Manborg (2011) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Steven Kostanski
Starring: Matthew Kennedy, Adam Brooks, Meredith Sweeney
Rated: UR/Region: 1/Widescreen/Number of disc: 1
Available from Dark Sky Films
The armies of Hell have taken over the Earth, and all that stands in the way of the villainous Count Draculon and humanity’s total extinction is a motley crew of misfits led by the mighty MANBORG: a warrior that’s half-man, half machine, but all hero. Once a young soldier killed during first war against Hell, Manborg reawakens in the future, rebuilt as a walking weapon and mankind’s last hope. Struggling to learn the secret of his origins, Manborg unwittingly befriends a post-apocalyptic Australian punker, a knife wielding vixen, and a kung-fu master, before finally squaring off against Count Draculon in a desperate and bloody bid to take back the Earth!
Manborg should be celebrated as a crowning achievement in creativity. If you loved the 80s/early 90s and if you loved arcade fighting games, you will love this. If you can remember those arcades usually had awesome art on them, this movie is like that type of art brought to life. The plot is simple and has been done before, but it has never been done with this much self-awareness. There is a legit humorous side to things and that only helps make the film all the more enjoyable. I grew up loving films like Robocop, so naturally I took a liking to this movie and I think most people with similar taste will take a liking to it easily.
Don’t go looking for a Blu-ray version of this, it isn’t needed. The look of the film is really one of the driving forces behind the overall experience that you get with a film like this. And, while the movie doesn’t pack a major budget, it does pack some massive creative moments and memorable characters that all seem to pack their own gimmicks and stand out. I’m sure there will be people out there that simply won’t “get” Manborg, but to those that do get it they will highly enjoy what it brings to the table. It never slows down, it never gets boring, and it always entertains even after the credits have rolled.
– 2 Commentaries
– Deleted & Alternate Scenes
– Bloopers
– Behind the Scenes
– Stop Motion Montage
– VFX Montage
– Short Film
– Interviews
– Premiere Q&A
