Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn is a 1983 science fiction film starring Jeffrey Byron, Michael Preston, Tim Thomerson, Kelly Preston and Richard Moll. It was directed and produced by Charles Band. The story is a space-age Western which combines themes of esoteric sorcery and high technology. Metalstorm was filmed in 3D.
The movie portrays the story of a space ranger named Dogen (played by Jeffrey Byron), who is in search of an intergalactic criminal with supernatural powers named Jared-Syn (played by Michael Preston). He has tracked this individual to a desert planet called Lemuria. The planet's human population lives in scattered mining towns, gathering valuable crystals which seem to be the basis for their technology and economy. Syn has posed as the leader of a strange group of nomadic humanoids called the "One Eyes" – so named because they symbolically gouge out one of their eyes – who are descendants of a vanished culture called the Cyclopians. The territorial nomads have begun a holy war to drive the human miners from their lands. Syn has instigated this crusade, but Dogen knows that Syn's plan is really to enslave them all and seeks to stop him at all cost. Syn equips his nomads with strange red crystals that drain the life out of touched victims. Dogen searches Lemuria's wastelands for Syn's camp, traveling in an armored vehicle.
Contents
Plot
A "skybike", a one-man, open-cockpit flying machine, attacks Dogen. Dogen shoots it down and finds one of Syn's crystals on the pilot's body. Carved into the crystal is a symbol of a dead tree. Dogen finds a murdered prospector, whose young daughter Dhyana saw him killed by Baal, Jared Syn's half-cyborg son. Baal sprayed the man with a green liquid that caused a nightmare dream-state, in which Syn appeared and executed him with a crystal. Dogen convinces Dhyana to help him find Syn.
Dhyana takes Dogen to Zax, who identifies the crystal as a lifeforce storage device. Dhyana tells them about the ancient Cyclopians who once used such devices and says the only power against it is a magic mask located in their lost city. Zax affirms this and directs Dogen to find a prospector named Rhodes in the nearby mining town of Zhor.
Dogen and Dhyana are blocked by vehicles driven by nomads commanded by Baal, who sprays Dogen with the green liquid, paralyzing him. Dhyana drives them off and cares for Dogen, who in the dream world finds Syn and Baal looming over him. Syn fails to pull Dogen away from Dhyana: their will is too strong. Dogen awakes, but Dhyana is suddenly teleported away. A summoned monster appears in her place and fires electric bolts at him. Dhyana simultaneously faces Syn in his lair. Dogen shorts-out the creature, and it vanishes.
Dogen arrives in Zhor and finds Rhodes, a washed-up soldier, in a bar. Rhodes denies the lost city's existence and refuses to get involved. Dogen leaves and comes upon a group of miners beating a captured nomad soldier. Dogen assists him, and the miners turn hostile. Dogen is out-gunned until Rhodes helps him defeat the miners.
Rhodes reluctantly agrees to help Dogen. Deep into Cyclopian territory, Dogen locates a large statue with a single eye and finds the crystal mask. Suddenly attacked by snake-like creatures, they escape, until they are accosted by a group of nomad warriors. Their leader, Hurok, grabs the mask from Dogen and accuses them of trespassing – a capital crime. Rhodes cites nomad law that a warrior can fight for his freedom, so Dogen duels Hurok. When Dogen spares his life, Hurok accepts Dogen as a friend and frees him.
Syn takes Dhyana before a massive crystal and forces her to touch it. Syn says the crystal is powered by captured souls, including that of her father. Dhyana, disgusted, says her warrior will come for her. Elsewhere, Dogen and Rhodes assault Baal's encampment, and a chase ensues. After evading them, Dogen wears the mask and finds himself in the dream world with a burning tree. In his hand he finds an axe and hacks into the tree. The tree moans like the crystal in Syn's camp and trickles a stream of blood. Dogen removes the mask and returns to Rhodes. Baal suddenly attacks, extending his robotic arm to spray Dogen, but Rhodes pushes him out of the way and is knocked out. Dogen, struggling with Baal, rips the robotic limb from his shoulder. Baal flees, and Dogen tracks the green fluid to Syn's camp. He sees the nomads gathered around Syn, and Hurok greets him.
Syn denounces Dogen as an enemy, but Dogen says he has only come for Syn. Hurok refuses to kill Dogen and demands that he be allowed to speak. Dogen says Syn is a liar who wants to enslave them. When the crowd turns hostile to Syn, he activates the crystal, which stuns the crowd. Syn fires blasts at Dogen, but he deflects them with the mask. Baal grabs the mask and it shatters on the ground. Hurok kills Baal, and Syn teleports away. Dogen jumps onto a skybike and chases Syn into the desert, but Syn escapes through an energy portal.
Dogen returns to the nomad camp, finding Dhyana safe with Hurok. Dogen promises to fight Syn if he returns and destroys Syn's soul crystal. Dogen and Dhyana leave the camp on foot but soon encounter Rhodes in Dogen's truck. He picks them up and takes them into town.
Cast
Jeffrey Byron as Dogen
Michael Preston as Jared-Syn
Tim Thomerson as Rhodes
Kelly Preston as Dhyana
Richard Moll as Hurok
R. David Smith as Baal
Larry Pennel as Aix
Marty Zagon as Zax
Mickey Fox as Annie "Poker Annie"
Annabelle Larsen as Siren
Winston Jones as Chimera
William Jones as Baal's Lieutenant
Production
Producer Charles Band and Alan J. Adler initially only sought to produce another 3D film on the level of their previous film Parasite, but as they began assembling the crew and discussing concepts this led to an increase in the scope and budget with both Band and Adler working for deferred pay instead of upfront salaries. Band and Adler described the film as Western of the "Cowboys and Indians" variety with Adler incorporating a large amount of Native American mythology. Adler further incorporating elements from the legend of Atlantis in the hopes he could develop those elements in a potential sequel for a planned trilogy. Plans for a trilogy were cancelled as although grosses saw a modest return on investment, they were deemed insignificant to justify further films.
Filming
Principal photography began in February 1982 for a period of seven weeks in Simi Valley, California and Vasquez Rocks. Mac Ahlberg who had shot Parasite returned to shoot Metalstorm.
Home media
Universal released the DVD of the movie on August 3, 2010. On the DVD, the opening credit sequence is presented in the 2.35:1 "widescreen" aspect ratio, the original format for the entire 3D film, but after the credits the rest of the film is presented 1.33:1 "pan & scan" transfer for television. The cover of the DVD also features more simplistic-looking artwork rather than the original theatrical poster. Shout! Factory released the film on 2D and 3D Blu-ray on September 13, 2016, under their horror/science fiction/cult label Scream Factory.