Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Robot Holocaust Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 6, 2019

1986’s “Robot Holocaust” is a B-movie that’s not terribly concerned with protecting storytelling balance. The first half of the feature is one long exposition dump, with writer/director Tim Kincaid laboring to create a futureworld where the Earth is ruined, robots rule, and a new hope is offered with a band of warriors trying to defeat a series of villains. There’s much world-building to sort through, necessitating a narrator to help with the heavy lifting, as Kincaid has no throttle when it comes to the speed of new information whipped at the viewer. The second half of the picture is almost completely devoid of storytelling, with the helmer trying to pay off patience with his extended identification game by issuing battle sequences and lengthy shots of travel around a single location. One side of “Robot Holocaust” has everything, the other has nothing. It’s a bizarre effort to begin with, but such top-heavy filmmaking disrupts the obvious fun factor of the low-budget extravaganza.

In the future, the citizens of New Terra have endured a radiation spill, choking the planet, while a robot rebellion has added pressure to human survival. The Dark One is an evil entity determined to destroy humanity via a toxic atmosphere, keeping Air Slaves to help maintain his power. Fed up with such authority, warrior Neo (Norris Culf) elects to use his immunity to travel to the Dark One’s power station and take on the ruler, whose second-in-command, Valaria (Angelika Jager), enjoys the prospect of destroying the heroes. Joined by robot Klyton (Joel Von Orensteiner), amazon leader Nyla (Jennifer Delora), and others, the gang travels into the wasteland to realize their dream of freedom, bringing along Deeja (Nadine Hart), whose father, Jorn (Michael Downend), has been taken prisoner by Valaria, in possession of information that could lead to the eradication of the Dark One.

Air slaves, the Dark One, the wasteland, the power station, mutants, and a pleasure machine. These are only a few of the elements contained within “Robot Holocaust,” which is stacked with storytelling details during the first act, tossing viewers into the deep end of the tale right away, forcing them to sink or swim as Kincaid madly blasts out bits of information that contribute to the expanse of this post-apocalyptic Earth. The basics are there to steady the viewing experience, with Neo creating a plan to take on the Dark One, sick of watching the Air Slaves pummel each other in gladiatorial contests for a chance to live well at the Power Station, making his mission known to a select few, including Deeja, who’s trying to save her father from Valaria and her torturous intent for the old man. The feature often plays like an extended trailer for a six hour cut of “Robot Holocaust,” but holding attention through thick expositional muck is low-wattage production achievements, with Kincaid using costuming, matte paintings, and New York City locations to generate a sense of the empty world and the heroes and villains that populate it.

“Robot Holocaust” plays like a mix of “Dungeons & Dragons” and a “Heavy Metal” short, offering the audience time with a collection of disparate warriors on a mission that takes them into the wild. There’s a mute barbarian, a nervous C3PO-style metal man in Klyton, and Nyla, a clan queen from the She Zone who hates men but can’t deny a debt of service, reluctantly joining the team. The bulk of the movie follows the unit as they cross the wasteland, exploring overgrown urban stops and fending off attacks from mutants, who pop up intermittently to give the good guys something to do. The second half of “Robot Holocaust” takes the gang through more monstrous encounters, including a battle with killer worms emerging from the walls of a tunnel. When they reach the power station, traps are set (including a bomb scare) and additional creatures advance on the soldiers, providing Kincaid with small but effective acts of defense to visualize. While there’s little polish here, the helmer gets far on cult ambition, blending Ed Wood with sword and sorcery events, making for an amusing sit that’s slowly worn down by repetition.

Robot Holocaust Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation secures the limited scope of "Robot Holocaust," which mostly takes place inside industrial locations. The dank setting finds a decent level of detail to enjoy, surveying coarse metal machines and exaggerated costuming, which is made up of fluffier fur, softer leather, and tight spandex. Outdoor encounters retain depth, giving the effort the little expanse it desires. Robot masks are textured, along with human facial surfaces. Colors are acceptable, dealing well with naturalistic surroundings during exteriors, while disco lighting indoors brings out brighter hues, blasting with lighter reds and blues. Delineation is comfortable. Source is in good shape, displaying mild speckling.

Robot Holocaust Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures the adventurous side of "Robot Holocaust," offering clear dialogue exchanges to help catch up on all the exposition of the first half. Performances are defined, even with artificial robot voices, and surges of rage stay balanced, never reaching distortive extremes. Scoring is softer, with cues supportive but not precise, leaving some of the more triumphant battle scenes lacking in musical power, but this appears to be an inherent issue due to quality of the recordings. Sound effects aren't overwhelming, but metal clangs and explosions register as intended.

Robot Holocaust Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (17:42, HD) with Jennifer Delora opens with a casting summary, as she was brought on to "Robot Holocaust" without an audition due to previous dealings with director Tim Kincaid. Tasked with playing a warrior, Delora not only completed her own stunts, but provided her own weaponry, with very real steel used during fight scenes. The actress shares memories about her co-stars, including Joel Von Ornsteiner, who played Kylor, stuffed into a rubber suit without much in the way of eyesight to complete his part. She also goes into great detail about her own outfit, which was lost before reshoots, leading to tremendous continuity issues for the film. The shoot in the Brooklyn Navy Yard is recalled, offering a family reunion of sorts as Delora worked in the very same area her grandfather labored in decades earlier. Some discussion of the feature's appearance on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" is included, along with monster creation and Delora's feelings on her career in B-movies.

• A Trailer has not been included.

Robot Holocaust Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's the subplot concerning Jorn's imprisonment, held by Valaria, who'd rather be twisting around the aforementioned pleasure machine than dealing with invaders. Kincaid tries to keep things R-rated to help out the ogle factor, offering violence and nudity to spice up a viewing experience that slowly deflates, eventually settling on the cast marching around tunnels one too many times, making a once breezy 79-minute sit feel much longer as the helmer tries to lock down some closure to a picture that doesn't really have a beginning. "Robot Holocaust" isn't wham-bang entertainment, which is a shame, but there are appreciable production elements, as Kincaid embraces strange costuming and genre decoration, and he's clearly focused on constructing a fantasy world with next to no money, often succeeding with minor triumphs of design and location.