answers. Tagging along is the stereotypical female reporter/love interest, Cathy (Shaw). Kessel's ace in the hole is his prize cyborg, named...Cyborg (Swart), who is seemingly indestructible and looks like an angry, cybernetic Larry Drake. Will Jack Ryan overcome this clear and present danger to his brother? Find out today!


Cyborg Cop is a very entertaining movie and probably one of David Bradley's best. There's usually something of interest going on: if it's not an action scene, then it's something silly or other. In the end, Robowar (1988) is better overall, but that's Robowar, which is very hard to beat. Here, we get a robot Todd Jensen, who looks a lot like Data from Star Trek. Even though this is a Caribbean island and features plenty of reggae on the soundtrack, including the song "Reggae Party" by a band called Gecko Moon, there is a car chase with banjo music behind it like in one of those 70's 'Good Ole Boy' films. It's odd choices like that that keep the viewers' interest.


While David Bradley does wear an open sleeveless shirt at times, which asks the question of why you need a shirt at all, it should be noted that he - and this movie overall - is a pioneer in an all-new genre called "Fanny Packtion". This is where the hero never takes off his fanny pack, even during the most vigorous fight scenes. He may even have more than one, which he then coordinates with his outfit.


Naturally, you get some shootouts, car chases, a barfight, and a dirtbike-based ending which is quite memorable. The Cathy character is one of the more annoying reporters in recent memory. That is, until she falls for the irresistible charm of Jack Ryan. Or David Bradley. We're not sure which. Rhys-Davies is very Bond Villain-esque, complete with a command center, which any bad guy worth his salt has to have. He also has a robotic hand that hands him his telephone, which less bad guys have, so he's got that going for him.


There was also a scene at the medical examiner's office that featured a meathead with a blonde mullet. He should have had his own movie after this, or at least a larger part in the ensuing two Cyborg Cop sequels.


Cyborg Cop was made during the halcyon years of Nu Image, while they were still in South Africa and before they had moved their operations to Bulgaria. Director Sam Firstenberg is an action mainstay and he knows what he's doing here.


So, for a film fanny-packed with action, look no further than Cyborg Cop!

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