This week’s retro trailer is for the 1987 post-apocalyptic martial arts motion flick Metal Daybreak, which stars Patrick Swayze as a wandering, sword-wielding warrior identified solely as Nomad.
Set in a desolate desert wasteland following a devastating conflict, Nomad roams the sand-blasted ruins of civilization looking for peace, however finally ends up caught in a battle between a peaceable farming settlement and a ruthless warlord who desires to manage the area’s solely water supply.
Alongside the way in which, Nomad finds redemption, romance, and a complete lot of slow-motion sword combating. Suppose Mad Max meets The Karate Child, however with a mystical swordsman twist.
What makes Metal Daybreak such a wild journey is its weird mashup of genres and aesthetics. The movie blends ‘80s motion cheese with spaghetti western vibes, samurai film influences, and an inexplicable quantity of interpretive martial arts.
Swayze, full with a gravity-defying mullet and brooding glare, brings a surprisingly zen vibe to a desert swordsman who delivers roundhouse kicks and deep philosophical quotes in equal measure.
Add in mutant scavengers, psychic monks, and a villain with a mullet almost as superb as Swayze’s, and you have got a film that’s each completely bonkers and weirdly honest.
It is a cult gem that’s so offbeat, it needs to be seen to be believed.
