Robot Jox is a 1990 science fiction film directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring Gary Graham, Anne-Marie Johnson, and Paul Koslo.
Plot
Fifty years after a nuclear holocaust, conflict in the form of open war is strictly forbidden by the surviving nations who have eventually merged into two socio-political opposing super-nations: the American-influenced Western Market, and the Russian Confederation. In order to resolve conflicts over land and resources, the Market and Confederation agree to hold gladiator-like matches on a one-on-one basis to decide any one issue. To this end, they develop human-controlled giant robots, piloted by "robot jox". As the film opens, the Confederation has demanded a claim on the territory of Alaska, and unwilling to allow the valuable resources of the area fall into their hands, the Market must defend its own claim. Also causing problems is an unknown Confederate spy in the Market, who has been leaking information about secret weapons and costing the Market their victories.
Achilles (Gary Graham) - considered the best Market robot jox ever - is the last surviving member of his squad, which has been eliminated one-by-one by the ruthless Confederation jox Alexander (Paul Koslo) during previous matches. Achilles is supported by the robot's designer ‘Doc’ Matsumoto (Danny Kamekona), and strategist Tex Conway (Michael Alldredge), who is the only jox to survive his ten-fight contract. Achilles and Alexander meet on the field and battle, which ends catastrophically when Achilles knocks Alexander's robot down, and Alexander launches his fist like a rocket. Achilles uses his own robot to stop it from impacting the bleachers on the field, but he topples over from the impact, coming down on the spectators and inadvertently causing hundreds of deaths. The referees declare the match a draw and order a rematch. However, Achilles insists that even though it was a draw, the fight was his contractual tenth match, so he chooses to retire. Achilles leaves the Market and returns to live with his brother's family, branded a coward by the public.
In Achilles' absence, Professor Laplace (Hilary Mason) coaches her genetically engineered "gen jox" to take his place, including the first-potential-female jox Athena (Anne-Marie Johnson). As the rematch approaches, Achilles finds out through the local news that Athena will be battling Alexander. Concerned that she may not have what it takes to win, he returns and agrees to fight and continues training, which further infuriates and insults Athena, who is now prideful of her new position. Achilles meets Conway and the Doc, who reveals the technical specifications for the redesigned Market robot are being kept highly secret, something which frustrates Conway, as he has not been told. Conway confronts the Doc as the Doc records a video briefing for Achilles to watch the day of the fight. The Doc reveals that he has watched the records of Conway's fights, surmising he is the spy who was allowed to win to ensure he wouldn't be suspected. Conway attacks the Doc and takes his gun, and as the Doc pleads for his life, he reactivates the camera he uses to record Achilles' briefing. Conway kills the Doc, and calls it in as a suicide claiming the Doc was the spy.
The morning of the fight, Athena confronts Achilles in his room and sedates him, stealing his equipment and taking his place. Athena successfully boards the robot, but the crew realize that the helmeted pilot isn't Achilles. Athena attacks the crew, knocking them aside and seizing control of the robot. Achilles arrives as Athena climbs out of the maintenance hatch and takes the field. Deciding to help her and ensure her victory, they play the video briefing the Doc recorded, which suddenly cuts into the video footage of Conway shooting him. Caught in his lie, Conway leaps to his death down the maintenance hatch. Alexander takes the field in a new, four-legged robot and easily overpowers Athena, who manages to cut off one of his robot's arms in the fight. Achilles rushes onto the field and picks up Athena from the cockpit. Alexander is confronted by the referees, who order him to cease the fight or be disqualified. Refusing to listen, Alexander attacks, but Achilles has taken Athena's place and fends him off. Achilles is told that Alexander is disqualified and the match over, but he too doesn't listen.
Achilles and Alexander convert their robots into space vehicles and launch into orbit, but Alexander shoots the robot down with a rocket blast to its foot. Landing back in the field, Achille's robot can no longer stand, so he converts it into a tank-like construct. Alexander flips it over, forcing Achilles to abandon the robot and take shelter in the severed arm of Alexander's robot. Having an idea, Achilles desperately hot-wires the damaged circuitry, activating the weapons system and firing the fist at Alexander, much as Alexander did in their first fight. Alexander's robot is destroyed, but he emerges from the wreckage and continues to fight Achilles. Worn out and injured, Achilles then convinces Alexander that a match does not necessarily have to end with the death of a jox. Alexander throws down his weapon, and they salute each other in jox fashion: one thumbs-up pressed against the other.
Production
Writing the story
Famed science-fiction author Joe Haldeman wrote the screenplay for the film, and co-wrote the story with director Stuart Gordon. During the script-writing process, Haldeman and Gordon's visions for the film clashed- the former wanting a dramatic, serious sci-fi film; while the latter wanted to liven it up and use stereotypes. In Haldeman's word's, "I would try to change the science into something reasonable; Stuart would change it back to Saturday-morning cartoon stuff. I tried to make believable, reasonable characters, and Stuart would insist on throwing in clichés and caricatures. It was especially annoying because it was a story about soldiers, and I was the only person around who'd ever been one."[1]
Several times, Haldeman feared that this clash would lead to him being dropped from the project, but producers of the film in pre-production sided with Haldeman- "About four months later, Christmas Eve, Stuart called from Rome. The producers had seen the critique and sided with me. How soon could I get to Rome? They were going to start principal photography and wanted me on hand for rewrites."[1]
Eventually Gordon recognized this. According to Haldeman- "...as we were saying our goodbyes, Stuart pinpointed what we'd been doing wrong. He said, "Joe, our problem is that you're writing a movie for adults that children can enjoy, but I'm directing a movie for children that adults can enjoy!""[1]
Cast
References
External links
