The Last Woman On Earth (1960) Robert Towne writes and co-stars in a tale with a sci-fi setup leaving a woman caught between husband and lover when everyone else drops dead. Literate and probing, Roger Corman's dry, bare-bones direction periodically comes to life.
Death Race 2000 (1975) Jet black satire that glories in its cynicism and violence as racers need to be not just the fastest but rack up points for mowing down vulnerable bystanders. Culturally influential, sporadic ideas and scenes are still potent, even if the flat visuals drain momentum.
Battletruck (1982) Solidly, anonymously made, a standard dystopian conflict for oil forces Michael Beck from his solitary existence to battle snarling warlord James Wainwright and protect a peaceful community. Expressive use is made of the open New Zealand locations.
Wheels Of Fire (1985) Exhausting succession of action sequences that totally jettisons any pretense at narrative cohesion. In a post-apocalyptical world, various factions fight for freedom or dominance. Cue the explosions. Christopher Young's score is propulsive.
Equalizer 2000 (1987) Another Filipino-shot actioner in the wake of Mad Max, the loose story strands center on the titular weapon whose power can decide the future of a barren, dystopian Alaska. Characterization and dialog are kept to a minimum. Mean looks and action relentless.
Crime Zone (1988) Intermittently entertaining, a dystopian scifi noir with its characters and narrative lost in the shadows of an oppressive police state. Sherilyn Finn makes for a gutsy heroine, physically and mentally determined, and the ending is suitably twisted.
The Terror Within (1989) Post-apocalyptical monster movie with scientists hiding below ground from mutants seeking to kill the men and impregnate the women. A theme of abortion rights emerges while a rubber-suited creature creates havoc amid grim, gory set pieces.
The Terror Within II (1990) Explaining the chemical warfare background substitutes for cohesive narrative as events follow on directly from the original. Star Andrew Stevens this time also directs, with added monster threats and more smoke. Surprisingly lyrical title music.
Future Kick (1991) Don Wilson is a kickboxing cyborg hired by Meg Foster to protect her from killers dealing in black market body parts. An over-cooked stew of scifi concepts and film noir sleaze which lacks imagination and energy and supplies a cheat of a VR twist ending.
Raiders Of The Sun (1992) Reaching the end of the post-apocalyptical cycle, a film that reuses not just previous storylines and characters, but entire chunks of older footage. The action is certainly relentless and the scale often impressive, though predictable and dry.
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