Customer Reviews

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I'll not get into the merits of "Metalstorm" as a movie. Needless to say, I like for what it is: Low-budget filmmaker Charles Band's attempt at a "Star Wars" clone...but without the "stars" or the "wars".

But this DVD is a different story. "Metalstorm" was originally released in 3D at a screen aspect of 2.35:1. I can accept this DVD not being 3D. What I cannot accept is Universal's decision to release it in 4x3 full screen format only. 5 years ago, there may have been some flawed logic to releasing it in full screen. After all, TV signals were still SD and HD-TVs were only beginning to become mainstream. But, in 2010, there is no excuse. Universal has killed this DVD. And, since any hope at an eventual re-issue would likely be tied to this DVD's sales, Universal has likely killed all chances at any widescreen release of "Metalstorm." :(

This movie was a favorite of mine as a young teenager! It still is a favorite of mine over 20 years later. Yes, the writing and story line are a bit strange, strained and simple. But this is due to much of the poor writing. But for being a low budget film, this movie is great. Its a cross between "Death Race 2000" and "Space Hunter". It was released in the theaters as a 3D movie in the early Eighties. The 3D effect is great!! By todays standards the movie truly shows its age. But you have to remember when it was made. Most of the technology of today hadn't even been invented yet! So it must be judged for what it is, a good science fiction story with some cool basic 3D special effects. IT IS A SCIENCE FICITON MOVIE AND STORY LINE. SO YOU NEED TO BE OPEN MINDED ABOUT THE STORYLINE AND POSSIBILITIES THAT SPACE AND SCIENCE FICTION OFFER.

The story line is rather simple.....Our hero (Jeffrey Byron) is a "Tracker" on an alien planet. Trackers are sort of like a cross between a police officer and an Army Ranger. He is searching for Jared-Syn a humanoid like alien who is set on taking over the known world. Byron comes upon the heroin (Kelly Preston) who's father was murdered by Jared-Syn's son and his followers. Upon being murdered all victims souls are stolen and stored in a huge storage crystal. Jared-Syn uses their souls as power for his evil plans. Byron vows to track down Jared-Syn and avenge Prestons fathers death.

This movie has a few know actors/actresses in it. Kelly Preston who married John Travolta. Then we have Tim Thomerson of the "Trancers" series fame and MANY MANY other B movies. Richard Moll of "Night Court" fame stars in this film also.

Just remember one thing......If you have the intellect to see beyond a movies flaws and use your imagination a bit, then this is a great movie to see and enjoy. If on the other hand you are a science fiction dweeb and geek who compares every movie to the likes of Star Wars or Star Trek then forget this movie and move on to your next corporate BILLION dollar budgeted movie.

IN SHORT MANY OF US LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!

Welcome to the planet of Lemuria and the tyranny of its evil leader Jared-Syn. A lone space ranger named Dogen comes to the aide of a young woman named Dhyana whose father has fallen at the hands of Jared -Syn. Dogen promises to avenge her father's death and save her planet from the evil leader once and for all but it won't be easy. Standing in Dogen's way is Baal, the mutant son of Jared-Syn and the Cyclopean warlord, Hurok. Can Dogen save the planet from Jared -Syn and free its inhabitants of the evil that has been controlling them? You'll have to buy your own copy to find out.

I've waited so long for "METALSTORM-The destruction of Jared-Syn" to finally be released on DVD and now that I have it I'm really disappointed with Universal Studios. I'm no expert when it comes to video transferring and restoration but I really expected a much clearer image from Universal. The video transfer on this DVD is filled with speckling, scratches and the images seem to be blurry and out of focus most of the time.

Maybe it's because this movie was originally presented in 3-D that the picture seems blurry and out of focus. Maybe the only way to correct it would be to present it the way it was originally filmed, in 3-D. I really wish that Universal would have taken more time and released "METALSTORM" in a two disc set offering both standard and 3-D versions complete with the glasses.

Another complaint I have is that there isn't a menu feature when you put the disc into the player. As a fan, you would think that this DVD would have some trailers, still gallery, commentaries or some type of bonus material; its bare bones people. I'm really happy to have this movie on DVD but this is really just another failed attempt from Universal Studios to release a Sci-Fi classic from the 80's as cheap as possible and cash in on its unsuspecting fans.

Long-desired on DVD by many cult film fans, the Charles Band (PARASITE) science fiction Western, METALSTORM: THE DESTRUCTION OF JARED-SYN (1983) finally makes its digital disc debut from Universal. Unfortunately, those who've been anticipating this title since the beginning of the DVD era are not going to be happy.

On the desert planet Lemuria (which looks a lot like the California desert) a Ranger (or Finder, depending on the scene) called Dogen (Jeffrey Byron, THE DUNGEONMASTER, wearing a leather ensemble identical to Mel Gibson's in MAD MAX) rescues crystal miner Dhyana (a young Kelly Preston, JERRY MAGUIRE) after her father is slain by the evil warlord Jared-Syn (Mike Preston, THE ROAD WARRIOR). They set out together to avenge her father's death; a perilous quest that brings Dogen into conflict with Syn's cyborg son Baal, hordes of angry Apaches - I mean, "Cyclopeans" - sand snakes, and masked nomads in ROAD WARRIOR-model dune buggies. Fortunately, Dogen manages to acquire a few allies along the way, including a burnt-out, alcoholic ex-Finder (or is it ex-Ranger?) named Rhodes (the great Tim Thomerson, TRANCERS, DOLLMAN) and a noble Indian chief - dammit, "Cyclopean" chief - called Hurok (Richard Moll, THE SWORD & THE SORCERER, NIGHT COURT).

With a plot cribbed from a dozen B-Westerns, banal script, terrible acting by the leads, shoddy effects work, and laughably blatant 3D moments (lots of stuff sticking in the camera), METALSTORM cannot be called a "good" movie. Even the direction by Charles Band (TRANCERS, MERIDIAN) is only barely competent, with endless -and often repeated - shots of our hero driving his space jeep around the overly familiar California locations (including Vasquez Rocks and Bronson Canyon), and a non-ending that clearly sets up a sequel that never happened. And that title, METALSTORM? Never explained.

Still, brother Richard Band provides the flick with a rousing score, the supporting cast - especially Thomerson and Moll - enliven their stock roles, and there's plenty of ROAD WARRIOR-inspired vehicle chases and stunts, usually ending with explosions. And there's just something comforting about its awfulness - whether it's nostalgia from when this thing played repeatedly on HBO back in the 80s or just the chutzpah of the filmmakers attempting this sort of adventure on such a meager budget, I don't know. But I can't deny that I enjoyed the 90 minutes I spent watching it.

Now, about the DVD. Seriously, Universal - WTF?

Originally released in 3D format with a 2.35:1 'scope aspect ratio, Universal has inexplicably decided to release METALSTORM on DVD with a 1.33:1 pan & scan transfer (except for the opening credits, which are widescreen), a decision that disappointingly recreates a VHS viewing experience, right down to the lack of a chapter menu or menu of any sort. I don't get it - this is 2010, not 1997. Everything is being released widescreen these days - even stuff that wasn't shot that way (another problem altogether), since television sets are moving toward a 16x9 HD standard. Why anyone would choose to release a widescreen 'scope film in a full-frame, pan & scan edition at this point in time is a mystery -- oh, wait. It's Universal.

As to the image quality itself, it is soft (and often out of focus), lacks detail, and is littered with specks and dust. From the look of it, it may actually be the VHS source material from the 80s. Audio is 2.0 Dolby Digital. There are no supplemental features whatsoever. Not even subtitles. Oh, in addition to the shoddy transfer, the studio's chosen not to use the fantastic original poster art on the DVD sleeve, instead opting for a bland and unimaginative Photoshop job. At least the old VHS tape box had the cool artwork.

If you're a fan of the film, and your VHS copy is no longer watchable at all, then maybe you'll want to pick up this disc. At least it's relatively cheap. But I can't recommend this to anyone else. Sure, I love this stupid movie, but Universal has once again shown their contempt for both their catalog titles and consumers. There's no excuse for this kind of half-ass product. Today's consumers expect their DVD movies to - at minimum - be presented in their proper aspect ratio.

One wishes that they'd licensed the title out to a company like Shout! Factory or Anchor Bay or Image instead....

It seems as though most of the reviewers have seen this film on cable, tv or video. I remember going to see this film when I was 14 in 1983. This film along with Jaws 3-D were released in 1983 and I was caught up in the whole 3-D thing. While at the time I found Jaws 3-D to be at least suspenseful I, as a teenager, was going to walk out of this horrible film. The only reason I stayed was because I paid for this movie and I wasn't going to walk out on something I paid good money for. In retrospect I think I did more harm in staying. I don't remember the plot the characters or much else. What I do remember is the I the rage that I felt at having wasted time and money by watching this film. The only way I could ever re-watch this film is if it airs on Mystery Theater so that I can poke fun at this film with the hosts of that show.

Metalstorm: The very word conjures up not only images of a groundbreaking film, but also memories of a lesson learned. A lesson, my friends, about life. "I have the power of the crystal!" shouts Jared Syn, in one spectacularly memorable scene.
Therein, perhaps, lies the secret to this film's enduring status in the annals of American film triumphs. Dogan, you'll recall, is searching for JS due to a violation of the peace treaty. This is sheer Americana, a rousing tribute not only to old western films but to old American frontiersmen themselves. Dogan's Davy Crockett is seeking out JS's Santa Anna in order to preserve the land. JS, however, injects a religious element heretofore unscene in other so-called "great films" like Star Wars, Road Warrior or Tootsie. The power of the crystal, though ill-defined, certainly trumps the wimpish "Force" from Star Wars. Man, have you thought about it?! Baal, while admittedly lacking any strong physical resemblance to his old man, represents both the biblical prodigal son as well as the figurative "son-who's-so-dumb-he'll take-a-knife-in-the-stomach-for-his-father-while-his-father-escapes-on-a-paper-mache-rocket-cycle" character made popular in the Hardy Boys series. Hurok, the one-eyed gentle giant and mental midget so easily duped by JS, Dogan and even the moronic Rhodes character, is our new Kissinger - I'm not sure why exactly. Some things in this movie are even beyond my capabilities. But it is the ending, perhaps, that has rattled the cages of so many of us for so many years. Recall the subtitle to this film: The Destruction of Jared Syn. And while JS is not destroyed, our faith in our own religiosity (along with the souls of everyone in the crystal itself like Dogan's girlfriend's father when he inexplicably shoots the thing) is shattered, (much like Rhode's head when he gets hit by that ball with spikes on it. Whew! In 3-D I thought it was gonna by MY head!) But once again I find it necessary to waste words. Waste no more time, I say, but range straight out in your oversized car with unnecessary gadgets and that only goes 20mph in the desert and that explodes for no reason whatsoever, and get this film. In the words of our hero Dogan himself: "We seek the same Jared Syn, but for different reasons." There are many reasons to see this film, my friends. Pick one. And maybe we'll meet to discuss it later. In the pit...

It is a bit on the B side, BUT, it represents the Genre " post apocalyptic" as well as any and its frakin cool as frak. Just an old movie claiming it place as "A piece of history".

"Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn" is one of the longest sci-fi movie titles ever... and it doesn't even describe the movie! "Metalstorm" was a popular video game back in the '80s,but this isn't based on it. And **SPOILER ALERT** Jared-Syn isn't destroyed.

"Metalstorm" is a Road Warrior knock-off,with Michael Preston (of no relation to Kelly) as the villainous Jared-Syn. He has stirred the Arabic-like Nomads against human settlers in a holy war, with his one-armed son Baal leading the charge. In one of their raids, they kill Kelly Preston's father with a hallucination. A seeker/ranger Dogen (named for the Japanese Buddhist teacher warrior poet) rescues Kelly,and goes on the quest to destroy Jared-Syn. On the way,he fights a sand snake, goes to an altar and finds a glass mask (that could double as a serving bowl), battles a Cyclops, and rallies the Nomads against Jared-Syn. In the end,Jared-Syn escapes into another dimension.

"Metalstorm" is a hilariously bad movie. There's a mishmash of religious ideas,with Baal (the ancient Hebrew god),Dogen,and holy war. The actor who plays Dogen emotes A LOT,and looks like he has a spray-on tan. Kelly Preston is preparing for her Battlefield Earth role,looking distraught with her bright blue eye shadow. "Metalstorm" would be perfect for Mystery Science Theater 3000. It's so bad it's good!

My son was very happy with this movie said was in mint condition played perfect and said it was hard to find in the stores so he was very pleased with it. took very little time to arrive and the price was great

Brilliant z-grade tosh that has some excellent throw away lines, tin can sets and highly strung acting but who cares, its a riot