Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn
Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn movie poster
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
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

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 science fiction and horror films such as the Puppet Master and Trancers series. Metalstorm was filmed 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.

The 3-D effect of this movie was acclaimed by the media such as Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Examiner, and several monthly publications to be the best of all during that era.^{[citation needed]} The production wide-screen 3-D lenses used were from StereoVision International Inc., Chris Condon's patent.^{[citation needed]} 3-D Special Effects Lenses were by John Rupkalvis, who also did the Rotoscoping.^{[citation needed]} All the theatrical 3-D projection lenses were supplied by StereoVision International Inc.^{[citation needed]}

Universal released the DVD of this movie on August 3, 2010.

Plot

The movie portrays the story of a space ranger^{[disambiguation needed ]} named Dogen (played by Jeffrey Byron), who is in search of an intergalactic criminal with supernatural powers named Jared-Syn (played by Michael Preston). He has tracked this individual to a desert planet called Lemuria. The planet's 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 - who are descendants of a vanished culture called the Cyclopians. The territorial nomads have begun a holy war to drive the human miners from their lands. Syn has instigated this crusade, but Dogen knows that Syn's plan is really to enslave them all and seeks to 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, traveling in an armored vehicle which looks like a road-warrioresque SUV.

The movie begins with Dogen coming 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) witnessed 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, in which Syn appeared and executed 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 forth 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.

Notes

• Actors Jeffrey 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 science fiction/fantasy movie The Dungeonmaster.
• Richard Moll had originally shaved his head for his role in this movie. Producers liked the look for Moll, so he continued shaving his head for Night Court.

See also

• List of American films of 1983
• List of 3-D films

External links

• Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn at the Internet Movie Database
• Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn at AllRovi
• Metalstorm at Rotten Tomatoes