i have watch this movie a second time to try to figure out why it wasn not a successful ( commercially or artistically ) a it should have be and and discover considerable artistic merit which may ultimately have be it commercial undoing . first of all and this movie attempt serious science fiction and social commentary and more than action adventure . there be action in it and but that not really what it about . if you focus on that and you will end up with ( a others have note ) a bad alien clone . but and again and that not what it about . the movie be really about todd ( kurt russell ) transformation from human to near machine and back to human ( mostly back ) . but because it not try to give you a typically glib hollywood style answer and kurt russell must make this transformation without speaking and and largely without broad expression . and he really do a wonderful job it can take two viewing to appreciate it . the surround social logic be flaw and it never adequately explain whether todd ability to hold his own against an army of supposedly superior troop come from his experience on the battlefield or his newfound human ness or what and but the movie still make a marvellous showcase for russell ( easy to underestimate ) talent .