Missing in Action Double Feature - Missing in Action (1984) + Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985)

Director: Joseph Zito

Cast: Chuck Norris, M. Emmet Walsh, James Hong, Lenore Kasdorf

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 100 min

Missing in Action is a fairly solid, albeit clunky and cheap, attempt by Cannon Pictures at a Rambo picture. Famed Cannon Pictures producers, Menaham Golan and Yoram Globus, had gotten a peak at James Cameron's script for the eventual Rambo: First Blood Part II while it was floating around studios. Therefore, the two decided to film not one, but two films inspired by the script, concurrently with one another. Although Missing in Action is a blatant Rambo rip-off, it technically came out before First Blood Part II, thereby making it legally not a rip-off. Regardless, Missing in Action is the B-grade rendition of George P. Cosmatos and Sylvester Stallone's Vietnam film, with B-grade replacements such as director Joseph Zito (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter) and Chuck Norris (The Way of the Dragon). The two would eventually go on to collaborate with Invasion U.S.A., a ridiculously offensive (but awesome) film against the Russians. However, the two's xenophobic rampage against American's enemies started here with Missing in Action, a Cannon classic with a rather serious tone. While a definite far cry from First Blood Part II, Missing in Action offers up the kind of low grade action entertainment that B-movie hounds love, courtesy of Golan's low budget proceedings and Norris' grizzled beard.

The film opens with a dream sequence in which Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) remembers the horrors of the Vietnam War. When he scores the opportunity to go with a team to Vietnam in order to investigate whether or not American M.I.A.'s are still being held there, Braddock takes matters into his own hands by searching the country on his own time. He eventually teams up with Tuck (M. Emmett Walsh), an old friend of his, and sets off into the jungle to wage a one man war against the Vietnamese and rescue any Americans who may still be out there.

The first chapter in the Missing in Action saga was originally envisioned as the second chapter. After shooting two films back to back, Golan and Globus decided that their second picture offered up the action packed excitement that would ensure them box office dollars. Therefore, they turned the originally envisioned second film into the first film, and the originally envisioned first film into the eventual prequel, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning. While that strategy sounds like suicidal storytelling, the plan paid off, as Missing in Action swept up the box office, scoring $22 million off of a $1.5 million budget. It still stands as Norris' highest earning vehicle to date, as well as one of Cannon Pictures' highest earners. Both Missing in Action and Rambo: First Blood Part II's box office receipts prove that Americans were eager to bask in the fantastical revenge that the films offered.

Don't mess with the Braddock.

Braddock is a pretty solid franchise character, especially for one played by Chuck Norris. He knows how to negotiate a deal with people, has an awesome beard, and puts everything on the line simply to save a few American soldiers. Most solo 'Men on a Mission/One Man Army' films, especially the ones set in Vietnam, typically don't resonate with me because they are fairly gross and redundant. Thankfully, Missing in Action shakes up the formula a bit by incorporating some variety, as Braddock investigates as to where the U.S. soldiers are being kept while fighting off assassins in urban locations. He doesn't gun down Vietnamese soldiers in the jungle until the very end, which is essentially all First Blood Part II was.

From an action stand point, Missing in Action is exactly what you would expect from a Cannon production. The fist fights and shootouts are always entertaining, but mostly clunky and cheap in the classic Cannon mold. Although I declared the film a weak action picture due to its poor direction, I wouldn't be surprised if Zito was given the bare minimum of a budget and time to prepare the film's plentiful action sequences. After all, he is the same director who blew my mind with 1989's Red Scorpion, a highly underrated Dolph Lundgren picture that makes his Cannon work look like child's play. 

Although Missing in Action is nothing but predictable, the film surprised me by building up to an extremely dramatic and satisfying finale that could have made up for the weaker elements of the film. Unfortunately, the film ends on a freeze frame and brings all dramatic momentum to a halt. If the ending had been allowed to play out in a satisfying and pleasing manner, than Missing in Action easily could have scored another point on its rating scale. However, Cannon does what Cannon wants, and Missing in Action is nothing more than an entertaining, but rushed, take on the Rambo formula.

Rating: 5/10 - Norris' fair acting abilities and Zito's weak direction hold Missing in Action back from being as good as Rambo: First Blood Part II, the creme de la creme of the Vietnam 'One Man Army' films.

Director: Lance Hool

Cast: Chuck Norris, Soon-Tek Oh, Steven Williams, Bennett Ohta

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 95 min

Believe it or not, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, is a far superior action/thriller in every regard when stacked up against its predecessor. Although I understand why Cannon went with the first film, as it featured far more action and could guarantee box office dollars, the "prequel" is a vastly better film. Instead of being a solo "Man on a Mission/One Man Army" flick with nothing but routine action to offer, Missing in Action 2 is actually a decent prison film with memorable characters, solid action, and genuine tension. It's still as clunky as most of Cannon's efforts, but it might just be the very best B-Vietnam picture ever made, as well as one of the best examples of Norris' abilities as an actor.

It's prequel time, as Missing in Action 2 takes place in 1972 in North Vietnam. After Colonel Braddock (Chuck Norris) and several of his men attempt to rescue some American soldiers during a battle, their helicopter is shot down and the men taken prisoner. However, the men are not released after the war is declared over, as the cruel Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) decides to use them for manual labor. He also psychologically tortures them in an attempt to make Braddock himself confess to his war crimes against the Vietnamese. As with most prisoner of war stories, the Americans eventually escape and wage a war of vengeance against their captors in what makes for one of Cannon Group's most dramatically compelling films.

The Beginning is immediately better than the first film because it is a character driven prison film, and not just a senseless action picture with little attention to character or story. The prequel conjures up an immense amount of tension and suspense throughout, thereby making the eventual action all of the more satisfying and worthwhile once arrived upon. Viewers will find themselves immensely engrossed in the various prisoner characters because they will feel for their plights and hope for their escape. Confining the events of the entire film to once location was clearly a budgetary strategy, but it also makes the film far better, as it crafts a claustrophobic and tense atmosphere that makes the prequel an entirely different film altogether from its predecessor. You still get your xenophobic/jingoistic action and revenge, but it's far more satisfying and less ridiculous because of the drawn out build up to it all.

Cool Guys Don't Look at Explosions: The Beginning

The bulk of the tension in the prequel is based around Colonel Yin's pursuit to get Braddock to confess to his war crimes, which were referenced in the first film. As the film progresses, Yin religiously tortures and teases Braddock with various temptations and physical wounds. This psychological warfare between the two extends beyond politics and becomes down right personal at a point. Yin is truly a villain that you love to hate because he dominates nearly every scene of the film and stands as the ultimate tormentor to end all tormentors. However, Yin ultimately meets his match by dueling with Colonel Braddock, the most intensely American patriot you could find. If one can separate the politics from the matter, the crux of Missing in Action 2's tension makes for some great thematic conflict.

Norris is far better here in the sequel, as he shows a more vulnerable side to Braddock. He has to keep his mouth shut at times and swallow his pride. He even physically suffers, such as when he is hung upside down with a rat filled bag tied upon his head, in order to protect others. While Braddock may be far from deep, his immense loyalty to his fellow men and soldiers makes him an admirable franchise character, and one made all the manlier and more badass thanks to Norris' portrayal of the guy. The prequel also has a solid supporting cast of players who are well used throughout, a key element missing in the first film.

The action is far better this go around mainly due to the build up and tension that precedes it all. Still, that clunky Cannon execution prevents it from being nearly as affective as it could have been, such as when a British spy is executed in a close up that quickly fades to black. Missing in Action 2 also finds a way to incorporate Norris' trademark martial arts abilities into a grounded and personal final fight that ultimately makes the film far more watchable and satisfying than the first. Thanks to the film's human touch and slow build up, I would compare the prequel to Cannon's own Death Wish 2, as both films take their time in building up to the action but also have the clunky silliness of a low budget B-picture. All in all, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning is a solid action thriller that stands as one of Cannon Group's very best productions, as well as one of Norris' most enjoyable action films.

Rating: 7/10 - Due to a surprising amount of tension and suspense, Missing in Action 2 stands tall as a recommendable B-Vietnam picture.

Commando: Director's Cut (1985)

Director: Mark L. Lester

Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vernon Wells, Bill Duke, Rae Dawn Chong, Alyssa Milano

Country: United States

Rating: R

Run Time: 91 minutes

Arnold's acting career did not get off to a great start. Films like Hercules in New York did nothing but hurt the man and make him look like a fool. However, he got fortunate when he landed the role of Conan in John Milius' 1982 opus Conan the Barbarian, one of the definitive sword and sorcery films. He than followed up that film with The Terminator, his breakout hit that solidified his action stardom. However, both of those films were mature genre pictures that more or less demanded serious performances from Arnold. It wasn't until 1985's Commando when the Arnold that we know now, the fun and self aware bad ass, came into fruition thanks to an extremely tongue in cheek script by Steven E. de Souza and an excessive amount of action courtesy of Mark L. Lester.

Commando is the definitive representation of 80s action. It celebrates excessive violence, larger than life heroes, and machismo as if it were going out of style. Both Commando and Rambo: First Blood Part II helped define the 'one man army' genre picture in 1985 with their over the top portrayals of men on a mission and memorable shots of sweaty muscular bound men wielding heavy machine guns. It should be stated up front that Commando is not a great film per say, as its story is in no way engrossing and its characters in no way realistic. However, it's a damn fun film and arguably one of the most entertaining action pictures of all time. Commando is about as great as a purely entertaining popcorn picture can get without being remotely serious, thematic, or political.

Just about every shot is as manly and iconic as this.

John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a former Delta Force operator and a current single father of one, living a happy life of solitude with his daughter Jenny (Alyssa Milano). However, old skeletons from his closet come knocking on his door when his former superior warns him of numerous attacks on old members of his unit. Just after Matrix's superior leaves him, armed mercenaries storm his home and kidnap both Matrix and his daughter. Matrix soon discovers that Darius (Dan Hadeya), a former dictator of South America, and Bennett (Vernon Wells), a psychopathic former member of his unit, are behind everything.

Darius wants Matrix to murder the current dictator of South America or else he will kill his daughter Jenny. However, Matrix refuses to go along with the plan and escapes the plane that would have taken him to South America. Matrix now has 12 hours to find his daughter Jenny before the plane lands without him and alerts Darius of his failure to comply. What follows is an hour and a half of straight gun fights, fist fights, and hilarious one-liners in what is arguably Arnold's most entertaining film to date.

While some people may consider Rambo: First Blood Part II to be the ultimate 'man on a mission' film, I have always preferred Commando for its shameless violence and gratuitous level of entertainment. Commando has all of the excessive action and high body count of a mid-80s Rambo film but without all of the political subtext and controlling fingers of one Sylvester Stallone. Therefore, Commando is the perfect film to pop in for a light and entertaining watch.

Vernon Wells brings all of his Road Warrior crazy to Commando.

It's important to point out that Arnold's films have always been more successful because he trusted his directors or producers and placed himself into their hands as an actor ready to entertain while Stallone always took control of nearly every one of his projects by making himself the screenwriter, producer, or director. One look at both icons' filmographies will reveal that Stallone has always been self conscious about his image while Arnold simply seemed to have the time of his life with both the filmmakers he trusted and the films he made. Commando is nothing but a good time, and sometimes that's exactly what I demand from my entertainment. There is a time and place for the politics of Rambo, but blending political melodrama with over the top action of Rambo: First Blood Part II makes it harder to take Stallone's message seriously. First Blood? Nailed it. First Blood Part II? Not so much.

Commando opens with arguably one of the cheesiest credits of all time as Matrix and his daughter hang out with one another. They feed a deer, eat ice cream, practice karate, and play in a pool together all set to James Horner's amazing score. It's hard to explain, but I can't help but laugh when I see 80s era Arnold laugh. The dude has a hilarious smile.

In a sense, Commando was the original Taken. Both films tell a story about what a father will do in order to get his daughter back from her captors. The big difference between them though is that Commando is an escapist fantasy whereas Taken is a captivating and realistic drama. One look at the two's kill counts says it all: Matrix kills over 100 people in his wake to get to his daughter while Mills kills around 20 to 30. Sure, Mills is a lethal force to be reckoned with. But Matrix is an unstoppable killing machine who might as well be the physical incarnation of death. He literally, and I exaggerate in no way, takes on an entire army in the film's infamous final action scene and kills every single poor soul who dares to get in his way. The beat down that John Matrix dishes out on Darius and his men is the ultimate revenge befitting of their heinous crimes.

Matrix takes down an entire army as if it were nothing.

All of the action sequences in Commando are primed to be as ridiculous and entertaining as possible. We see Matrix take on a squadron of mall cops, massacre an entire army of armed soldiers, and even throw a pipe clean through a man's chest only for steam to come out of it. I'm pretty certain that Commando features Arnold highest on screen kill count, or at least features the most individual deaths by Arnold's hands. Commando is 80s action at its finest and most entertaining, backed by one of the greatest arsenals of one liners in action-dom.

Commando might have the greatest selection of Arnold one liners in all of his filmography next to Predator and Total Recall thanks to lines like, "I'll be back, Bennett," "Please don't wake my friend he's dead tired," "Remember when I told you I'd save you for last Sully? I lied," "Let's party," and the all time classic, "Let off some steam, Bennett." It was here where the self aware bad ass that we know Arnold as now was born; an action star so bad ass and humorous that you couldn't help but love him for giving you exactly what you wanted to see on the big screen.

Commando also excels as a Joel Silver production because it features a fantastic selection of Joel Silver players and other recognizable character actors from the 80s and 90s. We are treated to a menacing henchman performance by Bill Duke (Predator, Action Jackon), a one scene appearance by Carlos Cervantes (Scarface, Extreme Prejudice), another psychotic and villainous turn by Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior), a scummy and hilarious appearance by David Patrick Kelly (The Warriors), a very racist but still enjoyable lead villain by Dan Hedeya (Blood Simple), and a blink and you'll miss it cameo by Bill Paxton (Aliens, Predator 2). Even though Arnold is enough to hold any action fan's attention, each and every one of these bad ass character actors helps the film that much more.

Realism.

I love Commando, plain and simple. Just about every action fan does. Whereas The Terminator has the more gripping themes, Conan the Barbarian has the more epic story, and Predator has the most tension, Commando is the most purely entertaining and well rounded of any Arnold film to date. It has all of the laughs, gore, and drama that you want from an action film, but without any of the complex characters or deep themes that make other action classics good films stripped of their action. Although not a perfect film in its own right, Commando is one of the all time action classics, and a must watch along side First Blood and Die Hard if you are to understand the decade that is 80s action. If you ever meet someone who can't enjoy Commando, then outright end that friendship John Matrix style by dropping them off a cliff.

Rating: 9/10 - A silly but unabashedly entertaining 'man on a mission' film in which Arnold lays waste to an entire army.