SOLDIER. Blade Runner sequel nobody knew about

Before Paul W. S. Anderson became infamous for the Resident Evil film series adaptations of video games and for being the husband of the series star, Milla Jovovich, he managed to direct two very good science fiction films – Event Horizon and the reviewed Soldier. However, if we want to explore any connections between the film and Ridley Scott’s legendary work, we need to look at the screenwriter, David Webb Peoples. He is one of the two creators working on the Blade Runner script. Importantly, he has often emphasized in interviews that he wrote Soldier to be part of the Scott film’s universe. How? We’ll get to that in a moment.

A dry plot description won’t tell us much. In the film set in 2035, we meet Sergeant Todd, who belongs to a group of elite soldiers. Their uniqueness lies in undergoing a Spartan-like training in their youth, shaping them into emotionless individuals capable of the highest sacrifice. They maintain their exceptional status until genetically modified super soldiers with superhuman strength and abilities appear on the horizon. From now on, Todd is only fit for the history trash. Literally.

Kurt Russell starred in the lead role (earning a twenty-million-dollar fee), and it’s worth dedicating a few more sentences to him. It is one of those seemingly easy-to-present creations that seemingly carry no value from the perspective of an acting school lecturer since it was created with one facial expression. Russell, in line with how his character was raised, is completely subdued, revealing no signs of expression (if I’m not mistaken, there is only one shot where the actor blinks).

The coldness emanating from the character makes a tremendous impression, at least on me. It should be added that Russell put a lot of effort into this role. He spent a solid eighteen months in the gym to sculpt his physique. When he was ready to present himself in front of the camera, he broke his ankle during filming, leading to a delay. However, his dedication paid off—Russell is like the T-800 in Terminator, ruthless, lethally efficient, yet quick to adapt.

Soldier is a story about how a man, deprived of his dignity, tries to find meaning in new circumstances. When Todd lands on a trash planet, he becomes part of a peaceful commune that, while welcoming him, also treats him with caution, fearing that the former soldier may disrupt the community’s order. However, it turns out that Todd’s arrival will bring them more benefits than misfortunes. And it will be a barter transaction.

My favorite scene in the film is when Todd, with a single glance, instructs a young boy on what to do when a snake approaches him. He wants to channel aggression in the boy so that he can defend himself. Of course, the observing parents initially believe that Todd exposed their son to danger. Only later, when the little one saves them from the bite of another venomous snake, do they realize the importance of Todd’s brief lesson. In exchange for introducing a positive model of aggression into the family, necessary to maintain safety, Todd takes away from the people he encounters another skill he sorely lacks—he learns to feel.

Although the clichéd plot of Soldier may not seem to have anything significant or certainly nothing new to tell, as we can see, it hides interesting messages. It also conceals many hidden meanings supporting its placement in a specific universe. A keen-eyed viewer will spot a spinner, the iconic vehicle used by the Blade Runner characters, in one of the scenes on the garbage planet (which, by the way, looks strangely similar to one of the locations in… Blade Runner 2049). When Todd’s achievements panel is shown, indicating the places where the soldier fought, familiar locations—Tannhauser Gate and the shoulders of Orion—come into view. Yes, those are the places Roy Batty mentions in his famous rain-soaked monologue from the finale of Blade Runner.

There is also an interesting tidbit supporting the fact that the super-soldiers in the film (led by Jason Scott Lee) sending Todd and his colleagues into retirement are actually… replicants. A tidbit to which Blade Runner 2049 added its two cents. The unequivocal superhuman strength of these soldiers is one thing, but what do you say to the fact that the action of Solider takes place in 2035, precisely when—according to the timeline proposed by the creators of the official Blade Runner sequel, captured in one of the short films—a new model of replicants, Nexus 9, was created? Coincidence? Perhaps, but a very intriguing one.

I wouldn’t treat these revelations in larger terms than what falls under the concept of easter eggs, brought to life to give joy to fans. However, as the screenwriter of the film wishes, these premises suggest that Soldier can be regarded (albeit with a significant wink) as a specific sidequel or spin-off of Blade Runner, telling a different story but in the same world. Moreover, both works experienced similar fates. Warner Bros. produced both, and both flopped at the box office, but after their release on home media, they gained the status of cult works. However, what is essential and should be remembered is that they represent fundamentally different styles.

So if, for some reason, you either don’t like Blade Runner 2049 or don’t want to watch it at all, reach for Soldier, which also refers to Scott’s legendary work. If, however, for other reasons, you also don’t sympathize with Blade Runner…, you will still watch Anderson’s film. It’s just an exceptionally atmospheric combination of classic ’90s action cinema with science fiction.