V
– THE FINAL BATTLE (1984)
Starring
Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Jane Badler (mee-ow!),
Michael Ironside, Richard Herd, Andrew Prine, Sarah Douglas, Robert
Englund, Michael Durrell. Directed by Richard T. Heffron. (267 min)
ON
BLU-RAY FROM
Review
by Stinky the Destroyer
V:
The Final Battle is exactly what I thought the first one was
going to be.
Looking
beyond
its ‘80s aesthetic, the original miniseries remains
a surprisingly
dark,
thinly-disguised parable of allied resistance to Nazi fascism, which
was apparently obvious even in 1983, but
since I never paid attention in history class, that shit sailed right
over my head at the time.
Additionally,
how the story depicts
the Visitors using
our own media to spread fear-mongering propaganda and vilify
scientists renders
it alarmingly
relevant four decades later.
Conversely,
V: The Final Battle
eschews
the
historical
allegory and social commentary for
a
pulpier
approach, with plenty of melodrama and pew-pew-pew
action.
Flashier,
vampier
and just
a bit campier,
this three-part sequel may not be as high-minded, but
it’s unapologetic fun. This
was also when I developed big crush on Jane
Badler back
then,
who
was underused in the original, but
since-promoted
to primary
antagonist
and resident sexpot.
 |
| See Jane smolder. |
While
the rest of the original cast returns as well, The
Final Battle’s
MVP is undoubtedly the great Michael Ironside as Ham Tyler, a
mercenary who joins the Resistance.
He’s
always
been
one of those guys that has a knack for making any movie or TV show
just a little bit better and his indubitable brand of badassery gives
this
one
a welcome adrenaline boost, something comparatively-bland leading man
Marc Singer is incapable of.
 |
| Edward G. Robinson...green with envy. |
The
Final Battle
picks up where the first story left off, with the Resistance
taking
bolder
steps to combat the alien intruders. A few new wrinkles are added,
the most notable – and goofiest – being the arrival of an
alien-human child, who ultimately serves as a lazy red herring during
the supremely silly climax. Until then, the performances and special
effects may run hot and cold, but the story is compulsively watchable
and very
entertaining.
Following
V:
The Final Battle
was a weekly series that ran the concept into the ground within a
single season. Despite the entire cast returning and the lovely Ms.
Badler now in full pin-up mode, the premise simply didn’t lend
itself to longevity. But
all you really need are this and the original miniseries (released on
Blu-ray by Warner Archive
last year). Both were television events in the ‘80s and are still
enjoyable now.
KITTY CONSENSUS:
PURR-R-R...LIKE A GOOD SCRATCH BEHIND THE EARS.
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