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“Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter” is a Science Fiction film set in the distant future depicting the overthrow of humanity by artificial intelligence on Earth and other worlds.
It’s a sad state of affairs when there are literally countless numbers of male sci-fi action heroes but not nearly as many females. We have ass-kicking heroines such as Lt. Ellen Ripley (“Alien,” “Aliens”), Sara Connor (“The Terminator,” “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” ), Princess Leia, (“Star Wars”) Uhura (“Star Trek”), Trinity (“The Matrix” trilogy), and Captain Kara ‘Starbuck’ Thrace (“Battlestar Galactica”), along with some very strong female leads, including Dana Scully (“The X-Files”), Eleanor Arroway (“Contact”), and Officer Aeryn Sun (“Farscape”), and while I truly love science fiction in general, it is about time that more female action-oriented characters were brought to life to give the men a run for their money. After all, in the classic “Aliens,” when Ripley goes head-to-head with the alien Queen, the immortal line she dispenses, “Get away from her you bitch!,” probably wouldn’t have had the same reaction had it been spoken by a male counterpart. And while there are many other audacious and confident female characters not listed here, my point is that the men far outweigh the women. And that’s just not right.
Actress Tracey Birdsall (“Dawn of the Crescent Moon,” “Who’s Jenna…?”), not only stars in the new sci-fi flick “Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter,” she also produces it, giving her the power and freedom to create a fiercely independent yet heroic female character. As Sienna, she lives in a future society that has been taken over by the A.I. machines that man created. As humans are fast becoming extinct, it is up to Sienna and a bunch of ragtag soldiers, to stop the enemy before mankind becomes a distant memory.
While the overall plot to “Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter” is nothing new, its emphasis on our dependence on electronic components, is as valid today as anything set in the future. The film’s presentation and stylistic approach also sets it apart from its contemporaries. More and more movies are utilizing drones for greater cinematic impact and scope that regular cranes and jibs simply cannot accomplish and director Neil Johnson employs this technique admirably. With shooting locations throughout the U.S. and Australia, the film’s overall contrasting atmosphere matches that of the story’s various interplanetary locales, from luscious green hills, to baron desert regions, you feel like each planet has its own specific visual personality.
Tracey Birdsall’s performance encompasses a tenacity and determination evocative of Linda Hamilton in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.” As the story progresses, we are thrown a curveball twist that adds greater layer and depth to an otherwise run of the mill script and which affords Ms. Birdsall the opportunity to show her versatility, ranging from headstrong and uncompromising warrior, to the mentality of a heartbroken child.
Stephen Manley, William Kircher, and Tim McGrath round out the cast nicely and are all fine in their respective roles but make no mistake, this movie belongs to Tracey Birdsall. With talk of a possible TV show spin-off, we just might get more of Ms. Birdsall and company, along with the chance to elaborate more on each character while introducing some new ones. Science fiction has just gotten interesting again.
“Rogue Warrior: Robot Fighter” recently had its World Premiere at the Action On Film Festival in Monrovia, California on September 2nd.
