Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn
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| Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn | |
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 Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn movie poster |
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| Directed by | Charles Band |
| Produced by | Charles Band Albert Band Alan J. Adler |
| Written by | Alan J. Adler |
| Starring | Jeffrey Byron Michael Preston Tim Thomerson Kelly Preston Richard Moll R. David Smith |
| Music by | Richard Band |
| Cinematography | Mac Ahlberg |
| Editing by | Brad Arensman |
| Distributed by | Arista Films Universal Pictures MCA/Universal Home Video |
| Release date(s) | August 19, 1983 |
| Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn is a 1983 science fiction movie starring Jeffrey Byron, Michael Preston, Tim Thomerson, Kelly Preston and Richard Moll. It was directed and produced by Charles Band who is possibly better known for his other, rather low-budget scifi and horror films such as The Puppet Master and Trancers series. Parts of Metalstorm were shown in 3-D. There are two versions of this film, the shorter theatrical version, and the rare "extended version" with a voiceover at the beginning helping explain some of the story's back history, and containing extended scenes.
The story was portrayed as a space-age western which combined themes of esoteric sorcery and high technology. Critics have pointed out that the title, "...the Destruction of Jared-Syn", makes little sense since the villain is never destroyed and actually gets away in the end.
Tagline: "It's high noon at the end of the universe."
[edit] Plot
The movie portrays the story of a space ranger named Dogen, (played by Jeffery Byron), who is in search of an intergalactic criminal with supernatural powers named Jarred-Syn, (played by Michael Preston). He has tracked this Syn to a desert planet called Lemuria whose human population lives in scattered mining towns gathering valuable crystals which seem to be the basis for their technology and economy. Syn has posed as the leader of a strange group of nomadic humanoids called the "One Eyes", so-named because they symbolically gouge out one of their eyes, and are decedents of a vanished culture called the Cyclopians. The territorial nomads have began a "holy war" to drive the human miners from their lands. Syn has incited this jihad, but Dogen knows that he will only enslave them all and must stop him at all cost. Syn equips his nomads with strange red crystals that drain the life out of touched victims. Dogen searches Lemuria's wastelands for Syn's camp getting around in an armored vehicle which looks like a road-warrioresque SUV.
At the start of the movie, Dogen comes under attack by a "skybike", (a one-man open-cockpit flying machine), piloted by a nomad. Dogen manages to shoot down the bike and finds one of Syn's crystals on the pilot's body. Carved into the crystal is a symbol of a dead tree. Dogen next finds a murdered prospector whose young daughter Dhyana (played by Kelly Preston) witnesses his death at the hands of Baal (played by R. David Smith), Jared Syn's half-cyborg son. Baal sprayed the man with a strange green liquid that sent him into a nightmarish dream-state where Syn appears and executes him with a crystal. Dogen convinces Dhyana that it's his mission to find Syn and she joins him on his quest.
Dhyana takes Dogen to a man named Zax (played by Marty Zagon) who tests the crystal and identifies it as a lifeforce storage device. Dhyana recalls a tale of the ancient Cyclopians who once used such devices and says the only power against it is a magic mask located in their lost city. Zax confirms the tale and tells Dogen to find a prospector named Rhodes who lives in the nearby mining town of Zhor.
Dogen and Dhyana head to Zhor, but along the way they are attacked by a group of vehicles driven by the nomads and commanded by Baal. Dogen is forced to stop at a road block where Baal sprays him with the green liquid and he becomes paralyzed. Dhyana manages to drive the nomads off and cares for Dogen who slips into the dream world and finds Syn and Baal looming over him. Syn tries to pull Dogen away from Dhyana, but their will is too strong to break. Dogen awakes from the dream but Dhyana is suddenly teleported away and finds herself before Syn in his lair. In her place, a summoned monster appears before Dogen and fires electric bolts at him. Dogen uses water to defeat the creature which shorts out and vanishes.
Dogen then arrives in Zhor and finds Rhodes (played by Tim Thomerson), a washed-up soldier, drinking in a bar. Rhodes denies the lost city's existence and refuses to get involved. Dogen leaves but comes across a group of miners beating up a captured nomad soldier. When Dogen runs to help him the miners turn hostile and a shootout ensues. Dogen is out-gunned until Rhodes helps him and defeats the miners.
Rhodes reluctantly agrees to help Dogen and the two head out driving deep into Cyclopian territory where they come to the lost city. There, Dogen locates an ominous statue of a seated being with a single eye and finds the crystal mask just as the legend foretold. The two are then attacked by snake-like creatures but manage to get away until they are accosted by a group of nomad warriors. Their intimidating leader, Hurok (played by Richard Moll), grabs the mask from Dogen and accuses them of trespassing on their sacred land - a crime punishable by death. Rhodes points out that the nomad law states that a warrior can fight for his freedom so Dogen is put into a dueling pit with Hurok. Dogen fights Hurok, but manages to defeat him and honorably spares his life. Hurok accepts Dogen as a friend and lets him go free.
Meanwhile, Dhyana is still being held in Syn's lair. Syn takes her before a massive crystal and forces her touch it. It begins to glow and emits a sounds like the suffering of hundreds of beings. Syn tells her that the crystal gets its power from the souls he captures including that of her father. Dhyana is disgusted and says her warrior will come for her.
Elsewhere, Dogen and Rhodes conduct a drive-by shooting on Baal's encampment and a chase ensues. Dogen makes good their escape and stops to rest at a lake. There, Dogen looks over the mask. Placing it over his face, he finds himself in the dream world with a burning tree. In his hand he finds an axe and hacks into the tree. The tree moans like the crystal in Syn's camp and trickles a stream of blood. Dogen pulls the mask off his face finding himself back with Rhodes but suddenly, the two are attacked again by Baal. Baal rushes up extending his robotic arm to spray Dogen, but Rhodes pushes him out of the way. Rhodes is knocked out and Dogen struggles with Baal managing to rip the robotic limb from his shoulder. Baal cries out in agony and runs away. Dogen follows the trail of green fluid that is leaking from Baal's severed limb which leads him to Syn's camp. He sees the nomads gathered around Syn and makes his way through the crowd. Hurok is also present and steps forward to meet his friend.
Syn announces to his people that the warrior is here to stop them from their goals, but Dogen states that he has only come for Syn. Syn orders Hurok to kill Dogen, but Hurok refuses and demands that Dogen be allowed to speak. Dogen turns to the crowd telling the nomads that Syn is a liar and that he wants their land so they can serve him as slaves. The crowd begins to protest with anger, but Syn shouts that they are all too late. He activates the crystal and summons fourth a blast of energy which stuns the crowd. Syn fires a more blasts at Dogen but he deflects it with the mask. Baal grabs the mask and it shatters on the ground. Hurok then grabs Baal and stabs him in the chest with a knife. Syn shouts in despair as his son dies then suddenly he disappears, teleporting away.
The sound of a skybike alerts Dogen as he sees Syn fly off. He jumps on another bike to pursue. Dogen chases Syn over the mountains and into the desert, but Syn casts another spell that opens an energy portal and he gets away. Dogen returns to the nomad camp finding Dhyana safe with Hurok. Dogen says Syn has escaped where Hurok states that he may return in another place and time. Dogen swears that wherever he goes, he'll be waiting for him. Dogen then fires his pistol and destroys Syn's soul crystal. Dogen and Dhyana leave the camp and walk down a road on foot but they soon encounter Rhodes in Dogen's truck who picks them up and takes them into town.
[edit] Notes
- Actors Jeffery Byron and Richard Moll, as well as some of the road-warrior vehicles used in this movie, are seen once again in Charles Band's 1985 cult sci-fi/fantasy movie The Dungeonmaster.
- Richard Moll had originally shaved his head for his role in this movie. Producers liked the look for Bull, so he continued shaving his head for Night Court.
