Soldier is a 1998 science fiction film starring Kurt Russell as Todd, a man born and raised as a soldier in a secret government program and now finds himself considered obsolete after decades of war. When he is mistaken for dead, Todd is dumped on a distant planet that's been used by Earth's inhabitants for waste disposal. When he discovers a colony of humans that have been stranded there for decades, Todd decides to protect the inhabitants against the military, who have arrived on the planet for a training exercise and then plans to eradicate any survivors found on it. The film, which was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, co-stars Connie Nielsen, Jason Isaacs, Gary Busey, Michael Chiklis and Jason Scott Lee, was written by David Webb Peoples, who also co-wrote Blade Runner, and several references are made to that film.
The following weapons were used in the film Soldier:
On the firing range, a young Todd (at age 16) and a young Riley can be seen firing 1st generation M4A1 Carbines fitted with C-More red dot sights and early Surefire RIS handguards. One of the M4s from this movie later appeared in Season 4 of the TV series JAG, which had the same armorers as this movie (Gibbons Ltd.) These rifles also are seen in the hands of Arcadia inhabitants.
In the film's opening sequence, armed guards in the nursery armed with M16-type rifles as infants are seen being chosen for the Adam program. The weapons are not seen clearly, but are most likely M16A2s.
The standard-issue assault rifles of the soldiers throughout the film, including Sergeant Todd (Kurt Russell) and later the super-soldiers, are modified AKU-94 rifles made to look futuristic. The weapons have been given extended barrels and shrouds that are similar to Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun heatshields (these are however, custom fabricated). Additionally, the rifles have C-More red-dot sights, dual retractable bayonets, and Surefire Universal weaponlights. In some scenes, the rifles feed from standard 30-round AK "banana"-style magazines (this is most obvious during a flashback when Sgt. Todd is seen reloading and his magazine is shown hitting the ground), while in other scenes, they are fitted with 100-round drum magazines.
File:Pix545892796.jpgAKU-94 Bullpup with polymer magazine - 7.62x39mm. This weapon was the basis for the futuristic assault rifles seen in the movie.Error creating thumbnail: File missingGreen (Carsten Norgaard), Todd (Kurt Russell), and Riley (James Black) go into battle armed with their custom rifles. The bayonet is extended here.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA soldier is shown firing his assault rifle during the scene where the old and new soldiers compete against each other. This shot clearly shows that the weapon is a Century Arms bullpup AK. The shape of the AK receiver, selector, and bolt carrier is clearly visible, while the distinctive vented housing over pistol grip identifies the weapon definitively as a Century Arms gun.Error creating thumbnail: File missingSgt. Todd (Kurt Russell) fires his assault rifle in a flashback.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA close-up of Sgt. Todd's magazine hitting the ground as he reloads during the flashback. This is quite clearly a standard 30-round "banana"-type AK-47 magazine.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn assault rifle in the hands of one of the newer-generation soldiers. Note that in this scene, the rifle has a 100-round drum magazine.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA close-up of one rifle while firing.Error creating thumbnail: File missingA close-up of two rifles' muzzles during a scene in which Todd tricks the newer warriors.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAnother close-up showing the trigger and pistol grip.
Heckler & Koch HK91
During the "War of the Six Cities", an enemy soldier is seen armed with a rifle which is definitely a Heckler & Koch G3 variant. It's not seen clearly, but looking closely, it is possible to see that the rifle lacks the flipper magazine release of the original H&K G3, which means that it is almost certainly a civilian HK91 standing in for the mil-spec G3.
Todd and some of the settlers are seen carrying the Claridge LEC9 - a long-barreled carbine version of the Claridge Hi-Tec S9. Though Goncz Armament, Inc. made a nearly identical carbine before Claridge did, the Goncz carbines were outfitted with wooden furniture, the Claridge carbines were sold with all black synthetic furniture, thus any carbine with black synthetic parts is assumed to be the Claridge variant.
One of the Arcadia 234 inhabitants can be seen with a Norinco MAK-90 rifle, the "post-ban" semi-automatic civilian version of the Chinese Norinco Type 56 (AK-47). It can be recognized by its thumbhole stock and full-circle front sight. Note that the rifle also appears to be loaded with a short 10-round magazine.
One of the Arcadia 234 inhabitants can be seen carrying a Remington Rolling Block rifle, the ancient weapon apparently still in working order after centuries.
One of the Arcadia 234 inhabitants carries a Bushmaster XM15 "V-Match" semi-automatic rifle fitted with a C-More red-dot sight and 20-round magazine. It is not an M16A4 as mis-identified previously; the weapon's handguards do not match those of any M16 variant, and the weapon also lacks a triangular front sight post, the most distinctive characteristic of the V-Match.
While loading up to engage the soldiers after repelling the raid on the Arcadia 234 settlement, Sgt. Todd can be briefly seen with a pair of Rocky Mountain Arms Patriot Pistols. These Patriot Pistols actually have the full length telescoping stock for the XM177/CAR15 carbines attached. It looks to be the same Patriot Upper mated to a full auto SP1 lower that was used in the movie Congo. These firearms are outfitted with under-mounted flashlights, vintage red laser sights (from the 1980s), and Beta-C magazines.
Rocky Mountain Arms Patriot Pistol with Beta-C magazine - 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingSgt. Todd loading up one of the Patriot Pistols (done up as a carbine here).Error creating thumbnail: File missingCloseup of Sgt. Todd loading up one of the Patriot Pistols (done up as a carbine here).Error creating thumbnail: File missingTodd loads the Beta-C magazine into the Patriot Pistol (done up as a carbine here). Note the mismatched upper and lower receivers, indicating that is is the same hybrid gun used in the movie Congo.
Browning BL-22
One of the inhabitants carries a .22 caliber lever action rifle that appears to be a Browning BL-22. The rifle is loaded with what resembles an Uzi 9mm magazine.
File:BL-22.jpgBrowning BL-22 - .22LRError creating thumbnail: File missingOne of the inhabitants carries a .22 caliber lever action rifle that appears to be a Browning BLR. The rifle is loaded with what resembles an Uzi 9mm magazine.
Handguns
Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0
When Sgt. Todd assists in repelling the first wave of soldiers from the Arcadia 234 settlement, he can be seen picking up and loading a Heckler & Koch Mk 23 Mod 0 pistol. Interesting to note that Kurt Russell had been seen using a Heckler & Koch USP mocked up to resemble the Mk23 in Executive Decision, released only a year prior. This appears to be one of the earliest appearances of the actual pistol used in a film production.
The cruel and cowardly commander of the soldiers, Colonel Mekum (Jason Isaacs) can be seen carrying a nickel-plated Colt Single Action Army with pearl grips as his sidearm, using it to shoot first one of the older soldiers injured in the fight with Caine 607 (Jason Scott Lee), one of the newer soldiers, and then Captain Church (Gary Busey) when he refuses to follow orders.
The "Crawler" vehicles used by the soldiers during the attack on Arcadia 234 are armed with what appear to be turret-mounted DShK heavy machine guns, but these are actually dressed-up Browning M2HB machine guns.
One of the soldiers engaged in the raid on the Arcadia 234 settlement can be seen firing a short-barreled hand held GE M134 Minigun. Sgt. Todd kills the soldier when his Minigun jams on him, then uses it when engaging the soldiers following the raid. A similar short-barreled minigun was used in 1993's Last Action Hero.
During the montage showing Sgt. Todd's service following his training, a combatant in the "Moscow Incident" can be seen brandishing a Heckler & Koch MP5A2 while holding a civilian woman hostage.
During the flashback to the "Battle of the Argentine Moons", Sgt. Todd is using a pair of nickel-plated Franchi LF-57 submachine guns with the stocks removed and some type of old-fashioned tube sight installed on top. These same guns would later appear in John Carpenter's film Ghosts of Mars.
While engaging the soldiers, Sgt. Todd takes a Steyr SPP converted to fire full-auto from one of the soldiers before dropping a grenade into one of the "Crawler" vehicles to kill the crew. The soldier inside the Crawler who gets killed is also brandishing an SPP. It would appear that the SPP is actually supposed to be the standard-issue sidearm for the Adam project soldiers; this is evidenced by the fact that during the flashback to the "Moscow Incident", all of the soldiers are carrying machine pistols on thigh holsters which appear to be SPPs.
Some of the soldiers use custom rocket launchers against the inhabitants of Arcadia. Todd also uses the launcher. These launchers appear to be custom props.
A computer readout shows the various commendations awarded to Sgt. Todd, which appear to reference Kurt Russell's other films. There also appears to be references to the M56 Smart Gun from Aliens and the BFG from Doom (although the latter would not be realized as a physical prop until the 2005 film adaptation).
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