T-FORCE from the ’90s: A classic sci-fi action film about CYBORGS

“T-Force” is a classic film not because it reveals any new aesthetic or metameaningful approach to transhumanism, but because it copies and mixes genre templates already established in cinema—not only from science fiction but also from high-grossing and iconic action films. Richard Pepin and the screenwriters executed this cinematic pastiche quite cleverly for such a low budget. It didn’t bring fame or a theatrical release, but it did find success on VHS. 

The main role in “T-Force” was played by Jack Scalia, an actor well-known to TV audiences at the time thanks to his role as a police officer in the series “Tequila and Bonetti”. Years later, immersed in modern sci-fi cinema, I wondered if Scalia’s performance would still hold up, given his limited experience in this genre. Surprisingly, it was Scalia’s presence that made “T-Force” feel like a good, entertaining action flick.

An alternate title for the film, voiced by the narrator, is “Rebels”, which sounds much better than “T-Force”. Produced by PM Entertainment—specialists in B-grade action cinema with simple sci-fi elements—the cast includes, besides Scalia, Jennifer MacDonald, a star of low-budget action films, the easily recognizable Vernon Wells, and Evan Lurie from “Hologram Man”. The only one missing is Joe Lara, but we can’t have everything, especially in this genre.

The plot centers on a group of special ops cyborgs used for high-stakes anti-terrorist missions. After a botched operation in a skyscraper that results in hostage deaths, the mayor and police chief decide to terminate the unit (though human operatives could have handled it much worse). The cyborgs rebel and go on the run, leaving a trail of bodies in their wake. Lieutenant Jack (Scalia), who despises artificial humans, is assigned to take them down, forced to team up with one of the cyborgs to pursue the group led by Adam, the main antagonist. Adam, with his smug expression and self-appointed role as a messiah for cyborgs, believes that it’s not the cyborgs who are corrupt but the laws that have condemned them to death.

As mentioned, “T-Force” blends several genres and freely draws from the history of sci-fi and action cinema. The opening sequence, featuring Vernon Wells as the terrorist leader, feels lifted straight from “Die Hard“—and that’s not a bad thing. It’s one of the more interesting scenes in the movie, along with a comedic bar scene and a final chase in a red car that culminates in a massive explosion. There’s also a twist at the end involving Jack, the main character, who is quite lonely, even experiencing romantic relationships through virtual reality. His final choice elevates his own transhumanist journey to a new level. Despite his initial disregard for “tin people,” he gains a new perspective on them beyond work-related interactions. Oddly enough, the film explores the value of “cyber people” most deeply in a bar scene, even though the main antagonist is prone to delivering speeches to his small group of metal comrades.

One of the more bizarre moments is a sex scene between Adam and Mandragora, which occurs suddenly and without justification, supposedly to show that cyborgs seek to replicate human reactions, even erotic ones. They call it “procreation,” using a porn magazine as their instructional guide to learn suitable positions. First, they need to figure out how to remove their clothing, which is no small feat, and then there’s the question of anatomy—why would their creator, who wanted them to think like humans, give them genitalia? The plot doesn’t address this question, likely because no one fully thought it through. It feels like a superficial attempt to humanize the cyborgs. While today’s sci-fi discourse has evolved far beyond this, “T-Force” does manage to devote surprising attention to transhumanist themes for an action movie.

The rest of the film is filled with shootouts, explosions, and chases, as well as perhaps the most sci-fi scene, which takes place in a lab where cyborgs are repaired. Here, we get a glimpse of their internal mechanisms, clearly inspired by “The Terminator”. The set design, however, is cheaper—colorful, shadowy, and simplistic. But for Jack Scalia and his oversized revolver, straight out of “Dirty Harry”, it’s worth enduring the tacky, geometric backgrounds and the painfully obvious setting for the final showdown: a series of ruined buildings.