Universal Soldier: Regenerationis a rare sequel that far outstrips the original. A small terrorist group seizes the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, threatening to release a toxic cloud. A military squad is sent in--and decimated by a new and more lethal "UniSol" (played by former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski). Desperate, the American military forces the decommissioned UniSol Luc Devereaux (Jean-Claude Van Damme) to revert back to a killing machine--even though the consequences to his damaged psyche could be severe… and dangerous. But the standard plot isn't what makesUniversal Soldier: Regenerationso much better than its predecessors (incidentally, you don't need to see the earlier films to enjoy this one). The movie looks better (thanks in large part to superb cinematography by Peter Hyams, who directed Van Damme inTimecop); the script is skillfully written, with well-drawn characters and dialogue that actually sounds like human beings speaking; and the fighting, rather than being absurdly spectacular, is gritty and brutal--director John Hyams (Peter's son) has made documentaries about mixed martial arts fighters and clearly understands that real combat isn't about backflips and whirling kicks but vicious hitting. Van Damme has always had an odd vulnerability; he's a soulful action hero, and this sense of inner sadness lends a strange gravity to the stakes. Dolph Lundgren, who also repeats his previous role as a malevolent UniSol, gives a brief but unnerving performance.Universal Soldier: Regenerationis a gripping action thriller that sneaks in moral ambiguity and stealthy questions about free will--all in all, an unexpected and welcome pleasure.--Bret Fetzer