Continuing our series on Hollywood classics filmed in Croatia, we look to a motion picture that cannot really be dubbed a classic in full seriousness, but does have two great stars tied to its name
In the latest feature in our film series, we paid some love to Her Majesty Meryl Streep. This time around, we’re doing a one-degree-of-separation maneuvre: Pierce Brosnan, Streep’s co-star in the sequel to Mamma Mia that was recently filmed on Vis island, shot his first scenes in Croatia back in 1992. Not only that, he was also joined by another favourite of sci-fi fans worldwide – Sir Patrick Stewart, a.k.a. Star Trek’s Captain Picard.
Brosnan and Stewart headed the cast of an action flick titled Detonator, also known as Death Train, that was filmed in Croatia and Slovenia. Here’s a quick rundown of the plot: a train departing from Bremen in Germany gets hijacked by a group of armed mercenaries whose leader, upon contacting the authorities, reveals they have a nuclear weapon on board and demands for the train to be given the way to Iraq via Turkey. The authorities alarm the United Nations Anti-Crime Organisation in turn; head of UNACO Malcolm Philpott (Stewart) appoints a field operative Mike Graham (Brosnan) to lead the team which has to stop the train and disarm the bomb.
Taking into account the release date, both of those classy titles and the entertaining trainwreck of a plot (pun intended), I think it’s obvious we’re not exactly talking about an Academy Award winner. Detonator is one of those movies you’ll stumble upon by flicking through the channels at an ungodly hour of the night; its fast pace and a certain feeling of suspense will grab your attention and you’ll decide to keep watching, if for no other reason, then just to see whether young Brosnan will succeed in his mission of stopping the train from setting a nuclear disaster in motion. (Spoiler: I mean…. one doesn’t really need to be an action thriller connoisseur to figure this one out.)
Even though the film probably never made any Top-10 lists, it’s still fun to watch – to be quite honest, no one hits play on such action flicks expecting anything other than to indulge in some light-hearted entertainment. All things considered, it serves its purpose, and it’s always fun to be reminded of Brosnan before the James Bond fame.
Oh man.
Can’t say the same about Patrick Stewart – that man simply doesn’t age:
The last 6 years didn’t touch him either. / Starpulse
Let’s round up this feature with a clip from Jay Leno’s Tonight Show featuring Captain Picard sharing a memorable experience he had in a Croatian restaurant – has a finer salad ever been served in a Croatian restaurant?
