This is a dystopian cyberpunk science fiction film with definite post-apocalyptic overtones. Civilisation has not collapsed but it has descended into violent semi-barbarism.
It begins in L.A. in 2027. The city is not quite a hellscape, but close.
We are introduced to LAPD counter-terrorist cop Alex Rain (Olivier Gruner). He’s in the middle of a running battle with a terrorist cell led by a chick named Jared (Marjorie Monaghan).
Several thousand rounds of small arms ammunition get expended and lots of stuff gets blown up before Alex is overcome. He’s been shot countless times and he’s lost a few limbs but he’s a cyborg and once they find him the LAPD will have him put back together again.
Jared had apparently been his girlfriend and he feels that she betrayed him.
He’s totally disillusioned but the police commissioner tells him he’s needed for another mission. He doesn’t have much choice - they put a bomb in his heart so if he doesn’t co-operate he’ll be blown to pieces in three days.
And the mission involves Jared. She’s stolen a computer disk that has to be retrieved before she passes it on to another terrorist faction.
After an interlude in Brazil he finds himself in Java. And meets up with Jared’s pal Julian (Deborah Shelton).
The storyline is a bewildering series of double-crosses but there’s so much insane action you won’t fret too much about the plot.
There’s clearly a kind of war between those who embrace cyborgisation and information technology and those who oppose it. In this society it seems that the battle is all but lost - cyborgs are everywhere and it’s impossible to visually identify them as cyborgs. There are also personality uploads (an idea that was hugely popular in 80s/90s cyberpunk).
And since virtually all the characters are cyborgs or androids it’s no use shooting them once, or three or four times. To make sure it’s best to shoot them a couple of hundred times. That at least slows them down a bit.
I like Olivier Gruner’s performance as a man who is just tired of everything and no longer really believes in anything. He’s not an obviously charismatic hero and he no longer wants to be a hero but he keeps bouncing back.
The locations are terrific and Pyun uses them to their best advantage.
Pyun knew how to do action scenes. He goes insanely over-the-top but it works. You can try counting the explosions but you won’t be able to - they just keep coming.
There’s one brief nude scene but this is an action movie and that is its entire focus.
I’m starting to like Albert Pyun’s movies. Alien from L.A. (1988) is goofy but Cyborg (1989) is truly excellent post-apocalyptic cyberpunk.
I’m quite fond of 80s/90s post-apocalyptic sci-fi in general, with Hardware (1990) being a bit of a favourite.
Nemesis is a wild ride and a thoroughly enjoyable one. Highly recommended.
Nemesis looks great on Blu-Ray (my copy is the Spanish all-region disc).
Jared had apparently been his girlfriend and he feels that she betrayed him.
He’s totally disillusioned but the police commissioner tells him he’s needed for another mission. He doesn’t have much choice - they put a bomb in his heart so if he doesn’t co-operate he’ll be blown to pieces in three days.
And the mission involves Jared. She’s stolen a computer disk that has to be retrieved before she passes it on to another terrorist faction.
After an interlude in Brazil he finds himself in Java. And meets up with Jared’s pal Julian (Deborah Shelton).
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The storyline is a bewildering series of double-crosses but there’s so much insane action you won’t fret too much about the plot.
There’s clearly a kind of war between those who embrace cyborgisation and information technology and those who oppose it. In this society it seems that the battle is all but lost - cyborgs are everywhere and it’s impossible to visually identify them as cyborgs. There are also personality uploads (an idea that was hugely popular in 80s/90s cyberpunk).
And since virtually all the characters are cyborgs or androids it’s no use shooting them once, or three or four times. To make sure it’s best to shoot them a couple of hundred times. That at least slows them down a bit.
I like Olivier Gruner’s performance as a man who is just tired of everything and no longer really believes in anything. He’s not an obviously charismatic hero and he no longer wants to be a hero but he keeps bouncing back.
The locations are terrific and Pyun uses them to their best advantage.
Pyun knew how to do action scenes. He goes insanely over-the-top but it works. You can try counting the explosions but you won’t be able to - they just keep coming.
There’s one brief nude scene but this is an action movie and that is its entire focus.
I’m starting to like Albert Pyun’s movies. Alien from L.A. (1988) is goofy but Cyborg (1989) is truly excellent post-apocalyptic cyberpunk.
I’m quite fond of 80s/90s post-apocalyptic sci-fi in general, with Hardware (1990) being a bit of a favourite.
Nemesis is a wild ride and a thoroughly enjoyable one. Highly recommended.
Nemesis looks great on Blu-Ray (my copy is the Spanish all-region disc).
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