Can a sequel to one of Van Damme's best save his struggling career? Jean Claude Van Damme, Michael Jai White and Bill Goldberg star in the follow up to 1992's Universal Soldier where soldiers are brought back to life as unstoppable computer controlled commandoes. In the sequel, reluctant hero Luc Deveraux is pitted against a new breed of Universal Soldier. These soldiers are controlled by a super computer bent on world domination after the government threatens to pull the plug on the project.

Jean Claude Van Damme has had a very hard time with his action movies in recent years. Dating back to the mid-nineties, Van Damme hasn't brought us a solid performance or a thrilling action movie. His last great movie had to have been 1994's Die Hard clone "Sudden Death" but after Hollywood put him with every Hong Kong action director they could find we only see half the magic Van Damme used to have. Hollywood has real doubts about this star as they premiered "Universal Soldier: The Return" in Slovakia, Russia and Australia before they did here. And by seeing "Universal Soldier: The Return", I can see why. The movie has barely a script or a director. The action sequences are so laced with Metalica-laced music that it's hard not to get a headache. WWF's Bill Goldberg looks like he never left the squared circle as he lumbers around as a brainless hulking mass. The only real standout is Michael Jai White who does pull off a very menacing villain.

I watched the first movie after I saw "The Return" and noticed the reason this movie failed on so many aspects was the first one was so simple and had only 5 central characters. In the sequel, we are presented with over a dozen in a 90 minute running time. If you have the desire or you need to remember the real "Van Damme" please rent "Legionnaire" on video. This movie is pleasant, simple and makes us remember why Van Damme is a star. It was passed over as it was sent directly to video which makes you wonder why.

Universal Soldier: The Return (1 of 5)
Legionnaire (3.5 of 5)
So Says the Soothsayer