Customer Reviews

Diamond Dogs

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Dolph Lundgren stars as Xander Ronson, an ex-soldier now living on the fringe in China while waiting for that one big job to come along that will change his life forever. When an American in search of a legendary Buddhist artifact comes knocking on his door, Ronson thinks his destiny is finally at hand. But as Ronson leads the party of treasure-hunters deeper into the moutainous badlands in search of their prize, he discovers they are stalked not only by Russian soldiers, but perhaps by an ancient curse as well.

A bit more low-key than many of Lundgren's action vehicles, DIAMOND DOGS is a rather more character-driven story than many of his fans may be accustomed to. The pace is relatively slow and there's a bit more of an emphasis on drama than shoot-em-up pyrotechnics--though there is still plenty of that too, especially as the climax draws closer and closer to its inevitable conclusion. Though not lavishly budgeted, DIAMOND DOGS actually benefits in some ways from the spartan FX, as this contributes a gritty, desperate realism that works well for this particular story. Acting is generally good, with Lundgren playing a somewhat less invincible warrior than he usually does, with more than adequate help from his supporting cast. The ending is unconventional but rings true within the context of the story. Though perhaps not one of Lundgren's very best pictures, DIAMOND DOGS is a different and interesting movie that action/adventure fans should find worthy of at least a rental.

If you are looking for some solid B-action film, you should look elsewhere. I like Dolph Lundgren and I have seen most of his films, and though "Diamond Dogs" is far better than abysmal "Jill Rips" and terrible "Agent Red," it still needs professional touch of action/stunt choreographers and production designers. In short it needs better action and more money.

Dolph Lundgren is Xander Ronson, a mercenary hired by an expedition team trying to retrieve a lost Buddhist artifact in Inner Mongolia. As a security guard and guide Ronson travels with the team led by one Chambers (William Shriver) and his step daughter Anika (Yu Nan). But another group of treasure seekers, armed Russians, are also after the artifact, which local people say is protected by the curse.

The "Indiana Jones"-like story of "Diamond Dogs" is generic, but serviceable. The film opens promisingly with Ronson's prize fighting sequence and the location of Inner Mongolia is authentic, but action stunts are not compelling enough and the religious relic itself (and the "curse" surrounding it) is soon forgotten. Lundgren is convincing as the hero, or anti-hero, but some of the other actors look terribly bored, or just overact.

According to IMDb, Dolph Lundgren did uncredited work as director, replacing Shimon Dotan. Those who have seen "The Mechanik" know that Dolph Lundgren can really direct action scenes within the limited budget, but even he couldn't save the production that is obviously underfinanced.

Interestingly "Diamond Dogs" is a Canadian-Chinese co-production that was actually shot in China. The location of Inner Mongolia provides an exotic look - the railroad, the rocky mountains and the old temple, etc. are all nice to look at, and some scenes are beautifully shot - but what the action film doesn't have is action itself.

Just watched this off Netflix streaming and was surprised by how entertaining the film was. Shot in Inner Mongolia (a province in China), the story is about an ex-Green Beret named Ronson who tries to make a petty living while running up a sizeable debt and then gets hired by an "English" guy with an American accent and a Chinese stepdaughter who wants to seduce the Ronson from the moment they met. The group sets out to find some Mongolian treasure called Tongka and along the way has to get in serious firefights and fistfights with some Russians and their Chinese mercenaries. There is a lot of tough action sequences in the film which makes the fighting look real. A lot of shoot-'em-ups, too, which makes the film fun to watch. As long as you don't take the script seriously and don't expect a big-budget production like the laughable Indiana Jones series, you'll be able to enjoy this film.

It is good to see Dolph change his appearance for this movie! As an actor, it is important to be versatile and open to changes in attitude and looks. Dolph did his job very well in Diamond Dogs. Some of the reviewers criticized his (Dolph's) haircut and "skinny" appearance. I respond to this negative feedback by pointing out the fact that he did his job by changing his looks. He is an actor, not a model. An actor is suppose to look different in each movie. Again, he is doing his job.

In addition, Dolph is in his fifties now and still looks great after all of these years! I believe Steven Seagal could learn something from Dolph about not looking exactly the same in every movie.
Fans of Dolph should support him refining his acting skills and improving his stage presence. He shows human weakness and flaws which actually enhance his acting ability. His films would become boring if he always looks the same and no one can ever beat him up in a fight or out smart him. Steven Seagal could use some more "challenging" oponents to make his movies more believable.
Diamond Dogs is perhaps Dolph's most unique role beside his character as a slave in "The Final Inquiry". Change is good because it prevents his movies from all being to much alike.
Great acting, good character development, and a unique story that is unlike any of his other films earns this film a five star rating.
Don't miss Dolph in a very unique and well developed role!

I like shoot em ups so it work for me. There is enough action to go around. Not the best made movie but ok.

THIS MOVIE WAS NOT GOOD AS I THOUGHT. BECAUSE IT WASN'T EXCITING. I JUST RENT THIS MOVIE. I THOUGHT IT WAS GOOD BUT IT'S NOT. THE STORY WAS A LITTLE SHORT AND THE MOVIE LOCATION WAS NOT GREAT. THAT'S ALL I SAY.

The story was weak. Dolph Lundgreen had a little more dialogue than normal. He is a little less sexy as his features seemed more gaunt. I give it a three star for the good kicks which I expected and got but I could have missed seeing this one with no regrets. Thank God I only rented this.

This was one of the worst movies that I have seen in a while, and I have seen some bad movies. Poor production quality, unlikable characters, uninteresting locations and absent story.
Save your money on this one. If you have one of the services where it doesn't cost you to view videos, this one is still too expensive.
By the way, I tried to rate this film at zero start but the program wouldn't let me.

The only thing amazing about this film is that Dolph Lundgren is actually getting WORSE as an actor. Even when surrounded by wooden performers and performances like those in Diamond Dogs, he's bad.

The lead character narrates this story on himself - a down on his luck mercenary. The oft-referenced mystery of why he was booted from the U.S. Army as a Green Beret is never revealed. He kills people with the ease of clipping fingernails and as a soldier is neither believable nor fun. It's just a stupid, embarrassing attempt to get back into the movie limelight.

In reality, you could replace failed "mercenary" with "actor" and this work becomes Lundgren's autobiography.

I had a free rental at Blockbuster for this, and still wanted to ask for my money back.

Save 94 minutes of your life for something worthwhile.