DARK ANGEL
US, 1990, 93 minutes, Colour.
Dolph Lundgren, Betsy Brantley.
Directed by Craig R.Baxley.
Dark Angel is a violent police thriller, aliens invading Earth, an action movie designed for Dolph Lundgren. Lundgren came to prominence in Rocky IV, confronting Sylvester Stallone. In the following years he followed in the footsteps of Chuck Norris and other musclebound heroes with such thrillers as Scorpion, The Punisher.
This film is somewhat tongue-in-cheek - although it takes itself very seriously. Lundgren is a police officer, there are drug deals, special effect aliens, violent confrontations.
1. Interesting and entertaining thriller? Police thriller, drug deals? The alien theme - the superhuman aliens and the confrontations?
2. The atmosphere of the American city, the world of crime, darkness, violence? Police investigations?
3. The impact of the special effects, the stunt work?
4. The introduction of the alien theme, the car, explosions? The pursuit of the aliens: good and bad? Reasons and motivations? The violent deaths - with the disc? The importance of the fluids? The variety of confrontations, chase and destruction?
5. The '80s and drug deals, the dealers, wealthy businessmen, thugs? Their deaths? The partner, the pursuit?
6. Caine, his help, the deaths, the investigations, the rules, the authority figures and their commands? Diane? The assistant, the FBI, his not being used to the violent methods? His learning experience? The disc deaths? The drugs, the dangers? The aliens, the pursuit, the deaths? The final heroism?
7. The assistant, his FBI background, his sharing with Caine, learning, becoming tough?
8. Diane, relationship with Caine, police work, involvement, the pursuit?
9. The portrait of the police, authority figures, the ordinary police? The criminals, their background, violence?
10. The plausibility and implausibility of the plot? Audience familiarity with the police movie? The popularity of alien and predator themes in the '80s? The violent stances - and the gung-ho attitude towards crime and criminals?
