i feel this movie can be appreciated by fans of the bmovie scifi genre. it takes a bit of patience to watch it, i've seen it about two times. the second time was better. i zoned out and watched it, my friend did not like it and fell asleep. meanwhile i enjoyed this visual feast. its based in your post apoc city underground. the main character is kicked out of his police job. back to his seedy apartment. ironically he claims he'll be going back to nothing. although he still has his place and seems to be getting by. he wants to get out of the city, a sort of ghetto with bleak implications. an amazing line is delivered by a fascist city guard, who bursts into his apt, because they saw him with a known prostitute outside of the legal zone the other day... "is that the normal size of your ----" referring to his privates the society is exploitave and interrogative. i really appreciate the sound track and back alley progression of the film. i like the gritty nature of the film. technically this is not a pleasing film and will not enthrall techno junkies. use of the imagination is required. i feel this adds well to post-apoc completist essences.
10 Reviews
Didn't Seem to Click
Uriah4325 January 2014
This was a difficult movie for me to rate. First of all, I usually enjoy films with Sherilynn Fenn because she adds a unique quality to movies with her beauty and youthful charm. Throw in David Carradine and any movie would probably be somewhat successful. Additionally, I really enjoy films of an apocalyptic science-fiction nature. Unfortunately, things just didn't seem to click for me in this one. While Sherilynn Fenn (as "Helen") certainly did her job well enough I don't think David Carradine ("Jason") was used as extensively as he should have been. Additionally, Peter Nelson ("Bone") seemed more like a supporting actor than someone in the lead male role. Along with that I didn't care for the performance of Michael Shaner ("Creon") at all. Likewise, the sets were extremely cheap looking and the action was kind of boring. Granted this was a Roger Cormen film and low-budget productions are his specialty. But it didn't seem to work in this particular case. That said, I rate the film as slightly below average.
Whoa, this movie kinda sucks....kinda hard...
bwilkus31 December 2004
Well, what can I say? I have seen a lot of low budget, poorly produced sci-fi and horror flicks, and I *usually* can find something of value in them, but this movie from 1988 is by far one of the worst. Crime Zone makes Albert Pyun's Cyborg look like a masterpiece. Let's see....where to start.....the lighting, props, costumes and effects are REALLY poor. I mean, people aren't stupid, it's obviously a bb gun Helen carries around through the last half of the film. I think I saw the same gun at Wal*mart last week. I don't even want to discuss the plot let alone the acting. I don't know how David Carradine got mixed up in this film, because the other actors are quite lame. I guess Sherilyn Fenn is OK, but Peter Nelson and Michael Shaner are REALLY lame, I think even I could act better. Lets not forget about the score. My god, it sounds like it was made with a Toys 'R' Us kids Casio keyboard. I gave the movie a 3/10 because some company actually had the balls to release this p.o.s.. Now I know why it hasn't been released on DVD yet. Maybe Criterion should put out a special collector's edition of it! Haha. I think I even liked Troll 2 better, and that is really freakin sad....
Dark, And I Mean A Dark Vision Of The Town Of Soliel.
mikecanmaybee22 July 2020
The first twenty minutes of Crime Zone is pretty good with a ( Ridley Scott Blade Runner) feel to it. The total darkness , lighting and mood, of the movie then took me down. (Peter Nelson) as Bone certainly looked the part of the leading man, but I was distracted by his soft and high pitched voice. (Sherilyn Fenn) played the nasty girl Helen and instead of making her look foxy by accentuating her petite figure they put an Ellen DeGeneres hair cut on her and parted it on the side like a boy. This is Sherilyn Fenn, Just let her where her natural hair for heavens sake. Everybody else besides (Carradine) were not great to be charitable. There is a number of twists and turns with no reason given to like or root for any of the characters. I watched the whole thing and was glad when it was finally "The End".
A ray of light in a dark kingdom
UnknownDoomer29 April 2024
Distant future. A dystopian society with elements of a rigid caste system, in a world after a nuclear war. The city where the burning blonde Helen and the melancholy Bone live. A place in which they, on the one hand, want to succeed, and on the other hand, from which they want to escape. One day they get such a chance when someone named Jason gets in touch and offers them to steal the disk in exchange for him taking them outside the oppressive location. The announced mission does not bode well, but there probably won't be another chance. The heroes get to work, but, as sometimes happens, one thread pulls behind it a whole series of other events and, being nobody yesterday, the heroes turn into involuntary "runners in the shadows".
Most of this picture consists of obvious and not so obvious oppositions. The location is called the "City of the Sun", but it is always night here and it rains regularly. Local law enforcement agencies, in addition to their uniforms, distinguished by a stylish gothic make-up, adhere to strict discipline and formalities, but their behavior and regulations are not much different from the morals of frostbitten street mercenaries. Here, regulated prostitution coexists with restrictions on personal freedoms and hopeless devastation coexists with thriving sectors. The killing of unwanted elements has been turned into an element of entertainment broadcasts. Otherwise, there is a typical "high tech, low life" set and attention to small details, traditional for the cyberpunk genre, somewhat diluted with elements of neo-noir.
This film does not pretend to be any highly artistic or pompous messages, the plot is straightforward and individual scenes could use more elaboration, at the same time, the overall atmosphere is quite at the level, so in particular for the same one-time viewing in the evening or two.
Most of this picture consists of obvious and not so obvious oppositions. The location is called the "City of the Sun", but it is always night here and it rains regularly. Local law enforcement agencies, in addition to their uniforms, distinguished by a stylish gothic make-up, adhere to strict discipline and formalities, but their behavior and regulations are not much different from the morals of frostbitten street mercenaries. Here, regulated prostitution coexists with restrictions on personal freedoms and hopeless devastation coexists with thriving sectors. The killing of unwanted elements has been turned into an element of entertainment broadcasts. Otherwise, there is a typical "high tech, low life" set and attention to small details, traditional for the cyberpunk genre, somewhat diluted with elements of neo-noir.
This film does not pretend to be any highly artistic or pompous messages, the plot is straightforward and individual scenes could use more elaboration, at the same time, the overall atmosphere is quite at the level, so in particular for the same one-time viewing in the evening or two.
Come on, steal me that disc.
mark.waltz24 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A complete bore, every review that I have read by science-fiction fans indicates that about half an hour into it, people started to get fidgety and lose interest. Indeed, I can see why, and that makes it for me, not a big science fiction fan, all that much more worse. The future is once again bleak looking, and you've got a bunch of nasty people running around basically threatening people because they just don't like what they're doing or who they are doing it with. Peter Nelson and Sherilyn Fenn are a boring couple who spend more time trying to find places to get it on then to deal with the disc that they have been asked to steal by the creepy-looking David Carradine.
In the early part of his career, producer Roger Corman was adept at turning out campy science fiction and monster movies and teen angst films, and here he has combined a lot of elements from all of those but has left out the fun parts that made them at least campy. The monsters are the humans who run around in this post apocalypse world just enjoying trying to control everybody. This him would be fine if it made sense, but sense and these types of movies don't go together in the same sentence. This is a film that you can easily skip or fast-forward through, but to wait 90 minutes on it is extremely painful.
In the early part of his career, producer Roger Corman was adept at turning out campy science fiction and monster movies and teen angst films, and here he has combined a lot of elements from all of those but has left out the fun parts that made them at least campy. The monsters are the humans who run around in this post apocalypse world just enjoying trying to control everybody. This him would be fine if it made sense, but sense and these types of movies don't go together in the same sentence. This is a film that you can easily skip or fast-forward through, but to wait 90 minutes on it is extremely painful.
"Come on, show me your dick!"
lost-in-limbo31 July 2011
An agreeably stark and rough post-apocalyptic little Sci-fi b-grade film by Roger Corman's Concorde productions, which depicts a neon-glazed future where citizens are put into categories as they carry out daily routines, are run by strict rules (like state-sanctioned sexual activities), cameras watch their every move, the rich extend their existence in the Garden of hibernation and they're governed by a power-hungry state where a mighty police force keeps order. This follows two young love-birds going against the trend, by taking up an offer by a stranger to steal some important computer chip where in doing be free of the strangling reign of the dead-end zone. But things don't go to plan, where they are caught up in a web of murder, mystery and intrigue. So now they are on the run. This is what you can call an grimly futuristic twist to Bonnie and Clyde in a post-world war three society. Quite formulaic, but it does offer up an ambitious surprise or two with its sharply written, if elaborate screenplay. Director Luis Llosa remarkably keeps a fast tempo, delivering impulsively edgy action sequences, efficiently workable special effects and getting atmospheric vigour out of the smoky low-rent sets. They do look dingy, but it brings an authenticity about its war-torn decay. An arrestingly foreboding synthesizer score only adds to the steamy humidity. The performances are quite impressive. Peter Nelson is ably good with a very delectable Sherilyn Fenn as the young on-the-run couple Bone and Helen who are dreaming of a better life and to get that the rules are to be broken. Because they wouldn't kiss ass. The collectedly smooth David Carradine (who also was one of the associate producers) goes about his business in a very cunning manner. Then there's durable support by Michael Shaner and Orlando Sacha. By-the-way kick-ass cover artwork too.
"No way. We're going out in style."
"No way. We're going out in style."
A B-movie... but not a bad one
kenickie14 December 2001
This video was (literally) collecting dust on the shelf of the store where I work. I dusted it off & took it home to watch, hoping it might be either a) a cheesy and unintentionally hilarious grade z flick or maybe b)an undiscovered sci-fi classic. It certainly wasn't a) and I'm beginning to suspect it might be quite close to being b). Peter Nelson (v.good, and broodingly handsome) and Sherilyn Fenn (also great) had real chemistry as the lovers in Soliel, the repressive 1984-style society, and the action sequences were genuinely thrilling. Pity about the hammy support by Michael Shaner, but it doesn't undermine the rest of the movie. If you like Blade Runner and 1984, give this film a chance.
Hell still exists....
Hey_Sweden25 March 2024
"Crime Zone" takes place in a police state of the future, known as "Soleil" (the French word for sun). Low-tier citizens "Bone" (Peter Nelson, "The Last Starfighter"), who's just lost his job, and Helen (ever-ravishing Sherilyn Fenn of 'Twin Peaks' fame), are a couple yearning for escape, hoping to make it to a promised land called "Frodan". Then an authority figure named Jason (David Carradine, "Kill Bill") makes a proposal to them to commit various crimes, all of them done for an unexpected reason.
A hair better than most low-budget movies about Dystopian futures, "Crime Zone" manages to be, at the least, fairly interesting, and well visualized. (The name "Soleil" is amusingly ironic since most scenes there are shot at night.). The acting is variable, but Nelson is earnest enough, and Carradine does do more here than just phone it in. (He also takes an associate producer credit.). Fenn is the standout in that regard; Michael Shaner ("Lethal Weapon") overdoes it as Bones' former friend, a lifelong lowest-tier individual and self-proclaimed "****up." The action scenes are capably handled, the violence plentiful without being overly gory, and the soundtrack (composed by Rick Conrad) is pretty catchy.
Filmed on location in Peru, the homeland of producer / director Luis Llosa, who went on to do Hollywood movies such as "Sniper", "The Specialist", and "Anaconda".
Seven out of 10.
A hair better than most low-budget movies about Dystopian futures, "Crime Zone" manages to be, at the least, fairly interesting, and well visualized. (The name "Soleil" is amusingly ironic since most scenes there are shot at night.). The acting is variable, but Nelson is earnest enough, and Carradine does do more here than just phone it in. (He also takes an associate producer credit.). Fenn is the standout in that regard; Michael Shaner ("Lethal Weapon") overdoes it as Bones' former friend, a lifelong lowest-tier individual and self-proclaimed "****up." The action scenes are capably handled, the violence plentiful without being overly gory, and the soundtrack (composed by Rick Conrad) is pretty catchy.
Filmed on location in Peru, the homeland of producer / director Luis Llosa, who went on to do Hollywood movies such as "Sniper", "The Specialist", and "Anaconda".
Seven out of 10.
A very enjoyable and unjustly overlooked futuristic sci-fi action flick
Woodyanders16 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
In yet another bleak and depressing depiction of the future (this time as a post-plague, post-World War III, perpetually dark and desolate wasteland run by strict authoritarian "1984"ish Big Brother types), young lovers Bone (a solid and engaging portrayal by the handsome Peter Nelson) and Helen (a winningly fiery'n'feisty turn by the sexy Sherilyn Fenn) are hired by crafty rich guy Jason (a really amusing and entertaining David Carradine) to pull off a few heists. When Jason doesn't live up to his side of the bargain Bone and Helen become wanted on the lam fugitives ala Bonnie and Clyde. Luis Llosa's capable, energetic direction (Llosa went on to helm the trashy Sly Stallone vehicle "The Specialist" and the delightfully hokey giant killer snake hoot "Anaconda"), Daryl Haney's witty, profane script, Rick Conrad's rousing synthesizer score, and fine supporting performances by Michael Shaner as Bone's obnoxious brother Creon, Orlando Sacha as amiable old-timer Alexi and Robert Englund lookalike Don Manor as petty crook J.D. all ensure that "Crime Zone" makes the grade as a lively, exciting and overall above average sci-fi action romp.
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