The sequel to 1994's OBLIVION picks up immediately where the first ended. Like its predecessor, it's an uneasy mix of STAR WARS (1977) and HIGH NOON (1952). It approaches western stereotypes with a sci-fi spin, and features a supporting cast of recognizable faces.
The planet Oblivion awaits the arrival of Sweeney (Maxwell Caulfield), who, despite his foppish English attire, is the deadliest bounty hunter in the sector. On this occasion, he's tracking down a corporate saboteur, but has no description to go on, except that she's female. Assuming that the
beautiful but evil Lash (Musetta Vander) must be the culprit, he temporarily locks her up in the local hoosegow. In the meantime, Sweeney romances the town widow, Mattie Chase (Jackie Swanson), much to Marshall Zack Stone's (Richard Joseph Paul) displeasure, and the town's cyborg deputy, Stell
Barr (Meg Foster), has her bionic arm upgraded by the drunken local doctor (George Takei).
When Miss Kitty (Julie Newmar), who runs the town's "cathouse," confesses to the Marshall that she is actually the wanted woman, Zack refuses to hand over Lash to Sweeney. Angered, the bounty hunter transforms into a hideous beast, just as a small army run by reptilian villain Jaggar (Andrew
Divoff) invades the town. A final showdown is averted when Kitty announces her guilt, only to be apparently killed while saving the lives of Sweeney and Zack. After Sweeney departs, Miss Kitty makes a surprise appearance in the middle of her own funeral.
This OBLIVION adventure deposits its viewers into the world with little explanation, and it's no surprise, since both the first feature and its sequel were filmed in Romania at the same time. Unfortunately, instead of combining the western and sci-fi genres for fresh inspiration, the merging only
gives the filmmakers twice as many cliches with which to work. Still, there is an appeal thanks to its odd cast, even if they are given little to do. The only actor to get any genuine laughs is the towering Carel Struycken (Lurch in THE ADDAMS FAMILY movies) as Gaunt, the town's mortician, who
awaits every demise with a blissful smile. Vander lends the film some sex appeal as Lash, looking like a villainous Bettie Page in her dominatrix-style, black-vinyl attire.
The special effects are minimal, and even with its slight running time (and extensive flashback footage), the story feels padded. Likable yet lame-brained, this material seems better-suited to a Saturday-morning children's TV show. (Violence.) leave a comment
