Ultra Warrior

Ultra Warrior
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Augusto Tamayo San Román Kevin Tent
Produced by	Mike Elliott Luis Llosa Roger Corman
Written by	Len Jenkin Dan Kleinman
Starring	Dack Rambo Clare Beresford Meshach Taylor
Music by	Kevin Klinger
Cinematography	Cusi Barrio
Editing by	Augusto Tamayo San Román Dan Schalk
Distributed by	Concorde Pictures
Release date(s)	March 16, 1990
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States Peru
Language	English
Box office	$410,880

Ultra Warrior, also known as Welcome to Oblivion, is a post-apocalyptic 1990 film directed by Augusto Tamayo San Román and Kevin Tent. Set in a futuristic dystopia, a nuclear holocaust creates mutants who inhabit the radioactive areas. One man emerges as the leader of a group of survivors called "Muties". The main character, portrayed the Dack Rambo, is looking for zirconium which is used to make bombs to prevent aliens from destroying Earth.

This B list film is notable for its excessive use of stock footage and its poor quality. Some footage comes from other New Horizons films such as Lords of the Deep, Crimezone, Battletruck, Battle Beyond the Stars, Wheels of Fire and Dune Warriors. In fact, even a sex scene comes from stock footage, as the character in the scene has long, blond hair, while Dack Rambo’s hair is dark and short.

The Concorde theatrical release was filmed in Peru and was later cut up for the VHS release.

Plot

A failed space defense system caused millions to die in a nuclear disaster. In the subsequent chaos, the wealthy started cities run by brutal military fascists, whereas the poor roamed the radioactive deserts formed by the nuclear bombs. The radioactive damage caused many people to turn into violent bandits. A group of mutant nomads called the Muties were the victims of murder, torture, and slavery by the bandits.

In the year 2058, in Kansas, City (sic), Rudolph Kenner is in a hotel/casino/strip bar when he receives a message from his superior notifying him of the loss of a zirconium mine on Mars to rebel forces. He is reminded to complete his mission and to take care of his mentee, Phil, the son of a zirconium business leader. The next morning, Kenner, Phil, and Phil’s new girlfriend, Sheila, head east to Oblivion, a desolate area that was once was the Atlantic seaboard.

Kenner finds a Mutie stuck in a trap and returns her to a Mutie colony. However, a band of bandits attacks the colony, kills Phil, and captures Kenner and Sheila. Kenner is taken to a bandit base called Colosseum. There he encounters the Bishop, the leader of the bandits, who knows Kenner’s intentions and plans to have him die in a gladiator battle. However, Kenner manages to escape the base with a group of Muties in one of the bandits’ car.

Later, Kenner explains to Grace, one of the escaped Muties, about his mission. He was hired to take radioactivity readings to determine the feasibility of extracting zirconium from Oblivion. Apparently, this precious mineral is important in a fight against a group of aliens from a parallel universe who transforms planets into stars. To thwart the aliens, scientists developed a zirconium bomb which they used to destroy an alien starship. Kenner says his mission is to help acquire more zirconium to protect the planet. When Kenner asks about Grace’s family, she explains how her parents were eaten by subterranean, cannibalistic mutants called the “Whities”.

Eventually, Kenner and the Muties make their way back to a Mutie camp, which is soon attacked by bandits. However, Kenner designs a plan where he sits in the open and draws the bandits into the Mutie shelter. While this happens, the Muties hijack the bandits’ vehicles, and Kenner escapes. The Muties demolish their shelter, sealing the fate of the remaining bandits below. They capture Elijah, a peculiar stranger who was helping the bandits and who Kenner encountered earlier.

The Mutie spiritual leader, Uncle Lazarus, puts Kenner in charge of the Muties and reveals that Kenner is part of an unfolding prophesy. Later, with the help of Grace, Uncle Lazarus privately kills himself. Initially, Kenner is reluctant as his new rule as the Muties’ leader but soon adapts to his new role.

The Bishop checks in on the bandit patrol over the radio system of one of the hijacked vehicles. In his response, Kenner pretends he is a bandit and decides to take the hijacked convoy to the Colosseum disguised as the patrol group. He gets insight from Elijah about the dangers ahead. Later, Kenner and Grace talk a bit about the fascist world Kenner comes from, and the two eventually make love.

The band of Muties arrive at the Colosseum, but the terrified Elijah runs out of the convoy screaming and is shot by bandits. A firefight ensues between the Muties and the bandits. Kenner discovers Sheila along with other prisoners and goes to find the Bishop. Led by Kenner, the Muties enter an arena where they are ambushed by the bandits. They finally make their way to the Bishop, where it is revealed that he is actually a corrupted Mutie. During this confrontation, the Bishop escapes.

At the end, Kenner writes a letter to the president of the company that he found his true self in Oblivion. Kenner admits to Grace he intentionally misstated in his report that the conditions in Oblivion are too radioactive to mine, so they would have to buy zirconium from the resident Muties. Grace tells Kenner she does not feel at home in the city, and Kenner agrees. The film ends with them driving back into Oblivion.

Cast

• Dack Rambo – Kenner, the main character who initially searches for zirconium but later becomes the leader of the Muties.
• Clare Beresford – Grace, a Mutie who helps Kenner and is also his love interest.
• Meshach Taylor – Elijah, an eccentric character who first warns Dack about Oblivion. He was captured by the bandits and helped them before being captured by the Muties.
• Mark Bringelson – Big, one of the Muties helping Kenner.
• Charles Dougherty – Zig, another one of the Muties helping Kenner.
• Ramsay Ross – Lazarus, the Mutie spiritual leader who prophesies Kenner's coming.
• Diana Quijano – Radio, one of the Muties who can tell what other people are thinking.
• Orlando Sacha – Bishop, the main antagonist who is the leader of the bandits.
• Emily Kreimer – Shiela, Phil's most recent girlfriend who wanted to see Oblivion.
• Ramon Garcia – Bad Guy, one of the bandits.
• Tony Vasques – Yorrick, one of the bandits.
• David Killerby – Buddy
• Ian Igberg – Horst
• Brayton Lewis – Old Handler
• Alasdair Ross – Young Handler
• Milagros Relayce – Child
• Diego Bertie – Phil, Kenner's assistant whose father is the "bossman" of a zirconium mining company.
• Jeanne Cervantes – Old Woman
• Mercy Bustos – Bald Woman
• Carlos Cano de la Fuente – Soldier (as Carlos Cano)

VHS release

The VHS was released on December 17, 1992 by New Horizons Home Video.

External links

• Ultra Warrior at the Internet Movie Database
• Ultra Warrior at AllRovi
• Ultra Warrior at Rotten Tomatoes
• New Horizons Film Library: Ultra Warrior