Full Eclipse (1993)

Such a frustrating disappointment

Nice effects though.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

As someone else had previously pointed out, the 1993 action-horror film "Full Eclipse" plays out a lot like a mad combination of "The Howling" (1981) and "Dirty Harry" (1971), mixed in with the feeling of a gore-filled superhero/horror comic book. The plot to "Full Eclipse" is probably one of those stories that comes up out of a 10-second brainstorming session and the filmmakers just run with it; these end up being some of the best films ever released, so that's not a jab at Hollywood brainstorming. I wouldn't be surprised if more than half the films that came out of Hollywood in the '80s and early '90s probably started out in such a fashion."Full Eclipse" is a movie that begins like an ultra-violent cops & robbers action flick, and ends as a gore-filled, special effects-laden comic book-styled horror film - although it's an admittedly high concept for a low-budget, made-for-TV film directed by Anthony Hickox ("Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth").In Los Angeles, violent crime is out of control and the streets aren't safe. Detective Max Dire (Mario Van Peebles) and his partner Jim Sheldon (Anthony John Denison) are out patrolling one night when they get a call about a hostage situation out a downtown night club. To make long stories short, Max and Jim go in without a S.W.A.T. team back-up and Jim is critically wounded during the ensuing gun battle.You would think that at this point the movie would be about Max going out to get revenge or being partnered up with a young inexperienced rookie - a la, "Lethal Weapon" - but the movie is only just beginning. Jim mysteriously makes a miraculous, full recovery and he and his old partner Max are back out on the streets fighting crime. Except that Max suspects that something is different about Jim and he's right, especially since bullets don't faze him and he's able to perform seemingly superhuman feats like being able to run like the wind through the streets and surviving a motorcycle crash head-on and without a scratch.But unexpectedly, Jim takes his own life. Max, who is already going through a crumbling marriage, is then placed in a support group for troubled police officers. The group is run by a highly decorated veteran detective named Adam Garou (all-purpose villain Bruce Payne). It turns out that Garou secretly runs a rogue squad of vigilante police officers who go out at night and exact their own form of justice on the streets.This is where the horror elements kick in. Garou has developed a serum that gives subjects superhuman strength, speed, and reflexes, and damn-near invincibility - in order to put them on an even playing field against violent, drug-addled criminals. In other words, Garou is actually a werewolf, and he has his right-hand woman Casey Spencer (Patsy Kensit, Mel Gibson's ill-fated love interest in "Lethal Weapon 2") seduce Max into joining their pack as its newest member."Full Eclipse" has an interesting story concept behind it, and for a low-budget made-for-TV (HBO) movie from the early '90s, it's carried out quite competently - given its financial limitations and lack of real star power, aside from Mario Van Peebles. Admittedly, the "Lethal Weapon"-/"Dirty Harry"-inspired opening moments really do fool you into thinking it's going to be another cheap action film, and then the horror elements unexpectedly kick in and the film takes on a new dimension while still retaining a running cops & robbers theme.The performances aren't bad (Bruce Payne seems to be having the most fun here, even if he seems to be hamming it up a bit), and the special effects, make-up, and gore are quite impressive - the latter of which was reportedly toned down somewhat so the film could get an "R" rating (this review is based on the restored unrated version of the film). The werewolf transformation sequences are nowhere near the strength of "The Howling" or that other big werewolf movie from 1981, the landmark horror-comedy "An American Werewolf in London," but the make-up employed to realize them seems like something straight out of an "X-Men" comic book. (In fact, the whole story feels like it could be a gore-filled horror comic book series.)"Full Eclipse" is an impressively realized horror film, even if it falters in several aspects of its story and performances, but its high-concept - albeit comic book - premise, and special effects give it an edge for being a low-budget made-for-TV film.I wish more low-budget movies like this came out in the early 1990s.6/10

Although made in 1993, the movie is typically 80ish. The special effects aren't that bad, but remind of say Lost Boys & other movies and the comparison is very unfavorable. That is your typical salad bowl movie: bada$$ honest cop loses patrol partner when sickos raid club...or so he thinks, because he's back the next day & performs like three vandamme 80's movies put together ( the action scenes aren't bad but they look like stand-ins & stunt-men a mile away ). Despite his new ability, soon the patrol mate commits suicide, and the bada$$ joins some undercover vigilante squad with mysterious powers... There is an attempt at virtuous camera angles and there is a salad bowl plot including some romance subplot & some cop-in-distress-going-through-divorce subplot...again trying to borrow here & there from more famous movies. Acting is lower average. mr.Garou isn't bad, although overacting is there. Peebles is just awful. Kensit is there just to show some skin and the others were probably just handpicked among the stand-ins. PS "le loup garou" is the french title of the Lon Chaney's "wolfman", so they give it away from the beginning.What spoils the effort is the final battle, when Garou turns into some sort of giant wolf...clearly some idiot wearing a carnival outfit. To make a comparison, Godzilla versus King Kong was more believable!Cheap cable TV fodder with some extra mileage.

This is a great movie!!! Quite possibly one of the coolest werewolf movies I've ever seen. First off the action sequences are incredible, John Woo had a major influence on the style of this film. There's jumping with guns'a'blazing, cool slow motion shots, and to top it off...WEREWOLVES!!! The performances couldn't be better, Mario Van Peebles is extremely underrated and Bruce Payne is the quintessential bad guy. The only thing that holds this movie back from true cinematic greatness is probably the fact that is a made for T.V. movie and had to be edited and the budget was not as high as the concept...great concept though!!! This movie is Shaft meets The Howling, throw in Hong Kong-flavored action and you've got Full Eclipse. Coolest Werewolf movie around.

As a self-proclaimed werewolf fanatic, I highly suggest this movie! After his partner dies, a dedicated police officer is invited to join a "special unit" on the force. the team is using a special serum, which gives them animalistic qualities. Our hero is forced to take the magic potion, which gives him quite a rush. But it doesn't compare to the shock he gets when he discovers were the serum comes from! Nicely written, good effects, and Paula Marshall! who could ask for anything more?