User Reviews

As the other comment (at this time) has noted, this kind of film has been done before, and better. This is probably OK if you have nothing better to do on a rainy day, but you wouldn't go out of your way to see it. Audiences have an expectation that there will be a certain level of quality from, say, the cinematography, editing, or music departments. Unfortunately, it's lacking.

Also, how is it that I can watch this film, paid for in part by Astral, Corus, Canadian tax credits, and BC provincial credits or fund or something, and yet it's not clear whether the city identified as "Vancouver" looks like Vancouver, BC intentionally, or is failing badly at pretending to be Vancouver, WA? Given that we're in the midst of the Olympics in Vancouver, isn't this something you'd want to get across clearly in your movie, set in "Vancouver"?

I thought the acting was OK for what it was.

The plot was OK, for a typical shoot-everyone movie from the 80s, but today's audiences (in other words, I) expect more in terms of dialogue. Nevertheless, I was kept moderately interested throughout. Good for a nothing-else-to-do day.

A well advertised Dolph action flick in local London papers to tie in with 'The Expendables' release of course but I'm afraid like many other flicks made by some of these aging hulking stars this film is pretty average, though not terrible.

Dolph does what he does best here (hence...The Killing Machine), he shoots and beats people to death whilst being indestructible, just like Seagal, JCVD etc.. The plot is the usual unoriginal tale of a lone assassin who wants to leave his field of work but is dragged back in and double crossed *yawn!*. While this is a straight to DVD release its not as bad as recent Seagal offerings which have been dreadful. This is actually quite stylish with hand held cam work and gun fights that are well edited with good special effects and stunt work.

There are some nice fisticuffs through out which do look visually solid and show Dolph still retains good levels of fitness and also retains his excellent physical and facial good looks. Shame its all just very very predictable and a little dull at times, this whole genre is highly saturated with many clones so if you want your movie to stand out you gotta make sure its special. Just having Dolph as an invincible fighting force is rather redundant and dated I'm afraid, even for the biggest fanboy.

Films like this worked back in the day when these guys were a bit more unique and the cream of Hollywood action flicks. These days they just seem stale and old hat, this kinda stuff doesn't really work anymore guys, hence straight into the deep DVD bargain basement bin. Mind you this effort is much more agreeable than most and shows an attempt at some innovative action thriller filmmaking, relatively slick in parts.

5/10

I'm surprised nobody else has pointed this out - but if you remove ALL the shots of Dolph Lundgren you'll be left with a 3 minute film. He's in EVERY damned shot - even when the camera should be on the other person, it lingers on Dolph! Aside from the fact that this film isn't even good in a bad way, it really is just one big ego-trip for Dolph... I mean that guy must really like looking at himself. Not only that - his 'love interest' looks to be barely 18 (and he looks like he's pushing 40 and then some...) I'm genuinely surprised at the positive comments here - This film looks very hurried, badly acted and poorly directed.

The problem with Icarus was that it has all been done at far superior level before. Just consider the premise. A muscular former KGB agent Yevgeny/Icarus appears on the surface to be a boring commercial salesman, but is in fact a Russian assassin who is very good at shooting up hotel rooms and killing dozens of bad guys. People try to kill him. Also his daughter is is taken hostage twice. Sounds familiar? Aside from the Russian mobster bit, Icarus is really a remake of "True Lies." This would not be a problem, except that Icarus is no where near as good as "True Lies". Dolph Lundgren, with his physique, his tough guy persona, his action hero antics and his tendency to surround himself with women who are most likely to be found in sketchy after hours clubs, was obviously meant to be an imitation of Arnold Schwartzenegger. But the problem is that however much Lundgren wants to embody the uber-muscular tough guy Arnold Schwartzenegger, at the end of the day he is only a badly done parody of him. And since Lundgren is meant to be the heart and soul of the film, his performance drags the whole film down.

But that's not the only problem. The plot is simply preposterous. For most of the movie, one wonders why so many people are trying to kill Icarus; but the answer turns out to be so immature and pathetic (keep in mind around 40 people were killed because of this one reason) that we wished we never knew. Perhaps, this plot would have been passable if Icarus was a funny film the same way True Lies was. In True Lies, we were not so much concerned with the terrorist plot as we were with the interesting dynamic between Arnold and Jamie Lee Curtis. But alas, no. "Icarus" has aspirations for being a serious film, as evidenced by the fact that Icarus is portrayed as a depressed and worn out killer who is really tired of his job. It is pretty hard to make a joke out of that. At any rate, the only thing this depiction achieves is to make the audience feel worn out and depressed -- and very sorry that they devoted well over an hour of their lives (1+ hours that they are never going to get back) to watching this disaster of a film.

There are a couple saving graces though. One of the good things about the film is that sometimes the unexpected happens. Sadly, this saving grace also works against the film because it turns out that there was no logic behind these twists and turns. The other saving grace are the two sexy women. Lindsay Maxwell (April) as a blonde bimbo who uses her sexuality to get a new car. Then there is the much sexier Joey (Stefanie von Pfetten) who is the best actor in this picture because she is the only one who makes a valiant attempt - which succeeds half way - in bringing some life to this terrible script, in spite of the fact that she too has been given terrible lines. Whatever one may say about von Pfetten (that her choice of films to audition for is poor or that she looks like she is doomed to play soap opera roles), the fact remains that she at least appears to believe in her role and what she is saying. Based on that criteria, no one else came close, including Lundgren.

In passing, I am glad to see some of my critics coming out of the woodwork to present reviews of their own. But I am baffled as to why they think this film deserves anything approaching 8/10 or more. One reviewer from Germany criticized me for not holding my "hopes and expectations in check" and comparing this film to "true lies." But looking over his review, I can hardly imagine why "Icarus" deserves 8/10 even by his criteria. He writes, "The story is really easy to tell." I agree and that's the problem with this movie: it is too basic and mind numbing. He cites the "mediocre script," "the plot holes" and "the cringe-worthy dialogue." Right again! The script is a joke. So why does Icarus get 8/10? Well apparently our German friend thinks the action scenes save the day. But there is nothing special about these action scenes. They have all have been ripped off from a dozen other films, some of whom have done a much better job. I also disagree this argument that we should not expect so much from small budget films. Steven Spielberg's "Duel" was a small budget film and it did brilliantly as an action film because it had a great script and great performances.

Dolph Lundgren blows holes through everybody in sight in "The Killing Machine," a swiftly-paced account about a former KGB gunsel who flees to America and becomes a hired gun for the Russian mob. Lundgren wears two hats again as star and director and this trim 88-minute shoot'em up doesn't squander a second. The best thing about "Breach of Trust" scenarist Raul Inglis' screenplay is that things keep changing throughout and the film has book ends. The dialogue isn't exactly memorable, but our put-upon protagonist finds himself between a rock and a hard place after he quits the Russian mob and has to battle gunmen in his face until he dispatches all of them. Posing as an investment broker, Edward Genn (Dolph Lundgren of "Rocky IV") is in reality an assassin on the payroll who is incredibly good at what he does. Nevertheless, he believes that he has made some bad choices. One of those bad choices was helping a comrade escape Mother Russian and vanishing into obscurity into America. One day Edward gets a contract, but he is contract and he has to shoot it out with dozens of assailants. If this weren't enough for an action-oriented epic, Lundgren and Inglis raises the stakes by making our hero's little daughter and her mother Joey (Sefanie von Pfetten) bull's eye targets. Virtually everybody that Edward knows winds up betraying him until he has no friends. U.S. authorities save his wife and daughter and force him to kill his old friend, Vadim (Bo Svenson of "Inglorious Bastards") in return for safety. Lundgren delivers another stoic performance as the gun-wielding assassin who outsmarts most of his foes. Mind you, "The Killing Machine" qualifies as a low-budget, B-movie shoot'em up with some gunfights and fistfights capably staged by Lundgren and lenser Marc Windon captures all this gritty action with imaginative camera work and angles. The plot itself is strictly formula, but Lundgren energetic direction compensates for some of this familiarity.

***SPOILERS*** Better then you would have expected from a direct to DVD action flick with Dolph Lundgren as Eddie Genn/KGB code name Icarus taking things into his own hands when he's set up by his bosses and controller to be hit when his career as a hit man for the Russian Mafia is blown.

This all happened when Genn was given a job to do in Hong Kong that in the end exposed his true identity when one of the persons involved survived and was able to finger him. Now back home in the US at his job as a financial investor Genn is visited by a Mr. Grahm, David Lewis, who by talking to him about investing in Hong Kong real estate tips Genn off that his days as a investment broker are numbered.

***SPOILERS*** At first just being suspicious Genn soon realizes that he's being set up for the kill when his controller Mrs.Kerr Samantha Ferris, gives him an assignment or hit-job in Miami that's in fact to be his very last! Non-stop action with Eddie Genn giving as good as he takes in the movie as he's being tracked down by both sides of the law, the Russian Mafia and FBI/CIA, for immediate termination.

After surviving a slew of bloodbaths with his both wife and 5 year old daughter Joey & Taylor, Stefanie Von Pfetten & Katelyn Mager, kidnapped and almost killed in the process the final showdown between Genn and those out to get him comes down to him meeting his former and fellow KGB Agent Valdin, who's life Genn saved, played by an almost unorganizable Bo Svenson. I didn't realize that he was in the movie or who he played in it until I read the films closing credits! The final shoot-out tops all the others in the movie with at first Genn, who's job was to knock off Vadin, letting down his guard and getting captured by the Valdin hoodlums! But in the end the Cohiba Havana cigar, costing as much as $35.00 a piece, that Valdin offered Genn that he at first turned down, Genn had given up smoking, turned out to be a life saver for him!

Icarus starts as former KGB agent Edward Genn (Dolph Lundgren) jets off to Hong Kong to carry out a job, now a hit-man for hire who has to do what he is told or suffer the consequences Genn kills people for a living & is very good at it. During the hit Genn fails to kill his original target, a fellow Russian gangster & when he gets back home to Vancouver his employers start asking questions. Genn becomes suspicious but can't do a lot about it, Genn is given another hit but on his way to the airport to fly to Miami he discovers he has been set-up & is ambushed. Genn survives the hit on him & realises that his ex-wife & young daughter's lives are at risk as some very powerful people want him dead. Genn ask's for help from the only person he trust's but he is betrayed & is captured by the CIA who give him an ultimatum, kill his former friend & Russian mobster Vadim (Bo Svenson) or be killed himself...

Renamed The Killing Machine for it's UK & US release this Canadian production both stars & was directed by Dolph Lundgren & after his theatrical comeback in the big budget The Expendables (2010) it's back to reality & the day job for Lundgren & the low budget direct to video action film which is ends up being one machine that needs a real good tune up. What can I say? Icarus, or The Killing Machine if you want to call it that, is pretty rubbish & I think this might be getting half decent reviews because this type of film is just so bad usually that it's difficult for a film to be any worse. A lot of these low budget action thrillers blur into each other after a while, the script offers nothing new with the Russian mob, shady Government deals, life or death situations, betrayal, themes centered on friendship & loyalty & Icarus offers nothing new or original as far as I could see. At 90 odd minutes the pace is fairly sedate, there's a lot of bland & forgettable build-up as the script tries to paint Icarus as some deep & complex character which is just plain ridiculous. Narrative & story is all well & good if there's a good pay-off & worth the time you invest in watching it but Icarus isn't worth the time or effort as the action scenes are very dull & lack any sort of imagination.

Icarus has a really unappealing direct to video look, it just screams cheapness at you. The whole story is very predictable, the lack of any identifiable villain for the majority of the film doesn't help & character motives & decisions seem all over the place at times. The biggest disappointment is surely the action scenes which are poor, there are a couple of fights but otherwise it's just guy's shooting at each other & it gets really boring. No car chases, no explosions, no variety in the action at all. Then there's the filming style, director Lundgren uses shaky hand-held camcorder, really quick editing, slow motion, frame skipping & blurring all to annoying effect. I actually saw this on the SyFy Channel here in the UK, what on Earth is a dull action thriller like Icarus doing on the SyFy Channel? Where's the Science fiction exactly? There's a fair bit of blood here, when someone gets shot they actually bleed & there's a couple of scenes where people get shot through the head to leave a nice big blood splatter on the wall behind them & there's a couple of sex scenes featuring Lundgren with much younger & hotter women so be prepared for that.

With a supposed budget of about $5,000,000 you can see why there's not much action here, that really isn't a lot of money to make an action film these days. Mainly filmed in British Columbia in Canada this got an extremely limited theatrical release in a few countries. The acting is alright, I can't say anyone was great though.

Icarus or The Killing Machine or whatever you want to call it is a really bad action thriller that tosses in all the usual clichés & does nothing interesting or entertaining with them. Even the action scenes suck. At least I didn't pay to see it otherwise I would have been annoyed.

Edward Genn (Lundgren) is a family man and loving husband and father - but he's also a secret assassin trained in the former Soviet Union and working for the Russian Mob. His code name is Icarus. After certain events go sideways, all manner of bad guys - goons, hired killers, Russian mob, other mobs, etc. are after him. All Genn wants to do is protect his family. But he'll have to face the demons of his past first, personified by the evil gangster Vadim (Svenson). Will his double life come crashing down? It's very cool to see Dolph as a hit-man and he looks quite dapper in his suits and ties here. As seems to be the trend of late, some scenes are underlit and too dark to see, but what we did see, we liked very much. Except for the film quality and the soundtrack, this film could have been made in the 80's, which is definitely a good thing in our book. Dolph, as star and director, obviously knows what his fans want, and he delivers yet again. It helps that the writer, Raul Inglis, is also the uncredited writer on White Tiger (1996) as well as the writer of Breach of Trust (1995).

There's plenty of action, good violence, and Bo Svenson as well. He doesn't show up until the very last portion of the film, but it was cool to see Dolph and Bo together, especially in a showdown as mortal enemies. Interestingly, the plot of "guy was a hit-man and now has a wife and daughter who are now in danger because of his past life and he now must use his violent training to protect them" was also used for Hit-man's Run (1999). Thankfully, neither Esteban Powell, nor any other annoying sidekick is on display. As said earlier, Dolph knows what his fans want. Annoying sidekicks are not one of them.

So thanks to the action, violence, presence of two of our favorite stars (Dolph and Bo) and the undemanding running time of 88 minutes, not to mention the 80's throwback feel and Dolph's direction, The Killing Machine is a solid winner.

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I remember seeing DL in "Red Scorpion" over 20 years ago, all excited about the way he was going to light up the screen in his first feature role...but coming out of the theater shaking my head in disappointment. And that continues to be the summary of his solo career.

I really admire and like Dolph and wish he was a little more versatile or else could get some better parts. But he just can't carry a movie by himself - he has to have a partner or a cast of other tough guys to play off - "Showdown in Little Tokyo" with Brandon Lee is a good example of the former, and the remake of "The Expendables" is a good example of the latter. But make him the main lead, and it's 2nd rate city. (Michael Pare and Rutger Hauer have the same problem.)

Dead giveaway that the director doesn't have any ideas of his own and only apes better, more original movies - at key points of high stress, he always (ALWAYS) resorts to jerky, grainy slow motion close up shots of Dolph. (One more reason why Tony Scott, who seems to have invented the trick and actually does this kind of thing effectively, must be barred from ever coming up with new visual gimmicks. Whatever he comes up with first, lesser directors steal and beat it to death in endless ripoffs later.)

This movie...well, it has its moments, and Dolph gets off some decent lines, but it's just another exercise in black ops paranoia and noir gloom. Having seen it recently on cable, I've concluded that there's no real reason to ever watch again. Sorry, Dolph, that your career has come to this...but at least you're probably still making better money as an actor than you ever would have as an engineer.