User Reviews

A few things you should know about, "Direct Contact.":- 1) It is not very good at all. In fact, it's pretty dire. Don't believe all this stuff about it being, "action packed," as half of those sequences come from other movies anyway and are badly edited in.

2) It's badly made. The continuity in this film is all over the place, partly due to scenes from other films being shoe-horned in. I lost count of the number of times gun miraculously change from one make to another as characters walk through scenes. We get a helicopter hovering in a bright, cloudless sky that is in a snow storm any time there is a close-up, cars that rocket back and forth in condition during chases, and, best of all, a motorcycle chase that goes from sunny day, to ice covered road in the middle of nowhere, to sunny day in the middle of town in three, continuous cuts.

3) It's badly written and makes no sense whatsoever. The dialogue is like something a teenager who's seen too many bad action movies would churn out. The plot manages to be non-existent yet totally unfathomable at the same time (why hire Dolph to kidnap the girl when you have the general and his entire army guarding her in your pocket?) and it contains one of the worst excuses for a love scene ever committed to film. They literally go from not giving a stuff about each other to doing it in five seconds flat.

4) It's badly acted. It's saying something when Michael Pare puts in the best performance in the movie. Dolph lumbers around like he's only half-interested in what's going on and, at times, his movement is so laboured I was wondering if he was injured. By far and away though, the worst is, "Uncle Trent." He is so bad as to be hilarious and has the immortal (misread) line of, "What if he goes A.O.L?" A.O.L.??? 5) The director really does have something against roadside cafes. I counted no less than three that were trashed in three separate car chases. He does however love showing the same wall being hit with bullets and showing great gouts of blood erupt in slow motion from people when they are shot.

Not as bad as DTV Seagal.... but not by much!

Poor acting, poor visual effects. fighting in every scene, week story line. in one scene he steals a Kawasaki ninja motor bike and when he is driving it at about 20km per hour with people walking in back ground, they speed the film up so it looks fast and other cars move at a stupid speed, cuts to a side shot of the bike and it says Yamaha on the engine, how did he change bikes from a Kawasaki to a Yamaha while he was riding it? their is some good scenes in this though, and the main actor is almost a good actor, almost their. He kinda reminds me of a early Arnold Schwarzenegger. anyway don't pay to watch it. unless you like goofs.

It is a mediocre B-category movie, nothing more... The plot lacks reality and is full of goofs, supposed moments, shootings at random and product placement (especially cars). Almost all the locals (incl. police) are blunt and bloodthirsty; the events take place clearly in Bulgaria, but the US Embassy is in Luka for some reason.

Lundgren looks tired and old already, May is just-another-thriller-chick, but Chalke as Trent Robbins is really awful. His lines are just for show, his character is not truthful (especially in final scenes).

Watchable for those fond of chases, explosions and shootings, but even Lundgren has starred in much better movies. If you have a choice, pick something else to watch.

The worst move ever shot in Bulgaria probably since I didn't watched many. Poor acting, poor stunt, poor effects many mistakes. Not very convincing story. Too much blood and unnecessary show of that. In that cheap movie you can see cars that you cannot see in this region from many years -like Trabant, Moskvich, Lada or GAZ. You can hear moaning in many languages like Russian, Bulgarian or some mix, but nothing sounds like real. I am sorry that I have spent so much time for that stupid film. There is really no point in that movie that I could like, sorry. Although I like good actions.... The only reason for watching this movie was the play of Dolph Lundgren. He act normally, not bad but that cannot compensate the lapse of a logical reasons for his hero's acts. The only real chance for some romance thread was missed in the worst not convincing way.

If i'll ever have to torture anyone, i'll show him this movie. bad acting, bad special effects, bad storyline - bad everything. if you want to see how to make a film BAD, watch it.. it's hard to believe anyone dares to make such awful movies these days. I was really surprised when i found out it was made in 2008. it looks like a movie made 20 yrs ago - the sounds are not synchronized with the video, the car chases are in fast forward so it would look fast (it's funny to see the people in the street moving i an unnatural fast phase), action scenes where the stunt don't wear the same cloths as the actors - you can even say that the stunts act bad (can't even ride the bike straight). But hey, if you have to much free time on your hands, and want a good laugh, watch it..

I'm a fan of Doph, but this movie was lame. It did have cool explosions and stunts, but thats it. The story is similar to The Russian Specialist, which in my opinion is far better. One thing I've come to appreciate from Danny Lerner's movies is the fact that a lot of stuff gets blown up. In my book that is a plus. In this movie the fights did not look too convincing. The Russian dude in the beginning of the film in the jail, gets his ass kicked by Dolph within the first few seconds and he just sat there and took it. I've seen the same Rusian dude in other films and he kicks ass. Dolph looks in great shape, but his moves appear slow as if the editing or choreograph was not all there. But then again, I'm not a movie maker. Dolph has been in somewhat of a slump with films like Diamond Dogs, Missionary Man, Direct Action and now this. I think the films he's directed himself are far better...

DIRECT CONTACT surely is a bad movie: the plot is generic, the direction is laughable, the editing sloppy, the acting aside from Lundgren terrible. Furthermore some scenes are taken from earlier Nu Image-movies like U.S.SEALS 1&3, OUT FOR A KILL or DERAILED. Despite these facts DIRECT CONTACT is a highly entertaining piece of B-movie as it manages to keep the pace high and fills 80 minutes with as much senseless action as any sucker for this kind of movie could hope for. Lundgren kicks ass, and anyone who was disappointed with the lack of solid action in MISSIONARY MAN can rejoice. Although the violence often looks ridiculous (blood spurting from hats, etc.)it's fun watching Dolph doing what he's best in, and despite his age he really delivers. Danny Lerner on the other hand should finally finish his attempts to be a director, in more competent hands this movie could have been a b-action-gem since the budget is moderate, the visuals nice, the score okay, unfortunately the many flaws make this movie just another case of trashy but at least amusing guilty pleasure.

I posted this in the boards for this film, but I thought I would add a review here also.

This film is amazing. So many mistakes in continuity, terrible writing(or is it?), yet so appealing and funny because of this. Not to mention the action scenes are just awesome. There's so much going on here that's so wrong, it makes it right.

This film reminds me of what directors like Tarantino are going after when he made Deathproof/Grindhouse films, only his were done on purpose. This film was not. It was just filmed and put together this way.

It may be hard for many to swallow, but there is real entertainment to be had here. The key is to watch how the actors respond to the scenes and dialog. The action stands on it's own, and the ride is never slow, so just sit back and watch the show!

There's a smell-a-brewin'. It's the sweet, sweet, smell of a brand spanking new, Dolph Lundgren kickathon. "Booyah bitch" I hear you cry. The coming year marks a real mouth watering feast of Dolphage. There's Command Performance, then Icarus. Two Dolph helmed picks that promise plenty of action. Then there's Universal Soldier 3 and most exciting of all, The Expendables, a compendium of action man badasses, all under the direction of Sly Stallone. Following that, there's the possibility of the interestingly titled, The Throwaways, again directed by Dolph. The somewhat forgotten pre-cursor to all those, is Direct Contact. That hellish, long, drawn out wait to see these awesome flicks, is somewhat eased with the arrival of Direct Contact. It's your typical spec-delivered DTV star vehicle. A paycheque special, which may just be, Dolph's very last spec film. He now seems more intent on directing his own films, and with two big budget films on his plate, he may garner enough clout to be able direct his own films, without having to do one of these suckers in return. Direct Contact is in existence, so that Command Performance could get made. Simple as that. A scratch my back, I'll scratch yours scenario with Nu Image. As such Dolph's involvement begins and ends with the acting and ass-kicking in this.

Direct Contact is sadly one of Dolph's worst films overall. It's pretty bad. First big problem? The direction. Flatter than Holland, more text-book than a text-book factory, and with as much flair as Stephen Hawkins doing the Tango. Dialogue scenes are given the daytime soap treatment. It's all mid-close, close-up shots, cutting between the two actors. There's no two shots, no energy, no reactivity. You get no sense of the actors working off each other. This is particularly annoying when Dolph and Michael Pare share the screen. They could easily have filmed their parts on different days for how the film has been shot, and cut. No chemistry, no cohesion, no energy, and that's no just because Pare and Lundgren are both going through the motions. The other main problem is the narrative. The story is thin, but the narrative is incredibly lazy. Nothing gets set-up, then plot elements just get glossed over. Everything outside the action seems like an inconvenience to the film-makers. It's just rushed through, with no respect for story telling, interest, energy.

As for the cast, it's pretty bad. Dolph seems un-interested. I'd guess he spent most of his time between takes, in his trailer, planning Command Performance. I'll forgive him that, because CP looks like it'll deliver. It better do, because people will pay good money to watch DC, and it's his name on the front, above his picture. Pare, likewise seems bored. In Pare's case, he's become a support player in recent years. He's done a lot of un-inspiring garbage. Once again he's here with very little to do, and very little to engage him. What could have been a great pairing on-screen, falls flat. Any geeky hopes of something cool in this film, will be dashed. Beyond that, Gina Marie May is atrocious and Dolph's pal, James Chalke gives quite possibly the worst performance in the history of film, theatre, anything. He's abysmal. He's clearly no actor, but he was not too bad in Missionary Man. Again, the diabolical acting must rest on Lerner's shoulders. Okay it's not the greatest calibre of cast, but all of them are well below par.

In terms of the action, it's positive and negative. On the positive, this film is loaded with action. It's packed solid with car chases, gun-fights and fist fights, and has tons of explosions. Seriously there's a lot of action, on quite a scale and of good length. There's a fair bit of help from the stock footage vault though, it must be said, which also leads to continuity problems. The vehicle chases are pretty long. The best parts, are the fights, which are tightly filmed and pack a punch. Though disappointingly, Dolph's face-off with Pare is limp. The concepts for the action are good though. The delivery not so good. The action is poorly filmed, and the editing is terrible. The car chases completely lack energy too. As well as that they've been sped up, because of lacklustre stunt work. It's all a bit Benny Hill to be honest. Truly for the amount of action, the scale, and the concepts, this film criminally wastes nearly all of it. It does give hope though for Command Performance. If it's as action packed as this film, it will doubtless be far better delivered. It could be pretty kickass.

Overall Direct Contact is simply a new Dolph film. It'll calm those cravings for a little while before the potentially cool films on the horizon. Aside from an intermittently decent score from Steve Edwards, and some decent, but wasted photography, from Ross Clarkson, this film is almost entirely technically mediocre. It's got enough violence, enough action and enough badness to satisfy lovers of watching bad movies while intoxicated, but otherwise, I think action fans will be a little let down. However it's short and also action packed enough not to get too boring. **

This film is amazingly stupid. It just can't be matched with Tarantino's films as the other guy commented! The film's logic is just missing.The story is for a classical old school action movie,but the realisation is so bad.Everything is chaothic and pointless. Only the action scenes are MADE good,but actually they aren't good,because they're terribly unrealistic and foolish.It reminds me only of 20/30 years old action film on which you can laugh all the time....try watching "Operation : Delta force 2" for example :D . So the movie can be fun if you understand there is nothing serious in it.I just can't understand how can people make such films in 2009...

Mike Riggins (Dolph Lundgren), a former U.S. special forces soldier now in a Russian prison, is sprung by a U.S. Embassey official (Michael Pare) with the condition being that Riggins must locate and bring back a kidnapped American girl (Gina May). Naturally, the Government official is all sorts of lying and Dolph's not gonna stand for it. Not to be confused with Lundgren's earlier DIRECT ACTION (2004), this Bulgaria-shot actioner showcases how average a recent Dolph direct-to-video vehicle can be when he is not at the helm. Director Danny Lerner gave the world plenty of Nu Image big monster crap as a producer and his directing credit before this being SHARKS IN VENICE. Ugh. He barely knows how to shoot an action scene and fills the film with odd plot holes that he tries to cover with some quick ADR work. Pare actually looks good for a guy who just turned 50 and his villainous character meets an explosive end (perhaps the film's best moment) during a fiery showdown in an abandoned building. Thankfully, Dolph's next two DTV projects he is handling himself.

Dolph Lundgren hits us with another by-the-numbers straight to DVD action fare set in Europe where he plays an American ex-marine turned arms smuggler who's spending time in a Russian prison, that's until he's given his freedom in exchange for the rescue of an American heiress who's being held hostage by some Russian criminals and rogue soldiers. But what he is to believe is not quite the case and it triggers a domino effect of violence and destruction. The action clichés come fast and furious, but these formulaic staples offer up plenty of carnage; metallic and flesh. It's speedy, swift and frenetic. Onslaught after onslaught. Chase after chase. The blood simply flows, numerous splatter on show in the many glorious shootouts, explosions and thank god no CGI is used either way. Director Danny Lerner does a competent job. Predictable, but workable even though it might get repetitious and a touch clumsy in the jaunty fight choreography. The locations add to the spectacle too. Lundgren is on cruise control, but still looks good kicking ass. One man, well equipped and going it alone. Michael Paré and Gina May also shows up.

"Do not shoot the girl!"

Dolph Lundgren stars as Mike Riggins an ex-marine and prisoner of a Russian prison who is hired out by Michael Pare to rescue a sexy woman (Gina May) while Riggins easily saves her, he finds that Pare has a hidden agenda and that various bad guys are out to get him. Dolph Lundgren and Michael Pare don't take the material seriously and (thankfully) the movie feels like a late 80s actioner with a big body count, a story that is clichéd and everything just an excuse for a big fight or explosion. Action Icon Dolph Lundgren joins forces with B.Movie Icon Michael Pare in a film that is brought to you by the schlock masters of the 21st century (Millenium Films) and with all things considered this has it's share of fun. In fact,this ranks as Lundgren's more entertaining feature since The Russian Specialist, Indeed the one on one between Lundgren and Pare makes this more fun than the usual straight to DVD product and while the films remains patiently ridiculous the film has well staged action sequences and a great climax. In other words for fans of Bad Action, this is great fun.

* * Out Of 4-(Fair)

This is what happens when nobody involved gives a damn. I mean, I like Lundgren but this film is an unbelievable piece of crap. Just because something is direct-to-DVD it doesn't have to be this bad.

There's no writing and directing here, it's just Nu Image cranking out Ed-Woo-style crap to keep their Bulgarian studio busy. Really it's that bad. And don't get me started on the actors, but why should they be better than the material they serve. Poor Lundgren is sleepwalking through this, probably just thinking about the paycheck and his own directing efforts, which are much better.

Stay clear of this stinker by all means, watching it numbs the brain and hurts the eyes

I don't comment often but this rating has to be brought down fast, do not waste your time and money on this movie! The poorest editing you'll ever see. Scenes are catastrophically poorly executed, the destruction doesn't even make sense when entire buildings are destroyed in an effort to capture one or two people who inexplicably remain in the buildings while the threat is pending? Car chases where the second passenger is missing in most of the scenes. The plot is so drab it will make you wish you were playing solitaire instead. The acting is atrocious and the "action" scenes aren't even believable. Slaughtering of innocent people throughout the movie for no reason whatsoever, what would the city smell like? Soldiers who can barely move right, let alone make us believe they are in the police or the military. Careless producing and directing. How can someone be shot at so many times at so many angles and still get away, it's bad enough in good movies but this is too much, or should I say far too little. Even my twelve year old son is appalled. The main actor doesn't even come across to be the trained man he is supposed to be. I want my money back!

I saw this on DVD today. Starts displaying text introducing people; the text graphics look crappy like it was designed in 1990's. The action sounds are canned and crappy too. Fighting it self; as brutal as it could seem was done well to make the audience feel as if we were on site. Grammatical errors in dialog make the film better then if everything was perfect. I wasn't sure if the director wanted the audience to bust out laughing during a few of the parts but regardless by the 10min mark I was interested enough to finish watching the film. I'll give it a 6/10. Everyone put a lot of hard work into this film. Props to the actors and filler people. If you get an invite for a private showing definitely attend; it will prove for a good time.

Direct Contact has a whole string of plot holes bigger than a vulcano crater. Dolphy boy is send on a mission to rescue a girl, receives 20 grant, pays his creditor 10, is robbed by the same creditor of the other 10 and then purchases enough armory to equip an entire regiment. Subsequently he defeats a whole army on his own. His enemies behave like stupid idiots - they don't want to kill him when having the opportunity and have serious problems with their aim when trying during the chase and siege scenes. All the baddies get killed and the heroin, an otherwise dumb stereotypal hysterical no use for anything girl, in the not so climactic scene kills Bad Uncle. End good all good and more predictable than a fairy tale.

This is no way to start a friendship... Dolph Lundgren

I saw the movie last night and i have to say that i enjoyed it. It was way better than Diamond Dogs,Retrograde and many others. It had nearly every thing an action movie must contain. Hand to hand combat, Kicks, Guns, Dead bodies, Car Chases, Explosions and even a guy blowing up.

I liked seeing loads of means of transportations that were used in the movie. Dolph was seen in a Motor Bike, Many cars, Army truck, Bus, Train, Double Cabin Car, Farm Truck & even a Limousine in the end. The villains used Army Trucks, Army Jeeps, Helecopters, Double Cabin Cars and even a God damn Tank...

The cheap budget showed but still the movie looked good and it would have been hell of a lot better if it had a larger budget. Dolph gave quite a good performance and looked cool in action scenes showing many punches and kicks. I enjoyed the supporting cast as well. Gina May was an okay helpless girl but Michael Pare was a cool villain and so was Bashar Rahil (Too bad a fight between him and Dolph was skipped, I think he was also in Bridge Of Dragons) Michael Pares Death scene was the Koolest.

Overall the movie is very good for a Dolph fan and other action movie buffs. They are the target audience and they wont be left unsatisfied. Its a very good start for 2009. Followed by CP, US3, Icarus and The Expendables, I believe an exciting future lies ahead for Dolph and DL fans like us...

Mike Riggins, an imprisoned ex-US Special forces operative in Eastern Europe, is offered his freedom and money to rescue an American woman, Ana Gale, who has been kidnapped by a ruthless warlord.

I just watched this movie last night. The story is good and Dolph does put in a good performance. There is a stupid love scene through in. The fight scenes are well choreographed and the action scene well worked. The director relys on to many methods used on films like Better tomorrow and the Killer and this is the films down fall because these methods sometimes shows how bad the other actors are and a lot of work has looked have gone into this movie. If you're looking for a quick buzz or a Friday night movie do check this out.

I think that everything I wanted to say has been stated by other reviewers: bad plot, bad editing, bad directing, badddddd acting, bad lines (they have ruined Ms. May's career).

I swear, I watched this film in about three sittings. I fell asleep in all but the last. I laughed so much at certain points that I had to wonder if I was suddenly becoming sadistic and evil or if the movie was really that bad. I mean, "Direct Contact" says action, but I was thoroughly amused/in shock/bored by the acting and the lines...

For example:

The love scene - hello! Where did that come from? The spiraling fire in the warehouse ms. may's sudden bravado at the end The grenade launch of the bad guy out the window with his pieces flying in slow motion The various races and crashing and blowing up The kidnapping Ms. May's lines - God awful!

Anyway...I hate to do the negative criticism thing, so I'll conclude by saying that this was highly entertaining by virtue of its awfulness.

Still love you Dolph (_:

I am a Dolph Lundgren fan, a big enough one that I am often forgiving of any shortcomings in his movies. But with "Direct Contact", I find it hard to express any enthusiasm. Oh sure, the production values are decent, the movie moves at a fairly brisk clip, Lundgren seems comfortable in his surroundings, and the movie makes any excuse to showcase some action. And the bad guy has a very memorable exit. Yet at the end I felt underwhelmed. The plot is nothing new, and the action isn't very exciting. In fact, the action has more than its share of incompetent editing, showing things that come out of thin air or not showing the end of an action sequence. And I found it hard to believe that nobody of authority was taking action about the bad guys killing scores of innocent people and blowing up buildings! Not the worst Lundgren movie, and far from being the worst movie ever made, but you can safely skip this one, even if you are a Lundgren fan.