Dark Angel (a.k.a. I Come In Peace)

Dark Angel (i.e. I Come in Peace) (1990)

Runtime: 91 minutes

Directed by: Craig R. Baxley

Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley, Matthias Hues

From: Vision PDG

Here's another movie I've seen before but for the first time I am checking out the Blu-from Shout Factory-I found in a store last year; of course, I am me and getting discs is a lot easier than me actually watching them. I can't explain it myself; that's just me. The long IMDb plot synopsis then the Letterboxd review:

"Jack Caine (Dolph Lundgren) is a Houston vice cop who's forgotten the rule book. His self-appointed mission is to stop the drugs trade and the number one supplier Victor Manning. Whilst involved in an undercover operation to entrap Victor Manning, his partner gets killed, and a sinister newcomer enters the scene... Along with F.B.I. agent Lawrence Smith, the two investigate a spate of mysterious deaths; normal non-junkies dying of massive heroin overdoses and bearing the same horrific puncture marks on the forehead. This, coupled with Caine's own evidence, indicates an alien force is present on the streets of Houston, killing and gathering stocks of a rare drug found only in the brain... Caine is used to fighting the toughest of criminals, but up to now they've all been human..."

Here's another Blu I've had for awhile and I've just gotten around to watching it now. It's the Shout Factory Blu and they did a real nice job with this cult film which I had seen before but that was years ago.

It's easy to see why this has a small but fervent fanbase: it's a film about a loose cannon cop (Dolph Lundgren!) who teams up with an FBI agent-of course they're a duo who are the opposite in just about every way-to investigate a case involving yuppie drug dealers and corrupt cops and turns out a giant man who's actually an alien is on the loose injecting people with heroin so that they can produce endorphins that he sucks out of their body as they are needed by addicts on his planet and oh yeah he's chased by another alien... who happens to be basketball player turned ESPN sports analyst Jay Bilas... and a weapon used by the bad guy looks like a CD but it's a lethal magnetized weapon. Very wacky, and awesome.

It's a low budget action movie and yet the budget doesn't hamper things; you get plenty of action, explosions, one-liners, comedy and intrigue with the mismatched duo as they investigate the bizarre case, and other things action fans crave like the endorphins the evil alien Talec desires. Additional assets are such things as the lead duo doing a great job in their roles, memorable characters all around (Bruce is unforgettable & Michael J. Pollard plays someone named BONER) and a really cool Jan Hammer score.


Whether you want to call it Dark Angel or I Come in Peace, this is a motion picture where I have to agree with its supporters: this is a quality action film and you just don't get films quite like this anymore.

I'll return tomorrow night.