"You often contemplate the complexities of life?" This is the trigger question asked of the UniSols, the super soldiers, by their attending physicians, who are basically doctors playing at being God. Of course, the headline action is that Jean-Claude Van Damme ("Luc") and Dolph Lundgren ("Andrew") return to their roles, but this time they are joined by a couple of MMA fighters, Andrei Arlovski ("NGU") and Mike Pyle ("Captain Kevin Burke.") So, yes, there's a blend of meaningful ideology behind the film, but the fight scenes are rippling with violence and explosive martial arts, which are sure to please those in need of a shoot 'em up.

A group of terrorists kidnap the Russian prime minister's children and threaten to detonate a bomb at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant if their incarcerated comrades aren't released. If that's not bad enough, an evil scientist has turned his experience with the U.S. UniSol production to turn the NGU over to the highest bidder. When things break down, as you know they will, the film becomes less political and more about Luc versus the NGU, and Andrew. And, of course, it's a battle to the... death?

UniSols are "resurrected" soldiers who were killed in combat and regenerated to battle again, regardless of pain, thought, or problems. It's still a science fiction question which overlaps with reality: When is it okay to clone? When is it right for us to mess with creation? Is it ever okay or are we treading on sacred toes here? There are ethical issues afoot here in Universal Soldier: Regeneration!

Luc and Andrew are brought back to active duty but they are not completely "wiped," a situation dealt with more extensively by Dollhouse, the television series. Andrew ends up going postal and responds negatively to the question I referenced above. He obviously has an amount of the action he was expected to perform in the past, and it troubles him, but he finds himself unable to change.

Luc, on the other hand, has the experience of a positive nurturing environment, and seems to have carried over the measure of who he was before he died. That would all lend itself to the truth that we are created in the image of God, and we all have the chance to change, but some of us can't quite accept what is handed to us. He's not perfect but he seems to engage life from a better angle, and tries to accomplish the "good" of his violent profession. Based on who he seemed intent on being, Burke seems to be headed on the same path.

So, if you're interested in a martial arts, shoot-em-up with a bit of soul on the side, go rent Universal Soldier: Regeneration. It's quite a blast... And Van Damme and Lundgren look pretty good for a bunch of old guys!