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Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD
USA 1998
produced by David Roessell, Avi Arad (executive), Stan Lee (executive), Tarquin Gotch (executive), Bob Lemchen (executive) for 20th Century Fox, Marvel Comics, National Studios
directed by Rob Hardy
starring David Hasselhoff, Lisa Rinna, Sandra Hess, Neil Roberts, Garry Chalk, Tracy Waterhouse, Tom McBeath, Ron Canada, Bill Croft, Roger R.Cross, Peter Haworth, Scott Heindl, Adrian G.Griffiths, Campbell Lane, Mina E.Mina, Terry David Mulligan, Rick Ravanello, Stellina Rusich
screenplay by David S.Goyer, based on the comicbook published by Marvel Comics, music by Kevin Kiner, visual effects by Gajdecki Visual Effects, makeup effects by Lindala Make-Up Effects
TV-pilot Nick Fury
review by Mike Haberfelner
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The cryogenically frozen corpse of World War 2 villain Baron von
Strucker (Campbell Lane) has been stolen by his terrorist organisation
Hydra, led by his daughter Viper (Sandra Hess), and since von Strucker's
body contains a deadly virus (what?), American covert defense organisation
SHIELD brings back old school hero Nick Fury (David Hassewlhoff), teams
him up with his ex and love interest (Lisa Rinna), the rookie (Neil
Roberts) and a rather useless mindreader (Tracy Waterhouse) to stop Hydra
from getting bad mad scientist Dr Zola (Peter Haworth) out of his secret
Berlin jail. Fury and company not only gloriously bungle it up, Fury is
also treated to some deadly poison that gives him no more than 48 hours to
live - unless he can get a sample of Viper's blood to create the antidote
(since she has passed him the poison through kissing, she has to be
immune, right?). That's not all that bad, because Hydra has set up an
ultimatum to release the virus in Manhattan in 48 hours, unless something
or other. So all of SHIELD's efforts are concentrated on finding Hydra's
headquarters and their virus bomb. Of course, SHIELD (which seems to be a
tad short on field agents, as they only send out Fury and friends and a
few others) makes every effort to track down both - and yes they succeed,
and in the end even the mindreader finds some use by mindreading the virus
bomb abortion code out of Viper. And Fury gets his hands on her blood (in
a way less gory way than this phrase makes it appear to be), so he's saved
to ... but Viper ultimately escapes, and defrosts her father to take over
villain duties in the sequel (that was never made).
Ok, I won't blame anyone for thinking to cast David Hasselhoff
as a classic, borderline-iconic comicbook character and a hottie from the
original Melrose Place as his love interest/sidekick is a
recipe for disaster - but in all fairness, Hasselhoff was caught on one of
his better days when doing that one, and Lisa Rinna ... well, one can't
denie that she's got a set of hot lips, that at least. Also, the film is
actually rather decently directed - obviously on a low budget of course,
but that's not necessarily a bad thing. What really sinks the film
though is its horrible script that's full of clichéed situations that are
carried by disappointingly flat characters (disappointing even by
notoriously low Marvel
Comics-standards), while the plot is actually not that
well-structured or exciting even. Add to this the constant efforts to
justify Nick Fury's old-school (and dare I say reactionary) approach to
being a hero, the lack of any really memorable performances (especially
Sandra Hess makes a rather unimpressive villainess), and the ridiculously comicbook-style costumes (especially Viper's
disguise as a Berlin policewoman that makes her look like the resistance
girl from 'Allo 'Allo is almost hilarious), and you come up
with ... well, pretty much something a whole less than interesting let
alone satisfying. And for a change, it isn't even Hasselhoff's fault ...
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