User reviews

Pyun's ambitious effort is well-made but extremely lacking in plot and character development. Essentially, it is a half-baked post-apocalyptic comedy about two Hardy Boys-esquire young guys (John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff) who see the world for the first time. They run into various zombies, 80s bondage/biker chicks, a genuinely creepy butcher, and several other zany and morally ambiguous characters as they search for their father.

Like a lot of Pyun's films, it doesn't take any effort to level the ground for the audience. It has flashy ideas and camera maneuvers and some decent action, but it was hard to understand what was going on. Or maybe it was hard to understand that the movie WAS going on without any real plot lying underneath its surface. By the end I was giving up on it because there was no interesting conclusions or character accomplishments. If it were trippier and filled with more complex weirdness it could have been more watchable, but it still needed better characters and more fun.

There is a dance number at the end that is pretty amazing though . . .

The movie itself is not particularly good. B-movie-esque with a few laughs, and the otherwise simple plot is told in a rather incomprehensible and messy way. The acting is pretty bad and the cutting almost hilarious. There are definitely many better movies to watch before this one, unless you have a thing for 80s kitsch (I do).

The movie does however shine in one particular area; the soundtrack. I have watched (or listened to) the first 3 minutes on repeat for a good while already. Hard-punching 80s synth wave / new wave epicness bathed in reverb - I love it!

I have been a sort-of fan of this film for a long time, as it was an attempt (no matter how misdirected) to like two of my favorite genres of film. This is a strange movie, but about as good as it could have been, given the budget. However, I must warn any potential viewers that you MUST be prepared to suspend a significant amount of disbelief...

The ultimate problem is that it cannot seem to decide if it is a comedy, or more serious film. It begins with sort of a comedic premise, it works well as a strange sort of slapstick comedy (with Michael 'American Ninja' Dudikoff turning a surprisingly good performance). It is two kids who were locked in a fall-out shelter by their 'fathers' the day of the nuclear war. All they are left with is pulp detective books and so they model themselves on the characters therein. They then enter the world after the bomb and thier innocence is confronted by a series of unpleasant challenges and betrayals (some that are surprisingly un-funny, but not bad). They then become 'real' film noir style, jaded anti-heroes and confront the baddies.

Then the film ends in a dance number...

OK, it's wierd, but I honestly believe that anyone who has an appreciation for strange film will really enjoy this movie. It is cute and kind of innocent and relatively entertaining. It is worth at least a watch.

As a young buck I was an extra in this film in LA. There were so many extras and no real coordination, we didn't know when the camera was rolling and when it wasn't. Shooting seemed to go on forever without a break, so when you got tired you just walked off the set and went home.

We knew when making it that it would go direct to video. It was actually released, and played at my local theater for about two days before it was yanked. I had never before seen a movie taken out of the theater that quickly.

I'm still looking for the video just for nostalgia. I'm glad there are some people out there who can enjoy for something.

This fulfills the criterias to be a cult classic, something to love OR hate for everyone. I belong to the first category: 2 kids growing up in a nuke shelter with a large collection of detective novels deciding to be the post apocalyptic worlds first dicks, The Atomic Dicks! Fastpaced wachy post apocalyptic tong-in-the-cheek comedy. Irresistible. B-movie queen Lisa Blount pops up in this weird mix and singer Sue Saad gives a few nice songs like the excellent title song "Radioactive Dreams", the soundtrack certainly deserves to be released. Great acting, excellent photography and score. It is very low budgeted, but every last penny is up there on the screen and stretched well beyond its limit, just as it was the case with director Albert Pyun's "The Sword And the Sorcerer". This movie stands up to repeated viewing. 7/10

You will either love this film or wish you hadn't started it.

I loved it, can't help it.

A great post-nuclear-tribe-based world with no rhyme or reason to it. But who cares. Absolute ridiculous. Totally 80s

Lisa Blount is amazing in her pseudo "V" post apocalyptic costume, a must for her fans (which is how I ended up seeing this). Dudikoff is (somehow) hilarious. Albert Pyun juggles the mish-mash of film genres, whether comedy, action, pop video, or detective noir (little bit tongue in cheek with that last one), and keeps the film together going even at its sloppiest.

Escape From New York meets The Warriors meets John Hughes meets Buckaroo Banzai meets Blade Runner meets low budget meets classic 80s DTV.

I purchased this as an old rental VHS tape from an Amazon third party vendor, hoping that it would be a gem in the rough. More rough than gem, that's for sure. The two leads provide breathtakingly awful acting. There's enough molasses-slow pacing here to make one those lethargic 50's era B-movies seem like an amphetamine commercial directed by Tony Scott. Of course that's only when new-wave punk 80's band members aren't blowing each other across the screen. Blowing up. I meant to say blowing each other up.

If you are a cult film fan, then all the pain you have to endure with a movie like this is just part of the fun. For the rest of us... well, bring one of those bags the airlines keep in the back of every seat. You'll need it for scenes with lines such as, "...that was our first encounter with disco mutants. I was sure it wouldn't be our last."

I would only recommend this if you and your friends get high every day and enjoy watching popcorn pop. Just don't take anything too strange or you may end up gnawing off your own hand.

I don't know what happened to Albert Pyun between this movie and Cyborg, but I like *this* Albert Pyun. This one made a post-apocalyptic/film-noir/comedy/adventure. (The closest comparison I have is Circuitry Man minus the romance and robots. Does that help clear things up? Probably not.) Featuring wanna-be 40s detectives, 50s greasers, 60s cannibal hippies, sociopathic 70s disco kiddies, and 80s slam-dancin' punks. Michael Dudikoff, playing the Jerry Lewis-style comic relief. Sue Saad, as a Pat Benatar for the Rocky Horror crowd. George Kennedy as the b-movie, small-role-character-actor king of kings. Giant rats. Giant rats! Only near the end, in an overlong, mostly slo-mo shootout climax, did I get hints of the Pyun of Cyborg. But all is well with a swing-dance finale! I... I really liked this movie.

Radioactive Dreams is comparable to both 'My Science Project' and 'City Limits,' two dirt-budget science fiction films with great ideas and a decent cast unfortunately trampled by a nickle-shooting budget. Ironically, they all starred or co-starred John Stockwell.

Granted, Radioactive Dreams, was at least an interesting plot (which is the only reason I gave it a 2-star rating). Two idyllic young men not coincidentally named Phillip and Marlowe (Stockwell and Dudikoff) abandoned by their fathers grow up in a bomb shelter following the nuclear destruction of their planet, decide it's time to leave the shelter and live out their 1950s comic-book inspired fantasy of being two of the greatest private detectives (which of course, lends to a running gag). Only, when they get outside, their idealism is quickly floundered when their chivalrous assistance of a young girl chased by nuclear mutants inadvertently leads to dangerous and disastrous flirtations with the 'darkside.' The girl, as it turns out, leaves them custody of a pair of highly-sought keys that control a nuclear missile (ironically) and thus, like Sam and Frodo in Lord of the Rings, they've got to keep these keys from getting in the wrong hands. And that sure ain't easy.

Unfortunately, for the most part, the execution is crap. It involves a lot of warehouse footage, bad acting (especially an abundance of girlish screams from Dudikoff), cheap effects, a sappy ending involving a little-expected parental reunion, and a longer-than-necessary finale. The mid-80s atmosphere could have provided all the necessary spunk and attitude that would have provided the perfect touch to a unique story as this (Phillip and Marlowe are not the only ones trapped in a cultural generation of their own...I particularly love the deadly disco kids a penchant for cursing), but once again, a scrap shooting budget posed lots of limitations not to mention.

Worth it a shot at least for the story, but otherwise, it's about the same muddle film as City Limits (though certainly not as bad). Of the three films mentioned, however, I would recommend watching 'My Science Project,' instead.

Having only been previously exposed to Albert Pyun's 90s-era direct-to-video low-budget action garbage, I picked up "Radioactive Dream" expecting a futuristic crapfest like "Nemesis" or "Omega Doom". I was surprised to discover this movie is not only original, but extremely funny and entertaining.

Michael Dudikoff (in an effectively humorous role the same year he kicked off his B-action career with "American Ninja") and John Stockwell ("Christine", "My Science Project", and now a director of motion pictures) play Marlowe Chandler and Phillip Hammer - a couple of real dicks! Having been raised on 50s pulp detective novels (hence their names) while confined to an underground bomb shelter, they emerge 15 years after a nuclear war has turned the world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland. All these guys want is dames and to become the world's biggest private dicks. The first person they meet is a revolutionary rebel by the name of Miles Archer (Lisa Blount, who I also remember from another of my favorite guilty-pleasure 80s flicks, "Nightflyers", as well as "Blind Fury" and "Prince of Darkness"). Purely by accident, our two heroes end up in possession of the two keys that can launch the last nuclear missile in existence, and when this fact is discovered after they reach the last outpost of civilization - Edge City - they find themselves on the run from every mutant gang in town.

This movie's pluses include a colorful variety of characters, many based on specific stereotypes from different eras (pulp detectives, disco mutants, greasers) as well as cannibals and giant rats; general goofiness in both the action sequences and the heroes' trying to get acquainted to the changed world; a most excellent 80s soundtrack; and George Kennedy to boot. As expected, the movie is a comedic satire for most of the first hour, but then suddenly turns serious in the last 20 minutes. But this movie does end with the coolest two-man song and dance number ever.

In short, don't let the Pyun credit fool you. "Radioactive Dreams" is a good rental for those who wish to see something completely different. (Especially suggest a double billing of this with "Six-String Samurai") 7/10

His name is Albert Pyun and his movies are crap. The ideas for his movies sound cool in a B movie way, but they never deliver. Captain America, Cyborg, Mean Guns, Adrenalin, Brain Smasher, Dangerously Close, and Radioactive Dreams have all caused me pain more than any other director. I have not seen any Ed Wood movies, but I imagine that they will be similar. Radioactive Dreams is relentlessly annoying. If you thought that the word Focker was used too many times in Meet The Parents, wait until Marlowe repeats "we are slick dicks!" for the tenth time. I have always hated the use of period slang and this movie uses 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's slang in it's horde of cliched characters from four decades. Notice that movies that used a lot of slang that were made during these decades are now either unintentionally funny or unbelievably inferior. There was a hope in me during the movie that Michael Dudikoff would die a horrible death. He is honestly that annoying. John Stockwell appears to have no spine in both this and Dangerously Close. His voice is whinny. No matter what I say, you will see it if you want to, but I can not imagine an intelligent person that would consider this a good movie.

I can enjoy a good B-class movie. I'm definitely not a cinema snob. However there's an entertaining trash and just bad trash. This movie falls into the second category , despite it tries hard to be original , funny and possibly a cult movie.

Albert Pyun is one of the worst filmmakers EVER. Watch (or better don't watch , just believe my words) "Radioactive dreams" and you will know what I mean. It's an ambitious effort , but made so badly it makes you want to commit suicide.

This is a half-baked post-apocalyptic comedy that mixes "Mad Max" with noir movies and comic books. It's extremely lacking in plot and character development. It's hard to understand what's going on. There are some ideas here (midgets , bikers , dance sequences ) that might have worked in skilled hands , but it's not the case here. There are some zany and colorful characters , but none of them is particularly likable or interesting. There are some plot holes and the humor is simply unfunny. The final is too long.

This movie has production values so low , that it's depressing. The effects are cheap. The pacing is bad and the movie is rather dull. Worse , it takes itself too seriously at times ! The action scenes are poor. The dialogues are annoying.

On the plus side the acting is surprisingly decent , especially from John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff. Songs are kinda nice.

Don't trust the decent rating. It's an Albert Pyun movie ! Run for your life. ! Save your precious time and good health ! I give it 1/10.

I've been hurt by movies before. Supernova, Ninth Gate,...Meet the Feebles pushed me down ten flights of stairs and then savagely kicked me in the groin. But all this pales before Radioactive Dreams. Where to begin...where to vent the HATE. The concept of this...for lack of a better word, Film is the story of two guys raised in a bomb shelter after being kidnapped by bank robbers Fat Guy from Cool Hand Luke, and Other Guy not in Cool Hand Luke. The kids are raised on detective novels and blah blah blah. If you're gonna try and do a take off on Film Noir, try and learn what Film Noir is. Don't just watch Guys and Dolls, sniff paint fumes, and decide to make a movie.

So these guys run around...and...ARRGHHHH...pains me...to...remember this film...must...struggle on...must warn society...The story isn't the only thing holding this flick back...it's a technical nightmare. Often times the camera is filming NOTHING...for several minutes, apparently while the director lights up another Doob and the cast and crew are flogging themselves for their involvement in this wretched wretched film. I was actually screaming out loud as this film dragged on. Like a traffic accident, I found I couldn't just turn away...as I was in the middle of it with a steering column through my chest. (author pauses for muted sobbing)

Fortunately, this movie is NOT available for sale on either video or DVD. However, much to my horror, I have seen it in several local video stores, and I can only assume this atrocity is repeated elsewhere in our fine nation. Do NOT watch this movie, do not ASSOCIATE with people who recommend this movie for anything other than to induce vomiting. It's bad, it'll hurt you. I know. Peace.

John Stockwell and Michael Dudikoff star as two private dicks who emerge from a fallout shelter in the future after the bomb has dropped, once there we witness our two heroes fight mutants, midgets, cannibal hippies and a terrorist group, they've also grown up on 50's style literature and music so their whole "Gee whiz" attitude contradicts the mean world outside. Radioactive Dreams starts out on a promising note. The beginning which finds George Kennedy and Don Murray grabbing two kids and putting them in a fallout shelter while black and white footage of the atom bomb dropping is admittedly a stylish start. Unfortunately all of this goes sour when the premise kicks in and we witness Stockwell and Dudikoff adjust to the overblown horizons. Everything is over the top, things are somewhat pretentious (especially when Stockwell narrates) and worst of all everything is boring. Michael Dudikoff who would become a B.movie level star after American Ninja, really grates the nerves as his over the top shrieking never approaches the funny but always is annoying. Indeed you pick any Dudikoff movie on the video shelf and chances are you will not find a performance of his that reaches this level of bad. Stockwell is also very bad, but he's a veteran of terrible movies and his presence always guarantees badness. (See City Limits, which is even worse than this) Also there is no action which is the only way one can handle such a movie premise, after all it's about two sleuths who save the world, give us some action! Sadly Pyun treats this as a drama and induces slumber on the audience forced to witness this travesty.So what you have is Dudikoff's worst performance, Stockwell in his comfort zone and George Kennedy at his most embarrassed. The ending is somewhat diverting but once again this is a movie that has a great first act and nothing but sheer boredom after. The movie is somewhat bizarre but really this is strictly for die hard Dudikoff fans, who've watched American Ninja 4 too many times. While my advice to Dudikoff's most curious fans,is to stick with Avenging Force, American Ninja, The Silencer and American Ninja 2 after all those at least offer action.

* out of 4-(Bad)

The only thing I really liked about this movie is Michael Dudikoff. This was his first (and, until about BOUNTY HUNTERS nearly eleven years later, only) turn at comedy, and he proved he definitely has what it takes play a comedic role. He and John Stockwell play two teens who have grown to maturity inside a bomb shelter with nothing but Philip Marlowe novels, and when they finally set foot out into the post-nuke future, encounter everything from a mysterious woman to some really ugly creatures. I really had no idea what was happening in this movie. I just liked watching Dudikoff do comedy for a change (his teenage girl-like reaction to discovering that a giant creature hanging from the ceiling is alive is hysterical) and show off some cool dance moves at the end. Of interest to only Dudikoff fans, and even they might be disappointed outside of him.

I bought Radioactive dreams because of Micheal Dudikof. I have liked American Ninja since I was a child and I wanted to see the lead actor in another role. In RD, Dudikof plays a Fool, bottom line. I was a little irritated by the annoying 80s music and singing, but I enjoyed being able to look back at the 80s art of B level crap. You don't see things like this anymore, this is unmistakable 80s and think that it is not a good movie, but a lot of movies aren't good movies. it is as many people say, if you go into it with the right mindset, a movie such as this can actually be entertaining. Basically, Two brothers are locked in a bomb shelter all their lives because a nuclear explosion occurred. The two brothers finally come outside into the world as teens / young men. What the want is to get with women but then they find themselves on a mission to save the world. There are many characters in this film, not great characters, but unique, one such as a gang of scary mutant biker chicks.

Gosh golly, Marlowe, i surely do love this film. All right, so it's another tidbit of trashy 80s post-apocalyptic fluff, but it's really the cream of the crop and has a great soundtrack, fun sets and costumes, tongue-in-cheek writing and acting, cannibalism, swing dancing, love, innocence, mayhem, violence, and plenty of silly 50s references... Philip and Marlowe (ha, ha) leave the bomb shelter after basically their whole entire lives, and emerge into a radioactive wasteland, to search for their fathers. This ranks right up there with "Rockula," "Bill and Ted," and "Pretty in Pink" as the cutest 80s kitsch films. Okay, so maybe i'm a little hung up on Raymond Chandler and Humphrey Bogart and that whole genre, so i enjoyed this a little more than someone who didn't grow up in the 80s and who never saw "The Big Sleep" more than 20 times. But i still recommend this as rollicking fun for everyone who loves mutant new wave girlies on motorcycles etc.

This is that rarity amongst post-apocalyptic cinema - a film that dares to show people trying to enjoy life in the ruins of civilization. Although it's eighties heritage shows through in an overzealous use of neon, tacky dance-rock and the frankly dodgy nightclub scenes, any film that can combine a nuclear war with disco has to be applauded.

Our heroes emerge after a childhood in a bomb shelter. Their only guide to the 'real' world has been the work of crime writers such as Raymond Chandler. Convinced, therefore, that everyone wears sharp suits, talks like a hipster and goes down after one swift punch to the jaw, they embark on their journey back to civilization.

Although the film starts by gently mocking the conventions of post-apocalyptic cinema (disco dancing midgets in white suits for instance (no, I'm not making this up!)), the bravery of the script dwindles, and about half way through it degenerates into the very generic twaddle that it sets out to mock. Still, as generic twaddle goes, it is enjoyable and entertaining, and hey, love that disco dancing...

The action unfolds in 2010, almost 15 years after the world has blown itself up, Only one missile born nuclear weapon is left, and whatever mutant survivor holds the Keys to its launch controls will have the power of ultimate obliteration. The world is threatened again!, Phillip and Marlowe – two guys trapped in a bomb shelter for more then a decade with nothing else but canned food and 1940's detective books – are the only hope. They've got the keys, they've also got the whole Punk District of Edge City after them! Life after the bomb is just one big blast! Loved the film, and great music Starring John Stockwell from "Christine" also with Michael Dudikoff from "Bachelor Party" , Michele Little From "My Demon Lover" and George Kennedy from "the Naked Gun films", All up I give it 8 out of 10

Never found on dvd so used dvd-r grt movie of the 80s kids these days prob think it's no good thou