What Vinnie Thinks

Doom Movie

Sci-Fi, Video Game Adaptations No Responses »

May 182012

Back in high school, my friends and I played the CD-ROM game version of Doom. You explore the different levels with various guns, along with a chainsaw, and your score is based on your progress of killed enemies, items found, and areas explored.

In the movie Doom, which is based on the game, a group of eight Marines led by Sarge (Dwayne Johnson) head over to Olduvai Research Facility on Mars on a mission to investigate a monstrous threat going on there and eliminate it. To complicate matters, Staff Sargent Reaper’s (Karl Urban) sister Samantha (Rosamund Pike) is one of the scientists who work there and tries to save the research data before evacuation time.

The corridors that the Marines explore are very much like the video game, but what really makes it interesting is the creepy exploration. The monsters running loose in the dark areas could be anywhere. Luckily, technician Pinky (Dexter Fletcher) is able to monitor the different corridors at all times.

The enemies on the game are demons and other soldiers. On this film, it’s clearer on what the demons are. They’re actually humans that were genetically mutated. One by one, the Marines get killed and infected.

Sarge finds an even bigger gun with more kick called a B.F.G. (Bio Force Gun). It can dissolve an entire wall with one shot. That’s very helpful in a maze of corridors, but in the video game, the rocket launcher was the most powerful weapon.

No matter how many monsters get killed, they still keep coming, but Samantha discovers that not everyone is able to get infected. Sarge refuses to accept that notion and decides to kill everyone, no exceptions.

Now it’s up to Reaper to set things right and is given an injection, which makes him superhuman. Now this movie is becoming more like the video game because Reaper shoots enemies shown from his viewpoint. Originally I was expecting Sarge to do that because he looks more like the hero of the game, which is a strong man with a buzz cut.

The monster that looks the most like a boss from the video game is Pinky as a more grotesque pink monster that Reaper fights with a gun and a chainsaw.

This is a great action film with elements of suspense and horror. Since this movie takes place in the future, I couldn’t help but notice that one of the other Marines was a playing a handheld Galaxian game. I used to have one of those years ago. It’s actually older than the first Game Boy.

Private Olive Oyl

80's Cartoons, Comic Book Titles No Responses »

May 162012

One of the later additions to The All-New Popeye Hour was Private Olive Oyl (1981-1982). This series went in a completely different direction from the other Popeye adventures. Olive and Alice the Goon join the army at Fort Dragg under commanding officer Sargent Bertha Blast.

From what I can tell, the army was doing Olive some good. She’s not as panicky as she usually is on the various Popeye adventures, but isn’t very bright though. As for Alice, you have to be careful what you say around her. She takes everything literally and doesn’t know her own strength, especially when stomping Sargent Blast into her hat. One thing I don’t understand is why only Olive can understand what Alice says.

Sargent Blast is hilarious when Olive and Alice drive her crazy. When she gets angry, Sargent Blast can literally shout up a storm. Whatever the mission, Sargent Blast will look for any excuse to be rid of Olive and Alice, but in the end the two privates always unknowingly manage to succeed and please Colonel Grumm.

It wasn’t until fairly recently when I discovered that the voice of Sargent Blast was Jo Anne Worley, who is also well known for her various characters on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh In.

Here’s another interesting fact. According to Wikipedia, Private Olive Oyl was inspired from the movie Private Benjamin. It makes sense because let’s face it. Olive is no G.I. Jane.

This cartoon is definitely a hilarious classic, even if it doesn’t have the same level of action as Popeye. Although it would have been nice if Popeye or Bluto had made any guest appearances.

Golden Axe

Fantasy Adventure, Video Games No Responses »

May 142012

Based on the old arcade title, Golden Axe for Sega Genesis takes place in the epic world of Yuria. Three heroes must rescue the King and his daughter from the warlord Death Adder, not to be confused with Black Adder.

The heroes in this game are Ax Battler the Barbarian, Tyris Flare the Amazon Warrior, and Gilius Thunderhead the Dwarf. The adventure they go on isn’t just a rescue mission though. Ax, Tyris, and Gilius have all lost loved ones to Death Adder and seek justice. I won’t spoil the ending, but I can tell you that it’s not different with each character.

The heroes also use magic to either clear the screen of enemies or to put a lot of damage to a boss when necessary. The type of magic each hero uses is different, but the damage it causes is basically the same. The magic is useful, but can only be used once.

In order to collect enough magic to use again, you fight thieving elves and gather magic pots to fill your magic meter. Some elves provide meat to fill your life meter, but it doesn’t happen often.

This game has eight levels with amazing scenery and exciting battles. The groups of enemies tend to gang up on you, which can be tough. Sometimes you have to outwit them. For example, if you’re fighting enemies near a pitfall, you can knock them in or let them walk off the ledge. If you’re worried about high scores, don’t worry. There are none.

Some enemies even ride beasts like dragons and chicken-legs. You can knock them off and ride the beast yourself to use against them. It gives you more of an edge, but be careful. The enemies can knock you off just as easily. If that happens about two or three times, the beast runs away. Can you believe it?

This is an interesting action game. Even though the three heroes are evenly matched in fighting skills, some appear to be stronger than the others. Personally, I think Gilius the Dwarf is the strongest.

Men in Black

Comic Book Titles, Sci-Fi No Responses »

May 112012

There are many sci-fi films that indicate that we are not alone in the universe. One that really shows it is Men in Black, which is about a secret agency that protects the Earth from various alien threats called MIB for short.

Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) is one of the top agents of MIB. After his old partner Agent D (Richard Hamilton) retires, he’s in need of a new one. Of course, MIB only recruits the best of the best of the best.

Soon, Agent K discovers a potential new partner, James Darrel Edwards III (Will Smith) of the NYPD. He actually chased down an alien criminal on foot, which very few people can actually do. I can still remember how hilarious Edwards was during the chase. Everyone in the theater was laughing loudly.

The head of MIB is Chief Zed (Rip Torn). He provides the new recruits (Edwards included) a series of tests to see which government trained expert is the most worthy, starting with the struggle to fill out a form without something hard to write on. I don’t know why Zed couldn’t have just provided a table.

It appears that Edwards passed all of the tests, but he’s uncertain whether or not to accept because there’s a major catch to being an MIB agent. No one can know that you exist and everything in your personal file will be erased. Edwards soon accepts and becomes Agent J.

Agent K shows Agent J around MIB headquarters, where humans and aliens coexist easily. They also keep aliens that are in human form under surveillance, wherever they are. I couldn’t help but notice that Steven Spielberg and Sylvester Stallone were among them.

The main enemy alien Agents K and J face is Edgar the Bug (Vincent D’Onofrio), who is after something called the galaxy in order to conquer the Arquillian race with Earth as the battleground. Agents K and J are now on the case to find the galaxy, but have no clue what it is.

Luckily, with the help of morgue worker Dr. Laurel Weaver (Linda Fiorentino), they find a clue from one of the Arquillians, who was killed by Edgar. “To prevent war the galaxy is on Orion’s belt.” It’s not much to go on since there is no galaxy on the constellation of Orion’s belt.

To make matters worse, the Arquillians threaten to destroy the Earth if the galaxy is not returned to them. Thanks to the hot sheets, which are actually supermarket tabloids, Agents K and J manage to identify Edgar. They arm themselves, but all Agent J gets is the little noisy cricket gun. As silly as it looks, the noisy cricket is actually a very powerful weapon.

Agents K and J soon discover what the galaxy is, but Edgar finds it first and kidnaps Dr. Weaver. Agents K and J do catch up to Edgar as he tries to escape the planet and reveals his true form. I can remember the struggle between Agent J and the bug alien had won an MTV Movie Award for Best Fight back in 1998.

This was a good movie that was the start of a popular franchise. What gets me is that all of the MIB agents are only identified as a letter of the alphabet. So does that mean there are only 26 agents in the entire agency?

One last item: There’s also a Men in Black attraction at Universal Studios called Men in Black Alien Attack, where you get to shoot invading aliens all around Manhattan. It’s like being on an MIB adventure, only with a scoreboard, but mind all the spinning around the vehicle will do on occasion.

Chuck Norris Karate Kommandos

80's Cartoons No Responses »

May 092012

Chuck Norris has been a martial arts star for a long time. Back in the 80s, he starred in an animated series called Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos (1986-1987) which featured Norris as a U.S. operative leading a team of warriors that are highly diverse.

The other team members include, Kimo the samurai warrior who likes to speak with metaphors, Tabe the sumo champion, Pepper the pretty technology expert, Reed who is Chuck’s teenage apprentice, and Too Much who is Chuck’s young ward. Together they are known as the Karate Kommandos.

The arch nemesis is Claw, who leads an enemy organization called VULTURE. His right arm was completely rebuilt with a golden mechanical pincher claw, which is large enough to squeeze a human body. It looks like it could crush a lung too.

Claw has many followers, but his main lackey is Super Ninja. He’s a tough adversary that reminds me of Cobra Commander from GI Joe with his similar persona and the fact that he never takes off his mask. Super Ninja is a mystery character because he also seems to have a personal grudge with Norris, but it has never been revealed.

Speaking of GI Joe, the battle scenes have that style of action, but with more of a martial arts twist. That makes it much more exciting.

At the beginning and end of each episode, Chuck Norris does a live action segment narrating the morals just like Mr. T did on his animated series, but it usually takes place in a gym or a martial arts studio.

This was an interesting series with great martial arts action. It’s too bad it only lasted five episodes.

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