Universal Soldier is a science fiction action movie series starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. The series consists of five films, released between 1992 and 2012, as well as a television series and video game.
The first film, Universal Soldier, was released in 1992 and tells the story of two soldiers who are killed in Vietnam, only to be revived by a top-secret military project and turned into indestructible cyborgs. The film was a moderate box office success, and spawned four sequels, Universal Soldier: The Return (1999), Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009), Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012) and Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2012).
Universal Soldier: The Return, released in 1999, saw the return of Van Damme and Lundgren, and is set in a future where the Universal Soldier program has been abandoned. The film sees the two soldiers attempting to prevent an AI supercomputer from taking control of the military’s weapons, and was a commercial success.
Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) was the third installment in the series and saw Van Damme and Lundgren reprising their roles. The film follows the two soldiers as they battle a terrorist organization and attempt to prevent the release of a deadly virus. The film was a commercial success, and earned generally positive reviews.
Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012) saw Van Damme and Lundgren again reprising their roles, and was the fourth installment in the series. The film follows a former Universal Soldier as he attempts to uncover the truth about the program and avenge his family. The film was met with a mixed reception, and was not as successful as its predecessors.
Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2012) was the fifth and most recent installment in the series, and saw Van Damme and Lundgren reprising their roles. The film follows the two soldiers as they battle a terrorist organization and attempt to prevent the release of a deadly virus. The film was met with generally positive reviews and was a commercial success.
The series also includes a television series, Universal Soldier: The Series (1998-1999), and a video game, Universal Soldier (2003).
All the Universal Soldier movies in order of release
- Universal Soldier (1992)
- Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms (1998)
- Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business (1998)
- Universal Soldier: The Return (1999)
- Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009)
- Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012)
IMDb Rating of the Universal Soldier movies
- Universal Soldier (1992) – 6.0/10
- Universal Soldier: Regeneration (2009) – 5.2/10
- Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning (2012) – 5.0/10
- Universal Soldier: The Return (1999) – 4.2/10
- Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business (1998) – 3.2/10
- Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms (1998) – 3.0/10