Army of One - Who says your protagonist has to be likable?

I do like a good (or even not so good!) eighties action film and I know that 'Army of One' (aka 'Joshua Tree' in some parts) was technically well into the nineties when it was released, but, believe me, it could well have been made around the heyday of the Stallone/Schwarzenegger era. 

When I sat down I wanted little more than Dolph Lundgren kicking and punching his way through hordes of baddies.  And I guess I got what I came for.  First of all, being a big 'Dawn of the Dead' (1979) fan, I was delighted to see Ken Foree's name in the opening credits, but, sadly, his screentime amounts to little more than an extended cameo/plot device.  So Dolph is framed for a murder he didn't commit and has to escape, get revenge on those who set him up and - possibly - clear his name if he has the time.

Of course he escapes police custody pretty damn quickly and we're well on our way with what little story the film bothers to give us.  All nothing new here and I'd be quite happy if it wasn't for just how unlikeable Lundgren's character is.  Yes, he softens a bit as the film goes on (while killing people, if that's possible), but, overall, he's a right miserable sod with few redeeming features (other than he's slightly better than those he's killing).

If you're a major fan of Lundgren's then you'll probably enjoy the ride a lot more than the casual viewer.  There are some car chases, a bit of romance and one hell of a long shoot-out where he mows down every bad guy in the state without taking so much as a flesh wound.

It's all pretty standard stuff and maybe that's its main fault - it's a little too standard with few moments that really set it apart from other films of the time and genre.  I've - amazingly - always believed that Dolph Lundgren can act better than his critics give him credit for and I think the script could have been better for him.

To me this was quite a forgettable action movie of the era, but, judging by many of the other reviews, loads of people really seemed to enjoy it, so maybe best not to take only my advice and check out some other reviews before you sit down to watch this grumpy anti-hero grumble his way through ninety minutes of screen time.

6/10 Should probably keep you awake if Freddy Krueger was haunting your nights