Ah, the 1990 sci-fi action film I Come in Peace, a movie so bad, it’s damn near legendary. You might know it by its alternate title, Dark Angel, but honestly, who cares? This movie is an absolute train wreck of epic proportions, yet somehow, it’s a good time.
First off, let’s talk about our star, Dolph Lundgren. You remember Dolph, right? You know, the guy who played emotionless 80s characters The Punisher and Ivan “I must break you” Drago, the Soviet machine from Rocky IV? Yeah, that one. In I Come in Peace, Dolph is back, and he’s here to fight aliens. I mean, seriously, could they not find anything better for this guy? It honestly feels like they got every 80’s action flick, whirred it all in a blender, and voila there emerged Dolph Lundgren, looking just about ready to kick some alien ass when they visit earth.
The story, if you can call it that, centers on an alien drug dealer who goes around to Earth to harvest endorphins from humans. Because, seriously, why not? And Dolph, as a rugged Detective named Jack Caine, reluctantly teams up with an FB, uh, agent to defeat this evil from another world. It’s like they took the screenplay from one of those really awful episodes of Miami Vice and just went, “You know what? Aliens.” And then there is this bunch of “mob guys” called “The White Boys” – need I say more? It’s truly as if the authors said, “Let’s drop in every cliché imaginable and mix it up to see what happens.” Spoiler: What results is an unadulterated sequence of madness.
One of the funniest things about I Come in Peace is how seriously it takes itself. Lines from the dialogue are delivered with such over-the-top seriousness, Stephen King would be rolling in his grave, clutching a typewriter and muttering, “What the hell am I listening to?” And then there’s the special effect purely ’90s gold. I mean, laughably bad explosions, cheesy laser guns, alien tech straight out of someone’s garage it’s hilariously awful.
Then there’s the alien’s catchphrase: “I come in peace.” He says this right before he kills people—just fantastic. Like if Hannibal Lecter walked into a room and said, “Don’t worry, I’m a vegetarian,” right before eating someone’s liver. This is that brand of bat shit craziness making the movie so goddamn entertaining.
Now, not to mention the soundtrack, which, ad nauseam, is a stitch of that classic 80s-early 90s synth and rock that will make one think he ought really to be working out in a neon, pulsing gym. Maybe Mailman Jack or The Sugar Baggy like it? Every fight scene involves music trying way too hard to be badass, and that just adds to the hilarity.
Despite all its flaws or maybe because of them I Come in Peace is just a blast to watch. This movie offers loud fun with friends and beers, as the whole event turns into laughter at the ridiculousness of everything going on. The deadpan and horrible acting of Dolph Lundgren, ridiculous plot, and seriously over-the-top action give this a strong “so bad, it’s good” example.
So, if you’re in the mood for some unintentional comedy gold, you’re in luck because I Come in Peace is available for free on Amazon Prime. Grab some popcorn, maybe a beer or two, and get ready to enjoy one of the most hilariously terrible movies ever made. Because sometimes, the worst movies make for the best nights in.
