FUTURE WAR. Cult Science Fiction Doesn’t Have to Be Good, As Long as It Has Dinosaurs

There’s a certain kind of science fiction cinema that, the worse it is, the better it becomes over time—provided it gets lucky enough in its distribution and finds the right group of genre enthusiasts. In the case of Future War, that luck was missing. That’s why I’d like to remind you that this film isn’t much worse than the better-known Cyborg Cop or Mind Ripper. Moreover, it boasts one unique element that makes it a one-of-a-kind piece of 1990s sci-fi cinema. This stylistic gem deserves a notable anecdote about its director’s career. I’d love to write something legendary about Anthony Doublin, the director, but I can’t because he made only a handful of films, none of which stand a chance of gaining recognition—even after decades. The only potential B-movie star in his filmography is Future War, but this is due to its genre, production style, and two actors—Robert Z’Dar and Daniel Bernhardt—rather than his direction.

Z’Dar and Bernhardt can be considered cult figures by fans of low-budget 1980s and 1990s cinema, especially the former. Bernhardt is famous for Bloodsport, while Z’Dar gained renown through Maniac Cop and other memorable roles from the ’80s. Z’Dar’s distinctive jaw, a result of cherubism—a condition causing overgrowth of the jaw, zygomatic, and maxillary bones—made him unforgettable as a chilling antagonist in cinematic history. In Future War, Z’Dar is the standout element that draws fans back, showcasing how late ’90s low-budget cinema envisioned cyborgs. As for the plot of Future War, its core premise is intriguing—it’s just unfortunate that the creators didn’t flesh it out more richly.

Here’s the gist: an advanced race of cyborgs travels back in time, using their technology to bring dinosaurs from the past and train them as trackers. These dinos are used to hunt humans, as our rebellious species has been enslaved by synthetic invaders. However, one prisoner manages to escape to a place referred to as “heaven,” which turns out to be Earth. How this happens is unclear—was this Earth before the invasion, from a different timeline, or did the cyborgs abduct part of humanity so stealthily that no one noticed? It’s best not to dwell on it, as the plot is riddled with logic holes akin to Swiss cheese. The creators must have sketched out some kind of framework to give viewers the illusion of a structured world, and that’s about it. From there, it’s pure action from start to finish. Future War blends sci-fi with martial arts cinema, which has its consequences.

Viewers will likely be surprised not only by the cosmic special effects but also by the cyborg fights. Bernhardt, as a martial artist, doesn’t give them a break, though one can’t help but notice that this synthetic race can be defeated with kicks—an odd choice, even for low-budget sci-fi. And then there are the dinosaurs. These creatures are the real gem of Future War—an element not often seen in this kind of sci-fi. It’s fair to admit that this was a bold move for which the director himself was technically responsible. Aware of the limited budget and the capabilities of stop-motion technology, he took a risk. The result is, of course, dreadful, but the courage and concept deserve recognition. Instead of dogs, we get dinosaurs whose jaw movements resemble the mechanical clicks of car doors with three locking positions. Most of the time, you only see partial views of them—likely because filming their full-body movement would have been too challenging. The camera avoids showing their back legs, an obvious workaround.

And then there’s the climactic battle in a church, which involves choking a cyborg. The cyborg’s demise isn’t even fully shown; at the critical moment of its explosive end, the camera cuts to the protagonist being blown away by the shockwave. This collection of illogical and mismatched elements creates a unique atmosphere that lingers in the memory precisely because of its stylistic quirks.

Returning to the title’s assertion that cult science fiction doesn’t have to be good: Future War, despite its lack of success, could support this claim if only it hadn’t disappeared among the myriad of other 1990s productions that weren’t necessarily better but managed to break through. With the perspective of time, many viewers no longer seek artistic quality in these films but rather a story that captures attention, entertains, or elicits some mix of astonishment and disbelief. For sparking such reactions, Future War is perfectly suited.