Pentathlon (film)

Last updated

Pentathlon
Pentathlon.Cinemaposter.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Bruce Malmuth
Written byWilliam Stadiem
Bruce Malmuth
Gary DeVore
Produced byMartin E. Caan
Starring Dolph Lundgren
David Soul
CinematographyMisha Suslov
Edited byJoseph Gutowski
Richard Nord
Music byDavid Spear
Production
company
Red Orm Productions / Pentathlon Productions / PFG Entertainment
Distributed by Live Entertainment
Release dates
  • January 1, 1994 (1994-01-01)(Singapore [1] )
  • July 8, 1994 (1994-07-08)(United States [1] )
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesEnglish
German
Korean
Budget$4 million [2]

Pentathlon is a 1994 American action thriller film directed by Bruce Malmuth, who also wrote the screenplay with Gary DeVore and William Stadiem. The film stars Dolph Lundgren as an East German Olympic gold medalist pentathlete on the run from a lethal coach (David Soul). This was the very final and last feature film of director Bruce Malmuth before his death on June 29, 2005. [1] The film was marketed with the tagline "Play to win. If you lose, you die".

Contents

Plot

After winning a gold medal for East Germany in the pentathlon in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, athlete Eric Brogar (Dolph Lundgren) flees from his abusive trainer, Heinrich Mueller (David Soul) and the Olympic team.

Eight years later, Mueller is no longer a trainer. He has become a neo-Nazi terrorist, responsible for a series of attacks on German government officials, and Mueller has discovered that Eric is in Los Angeles. Brogar had become a self-pitying boozehound until his talents were spotted by his diner-owning boss John Creese (Roger E. Mosley). Still smarting over Eric's defection, Mueller beats Eric's father Rudolph Brogar (Erik Holland) to death before flying to Los Angeles. While Eric reunites with his former girlfriend Julia Davis (Renee Coleman), who hones his endurance skills at her dad's woodland retreat, Mueller joins forces with neo-Nazi sympathizers including Eric's former rival Rhinehardt (Daniel Riordan).

At a peace rally, Mueller and his thugs plot to assassinate a rabbi and an ambassador while spreading a hate message on cable television. After viciously beating up Julia's father Vic Davis (Philip Bruns) and shooting Creese, Mueller and his thugs kidnap Eric, who retaliates by wiping out most of the neo-Nazis. Later, at another Olympic pentathlon finals, Eric not only triumphs, but he also ends up shooting Mueller dead in self-defense at the end when Mueller tries to kill him at the finish line.

Cast

Release

In Singapore, this film was officially premiered on New Year's Day 1994 by Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. [1] In United States this film was officially premiered on July 8, 1994. [1] and in Indonesia, this film was officially very first and final last premiered on tenth day of Ramadhan 1425 Hijriah (24 October) 2004 by RCTI. [1]

Reception

Eoin Friel from The Action Elite gave Pentathlon 3.5 out of five stars. He praised for its originality, concluding: "Overall, If it’s wall to wall action you’re looking for then Pentathlon isn’t for you but if you’re willing to watch Dolph try something very different then it’s definitely worth a look." [3] David Brook from Blue Print: Review gave the film three out of five stars, stating: "So, if you're a fan of cheesy 80's/90's action curios you'll probably find yourself buying into this film like I did, but if your mind ever stops to think about what you're watching you will see it for the ridiculous trash that it is." [4] Anthony Nield from The Digital Fix gave "Pentathlon" 5 out 10, saying: "Pentathlon is an awful piece of filmmaking but that’s not to say it doesn’t entertain." [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolph Lundgren</span> Swedish-American actor and martial artist (born 1957)

Hans "Dolph" Lundgren is a Swedish-American actor, filmmaker and martial artist. Born in Spånga, a community in Stockholm County, Sweden, Lundgren became interested in martial arts at a young age. This would lead him to hold the rank of 4th dan black belt in Kyokushin karate and become European champion in 1980 and 1981. In 1982, while studying to get a master's degree, he became the boyfriend of singer Grace Jones. He moved to New York City with her and started taking acting classes. In 1985, Lundgren had a breakthrough role playing the lead villain as an imposing Soviet boxer named Ivan Drago in Sylvester Stallone's Rocky IV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">League of Saint George</span> British neo-Fascist organisation

The League of St George is a neo-fascist organisation based in the United Kingdom. It has defined itself as a "non-party, non-sectarian political club" and, whilst forging alliances with different groups, has eschewed close links with other extremist political parties.

Ecstasy most often refers to:

<i>I Come in Peace</i> 1990 film by Craig R. Baxley

I Come in Peace is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Craig R. Baxley, and starring Dolph Lundgren, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley and Matthias Hues. The film was released in the United States on September 28, 1990.

<i>The Minion</i> 1998 Canadian film

The Minion is a 1998 action supernatural horror film directed by Jean-Marc Piché and starring Dolph Lundgren and Françoise Robertson. It was released to television and video in various countries.

<i>Sweepers</i> (film) 1998 South African film

Sweepers is a 1998 American-South African action film directed by Keoni Waxman and starring Dolph Lundgren, Claire Stansfield and Bruce Payne.

<i>Missionary Man</i> (film) 2007 American film

Missionary Man is a 2007 American action film co-written, directed by and starring Dolph Lundgren.

<i>Retrograde</i> (2004 film) 2004 Italian film

Retrograde is a 2004 American science fiction action film directed by Christopher Kulikowski and starring Dolph Lundgren. The film was released theatrically in South Korea on 14 January 2005. It was shot in Italy and Luxembourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gianni Capaldi</span> Scottish actor

Gianni ‘Aldi’ Capaldi is a Scottish actor and film and television producer.

<i>Icarus</i> (2010 film) 2010 Canadian film

Icarus is a 2010 Canadian action film starring and directed by Dolph Lundgren in his last directorial effort until 2021. The film co-stars David Lewis, Samantha Ferris, and Bo Svenson. The film centers around Edward Genn, a former Soviet hitman known as "Icarus". After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he has moved to the United States to begin a new life, but his past catches up to him.

<i>Skin Trade</i> (film) 2014 Thai film

Skin Trade is a 2014 American action thriller film directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham. It stars Dolph Lundgren and Tony Jaa, alongside Michael Jai White and Ron Perlman. Lundgren wrote the film with Gabriel Dowrick and Steven Elder, while John Hyams performed uncredited script revisions.

<i>Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning</i> 2012 American science fiction action film by Hyams

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning is a 2012 American science fiction action film directed by John Hyams, who co-edited with Andrew Drazek, and wrote the screenplay with Doug Magnuson and Jon Greenlagh. It stars Scott Adkins with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren, who both reprise their roles from the first film, alongside newcomer Andrei Arlovski. It is the sixth and final installment in the Universal Soldier film series.

<i>Red Scorpion 2</i> 1994 American film

Red Scorpion 2 is a 1994 American action film starring Matt McColm, John Savage and Jennifer Rubin. It was directed by Michael Kennedy. The film is a sequel to the 1988 film Red Scorpion which starred Dolph Lundgren, although the story is largely unrelated to the first installment.

<i>Battle of the Damned</i> 2013 American film

Battle of the Damned is a 2013 American science fiction action horror film written, produced and directed by Christopher Hatton. The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Melanie Zanetti, Matt Doran and David Field. Following a deadly viral outbreak, private soldier Max Gatling (Lundgren) leads a handful of survivors and a team of robots in a fight against an army of the dead.

<i>Puncture Wounds</i> 2014 American film

Puncture Wounds is a 2014 American action film directed by Giorgio Serafini and James Coyne, and starring Cung Le, Dolph Lundgren, Vinnie Jones, and Briana Evigan. The film follows John Nguyen, a war veteran suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. After he rescues a prostitute, Hollis, a local crime lord, marks them for death. It was released direct to video in the United States on March 11, 2014, followed by a limited release in other countries.

<i>Blood of Redemption</i> 2013 American film

Blood of Redemption is a 2013 American crime action thriller film directed by Giorgio Serafini and Shawn Sourgose. The film was released on direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray in the United States and Canada on September 24, 2013. The film stars Dolph Lundgren, Billy Zane, Gianni Capaldi, Vinnie Jones and Robert Davi.

<i>A Man Will Rise</i> Thai film

A Man Will Rise is an incomplete comedy western film directed by Tony Jaa and Vitidnan Rojanapanich, and starring Jaa, Dolph Lundgren, Conan Stevens, and Byron Gibson. Set in 1950s Thailand, the film follows a local gangster who terrorizes a town. When a young man opposes him, the gangster hires a group of foreign hit men to kill the rebel and silence the town.

<i>Black Water</i> (2018 film) 2018 American action thriller film directed by Pasha Patriki

Black Water is an American action thriller film directed by Pasha Patriki. It stars Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren in their fifth collaboration, specifically the second time they appear as on-screen allies. The film was released direct-to-video in the US on May 25, 2018.

<i>Expend4bles</i> 2023 film by Scott Waugh

Expend4bles is a 2023 American action comedy film and the fourth installment in The Expendables franchise, following The Expendables 3 (2014). The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Megan Fox, Dolph Lundgren, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Randy Couture and Andy Garcia. It is directed by Scott Waugh from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart and Max D. Adams, based on a story by Spenser Cohen, Wimmer and Daggerhart.

<i>Castle Falls</i> 2021 American action film directed by Dolph Lundgren

Castle Falls is a 2021 American action film starring and directed by Dolph Lundgren in his first film as director since 2010, who produced with Andre Relis and Craig Baumgarten. The film co-stars Scott Adkins, Jim Chandler, Kim Delonghi, Dave Halls, Scott Hunter, Robert Berlin and Lundgren's real life daughter Ida Lundgren.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 PENTATHLON Full Movie | Dolph Lundgren | Action Movies | The Midnight Screening
  2. "Budget". IMDB. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  3. Friel, Eoin (21 May 2014). "Pentathlon (1994)". The Action Elite. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  4. Brook, David (27 July 2012). "Pentathlon". Blue Print: Review.
  5. Nield, Anthony. "Pentathlon". The Digital Fix. Retrieved 22 May 2017.