Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 27, 2025

In the future of 2036, global control will be decided by giant robot combat. That’s the general idea of 1998’s “Robo Warriors,” though screenwriter Michael Berlin doesn’t exactly develop the central concept, preferring to ignore the details of this new world order to simply use the selling point of big brawling bots, spending most of the feature on more personal matters involving troubled characters. It’s actually surprisingly to find how little robo- warrior-ing is involved in “Robo Warriors,” giving viewers only a few conflicts to enjoy. The rest of the endeavor is tasked with building up to these fights, finding Berlin attempting to create a dire world of tomorrow while director Ian Barry only has a Duran Duran music video budget to bring an entire alien conflict to life. The result is a somewhat impressive display of filmmaking hustle, watching Barry work like crazy to sell the sense of scale Berlin imagines. However, this isn’t a particularly exciting offering of sci-fi conflict, and those coming to the title for red-hot robot action might walk away incredibly disappointed in the lack of mayhem.

In the year 2036, Earth has been taken over by the Teridaxx, an evil alien race led by Quon (James Tolkan), who rules with his son, Darius (James Lew), a hotheaded soldier. The Teridaxx have control of the planet, but they deal with Earth Defense leaders, including Major Dreesen (Dennis Creaghan), maintaining some level of peace as the invaders control information and city streets. Zach (Kyle Howard) is a teenager filled with tales about Ray (James Remar), listening to grandfather Charlie (Bernard Kates) share stories about the once mighty warrior who found the remains of a powerful Earth Bot, with these machines once put to use in gladiatorial combat to help solve disputes with the Teridaxx. Believing Ray is still out there, Zach launches a plan to find him, soon discovering a weary alcoholic who wants nothing to do with heroism after getting Zach’s father killed during an operation. Zach encourages him to return to service, find the Earth Bot, and challenge Suguru, the Teridaxx’s mightiest robot, forcing the emotionally wounded soldier to confront his dark past to help save Earth’s future.

The fine details concerning the rules of robot combat aren’t offered in “Robo Warrior.” The feature is more of a comic book, asking viewers to accept Teridaxx rule, even when it doesn’t seem like they have much control over the planet, even allowing an organization called “Earth Defense” to exist, often engaging in meetings with people they’ve apparently enslaved. Focus is placed on broad ideas of redemption, as Ray was once a man of honor, only to face the reality of violence and the loss of robot fighting, sending him into the wild to drink his problems away. Zach is the earnest boy of action, working with the “info web” and mechanical tutoring from Charlie (a former Earth Bot designer), out to find the lost soul and restore his honor.

Again, robot combat isn’t the primary focus of “Robo Warriors.” It takes 40 minutes before the first conflict arrives in a jungle setting, and the feature noticeably perks up when it finally reaches a sequence of action. While limited in his monetary resources, Barry does a fine job selling metallic combat, working with crude CGI and miniatures to deliver mild intensity as bots clash, putting Ray back in play. Sadly, the endeavor takes a long break before it gets back to special effects, returning focus on Ray, who’s trying to get back in fighting shape, mentally and physically, and there’s tensions at home as Zach’s mom, Molly (Terry Markwell), makes her feelings for the ruined man clear. Threats of time in re-education camps and relationship melodrama takes over the “Robo Warriors” viewing experience, causing the picture to drag with uninteresting conflicts, and additional moments with the Teridaxx only raises more questions about their control over Earth.

Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The image presentation (1.85:1 aspect ratio) for "Robo Warriors" is listed as "newly scanned and restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive." The movie is a strange one, with production limitations clearly identified throughout the feature, most notably visual effects. There's resolution loss during scenes of robot activity and alien occupation, but clarity and detail are present elsewhere, delivering compelling skin particulars on the cast, including ribbed makeup work on the alien characters. Costuming remains fibrous, exploring two worlds of fashion. City tours are decently dimensional, along with jungle action. Interiors deliver a good look at decorative additions and tech displays. Color is strong, with defined greenery and natural skin tones. Teridaxx blues are equally compelling. Robotic displays retain their metallic appearance. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is decently resolved. Some points of damage are detected, but brief.

Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix offers defined dialogue exchanges, balancing quieter emotive moments with more active action demands. Scoring delivers crisp instrumentation and dramatic emphasis, doing well with what sounds like a few orchestral additions. Sound effects are defined, exploring grinding gears and computer chirps, along with the heaviness of robot movement and explosions.

Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features cinematographer John Stokes.

• "The Footsteps of Giants" (42:33, HD) is the making-of for "Robo Warriors," featuring interviews with producer Loucas George, director Ian Barry (via video conferencing), cinematographer John Stokes, and Stargate Studios founder Sam Nicholson. Launching an effort to pull off "'Star Wars' on a shoe string," the production origin story is shared, putting Barry in charge of an "adventure" that didn't allow for much monetary spending. The shoot launched in the Philippines (near locations used for "Apocalypse Now"), putting a lot of stress on the crew to pull off major visuals without resources, demanding creative thinking to get around issues. Professional teams were brought in from all over the world, generating a "United Nations" vibe on the set, with the exception of Filipinos and Malaysians, who didn't get along. Robot wars are deconstructed, which required work with miniatures, selling the scale of the machines and their battles. Additional technical challenges are identified, dealing with quicksand, faulty elevators, and various buildings, a few with horrible histories. Slowly but surely, the endeavor came together, overcoming numerous troubles (including severe weather threats) to find some shape in the final edit, only to lose an opportunity for a theatrical release when studio fortunes waned. The interviewees remain surprised to be talking about the movie 30 years later, with most remaining positive about the offering and its cult legacy.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Robo Warriors Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Robo Warriors" saves its big display of robot warfare for the final act, restoring a level of fun to an effort that needs more of it. It certainly helps to get the offering back on track, reaching its potential as a B-movie experience, and there's some joy in watching Barry labor to create towering conflict and sci-fi complications, doing whatever he can to sell the fantasy of the picture, despite having no cash to really deliver a major movie. "Robo Warriors" could use a lot more screen activity, but it has a degree of filmmaking imagination that carries it somewhat far, making for an intermittently engaging feature, though the lack of robot clashes remains a real head-scratcher.