One of action star Dudikoff's "big" '80s opening movies, this is an averagely-plotted but fun offering which has the emphasis on action all the way through. The first thing you notice is the budget – particularly small here – but as the film offers the same excitement as many others with ten times the dollars, this makes you appreciate it more. Admittedly, things start off on the wrong foot, with some lame character building and a trawl through a Mardi Gras carnival in New Orleans which makes you feel like you're there, but offers particularly poor suspense and action. Once this has passed, however, and after all the government bull and the male bonding, things start to get good. We witness a nice shoot-out/fight at some kind of dockyards, complete with cheesy car chases and lots of deaths. This is nothing, however, compared to the ranch set-piece halfway through the movie, a nihilistic, powerful catalogue of death and atrocity and some great stunt work. Trapped in the burning building, Dudikoff watches just about everyone get blown up, shot or burned, which makes for some great surprising scenes.
The latter parts of the movie see Dudikoff travelling through a Cajun community (in scenes recalling SOUTHERN COMFORT) before we get back onto the trail of THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, seen briefly at the beginning, in which four psychotic members of a secret society hunt our hero through the woods. The action is brief but brutal, employing realism over showy martial arts tricks, and very violent in places. Things conclude with a nice epilogue, where Dudikoff travels to the mansion of the last surviving baddie and fights him with various weapons from the guy's armoury – love that garroting device thing, really nasty! Dudikoff credibly carries off his everyday action hero persona, noticeably picking up in the action sequences later on in the movie. Nothing remarkable from him, but he's no worse than the dozen others from the decade. The supporting cast is pretty decent too; the familiar James Booth turns up yet again as an officious superior, whilst permanently jinxed Steve James (THE EXECUTIONER) kicks major ass as Dudikoff's pal, marked for death from the start, like in most of his movies. Bill Wallace pops up as a baddie dressed as a ninja (others are a cowboy and a wrestler) whilst John P. Ryan is just a weirdo and overacts for all his worth throughout the entire movie – not bad! Typical action hijinks throughout, but you can do (and I often see) a lot worse.
Plot summary
Matt Hunter, a former Military Intelligence man who resigned so that he could take care of his sister following his parents' death, goes to visit Larry Richards, a friend who's running for the Senate. When he arrives he learns that Larry's been receiving death threats from a group calling themselves the Pentangle. Later at the rally, someone takes a shot at Larry and hits one of Larry's sons. Matt chases the shooter and takes him out. Matt then calls his former boss to find out who Pentangle is. He learns that they're a right wing paramilitary group and that Larry once foiled one of their plans which is why they're targeting him. Matt also learns that they have an affinity for hunting men. When they try to lure Larry into a trap, Matt tags along and stops them. The group upon learning of Matt decides they would like to make him their next prey. They attack Matt's ranch where Larry and his family are staying and kill Larry and his family and take Matt's sister hostage and tell Matt where he can retrieve her, which is also where they will be hunting him.
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Surprisingly entertaining action B-movie
Sturdy vehicle for the unbeatable 80's action team of Michael Dudikoff and Steve James
Rugged former secret service agent Matt Hunter (a solid and credible performance by Michael Dudikoff) does his best to protect his black Senatorial candidate best buddy Larry Richards (an excellent and charismatic portrayal by Steve James) from a group of racist right-wing fanatics called Pentangle who are led by evil millionaire Elliott Glastenbury (ably played with lip-smacking wicked relish by John P. Ryan).
Director Sam Firstenberg, working from a compact script by James Booth (who also acquits himself well as the shifty Admiral Brown),keeps the gripping and inspired premise moving along at a brisk pace, maintains a surprisingly gritty and serious tone throughout (the filmmakers earn additional praise for placing kids in real jeopardy as well as for not being afraid to kill off certain characters one expects to usually live in these kinds of pictures),evokes a flavorsome New Orleans atmosphere, and stages the action set pieces with considerable skill and brio, with a definite corker of a last third pitting Matt against various heavies in the Louisiana swamps. This film further benefits from a neat array of nasty bad guys: William Wallace as cocky young Wade Delaney, Karl Johnson as the brutish Commander Jeb Wallace, Marc Alaimo as the slippery Charlie Lavall, and Loren Farmer as slimy worm Andrew Parker. The winning and utterly convincing chemistry between James and Dudikoff gives this movie some genuine heart and soul. Gideon Porath's glossy cinematography provides an impressive slick look. George S. Clinton's spirited score hits the stirring spot. Superior action fare.
Dudikoff is forced into action in this violent comic book-style adventure
This enjoyable crime chiller concerns about Matt Hunter (Michael Dudikoff) , a former secret service agent , now retired but he goes into action when his best friend , an African-American US candidate (Steve James) suffers a killing attempt in which to be murdered his son during a cavalcade through New Orleans streets . His former boss (James Booth, also screenwriter) assigns him the dangerous mission . The American agent single-handedly takes on an army of criminals called the Pentangle , a right-wing terrorist organization (led by nasty John P. Ryan) and dedicated to human chase guised in masks on marsh of New Orleans . One again , Dudikoff metes out his own justice and moved to violence when his sister is kidnapped and wipes out a passel of heinous villains .
Michel Dudikoff is an ex-agent who encounters ample reasons and opportunity to utilize his deadly skills . Lots of shoot-outs and fighting and plenty of suspense and thrills . It's a gripping story of one man's revenge , including graphic violent scenes . The film displays a Norris' style but Chuck does it better . In fact , Chuck Norris was originally planned to return as the character Matt Hunter in this sequel to Invasión USA but he became tied up on other Cannon film productions . Rising Cannon star Michael Dudikoff then was then cast in the role instead . Here Dudikoff continues to set new standards for action in this mindless but agreeable for thriller films fans . The movie is co-starred by Steve James (1952-1993) ,who is watchable as ever , he usually played sidekick to tough stars , Dudikoff (three times),Norris and David Carradine , but he early died by pancreatic cancer . The motion picture was professionally directed by Sam Firstenberg . He's a martial-art genre expert , as he directed the American Ninja (I , II , The revenge ,The domination..) saga with Dudikoff and Delta Force films . Rating : Above average action-revenge story .