alternatehistory.com
Contra 3: The Alien Wars
The final entry in the Contra trilogy sees the Contra team return to the United States to face off against the Red Falcon forces. The film itself was built around three set pieces, each one facing against a familiar boss from the series. They're joined by the mysterious cyborg Lucia and her canine companion Fang, found traversing what remains of New York.. While Bill and Ray are accepting of Lucia, Lance and Sheena are suspicious of her throughout. After defeating Kimkoh, a crawling cicada-like creature with a giant face resembling a human woman, they discover that Lucia is a bionoid created by Dr. Mandrake, furthering tensions between the Contra team.
The battle with Java ends with Lance getting captured, making the third act a rescue mission. At the climax, the team find Lance in Gava's personal spacecraft landed in the center of Madison Square Garden, discovering that he's been possessed by Emperor Gava, resulting in the moment that sold the movie: Arnold vs. Sly. The fight goes on while Ray, Sheena and Lucia work on launching and detonating the ship. In the end, Gava releases control of Lance to try and stop the launch, Bill and Lance working together to stop him while the others escape. The ship launches with Bill and Lance inside, entering warp speed and detonating. The film ends with Ray radioing Commander Doyle to inform him that Bill and Lance were KIA, but that Gava has been killed, completing the mission. Doyle tells Ray that all that remains is sweeping the area of Red Falcon's forces.
The film was criticized as being more of a special effects showcase than a film and being far more ridiculous than its predecessors with the cybernetic dog Fang being a sticking point. The actors were praised for their work during the inter-team tension over where Lucia's loyalties lay, but otherwise it was seen as a popcorn film, and stale popcorn at that. Regardless, the film managed to make even thanks to a lack of competition and many action fans did praise the Schwarzenegger/Stallone fight for finally happening, even if there wasn't a conclusive winner.
Contra 3: The Alien Wars
View attachment 639755
Directed By: John McTiernan
Written By: Shane Black/Fred Dekker
Produced By: Orion Pictures
Distributed By: Columbia-TriStar
Based On: Contra by Konami
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Bill Rizer
Sylvester Stallone as Lance Bean
Lucy Liu as Lucia Mandrake
Karl Urban as Ray Poward Jr.
Uma Thurman as Sheena Etranzi
Jesse "The Body" Ventura as Commander Doyle
Steve Blum as the voice of Emperor Gava
Release Date: August 25, 2001
Budget: $350 million
Box Office: $710 million
View attachment 639755
Directed By: John McTiernan
Written By: Shane Black/Fred Dekker
Produced By: Orion Pictures
Distributed By: Columbia-TriStar
Based On: Contra by Konami
Cast
Arnold Schwarzenegger as Bill Rizer
Sylvester Stallone as Lance Bean
Lucy Liu as Lucia Mandrake
Karl Urban as Ray Poward Jr.
Uma Thurman as Sheena Etranzi
Jesse "The Body" Ventura as Commander Doyle
Steve Blum as the voice of Emperor Gava
Release Date: August 25, 2001
Budget: $350 million
Box Office: $710 million
The final entry in the Contra trilogy sees the Contra team return to the United States to face off against the Red Falcon forces. The film itself was built around three set pieces, each one facing against a familiar boss from the series. They're joined by the mysterious cyborg Lucia and her canine companion Fang, found traversing what remains of New York.. While Bill and Ray are accepting of Lucia, Lance and Sheena are suspicious of her throughout. After defeating Kimkoh, a crawling cicada-like creature with a giant face resembling a human woman, they discover that Lucia is a bionoid created by Dr. Mandrake, furthering tensions between the Contra team.
The battle with Java ends with Lance getting captured, making the third act a rescue mission. At the climax, the team find Lance in Gava's personal spacecraft landed in the center of Madison Square Garden, discovering that he's been possessed by Emperor Gava, resulting in the moment that sold the movie: Arnold vs. Sly. The fight goes on while Ray, Sheena and Lucia work on launching and detonating the ship. In the end, Gava releases control of Lance to try and stop the launch, Bill and Lance working together to stop him while the others escape. The ship launches with Bill and Lance inside, entering warp speed and detonating. The film ends with Ray radioing Commander Doyle to inform him that Bill and Lance were KIA, but that Gava has been killed, completing the mission. Doyle tells Ray that all that remains is sweeping the area of Red Falcon's forces.
The film was criticized as being more of a special effects showcase than a film and being far more ridiculous than its predecessors with the cybernetic dog Fang being a sticking point. The actors were praised for their work during the inter-team tension over where Lucia's loyalties lay, but otherwise it was seen as a popcorn film, and stale popcorn at that. Regardless, the film managed to make even thanks to a lack of competition and many action fans did praise the Schwarzenegger/Stallone fight for finally happening, even if there wasn't a conclusive winner.
- Megafighter3
- Word Count: 440