Gunhed

An obscure Japanese sci-fi movie that gained a cult following. Directed by Masato Harada, it follows a group of scavengers in a cyberpunk future going to a remote island to steal valuable computer tech, only to discover the island is still being run by a genocidal supercomputer known as Kyron-5. The movie's title refers to a mecha that the heroes use to fight their way off the island.

The movie was a big project jointly produced by Toho, Nippon Sunrise, Kadokawa, Bandai, and Imagica. It remains one of the most ambitious live-action Japanese films to date, with a budget equivalent to $14.4 million. In addition to Japanese actors, a few roles were taken by American actors, such as Brenda Bakke, James "Brewster" Thompson, Randy Reyes, and Michael Yancy. The original Japanese version used both Japanese and English spoken dialogue, due in part to the international cast.

The movie's choppy editing and confusing plot almost completely derailed it despite its amazing special effects and production design. It bombed both domestically and internationally, and Masato Harada was so embarrassed that he instead credited the infamous Hollywood pseudonym "Alan Smithee" in international releases.

All in all, it is a flawed movie, but has several redeeming qualities that make it entertaining, and though it is a rare find on home video formats, I recommend trying it out if you have the means.