Blast (1997) User Reviews

how to make 'Blast' in 6 easy steps

[ElWormo · 4/10 · 2 February 2017]

(1) hire out your local family swimming baths for the day

(2) hire a bunch of pretend weapons, some balaclavas, and a bank of CCTV monitors

(3) get 30 random people off the street and divide them into 3 groups. Tell one group they'll be the terrorists, one group they'll be the swimmers/victims, and one group they'll be the cops.

(4) randomly walk among the groups and film them doing whatever they want for a couple of hours, then edit the footage down to about 90 mins

(5) find Rutger Hauer, put him in a small dark room and film him mumbling to himself for a while. Add that to the footage you got in step (4)

(6) get some generic 'important' sounding backing music with plenty of orchestral creschendos and marching drums, and play it non-stop over the whole thing.

et voila, your very own Blast. Enjoy!

Pedestrian and Colorless.

[tarbosh22000 · 4/10 · 6 February 2020]

Some terrorist baddies decide to take the swim team hostage at the Atlanta Olympics. Sure. Makes sense. The stereotypical eurotrash baddie this time around is Omodo (Divoff). Needless to say, he has an accent and a team of nefarious helpers, and he's not afraid to use either one. Foiling their plans is humble janitor Jack Bryant (Ashby). Evidently he was an Olympic Tae Kwon Do champion at some point in the past and he took the janitor job just to be close to the Olympics in some form or fashion.

While Police Commissioner (that's all he's credited as) (Thomerson) is doing his best during this trying hostage situation, seemingly Jack Bryant's only real help comes in the form of a man named Leo (Hauer), who is wheelchair-bound and has Willie Nelson-esque pigtails. Sure. Makes sense. Will Jack Bryant - who doesn't exactly give Jack Wild a run for his money - defeat the baddies and save the swim team? Will watching this movie be a total BLAST? Or...not so much? Dare you find out?





Okay, we knew going in that this was an Albert Pyun-directed Die Hard knockoff. Our prospects were looking dim, but we decided to forge ahead anyway - as they say, "expect the worst but pray for the best". Or something like that. We'd love to say that we were pleasantly surprised, but we simply weren't. Blast is a dull, bland, uninspired and mediocre run-through of clichés. Pyun seems to have a reverse Midas touch - he always manages to take any material he works with and make it dour and gray.



We'll try and stay positive. The cast is good, which is one reason we decided to throw (well-deserved) caution to the wind and plunge headlong back into Pyun-land in the first place. We appreciated the presence of fan favorite Divoff, but he's better in Ballistica. Of course we love Rutger Hauer, but it's necessarily a sit-down role, and not much of one at that. It's pretty much the same for Tim Thomerson. Our...hero...Linden Ashby is like Matthew McConaughey but without any personality or life. The swim team girls resemble Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Selma Blair, and Shannon Elizabeth. Upon further inspection, we found that one of them is Shannon Elizabeth.





The Die-Hard-with-a-janitor scenario was done better with Michael Dudikoff (as most things are) in Virtual Assassin (1995). The problem here is that the baddies wear the same clothing as the staff because they were trying to blend in, so it's hard to tell who is who during the fight scenes. Said fight scenes could have had much more impact if they were just shot better. Interestingly, John Wick co-director Chad Stahelski gets a thank you during the credits, so we can only assume anything that makes the fight scenes good are because of him.

Unlike other Pyun movies, things actually happen in this film, and that's to his credit. Unfortunately, what does happen is pedestrian and colorless. He even manages to muck things up by adding those unnecessary and annoying sounds as transition noises between scenes. Why do some directors think this is necessary? Perhaps the best thing about Blast is the Filmwerks logo, which is a lot like the one from MTV News. Before the movie started, we got excited that Kurt Loder was going to throw it to Tabitha Soren, but, alas, that was not to be.



Perhaps the more apt title for this movie would have been "Bomb".

Very poor "Die Hard" rip-off

[851222 · 4/10 · 13 September 2016]

Greetings from Lithuania.

"Blast" (1997) doesn't have anything that will want you to see it or f by any chance you will - to remember it longer then one minute after you will watch. Even Rutger Hauer, who is a very compelling screen presence in almost everything he does couldn't save this flat, predictable and very lazy flick. I don't usually watch this kinda movies now, but at the time i owned this in VHS format, and somehow stumble on it in my attic - this is the only reason i'm writing this now to inform you - don't watch it, don't waste your time on it.

Overall, there isn't really anything to say about this very poor "Die Hard" rip-off. You definitely have seen this movie without seeing it many times in much, much better movies. Just a poor flick.

Dull, lazy, stupid Die Hard rip off

[bob the moo · 11 February 2002]

At the time of the Atlanta Olympics the FBI stopped a potential terrorist attack, this film is what might have happened if they hadn't. Terrorist plant bombs all over the Olympic buildings and take the USA women's swimming team hostage. However a janitor is left inside who happens to have weapons training and whose ex-wife is on the swimming team staff. He begins to evade and kill them as the clock ticks.

This is laziness itself. The film tries to give itself a base to work from by setting itself in reality and basing itself on what `might' have happened. Let me tell you - this wouldn't have happen, even if the terrorists attack had happen it wouldn't have been like this! The story is stupid - `Die Hard in a swimming pool', great. I wonder is John McTiernan ever saw this if he would regret making Die Hard and inspiring so many rubbish videos. The story is absurd and just wants some shooting and fighting - for example, Bryant gets two guns, does he use the ammo carefully? No - he runs into a room, fires all his bullets, hits nothing, throws the guns away and legs it! This is no Die Hard. And if you think this isn't stupid then the terrible, terrible finale will prove it. It will have you roaring with laughter - it includes an exploding wheelchair, a walking stick that doubles as a samurai sword, a disabled man who can't walk but can do martial arts moves and swim and some terrible effects. It really is that bad…..

Ashby is a bad version of Willis. He runs round in a sweaty, dirty white tee-shirt with blood stains but manages to be totally without charisma. I couldn't believe how poor he was here. Of course, he can't take the prize for worst performance. Divoff tries with a cheap version of Rickman, his accent never settles in one place and is really just a rent-a-thug role. However the prize for worst goes to Hauer in a bad haircut as a terrorist expert from Interpol, however he does set a great example for disabled people everywhere by overcoming disability to physically fight the baddie - stupid!

Overall, words cannot describe how bad this film is. In every area it is tacky and nasty. Please - if you like this - get Die Hard on video and watch how it should be done. Trash - 2 out of 10.

Blasting movies...

[fmarkland32 · 2/10 · 11 October 2006]

Linden Ashby stars as a janitor (Okay this was done in Virtual Assassin and Nightsiege:Project Shadowchaser II, Enough with the kung fu janitors who used to be secret service agents or something!) who is an ex-secret service agent who protects the swim-team from terrorists looking to nuke the U.S (What terrorists aren't?) and of course our hero wades through the disposable terrorists with the help of a wheelchair bound Rutger Hauer. The cast alone shows promise; Linden Ashby, Rutger Hauer, Thom Mathews and Andrew Divoff. However their efforts are in vain as Pyun never figures out how to use them effectively. Mathews in particular is a good martial artist, so why not have him as one of the henchman, ensuring us a fight sequence between Mathews and Ashby. I mean it would be better then seeing him like a prissy swim coach. Blast however makes the worst mistake of being just plain tedious. Aside from the ridiculous finale that sees Rutger Hauer as a sword wielding paraplegic, Blast is the worst type of B.movie a brainless bore with no redeeming value. Still, Rutger Hauer's presence saves this from my lowest rating possible.

* out of 4-(Bad)

Movie might be prosaic, but Score is simply superb !

[Volken · 4/10 · 14 July 2007]

There isn't much to be said about this movie. Certainly nothing to add after all these comments. I wouldn't even consider bothering unless I've found a strange bonus.

That bonus is music score. This movie caught me as background curtain while writing some data on my machine. Momentarily I've detected excellent score from Anthony Riparetti.

Never even heard about this composer. Indeed movie offers nothing unseen in this genre. But Riparetti done his homework. And homework made with great aplomb. From the first sequence to the end, he follows, communicates and captures visual essence with superb dynamic of his music. It compliments every scene. No, he doesn't offer profiled theme like Mancina offered in Speed. But, it clearly shows that he is one capable composer, at least for this genre - for this be the first score I've ever heard from him.

In fact, I was sure there has to be some score/soundtrack available from this movie. Alas, no such luck. Low profile movie and it would be miracle to actually generate even one single available track.

Anyway, if you would like to learn how to superbly dosage electronic music in any action movie, this is the movie for you. Forget the story, ego-trips that such genre generates all the time. For sake of music, do watch it, you wont be disappointed in this department. Guaranteed!

It is a great irony for such prosaic movie to own such a fantastic score. This score would superbly compliment some A class action movie. But, life supplies such ironies all the time I'm afraid.

'Blast' is a blast!

[waltflanagansdog · 1/10 · 23 April 2000]

A tired 'movie poster' style summary I know but this movie truly is a hoot. I remember seeing this movie on TV last year sometime and I don't think I've laughed so much in my life.

The movie starts with a disclaimer firstly telling us that it's based on a true story. And then letting us down with 'This is what MIGHT have happened'.

The protagonist is a former swimmer who is demoted to janitor after injury. His ex-wife the team captain who is held hostage.

I can't remember why terrorists hold a swim team hostage but that's beside the point. Rutger 'Show me the money' Hauer backs up the comment that Blade Runner was a one off by playing a crippled Red Indian Bomb expert who has some kind of tie with the leading baddie, they were at 'The Academy' together or something.

This movie is playing on the tired 'Die Hard' formula that 'Under Siege' proved has had it's day.

The set is silly, the plot is silly, the acting is silly. Please note this is not a good silly, like Monty Python or anything. In fact one of the (many, many) problems with this movie is that it takes it's self so seriously.

If you can, watch this move and you can see for yourself.

Lame, derivative, bloodless Die Hard rip-off

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 25 November 2015]

After using all of the 'transport' settings to rip off DIE HARD (a bus for SPEED, a plane for PASSENGER 57, a boat for UNDER SIEGE), the makers of this film were forced to resort to a generic building with lots of gloomy twisting passages and a labyrinthine basement as the setting for this lame, wannabe thriller. Not that it matters, as they obviously didn't have the budget to use any effective scenery anyway. What we're left with is a series of pale blue corridors, all exactly the same in appearance, with nothing to characterise them - no plants, no posters, nothing, just endless identical rooms.

With nothing in the way of scenery, we're left to concentrate on the actors on screen. Unfortunately, there is little in the way of acting in this film, especially from leaden 'star' Linden Ashby, who hobbles around and occasionally kills people in bloodless ways. Let's face it, Ashby is no Bruce Willis and his attempts to act are frankly pathetic. He's just another guy brought up from television who can't make it in the real world of films. The only character to really emphasise with is Andrew Divoff (WISHMASTER) as the lead terrorist, who at least brings a little character to his role as the charismatic bad guy. Along with these two are Rutger Hauer (THE HITCHER) in a new career low in a wheelchair with braided hair, and dependable Tim Thomerson (DOLLMAN) as a lawman.

The situations are nothing new in this film, and were done a hundred times better in the DIE HARD trilogy. The pacing is non-existent, with one action scene lasting for ten seconds, while the surrounding elements like people walking around last for at least ten minutes. The action scenes themselves are nothing to get worked up about, and are over far too quickly with not enough violence, with only a single leg breaking scene, which in itself is worthy of a Seagal movie. The only thing I liked was the way in which Ashby got gradually more and more injured as the film went on, a bit like good old Brucie.

wrong

[deivukasvideo · 1/10 · 6 September 2019]

LOW BUDGET ACTION MOVIE. If we can even call it as a MOVIE

Another Venue For Die Hard Fans...

[HKFAN · 7/10 · 4 August 2000]

Though dated, the Atlanta Olympics is the setting for this by the numbers "Die Hard" type film. Supposedly based on a scenario that "could have happened", terrorists seize the US Women's swim team and hold them hostage at the Aquatic Center. What they didn't count on is a janitor (Ashby) who also happens to be an ex-Tae Kwon Do Olympic medallist.

He takes on the terrorists while being guided through it all by Mr. Leo (Hauer), a terrorist expert with Interpol who lost his legs in an explosion caused by the terrorist leader (Divoff).

The action is strictly by the numbers with a mix of martial arts and gunplay. Ashby is excellent in his role and both Hauer and Divoff seem to be enjoying themselves in their roles.

Not seen on cable much, but I'd rent it if you happen across it at your local video store.

"Faster my dear, you're almost there"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 4/10 · 11 September 2021]

Well it does have Rutger Hauer and Andrew Divoff and Linden Ashby but even so this is an ineffectual 'Die Hard' inspired film. The three capable actors are not served well by the routine script and jolly Sonya Eddy as Bena was needlessly killed off too early. The setting is mainly a swimming pool and lots of corridors. No excitement or thrills there. But it was almost worth sitting through for the crazy ending when Hauer takes out Divoff. It was most hilarious.

I think, that my comments would be good (for russian :) )

[Dyl-4 · 9/10 · 14 November 2000]

This movie is similar on movie "Mean guns". Two main colors: orange-outside and blue-inside, one director and common actors (Kimberly Warren, Yuji Okumoto and others)! I like Linden Ashby, because he had strong nature and with broken leg, he was fighting with terrorists. Movie was not very strained and very expensive, but i don't watched on price, i had receive pleasure because of tempers of heroes: Jack, Omodo, Leo. I like it for invisible pleasant sense after seeing of movie.

Hidden die hard sequel, after John McClane got fired from the police force and became addicted to pet meds

[plato-42119 · 7/10 · 28 November 2022]

THEY MESSSED WITH THE WRONNNNG Janitor's SWIM TEAM!!!!

Who would be stupid enough to mess with elite cop turned washed out drug addict janitor??

Rutger Hauer (poor man's Dolf Lundgren) hands in an oscar-worthy performance telling everyone the hostages just can't be rescued, d***it, it's not worth even trying. You know who didn't hear you? John McClane the burned out janitor.

This movie is also gold for those that are into those dramatic drums with the super long reverb, top 300 movies that do that easy. Badum dum badum here comes the janitor, now here comes the bad guys Badum dum badum dummm.

Boring, until the last 10 minutes

[mellorbrett · 3/10 · 14 July 2021]

The final 10 minutes of this movie are so atrocious abs hilarious, is where all 3 of my points came from for this review. It's the sign on Hauer's wheelchair that gets me every time. Like, why is it there? He could've just said the one liner instead? This whole sequence raises so many hilarious questions, I was entertained for at least an hour after the movie was over. How was Hauer treading water if he was disabled? Lol just hilarious...

Die hard....in a swimming pool?

[modius · 5 February 2002]

Flat actionner with terrorists taking over a lesuire complex for some odd reason taking girls as hostages with only the aikido-fighting janitor to save them all.

There is an implied feeling of the girls being "raped" by the terrorists, but they really aren't. The terrorists demands are silly and flat. The whole film is flat.

Overall: 0/10 Totally un-memorable. And that's a good thing.

I found it boring and predictable.

[stevehorvath59-515-490534 · 2/10 · 17 January 2023]

First, I need to state the previous User reviewer misspelt the Italian phrase: mezzo mezzo, 50-50 or half-and-half.

Second, the swim team only featured young women and not one young men among them. I am certain that swim teams had both men and women even back in the 70's.

Third, the director failed in his effort to create a real drama, at least in my opinion. The film was boring and predictable.

Fourth, the janitor's martial skills were handy, but not mention of it was made anywhere, nor his anti-terrorist skills that I saw in the movie.

Fifth, the terrorists didn't seem genuine to me. The end.

Albert Pyun has proved it.

[aloep · 12 April 2004]

Warning: Possible spoilers.

That's hardly even necessary, as the whole plot outline could be considered as a spoiler in itself, as it's so absolutely derivative and done a million times before that you'd need to have had your head in the sand for past 15 years if you were unable to figure out what happens in this absolute turkey.

The history of this *ahem* "movie" and me goes back to October 1996. On a wet Friday night, me and my girlfriend decided to rent a movie to sit and watch that night. After sitting through some romantic crap the previous week with her, she agreed to sit through one of my "action" movies with me the next week. Unfortunately, I could not have made a worse choice than I did, but there's no turning back time now. Looking back on it now, when I made her sit through this, it's no wonder the relationship didn't last long. It was a bad night, and she kept complaining to me and asking me why I rented this garbage. By halfway through it I couldn't take anymore and switched it off. We both declared it as the worst movie ever made, and back then I had no idea who Albert Pyun was.

Over 7 years on, I finally caught this on TV for the first time and decided to sit through it just to see if it was really as bad as I remembered it to be. Having seen much more movies, especially B-movies, I wondered if my judgement would be any different now. Well, not only was it as bad as I remembered it, but it was a whole lot worse. But on the positive side, at least this time I was able to LAUGH at it. Which I did.

Moving onto the "movie" itself, what is so bad about it? Well, the easiest answer is "EVERYTHING" but I'd prefer to explain in detail about just how bad it is.

Since Die Hard, we've had the formula on a plane (Passenger 57), a ship (Under Siege), a train (Under Siege 2), an ice hockey stadium (Sudden Death). We've also had the low budget flick Terminal Rush which took the formula to a dam. After all this, just how far can this formula be taken? Oh well, Albert Pyun has made this one in a OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTRE WHERE THE US WOMANS SWIM TEAM ARE HELD HOSTAGE. DOESN'T THAT JUST SOUND EXCITING? No really, could they have set it in a less exciting venue? Given the size of the Nakatomi building in Die Hard, there was tons of potential and it was all done to fantastic effect. A swimming pool, a few changing rooms and a few short grey corridors has NO potential. They may as well have set it on a minibus, that would be as thrilling.

So our first drawback is that we've got a dull and claustrophobic location. Second, is the characters. Linden Ashby as the "hero" janitor, is a complete joke. He shows absolutely no character at all, other than looking bored and feeling that he just wants to get home and away from working on this trash as quickly as possible. Andrew Divoff as the arch villain, is just as bad. While the terrorists in Die Hard came across as professionals who'd come ready and knew what they were doing, this guy just looks comes across incredibly dumb. If I was his hostage, I'd be hard pushed not to laugh at him. And Rutger Hauer's performance, oh please just don't go there.

Then we have the shoddy direction from Pyun and the hideously cheap sets. Much of the time we see our character running, lifelessly through dull grey corridors and the "action" scenes are amateurishly tacked on one after another. But it's how cheap those look which is the worst thing, at no point do we ever even see a weapon make contact with a body. Whether it be a knife, a bullet or anything. We just don't see it, making the fight scenes and gunplay look really, REALLY cheap. At one point Ashby shoots the control panel to cut off the cameras in the building, we just see him point the gun, the camera cut away from it and we hear the gunfire, but don't even see the thing get damaged, indicating that they were so low on budget that they couldn't even destroy this.

I don't know what's the worst out of the highly derivative plot, the horrible fight scenes, the dull location or THE ENDING. At the end, the legless Leo literally fights the villain while on a wheelchair. And no, you did not misread that.

So Blast has terrible acting, an incredibly cheap looking budget, terrible fight scenes, a claustrophobic and dull location, stock footage for explosions but I don't think I've made the point of just how unoriginal the script is. It steals the "terrorists take hostages but didn't count on the hero who's wife happens to be also a hostage" straight from Die Hard, and as another reviewer pointed out, bases upon the potential terrorist attack the FBI halted at the Olympics. That's just ridiculous that so little originality can be put into something.

I think you should get the point by now. Blast is utterly terrible in every possible way, and further proves that Albert Pyun should look for another career. The only things I can recommend this for is an example for a class on "How not to make a movie in every possible aspect" as this breaks just about every rule in the book. And depending on your mood or point of view, it can be one hell of a laugh to point out everything wrong in this, like it was during my second viewing. It's even worse than Skyscraper with Anna Nicole Smith as a Die Hard clone. Is it worse than Ed Wood movies? Hell yeah, it is definitely worse than Plan 9 From Outer Space.

Rating: 01/10 (What did you expect?)

Though as I said, during my second viewing I had a great time laughing AT this classic turkey!

Funny in places, but I don't think it was meant to be!!!

[jonbroster · 6 January 2004]

*******SPOILERS INCLUDED*********

I just saw this film on TV and was fairly impressed. The blurb in the TV guide said that the USA women's swim team is saved from terrorists by a janitor. After about 20 minutes I thought that this film was going to be a total break from convention, as a fat, black, woman janitor was sneaking around and calling for help and spying on the terrorists. Then she was shot and "Johnny Cage" jumps into action, beating up evil doers with wet towels.

The budget for this film seems to have been spent entirely on the location - they hired a large swimming pool - that's it. Given that there is a back-story that this whole hostage situation is actually a cover for an assassination of 20+ world leaders there is very little evidence of them.

The real highlights are at the end. Hauer is a double amputee terrorism expert, so eyebrows start to be raised when he is loaded on board the truck with the SWAT team; he then rolls into action (literally) fastening his explosive laden wheelchair to the senior terrorist (apparently the most deadly terrorist in the world!!!) before diving into the swimming pool to avoid the ensuing blast - this really has to be seen to be believed.

I suppose it's all harmless fun.

Typical serving from Pyun

[Kastore · 30 July 2002]

With "Blast", Albert Pyun presents us with his B-movie version of the "Die Hard" scenario. Aside from the stop-motion fighting sequences and familiar plot elements - even down to the hero's ex-wife being the terrorist's last hostage - the movie also featured deflated performances from Andrew Divoff and Rutger Hauer. Even as the leader of the terrorists, Divoff is given very little to say and even less to do. Walking fast and tough down hallways seems to be his character's primary ability. And what was with Hauer's legs having been blown off? Wow - not since Gary Sinise in "Forrest Gump" have I seen such a convincing leg amputee.

Tim Thomerson looked like he was trying his best to be invisible in his role as the police chief who only appears on a single set. And if you've got a keen eye, you can spot pre-American Pie and pre-implants Shannon Elizabeth as one of the swimteam hostages. Other than that, a couple bad computer animated explosions, bad guys who have the hero at point-blank range yet still wait for him to escape to the other side of a locked door, a seemingly unkillable hero, and not-so-subtle characterisations make "Blast" another serving from Pyun that one should definitely miss.

Directed by Albert Pyun (uh-oh)

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 23 January 2004]

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs

As soon as I had started watching the film and saw the opening credits roll,a banner come up indicating that this was A FILM BY ALBERT PYUN and alarm bells started ringing in my head.Worse yet,it didn't take itself long to assert itself as A FILM BY ALBERT PYUN.All of ol' Alberto's defining touches are there from the off-set:the weary looking production values,the hazily-handled filming style,the sloppy editing,not to mention deficets with the script and dialogue.DTV favourite Rutger Hauer is on hand,headbilled as the leading man,but not featured until about half an hour into the film.The virtually none-existent action scenes do little to help matters.

Oh,the story?What could have happened had the FBI not averted a terrorist attack at the Montreal olympics.But although it even brags as being about this at the beginning of the film,it's conveyed in such an unbelievable way,you couldn't possibly believe it.It's unbelievably uninteresting as well,so it should really be avoided on all counts,shouldn't it?*

Mezza-mezza!

[Carycomic · 17 April 2003]

Not sure if I got the spelling correct, but it's Italian for "half-and-half." *Warning: spoilers ahead.* Sure; it's a rip-off of the "DIE HARD" trilogy. And, truth to tell, Janitor Jack doesn't get _any_ guidance from Agent Leo until the last fifteen or twenty minutes of the film. Furthermore, if I had been the director, I would have had the swimteam extras with the bathing caps be among the casualties. I mean, they kept them on through the whole movie!! What real-life hostages would've done that? But, at least, they provided _some_ explanation for why the hero knew martial arts. The very similar "SUDDEN DEATH" obviously had a bigger budget. And, yet, they _never_ explained how Van Damme's character (a divorced fire marshal) was so proficient at hand-to-hand combat! So, where I give "SUDDEN DEATH" two stars, I give "BLAST" half a star more.