{{about||the anthology of science fiction short works|Future War (anthology)|the literary genre sometimes called "future war"|invasion literature}} {{More citations needed|date=July 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Future War | image = Future War (1997 film) VHS cover.jpg

| caption = VHS cover | director = Anthony Doublin | producer = Dave Eddy<br>Tim Ubels | story = David Huey<br>Dom Magwili | screenplay = Dom Magwili | narrator = Travis Brooks Stewart | starring = Daniel Bernhardt<br>Travis Brooks Stewart<br>Robert Z'Dar<br>Mel Novak | music = Arlan H. Boll | cinematography = Cory Geryak<br>Ed Tillman | editing = Dave Eddy | distributor = Screen Pix Home Video | released = {{Film date|1997|01|28}} | runtime = 90 minutes | country = United States | language = English }}

'''''Future War''''' is a 1997 American direct-to-video science fiction film about an escaped human slave fleeing his cyborg masters and seeking refuge on Earth. It was lampooned in a 1999 episode of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''.

==Plot== A spaceship is undergoing a revolt. A man enters and activates an escape pod, which travels to Earth and crashes into the Pacific Ocean. The pod contains "the Runaway", a human slave played by Daniel Bernhardt. He is being pursued by cyborg slavers and dinosaurs that they use as "trackers". Since he was kidnapped some time from Earth's past, the Runaway is familiar with the English language and the King James Bible, and he regards Earth as a literal heaven.

The Runaway finds refuge in Los Angeles with novice nun Sister Ann (Travis Brooks Stewart), whose past involved dealing drugs and prostitution. Together, they fight the dinosaurs and their robotic masters, seeking help from a street gang. ''Future War'' features star Daniel Bernhardt's kickboxing skills in several fight sequences, including against the Cyborg Master (Robert Z'Dar).

After being arrested as a suspect in a rash of deaths due to strange animal attacks, the Runaway is interrogated by federal agents. They present to him a dinosaur collar found on the beach. The Cyborg Master breaks into the police station during the interrogation and the Runaway manages to escape in the confusion. He returns to Sister Ann and her gang friends with a plan to attack the dinosaurs where they live, as Runaway simply explains, "Near water...".

Using dynamite, the Runaway successfully destroys a water treatment plant, killing the dinosaurs. Later, though, the surviving Cyborg Master attacks the Runaway while he watches Sister Ann make her final vows to become a nun. After the Runaway finally kills the Cyborg Master, he becomes a counselor for runaway teens, working closely with Sister Ann.

==Cast== * Daniel Bernhardt as the Runaway * Travis Brooks Stewart as Sister Ann * Robert Z’Dar as Cyborg Master * Mel Novak as SWAT Leader * Forrest J Ackerman as Park Victim * Solly Assa as Cyborg Dominic

==Release history== ''Future War'' was released directly to home video on January 28, 1997, by Screen Pix Home Video.

It was later released on DVD in 2002 by EVG Digital Entertainment. This release contained no bonus materials. Despite the film itself being unrated, the Film Advisory Board rated this DVD EM or "Extremely Mature"<ref>F.A.B. rating in lower left corner of DVD case.</ref> (the equivalent of an R rating from the MPAA).

It was released on DVD again on May 4, 2004, by Trinity Home Entertainment, also with no bonus materials.

The film was also released on DVD as part of the ''Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition'' DVD set released by Shout! Factory on October 8, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shoutfactory.com/press/302/mystery_science_theater_3000__20th_anniversary_ed.aspx |title=Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition: 10/28/2008 |publisher=shoutfactory.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090402043807/http://www.shoutfactory.com/press/302/mystery_science_theater_3000__20th_anniversary_ed.aspx |archivedate=2009-04-02 }}</ref>

==Legacy== In 2015, the film was featured on an episode of Red Letter Media's ''Best of the Worst'', together with ''The Jar'' and ''White Fire''. The film was positively received by the hosts, who named it as the episode's "Best of the Worst".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://redlettermedia.com/best-of-the-worst-future-war-the-jar-and-white-fire/|title=Best of the Worst: Future War, The Jar, and White Fire|publisher=Red Letter Media|date=2015-09-24|accessdate=2020-05-27}}</ref>

===''Mystery Science Theater 3000''=== ''Future War'' was riffed in episode #1004 of comedy television series ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'', which first aired on the Sci-Fi Channel on April 25, 1999.<ref name="mst3k">{{cite web|url=https://www.mst3kinfo.com/?p=5034|title=Episode guide: 904- Werewolf|access-date=October 22, 2025}}</ref> Writer/performer Mary Jo Pehl refers to star Daniel Berkhardt as "a B-squad Jean-Claude Van Damme" and mocks the blandness of the character of Sister Anne. She also calls the scene in which a cameraman uses a fake video camera made out of cardboard "heartbreaking".<ref>[http://www.mst3kinfo.com/aceg/9/901/ep901.html Episode 901- The Projected Man.] Satellite News. The Amazing Colossal Transplanted Sci-Fi Channel Episode Guide. Retrieved 2025-10-18.</ref>

''Paste'' writer Jim Vorel places the episode in the series' top 10, ranking it number nine out of 191 ''MST3K'' episodes from the 12 twelve seasons. "The laughs never slow down for a moment," Vorel writes, with Mike and the 'bots mocking "the absurdity of the premise" and "the hilariously slapdash production values."<ref>[https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/03/ranking-every-mst3k-episode-from-worst-to-best.html?a=1 Ranking Every MST3K Episode, From Worst to Best.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025132132/https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2017/03/ranking-every-mst3k-episode-from-worst-to-best.html?a=1 |date=25 October 2017 }} Vorel, Jim. Paste Magazine. 13 April 2017. Retrieved on 2025-10-22.</ref>

Shout! Factory released the episode on November 18, 2008, as part of the ''MST3K'': 20th Anniversary Edition DVD set. The set also included three other episodes: ''First Spaceship On Venus'' (episode 211), ''Laserblast'' (episode 706), and ''Werewolf'' (episode 904).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://shoutfactory.com/products/mst3k-20th-anniversary-edition-standard-edition|title=MST3K: 20th Anniversary Edition [Standard Edition]|access-date=October 22, 2025|publisher=Shout Factory}}</ref>

==See also== * List of films featuring dinosaurs

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=0113135}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|id=future_war}}

===''Mystery Science Theater 3000''=== * {{IMDb title|id=0762888|title="Mystery Science Theater 3000" Future War (TV episode 1999)}} * [http://www.mst3kinfo.com/?p=5819 Episode guide: 1004- Future War]

Category:1997 films Category:1997 independent films Category:1997 science fiction action films Category:American independent films Category:American science fiction action films Category:Films about cyborgs Category:Films about dinosaurs Category:1997 English-language films Category:Films set in Los Angeles Category:Films shot in Los Angeles Category:Direct-to-video science fiction films Category:1990s films about time travel Category:1997 directorial debut films Category:1997 American films Category:1997 science fiction films Category:English-language science fiction action films Category:English-language independent films