Search - Diamond Dogs on DVD

Jerome G. from LA CRESCENTA, CA
Reviewed on 8/7/2014...

A surprisingly good Dolph Lundgren movie. The locales are exotic and the actresses are goregous. A bit more laid back than his previous 'action vehicles' and that's ok. It looks like two directors were credited on this one. That's a bad sign usually, but not this go round. Dolph does get to kick some ass and has time for romance, too. He's in fantastic shape considering he's 50 something. His character here is more human than his previous outings.
Look for the actor (Williams) who plays the greedy art collector (treasure hunter).He really steals the scenes he's in. Nice to see Chinese and Mongolian and Canadian actors all doing fine work. Not as brutal or mean-spirited as some of his other films. This one did land an 'R' for violence but just barely. This one you could probably watch with your family. Profanity is kept to a minimum. The gritty style of the movie translates well. Not one of Dolph's best ('The Expendables' and 'Army of One') But not his worst, either ( 'Showdown in Tokyo' or 'Red Scorpion').

A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

K. Jump | Corbin, KY United States | 06/06/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dolph Lundgren stars as Xander Ronson, an ex-soldier now living on the fringe in China while waiting for that one big job to come along that will change his life forever. When an American in search of a legendary Buddhist artifact comes knocking on his door, Ronson thinks his destiny is finally at hand. But as Ronson leads the party of treasure-hunters deeper into the moutainous badlands in search of their prize, he discovers they are stalked not only by Russian soldiers, but perhaps by an ancient curse as well.

A bit more low-key than many of Lundgren's action vehicles, DIAMOND DOGS is a rather more character-driven story than many of his fans may be accustomed to. The pace is relatively slow and there's a bit more of an emphasis on drama than shoot-em-up pyrotechnics--though there is still plenty of that too, especially as the climax draws closer and closer to its inevitable conclusion. Though not lavishly budgeted, DIAMOND DOGS actually benefits in some ways from the spartan FX, as this contributes a gritty, desperate realism that works well for this particular story. Acting is generally good, with Lundgren playing a somewhat less invincible warrior than he usually does, with more than adequate help from his supporting cast. The ending is unconventional but rings true within the context of the story. Though perhaps not one of Lundgren's very best pictures, DIAMOND DOGS is a different and interesting movie that action/adventure fans should find worthy of at least a rental."

Dvd

rs cross | USA | 08/02/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I like shoot em ups so it work for me. There is enough action to go around. Not the best made movie but ok."

(2.5 STARS) Nice Location, Needs More and Better Action, Tho

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 03/16/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"If you are looking for some solid B-action film, you should look elsewhere. I like Dolph Lundgren and I have seen most of his films, and though "Diamond Dogs" is far better than abysmal "Jill Rips" and terrible "Agent Red," it still needs professional touch of action/stunt choreographers and production designers. In short it needs better action and more money.

Dolph Lundgren is Xander Ronson, a mercenary hired by an expedition team trying to retrieve a lost Buddhist artifact in Inner Mongolia. As a security guard and guide Ronson travels with the team led by one Chambers (William Shriver) and his step daughter Anika (Yu Nan). But another group of treasure seekers, armed Russians, are also after the artifact, which local people say is protected by the curse.

The "Indiana Jones"-like story of "Diamond Dogs" is generic, but serviceable. The film opens promisingly with Ronson's prize fighting sequence and the location of Inner Mongolia is authentic, but action stunts are not compelling enough and the religious relic itself (and the "curse" surrounding it) is soon forgotten. Lundgren is convincing as the hero, or anti-hero, but some of the other actors look terribly bored, or just overact.

According to IMDb, Dolph Lundgren did uncredited work as director, replacing Shimon Dotan. Those who have seen "The Mechanik" know that Dolph Lundgren can really direct action scenes within the limited budget, but even he couldn't save the production that is obviously underfinanced.

Interestingly "Diamond Dogs" is a Canadian-Chinese co-production that was actually shot in China. The location of Inner Mongolia provides an exotic look - the railroad, the rocky mountains and the old temple, etc. are all nice to look at, and some scenes are beautifully shot - but what the action film doesn't have is action itself."