Search - Moscow Heat on DVD

Visually Exciting Terrorist Thriller

Alejandra Vernon | Long Beach, California | 11/27/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Predictable, but highly entertaining, "Moscow Heat" is a fast-paced thriller with some great action and fight sequences with everything from fencing to kung fu. The cinematography is fabulous, with dazzling footage of Moscow, and will delight anyone who likes to travel without relinquishing couch potato status. Written, produced, and acted by Alexander Nevsky and Robert Madrid, "Moscow Heat" has plenty of violence, but no offensive language.

The plot: When N.Y. cop Andrew, the son of retired diplomat Roger Chambers, is killed in a sting to catch Klimov, a villain selling guns to terrorists, Roger joins up with Andrew's partner Rudy, to find the black market arms dealer. Both pursue Klimov to Moscow, fearing he has something more dangerous than guns for sale. There they find a high level government involvement impeding their progress, and join forces with Vlad, a police captain.

The cast: Alexander Nevsky, "Russia's answer to Arnold Schwarzenegger," is a bodybuilder superstar turned actor, and does a great job as Vlad. At 6'6 and 300 lbs, he's a giant of a man, and believable as someone who could break chains wrapped around his wrists. Michael York is Chambers, and as always is a suave screen presence, and in this film gets to ply his "Musketeer" expertise in 2 terrific fencing scenes, one of them with his son Andrew, who is played by Adrian Paul (that ever so handsome "Highlander"). Rudy, Andrew's partner, is well played by Robert Madrid, and bad guy Klimov by Richard Tyson, with the right amount of nastiness. Also in the cast is Joanna Pakula, as Sasha, a government worker who gets inside information for Vlad.

Jeff Celentano's direction never lags, and behind the camera, John Aronson's work is outstanding. There is an energetic score by Richard John Baker, and DVD extras include very interesting commentary by Nevsky and Madrid, and a "Making of" featurette (which could use more subtitles when the cast is speaking Russian). I'm surprised this film is not getting more attention, as it is far better than many of the hit action films I've seen. Total running time is 89 minutes.
"

'Red Heat' in Moscow Fais To Keep the Temperature High with

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 12/21/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"As its title suggests, `Moscow Heat' is an answer to Walter Hill-directed action `Red Heat' made in 1988. In Hill's film, Arnold Schwarzenegger played a Russian policeman sent to USA where a drug dealer has escaped. The story was a typical Walter Hill - pretty clichéd but enjoyable one, but the humor based on the culture clash between James Belushi's American cop and Governor of California was fun to see.

Alexander Nevsky, born in former Soviet Union, must have remembered the film, and stars in this kind of alternate version of `Red Heat.' In `Moscow Heat,' a former British diplomat Roger Chambers played by Michael York goes to Russia with his friend, where the killer of his son (cameo of Adrian Paul) escaped after one botched mission. Chambers, concealing his real motive of coming to Moscow, contacts the underground organization of the city to find out the hideout of the criminal.

But the Russian police are not stupid to be fooled by Chamber's feeble explanations when there was a big shoot-out in a disco, and a serious-minded detective Vlad (Nevsky) is given the unwanted job to watch out every move of these uninvited guests. Vlad does his job as any good cops would do, but he also knows that Roger Chambers deserves another chance to get revenge on the arms dealer who killed not only this ex-diplomat's son, but his own friend.

The story borrows so many things from Walter Hill's action, but that is not a big problem. Though subtlety is not his forte, Nevsky can make his presence felt with his huge body and muscle as Schwarzenegger did. Richard Tyson plays the villain with exaggerated mannerism, but that's what he is expected to do in this kind of film. Joanna Pakula works in the government security services, who can find and offer secret information, a familiar device to let the story move on. Anyway, her role is so small that you might not notice that she is there.

But the results are not good at all. The generic story can be forgiven, but each action is done so poorly that thrills or excitement can be hardly felt during the shoot-outs and chases. Another and bigger trouble is Michael York. I like him, and I like him in `The Three Musketeers,' but the idea of Michael York fighting against the villain Richard Tyson by doing fencing looks too far-fetched and even impossible especially when every other characters are fighting with guns and rocket launchers.

The location of Moscow is interesting, and I understand the intention of Alexander Nevsky who wanted to change the stereotyped images of the Russians in mainstream Hollywood films. But this is not the right way to rectify the wrongs done to the Russians, who are often depicted in negative way. He needs a more capable director, someone with flair for coherent actions, and original ideas. It is strange, and often unfair you might think, but our good intention does not always change the way we look at things around us."

This was a bad movie, wish I hadn't seen it

Shoocatz | Toronto | 08/02/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I like buying foreign B movies because sometimes they are quite good for different reasons. Korea, among other nations, makes some world class movies these days(like Crying Fist). Russia had a good movie in Night Watch a few years ago although the sequel was unwatchable. Moscow Heat I had high hopes for (I thought it might be like 13 Blocks) but wow what a stinker. The script could have been written by a bored teenager, the acting was horrible, especially this Nevsky guy trying to channel Arnold, he has this weird pouting thing he does with his lips when talking, very funny to watch actually. Also the direction sucked, like nobody tried to think things through til the day of the shoot. Really bad flick."

Moscow Nightmare

A. Vorkink | 11/16/2007

(1 out of 5 stars)

"There are B movies and there is a grade below. This one is below. Michael York, a retired UK diplomat looking to avenge his son's death by an international arms dealer, is the only person in the film with any acting experience. Alexander Nevsky, a Russian bodybuilder and Arnold Schwarzenegger wannabe, is a Russian police detective who teams up with York to track down the killer in Moscow. The scenery is fine as are the low grade chase and action scenes (namely lots of guns and explosions). But the dialogue and acting are simply painful. Expect little and watch it for laughs."