A 1993 action film spent two decades hidden from American audiences in its original form.
In short: Directed by Vic Armstrong and starring Dolph Lundgren, the film Joshua Tree faced a bizarre distribution history. Retitled Army of One to avoid confusion with a U2 album, it remained unavailable in its original aspect ratio in the United States for nearly twenty years until a 2013 Blu-ray release.
The film follows Wellman Anthony Santee, a former race car driver turned criminal who becomes a fugitive after being framed for the murder of a highway patrol officer. Santee’s journey is defined by a desperate search for justice following the death of his friend, Eddie Turner. As he evades corrupt police officers Frank Severance and Jack Rudisill, who are revealed to be the leaders of a car smuggling ring, Santee finds an unlikely ally in Rita Marrick, a police officer who initially abducts him but later discovers evidence of his innocence.
Joshua Tree is noted for its heavy reliance on cinematic homage, drawing clear inspiration from the works of Sam Peckinpah, John Woo, and Raoul Walsh. Director Vic Armstrong even apologized to John Woo for borrowing stylistic elements, to which Woo reportedly replied that he had been stealing Armstrong’s ideas for years. The production utilized iconic locations such as the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, California, mirroring the setting of the 1941 classic High Sierra, which the protagonist watches during the film.
The film’s history is marked by significant editorial interference and regional variations. The 1994 UK VHS release was heavily censored, removing almost all graphic violence and resulting in jarring continuity errors. Meanwhile, the French DVD release was shortened by two minutes, likely due to a master intended for television broadcast. Furthermore, the film underwent a reshoot of its climax, leading to two distinct endings that offer different resolutions to Santee’s confrontation with the corrupt officers. Despite these production hurdles, the film has maintained a reputation among action aficionados for its energetic stunt work and dramatic intensity.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Joshua Tree (1993 film)
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