Tonight is All Elite Wrestling’s Double or Nothing PPV. One of the wrestlers on the show is Chris Jericho (WCW, WWE, AEW). Chris has been in a few movies throughout his career so far including , Albino Farm (2009), MacGruber (2010), and Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015). Chris had a small uncredited role in Immortal Combat (1994) according to my research but I have yet to watch it despite owning it on VHS. Android Apocalypse is Jericho’s first credited role.
Android Apocalypse is a made for TV movie produced for the Sci-Fi Channel. It is a post-apocalyptic film set in a desolated Phoenix, AZ. Phoenix is the home of one of the last domed cities. The area outside of Phoenix is plagued by malignant robot probes that try to kill anything they find in the wasteland. It centers on an android designated as Dee Cee, played by Joey Lawrence (Blossom, Brotherly Love).
Dee Cee is part of a task force that is sent into the wasteland to retrieve a child who was exploring outside the city limits. He along with the android TeeDee (Chris Jericho) and another android rescue the child. Back in the city Jute played by Scott Bairstow (Wild America, The Postman) is replaced by androids at his work place and heads to the bar.
Jute goes to the bar and meets up with some friends.The bar is hosting a do you think you’re tough fighting tourney. Tee Dee is fighting there and Jute goes to fight him because he is mad that he lost his job to an android. Androids are not supposed to be able to fight but this one can. The cops show up and Jute runs away.
Jute and his buddy encounter Tee Dee while outside drinking and they get into a fight with him again. This time however, Jute kills the droid. Upon returning to his home he is arrested. The rest of the film deals with Jute and DeeCee in the desert when their transport is attacked by probes then with DeeCee being reprogrammed and Jute being enslaved at the prison settlement Terminus.
The budding friendship between DeeCee and Jute is fun to watch and feels genuine. Jute goes from absolutely hating androids to understanding that they aren’t as useless as he has been lead to believe. They are forced to work as a team if they wish to survive.
I was really bummed that Chris Jericho was in this film for a small fraction of its run time. Chris does a fine job as TeeDee and although overall the androids are just people doing monotone voices and jerky robot movements, it works. Joey is especially good as DeeCee and Scott puts in a great performance in what would be his last film to date. Chris gets to show off some of his physical abilities in the tough tournament and his fights.
I really enjoyed this movie and think it is much more entertaining then the recent slew of SYFY’s TV movie offerings, it’s also really well done. If you are a fan of post apocalyptic movies, it is definitely worth a watch. It’s just an added bonus that I got to see Jericho act like a robot that kicks ass. My only complaint is that I’d like more of Chris Jericho in the film. Give this one a watch for sure if you miss the Sci-Fi Channel and it’s older made for TV films.
Wrestling With Film 