Metalstorm:The Destruction of Jared-Syn

A pretty destructive word is often used for director / producers like Charles Band and that is hack. It's an abusive term which describes someone influenced by particular popular mainstream works, seeing an opportunity to cash in on another's materialized vision. But, I think Band genuinely loves the various genres that often are associated with his work and that enthusiasm shows in all of his first films, although most of them are considered terrible, stigmatized as "the worst films ever made." I look at Band as America's version of the Italian filmmakers influenced by the popular United States films such as The Road Warrior, The Terminator, Robo-cop, Star Wars, among others. In Band's Metalstorm:The Destruction of Jared-Syn, I think you can see an amalgam of various genres from The Road Warrior to Star Wars to even 2001:A Space Odyssey(..something at the very end which looks like a homage to the Stargate sequence when Jared Syn escapes into another dimension with our heroic ranger in hot pursuit).

Band's film primarily takes place in a desert mountainous area where a laconic journeyman ranger, Dogen(Jeff Byron) pursues a powerful and manipulative leader, who poses a threat to the entire planet's inhabitants, Jared-Syn(Michael Preston). Jared-Syn has in his possession a dangerous crystal which can actually "steal lives" from those who oppose him(..or just for the hell of it since the guy is pure evil). The daughter of a prospector seeking crystals of worth is executed by Jared-Syn's half-human, half-robot son Baal(R David Smith)due to a "treaty violation"(..he hadn't known that the treaty was dissolved due to Jared-Syn's desires to rule over all)..the daughter, Dhyana(Kelly Preston, quite lovely in an early role)seeks revenge and will join forces with Dogen to find and kill Jared-Syn. But, Jared-Syn is able to kidnap her, holding Dhyana as bait for Dogen who must find someone with knowledge on the evil ruler's whereabouts(..a cavernous lair deep within the bowels of a mountain). That someone is a former "seeker" and warrior named Rhodes(Tim Thomerson)who will reluctantly tag along with Dogen to find Jared-Syn. Many adventures lie ahead including their narrow escape from sand creatures(..basically hand puppets with fake teeth), the discovery of a statue containing a crystal mask, and the people of the gigantic titan, Hurok(Richard Moll), a breed with only half a face(..there's definately some very interesting make-up work on Moll among others in this movie). Soon Dogen will get his chance to confront Jared-Syn, attempting to convince those in attendance of his goal to dominate as complete dictator over all the world.

There seems to be a hell of a lot of plot, and I'm sure Band did everything under his power to include as many influences as he possibly could within an 80 minute running time. You get the typical explosions as those who drive on the desert roads of this world operate vehicles made of metal with sliding doors..gismos and gadgets of pretty colors particularly stylizied within Dogen's vehicle. I enjoyed the location work and Band features vehicles of the villains moved off these long cliffs exploding into flames as they roll repeatedly.

There's an action sequence I enjoyed where Dogen and Rhodes greet Baal's men rudely by driving into their base camp(..amusingly, it was Baal looking for Dogen)with plenty of subsequent abuse to his men and vehicles. The later portion of the film is particularly unsatisfying because the title doesn't deliver what it promises..a destruction to the very one causing the conflict and strife. It's obvious that Band's intentions were to make a sequel, but he should've pondered the possibility that such a scenario would not be accomplished. I'm the kind of person who wants to see a story-line settled and The Destruction of Jared-Syn leaves us hanging off of cliff, holding on for dear life..and we continue to hold on with no help ever to arrive.

Thomerson proves here in his short screen time just why Charles Band would later devote a series to him, and you also see the evolution of that kind of grizzled, dependable, knowledgable, reliable, wise-cracking heroic, noirish loner who has been through the trenches and doesn't (normally)take shit from anybody. A scene-stealing tough guy who, in Metalstorm, saves Dogen's life multiple times.

Kelly Preston doesn't figure highly into the plot like I thought she would, but her Dhyana is set up more as a damsel-in-distress and pawn in Jared-Syn's game with Dogen than the hero's tag-along through the perilous situations. She's quite a sight for sore eyes, particularly since she's the only woman in the film.

Moll establishes here a very likable presence with an elastic face even under some heavy make-up that distorts his appearance, and his height is well utilized to add a menacing quality, particularly effective in a fight scene with Dogen, in a pit, towering over his opponent, seeming to have a distinct advantage.

Baal's human cybernetic being is quite a creation for he has an arm that extends these metallic claws which shoot out a green substance stabilizing the victim, sending whoever it is into a paralyzed state, rendering them a weakened vessel, putty in Jared-Syn's hands(..somehow the substance has the ability to propel the victim subconciously into Jared-Syn's hidden lair where he's able to immobilize the one selected for termination, removing his lifeforce). Cool scene, in slow motion, where Dogen jerks that metal arm right out of it's socket, wires and gushing fluid resulting. Half of Baal's face is covered by a metal plate, as well.

Byron is pretty much modeled after those quiet and determined heroes who wish to carry out their mission, the straight-man while others steal the spotlight. Preston, as the villain, is rather theatrical as a more comical type of nemesis, looking super-duper in his costume(..with it's detailed muscular chest plate and pecks)..all the costumes for the various characters are quite colorful and unusual.

Perhaps Metalstorm is lacking in quality of those films it mimics, but I thought it had some appealing qualities, mainly an energy and joy that is often present in low budget filmmaking. To close, there's a scene that had me grinning from ear to ear for I imagined it was always a dream of Band's to stage an old fashioned spaghetti western stand-off and shoot-out between the hero and two "futuristic gunslingers" and it's one of the best moments of the film, I believe.