#648 – Cyborg 2 (1993)

Cyborg 2: Glass Shadow (1993)

Film review #648

Director: Michael Schroeder

SYNOPSIS: In the future, cyborgs are a part of everyday life. One cyborg production company takes to take out its competitor by sending a cyborg packed with an experimental explosive to their headquarters. When the cyborg’s instructor falls in love with her, the two escape, aided by a mysterious helper who shows up on screens to guide them to safety…

THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Cyborg 2 (Sometimes called Glass Shadow) is a 1993 sci-fi film and a sequel to the 1989 film Cyborg. Even though it is part of the Cyborg series, it has no relation to the original in terms of story or characters, apart from a brief flashback. Set in the year 2074, cyborgs (or androids, technically) are commonplace in all aspects of life, with cyborg production being dominated by two companies: Pinwheel Robotics in the USA, and Kobayashi Electronics in japan. Pinwheel have come up with a plan of corporate sabotage to put Kobayashi out of business by sending one of there cyborgs there as a spy and packed full of an experimental explosive that will be detonated and level the entire company. The chosen cyborg, Casella Reese, is trained by cyborg instructor Colton “Colt” Ricks, who has fallen for her, and when he learns the plot to send her to her death, escapes with her, leaving to them being hunted down as they flee. The setup of the film is fairly simple stuff, as the two end up on the run and pursued through the futuristic world. There’s nothing that stands out in this respect, as the film moves from setup to setup without much development between. There’s some okay visuals and effects with the cyborgs that just scream 1990’s sci-fi aesthetic, and clearly some thought and expertise has gone into making this work, but yes, it definitely looks of its time. The film is shovelled full of pointless action and nudity like you’d expect too, but maybe that’s what you’d expect from this sort as film as well.

Probably the most notable thing about the film is it being the film debut of Angelina Jolie as the female lead. Being only eighteen years old as well, she seems a bit out of place. It’s not a great film to debut in, but I suppose everyone has to start somewhere. The whole cast is a bit flat with no stand-out performances or characters. You’re not given much of an insight into Colt’s motivations (besides having the hots for the android), and the villains are a bit cartoonish. Everything is shot in very low lighting that probably obscures some of the cheapness, as well as most of what is going on. With all that said, the film is probably still better than Cyborg, because something actually happens, but Cyborg 2 does little to distinguish itself or make itself remotely interesting.