I Come in Peace
Encyclopedia
I Come in Peace is a 1990
science fiction
action
thriller feature film about a rule-breaking vice
cop who becomes involved in the investigation of a number of mysterious drug-related murders on the streets of Houston, Texas
. The film was directed by Craig R. Baxley
, and stars Dolph Lundgren
, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley
and David Ackroyd
.
The shooting and international title is Dark Angel; it was planned to be released as such in America (which had a late release) but was changed to I Come in Peace because of two other movies entitled The Dark Angel (from 1925 and 1935), according to executive producer Mark Damon
(in a 1993 interview with UK magazine Impact) who preferred the original title.
) does not let the rules of police procedure prevent him pursuing his mission to wipe out the White Boys, a gang of white collar
drug dealers who killed his partner while Caine was waylayed stopping a convenience store
robbery.
The White boys disguise their aberrant narcotics trafficking behind rows of expensive luxury sports cars, executive level jobs, and flashy designer suits. Led by the vicious but urbane Victor Manning, the White Boys operate above direct accusation but not suspicion. Law enforcement knows they are dirty, but they cannot prove it. Caine is determined to bring them down.
Caine’s superior is tired of his unusual and less-than-proper tactics. Caine's girlfriend, coroner
Diane Pallone (Betsy Brantley
), wants him to make a commitment to their relationship.
When the White Boys steal a shipment of heroin from a federal evidence repository, they kill and injure numerous people by blowing up the facility with a powerful bomb to conceal their involvement. This brings the attention of the FBI which becomes involved in Caine's vendetta against the White Boys. Caine is paired with a by-the-book partner, FBI agent Arwood "Larry" Smith (Brian Benben). They investigate the drug theft and subsequent murder of several key White Boys soldiers. Smith wants Caine to follow official investigative procedure, but Caine does not change his ways. He disregards Smith's interference and begins to suspect that the Feds are investigating more than the White Boys' activities.
Caine’s instincts soon prove right; there is more to this matter than meets the eye. The first clue is the murder weapon used in the White Boys’ massacre: a hyper-fast, super-sharp, deadly vibrating disk like nothing Caine or Smith has ever seen. The second is a series of drug-related killings that have Diane—and everyone else—very puzzled. The corpses are full of heroin, but the cause of death is not drug overdose. Caine and Smith do not follow the department manual in their pursuit of answers. They end up on the trail of Talec (Matthias Hues
), a vicious extraterrestrial
drug dealer.
Talec shoots his victims full of drugs and then uses otherworldly technology to extract endorphins from their brains, synthesizing them into a substance to be peddled to addicts on his home planet. He is being pursued by an alien cop named Azeck (Jay Bilas
), who warns Caine and Smith that if Talec is not stopped, Talec will pave the way for thousands of intergalactic drug thugs to come to Earth and slaughter its population. Putting their differences aside, Smith and Caine team up to pursue Talec.
in 1991 by Media Home Entertainment
. Region 2 Widescreen DVD edition is available in Europe, Japan and Australia.
To this day, it had never been released on Region 1 DVD (United States) but an MOD (Manufatured On Demand) widescreen edition from MGM Classics Collection is announced (on Screen Archives Entertainment's website) to be available mid-September 2011 under its original title, "Dark Angel".
1990 in film
The year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
science fiction
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
thriller feature film about a rule-breaking vice
Vice Squad
Vice Squad is a punk band formed in 1978 in Bristol, England. The band formed from two other local punk bands, The Contingent and TV Brakes. Songwriter and vocalist Beki Bondage was a founding member and is currently with the band, although there was a period of time when the band had a different...
cop who becomes involved in the investigation of a number of mysterious drug-related murders on the streets of Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The film was directed by Craig R. Baxley
Craig R. Baxley
Craig Redding Baxley is an American actor, director and stunt performer. He is best known for his work in the action and thriller genres....
, and stars Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...
, Brian Benben, Betsy Brantley
Betsy Brantley
Betsy Brantley is an American actress.Brantley was born Rutherfordton, North Carolina. She is the older sister of producer/screenwriter Duncan Brantley, and formerly married to Simon Dutton and Steven Soderbergh....
and David Ackroyd
David Ackroyd
David Ackroyd is an American actor, who first came to prominence in soap operas such as The Secret Storm and Another World. He was born in Orange, New Jersey, a suburb of Newark.-Career:...
.
The shooting and international title is Dark Angel; it was planned to be released as such in America (which had a late release) but was changed to I Come in Peace because of two other movies entitled The Dark Angel (from 1925 and 1935), according to executive producer Mark Damon
Mark Damon
Mark Damon is an American film actor and producer. He started his career in his native country, appearing in such films as Young and Dangerous and Roger Corman's House of Usher...
(in a 1993 interview with UK magazine Impact) who preferred the original title.
Plot
Houston cop Jack Caine (Dolph LundgrenDolph Lundgren
Dolph Lundgren is a Swedish actor, director, and martial artist. He belongs to a generation of film actors who epitomise the movie action hero stereotype including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme.A graduate in chemical...
) does not let the rules of police procedure prevent him pursuing his mission to wipe out the White Boys, a gang of white collar
White-collar worker
The term white-collar worker refers to a person who performs professional, managerial, or administrative work, in contrast with a blue-collar worker, whose job requires manual labor...
drug dealers who killed his partner while Caine was waylayed stopping a convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
robbery.
The White boys disguise their aberrant narcotics trafficking behind rows of expensive luxury sports cars, executive level jobs, and flashy designer suits. Led by the vicious but urbane Victor Manning, the White Boys operate above direct accusation but not suspicion. Law enforcement knows they are dirty, but they cannot prove it. Caine is determined to bring them down.
Caine’s superior is tired of his unusual and less-than-proper tactics. Caine's girlfriend, coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
Diane Pallone (Betsy Brantley
Betsy Brantley
Betsy Brantley is an American actress.Brantley was born Rutherfordton, North Carolina. She is the older sister of producer/screenwriter Duncan Brantley, and formerly married to Simon Dutton and Steven Soderbergh....
), wants him to make a commitment to their relationship.
When the White Boys steal a shipment of heroin from a federal evidence repository, they kill and injure numerous people by blowing up the facility with a powerful bomb to conceal their involvement. This brings the attention of the FBI which becomes involved in Caine's vendetta against the White Boys. Caine is paired with a by-the-book partner, FBI agent Arwood "Larry" Smith (Brian Benben). They investigate the drug theft and subsequent murder of several key White Boys soldiers. Smith wants Caine to follow official investigative procedure, but Caine does not change his ways. He disregards Smith's interference and begins to suspect that the Feds are investigating more than the White Boys' activities.
Caine’s instincts soon prove right; there is more to this matter than meets the eye. The first clue is the murder weapon used in the White Boys’ massacre: a hyper-fast, super-sharp, deadly vibrating disk like nothing Caine or Smith has ever seen. The second is a series of drug-related killings that have Diane—and everyone else—very puzzled. The corpses are full of heroin, but the cause of death is not drug overdose. Caine and Smith do not follow the department manual in their pursuit of answers. They end up on the trail of Talec (Matthias Hues
Matthias Hues
-Biography:Hues was born in Waltrop, Germany, and was raised on a ranch by his doctor-father Josef...who, according to the younger Hues, did not even own a television set. Matthias 's first Hollywood acting role was as Yuri in the film No Retreat, No Surrender 2...
), a vicious extraterrestrial
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
drug dealer.
Talec shoots his victims full of drugs and then uses otherworldly technology to extract endorphins from their brains, synthesizing them into a substance to be peddled to addicts on his home planet. He is being pursued by an alien cop named Azeck (Jay Bilas
Jay Bilas
Jay Scot Bilas is an American lawyer and basketball analyst for ESPN and CBS Sports. He is also a former college basketball player.-Playing career:...
), who warns Caine and Smith that if Talec is not stopped, Talec will pave the way for thousands of intergalactic drug thugs to come to Earth and slaughter its population. Putting their differences aside, Smith and Caine team up to pursue Talec.
Home video release
After the film's theatrical run, it was released on videocassette and laserdiscLaserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
in 1991 by Media Home Entertainment
Media Home Entertainment
Media Home Entertainment Inc. was a home video company headquartered in Culver City, California, originally established in 1978 by filmmaker Charles Band....
. Region 2 Widescreen DVD edition is available in Europe, Japan and Australia.
To this day, it had never been released on Region 1 DVD (United States) but an MOD (Manufatured On Demand) widescreen edition from MGM Classics Collection is announced (on Screen Archives Entertainment's website) to be available mid-September 2011 under its original title, "Dark Angel".
External links
- Dark Angel/I Come In Peace at DOLPH - the ultimate guide
- I Come in Peace at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
- Washington Post review
- Deseret News review
- Spinning Image review
- Moria review
- Time Out review