This movie was surprisingly good. It mostly takes place in and around the Chernobyl reactor area. Some people are taken hostage, and they are in need of rescue.
It's place in the Universal Soldier series is not an easy one to pinpoint. I've only seen the first one from 1992 and "Universal Soldier: The Return" from 1999. It doesn't compare to either in terms of tone or feel. Some original characters are in the film, but that is about it. The best thing to do when viewing this movie would probably be to forget any UniSol film other than the first one, and from that one only bring the knowledge of the basic events and characters, and the concept of the UniSol program. "Regeneration" is very different in style, tone and execution to the original 1992 film, so if you expect any continuity in these areas, you might be disappointed. Luc Deveraux is portrayed as a broken man, if he can even be called that anymore. Not much is shown of his everyday life, other than the fact that he sees a psychiatrist and has problems with his memory. If you ever are going to accept the premise of people who are killed being brought back to life and used as brainwashed genetically enhanced soldiers who can even be "programmed" like computers before being sent into a war zone, this movie portraying them as semi-zombie hunks of meat is probably as realistic and thematically cohesive as you are going to get (again, forget any previous UniSol movie where Van Damme cracks smiles, or has kids, or jokes around with other UniSols).
It has a very dark tone throughout, and the plot and events are very straightforward. The movie is more in the area of horror/action than the original films action with mild comedic moments. There are basically no humorous elements in the script at all, no romance and even no fairly light moments.
The acting is quite passable, and but for a few examples no one stands out as either good or bad. Since the movie is not very "Hollywood" in being overly dramatized or containing witty comments etc, actors get by well by just keeping it simple.
The action and combat sequences are very nicely filmed and choreographed and are the highlight of the film. The musical score is very bare-bones and atmospheric with mostly moody underscore and percussive elements, and contains no string elements to evoke emotion or brass to punctuate moments of action.
See if it you like "realistic" and unforgiving action (think the recent Rambo film) and consistency in tone and execution, and if you like the original film, or the general concept. Also if you are drawn to films with a quite hopeless, empty or apocalyptic atmosphere.
Avoid it if you want a more conventional "Van Damme-film", or expect any humor or easily digested entertainment.
It's place in the Universal Soldier series is not an easy one to pinpoint. I've only seen the first one from 1992 and "Universal Soldier: The Return" from 1999. It doesn't compare to either in terms of tone or feel. Some original characters are in the film, but that is about it. The best thing to do when viewing this movie would probably be to forget any UniSol film other than the first one, and from that one only bring the knowledge of the basic events and characters, and the concept of the UniSol program. "Regeneration" is very different in style, tone and execution to the original 1992 film, so if you expect any continuity in these areas, you might be disappointed. Luc Deveraux is portrayed as a broken man, if he can even be called that anymore. Not much is shown of his everyday life, other than the fact that he sees a psychiatrist and has problems with his memory. If you ever are going to accept the premise of people who are killed being brought back to life and used as brainwashed genetically enhanced soldiers who can even be "programmed" like computers before being sent into a war zone, this movie portraying them as semi-zombie hunks of meat is probably as realistic and thematically cohesive as you are going to get (again, forget any previous UniSol movie where Van Damme cracks smiles, or has kids, or jokes around with other UniSols).
It has a very dark tone throughout, and the plot and events are very straightforward. The movie is more in the area of horror/action than the original films action with mild comedic moments. There are basically no humorous elements in the script at all, no romance and even no fairly light moments.
The acting is quite passable, and but for a few examples no one stands out as either good or bad. Since the movie is not very "Hollywood" in being overly dramatized or containing witty comments etc, actors get by well by just keeping it simple.
The action and combat sequences are very nicely filmed and choreographed and are the highlight of the film. The musical score is very bare-bones and atmospheric with mostly moody underscore and percussive elements, and contains no string elements to evoke emotion or brass to punctuate moments of action.
See if it you like "realistic" and unforgiving action (think the recent Rambo film) and consistency in tone and execution, and if you like the original film, or the general concept. Also if you are drawn to films with a quite hopeless, empty or apocalyptic atmosphere.
Avoid it if you want a more conventional "Van Damme-film", or expect any humor or easily digested entertainment.