Rutger Hauer’s IR-Rated Sci-Fi Is So Wild, They Changed The Name After Release
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
If you’re wondering why not get a copy of Rutger Hauer’s 1991 sci-fi action thriller Marriageis because the title produced by HBO was later changed to Deadlock when it hits VHS. This was a common practice in the VHS era because when a customer walks past a wall of tapes in a video store, everything is competing for your attention, a quick title and cover art is what you get. Like YouTube, where a quick title and icon make you click and consume whatever download is on offer.
Deadlock it feels tough and full of action. Marriage it feels like a rom-com. That’s all there is to it. Since we’re talking about a Rutger Hauer movie, it’s clear that whoever made the call knew what kind of cinematic gold they had and didn’t want to sell it short to the home video market. Ironically, the device that puts his character’s life at risk is actually called a Wedlock, so enjoy that bit before shooting this one at Tubi.
Classic Rutger Hauer Fare
Rutger Hauer spent much of the 90s starring in low-budget films that shared the same aesthetic. Deadlockand they’re all great if you like sci-fi movies B. You play everything super deadpan, but you also understand how funny and campy some of these movies are at the right times. In 1992 Split Second is a sight for sore eyes and has a blast with its shlocky, half-Blade Runnerpart-Alien place.
Deadlock he’s cut from the same cloth, but instead of playing a no-nonsense, coffee-swimming cop with an ax to grind, Hauer is a fugitive on the run. A diamond thief and electrician, his character Frank Warren cashes in his life’s worth of rare diamonds worth $25 million. Trouble is, his partner Sam (James Remar) and his fiancee Noelle (Joan Chen) betray him twice, and he ends up being sent to an experimental prison known as Camp Holliday.
Closing at Camp Holliday is not done in the usual way. The prisoners were placed in explosive columns called Marriages. Each collar is connected to another, undisclosed prisoner, and if the pair separates more than a set distance, it explodes and takes both heads with it. It’s a simple idea, and a bad one.
This is where things get difficult for Frank. Warden Holliday (Stephen Tobolowsky) wants to know where the diamonds are and will use any resources at his disposal to get that information out of him. Meanwhile, Sam and Noelle followed Frank and closed for the same reason. Frank ends up finding out that the inmate he’s connected to is Tracy Riggs (Mimi Rogers), who wants nothing to do with him, saying he’s innocent and Frank is completely innocent.
Separation Means Splitting
As you would expect from a VHS era, made-for-TV movie, Frank and Tracy get to know each other and slowly form a romantic relationship. They run into Warden Holliday and his goons, the police, and Sam and Noelle. Frank and Tracy can’t break up or they’ll blow up. Fortunately, it was discovered early on that Frank was an electrician, and once he got his hands on the right tools, he could put that skill to good use.
Deadlock is a solid, campy action game set in the latest version of its release period that delivers exactly what it promises. There is corruption, betrayal, danger, and enough chase sequences to keep you trapped inside and wondering how it will all turn out. Rutger Hauer has a strange charm, which is hard to pin-down, and what makes him so successful in movies like this is how he takes everything seriously while letting moments of levity slip through when needed. You believe him because he stays strong, even when things get funny.
That energy is what makes movies so interesting Deadlock it’s worth watching. Cinematic catnip for action fans who don’t want to do too much heavy lifting; the perfect night watch. A thief is imprisoned, meets a woman, runs away with her, and gives chase. That’s all you need to know, and that’s it Deadlock brings.
As of this writing, Deadlock is streaming for free on Tubi.
