Post Apocalyptic Pitre Dish ...

Bounty Killer

(2013 / USA)

Director Henry Saine

With Matthew Marsden, Christian Pitre, Kristanna Loken,

Barak Hardley, Gary Busey & Beverly D’Angelo

‘‘You’re my fender bender’’

It’s 2042 and the world’s been laid to waste by feuding business corporations, suckled to excess on mother earth’s natural resources. Now the white collar criminals all have a price on their head for the crimes committed. Corporations are no longer king. In this future it pays to be a Bounty Killer, and the queen of the kill is … Mary Death !.

The Post Apocalyptic Action movie is back with a ‘B’ movie bang, and with more than just a blast from the past resurrected dust cloud. ‘Bounty Killer’ hits the waste ground running & doesn’t let off the gas throughout its smile inducing entirety. With a foundation of, ‘Mad Max: The Road Warrior’ (1982), the make up of, ‘Warriors Of The Wasteland’ (1983) & a deliciously doffing deference to, ‘Death Race 2000’ (1975), ‘Bounty Killer’, puts peddle to the metal in a post nuke pleasure pastiche, layered upon a spaghetti western platform & ladled up with lashings of blood letting, Action, Mayhem !. 

This neatly realized vision of a post apocalyptic landscape is enhanced with well integrated matte drawn back drops, and its mid movie sequence introducing the nomadic Gypsies, a tribe of professed cannibals and wild savages, as they chase after the protagonists into the wastelands, is a well layered example of such application. An action packed effects sequence well worth anticipating, but cross these Gypsies and your future will be swiftly predetermined !. 

The metal steed riding motorcycle horseman of the post apocalypse known as Drifter (Matthew Marsden), is a bounty hunter driven by his need for retribution and redemption. Himself once aligned within the ranks of the white collar free rollers, until the realization of the affect of the all consuming avarice eating away at the world, renounced the Corporation, and ever since the apocalyptic downfall tracks down the egotistical propriety among its surviving hub.

Drifter is the new age future version of Clint Eastwood’s Man With No Name, but with the quirkier disposition akin to that of a dialogue dishing Rowdy Roddy Piper from, ‘They Live’ (1988). He may not be chewing gum, but he sure knows how to kick ass !. His ample array of fire power comes side kick supplied by his trusty gun caddy Jack LeMans (Barak Hardley), a jittery hanger on who bathes in the new world rock star limelight emitted by the bounty killers, but who soon earns Drifter’s respect. Caddying up shooting irons for the right range to take down the bad guys, stay the course, and bag the bounty. Drifter is a shooting iron pro, but he only gets his wood out for … Mary Death.

Feature movie newcomer, and super hot starlet of the future, Christian Pitre is the freeze frame bounty killer heroine babe of the piece, Mary Death. Sat back with a beverage in hand you’ll spill your juice as she hit’s the screen just before you do !. Blessed with a fabulous female form to unzip with your eyes and cry with joy as she kicks future butt like Barbarella working out to a Bruce Lee Jeet Kune Do self instructional DVD. With knockout attributed curves and a pair of throat slicing spurs spinning on her heels, Mary Death is well christened, and the lord help all who cross her. This apocalyptic angel of death is a sex popsicle of perdition, dishing out a hell of a lot more than she takes a licking !.

Mary Death and Drifter are a formidable pairing as they join forces to purge the planet of the pre apocalyptic surviving cancer that is The Corporation. A still privileged society protected by the suited and booted armed militia of their matriarch, Catherine (Kristanna Loken). Her yellow tie wearing force headed up by chief cohort Van Sterling, played by the always watch able, out there antics of  a beguilingly bonkers Gary Busey. Kristanna Loken’s conceited bitch of a character wants Drifter back in her ranks, and everyone else outside of The Corporation society, Terminated !.

Based upon the Cool graphic novel of the same name, from Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead) Kickstart Production stable, ‘Bounty Killer’ is very much a hyper Cool comic book page to screen translation that works supremely well. On screen graphics etch out indelible imagery to enhance the comic book Fun at opportune times throughout the film. Oft displayed bodily dismemberment, and siphons of blood, paint the screens canvas with such tongue in cheek rapture that even the staunchest of disbelievers viewing will revel in its wry intentions to successfully entertain. 

Matthew Marsden makes for a charming hero, and Christian Pitre a lethal, yet lovely heroine. Perfect casting all round & the end credit outtake reel shows just how much fun was had by all in the making of the film.

It has been all too long since a good Post Apocalyptic Action movie has come along, and, ‘Bounty Killer’ is a very good one indeed. Blessed with a decent budget, well done CGI effects and backdrops, along with some very well done practical effects to boot. The future of the Post Nuke movie is looking good, rallied as it was once before it seems, this time in the pre wake of a new, ‘Mad Max’ movie, with the highly anticipated, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ due out in (2015). 

Dig out your leathers, stock up on water & fuel, then saddle on up with Drifter & Mary Death for a Post Apocalyptic party that even Prince could not have foretold back in 1999 !.

Movie Rating: 7 /10

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Region 2 Blu-ray - German Steelbook Edition

Bounty Killer (2013)
Director Henry Saine

With Christian Pitre, Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken,
Barak Hardley, Gary Busey & Beverly D'Angelo

Prior To War There Is ...

The Final Sanction

(1990 / USA)

‘‘The American, he does not have a chance’’

What if the future of world wars were decided upon the confrontation between chosen participants, each representing the super powers of the planet, highly trained individuals conditioned to kill !?. The fate of democracy and free will would then lay in the outcome of … The Final Sanction !.

Prolific ‘B’ movie Action film making auteur David A. Prior directs his interpretational concept of war chess, in placing two combatants fighting against each other, winner takes all.

When the United States Of America and Russia launch nuclear missiles in pre-emptive strikes against each other it signals the gauntlet to spare two nations mass populations, a preamble to logical resolution of disagreement, and a practical solution to safeguarding the innocent. The two super powers arrange for a showdown, on a level playfield, in a neutral zone, between their chosen champions. A modern day equivalent of a duel. The winning combatant giving right of resolution to their governing heads of state.

Sergeant Tom Batanic, a disgraced special operations soldier, convicted criminal and incarcerated in a maximum security prison, is emancipated from his long term hell. With the opportunity to have all charges against him wiped clean Batanic takes up the mantle charged to him by his country. He is fast tracked into a full on training procedure to hone his already given talents. Army training and Batanic training, however, don’t actually see eye to eye. The former sergeant isn’t one for taking orders, but when set free from the shackles of bureaucratic pomp and procedure Batanic is a man of mass destruction !.

In the Russian Spetsnaz command camp their military leaders task Major Galashkin, played by the ubiquitous mighty bad assed villain William Smith, to evaluate, train, and psychologically hone their war readied beast, Sergeant Sergei Schvackov !. A man mountain of forward motion muscle, who’s perchance is a lethal throwing delivery of a sharp edged shovel like weapon. Robert Z’Dar is perfectly cast as the Spetsnaz version of Robocop, an unyielding force of unmitigated might, and a man with a bigger chin population than the whole of China !.

Schvackov is subjected to the most intensive physical and mental training schedule, isolated away in a dark and clinical low level facility away from the outside world. His one on one total fortification is engrained upon him by the unforgiving solidarity of William Smith’s superbly grizzled army major. Robert Z’Dar’s larger than life plastic action commando figure is breathed life into by Smith’s character, and once freed from the figurative plastic covered box containment he’s ready to turn his opponent into a disfigured Ken doll, and make Barbie look like a twisted version of Jackie Stallone.

The coming together of the two combatants upon the battle zone is high Action entertainment. Both machines of war let rip upon each other with guns, knives, brawn and bravado, but in the end it is the use of brain and tactical nouse that wins the day.

After throwing everything at each other, including brazen use of a bazooka, the two seasoned warriors gain respect for each other and come the end the result of the coming together is resolved in good old fashioned hand to hand, mano a mano combat. Both men aware that they are first and foremost soldiers, and not pawn representations of their governing puppet masters. They cut the strings of the insidious charade and fight for their own honour, each resolute in the satisfaction that may the best man win.

Big Fun Action outing from Director David A. Prior, with sound performances from his lead players. A very prophetic take on how future major disagreement outbreak may be resolved, but even with minimal loss of life will we ever be able to overcome the far greater reaching ramifications that still involve us all !?. Free your film Fun, drop such politics and pick up this ‘B’ movie Prior‘ity’. Now that’s a Final Sanction !.

Movie Rating: 6/10

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

The Final Sanction (1990)
Director David A. Prior
With Ted Prior, Robert Z’Dar, Renee Cline,
David Crawford & William Smith

Death Stalker's Devastating Form In ...

The Destroyers

(1986/Philippines)

‘‘Now let’s kill some sons of bitches’’

Vietnam war veteran Deacon Porter (Rick Hill) receives a telephone call from the wife of a friend, and fellow ‘Nam war buddy, informing of his death in a car accident. The grieving wife tells Porter that she believes it was murder !.

In a back hills Californian town crooked business man John Carey operates a marijuana trade. The surrounding lands are the perfect plantation spot for cultivation of the illegal substance, and with the local police sheriff on his payroll Carey’s production schedule is in full force.

Carey has a large stable of armed men under his leadership, all tasked with keeping the marijuana fields guarded at any cost. Trespassers aren’t just frightened off, they are hunted down and killed !. Anyone that may directly attract attention to them meets with a more subtle form of accidental death. Deacon Porter’s ‘Nam buddy uncovered the operation, and his transgression led to Carey staging his death to look like it was accidental.

Porter drives into the same town to ask questions about his friend. Word of his investigations soon reach Carey and it is not long before he too is set upon by the drug barons goons. Beaten, bloodied, shot and then having his car forced off the road by pursuit vehicles, careening into a ditch and exploding into a plume of flames, Porter just about gets out in time. Believed dead, and so not attracting any more concern from the aggressor Carey, he retreats back home to dress his wounds and formulate a plan of retaliation.

Anther ex ‘Nam war friend, and explosives expert, comes to Porter’s aid, offering his assistance in bringing the war to John Carey and his illicit operation. Whilst Porter rejuvenates, and forms a plan of action, his good buddy sets about calling upon a couple of former Vietnam war brothers in arms. Weapons and tactics soldiers, still alert of mind, and fleet of foot and fist. Bringing together a formidable small strike force of four Deacon Porter, and his three dogs of war, return to the backwoods Californian town to serve notice of hostile intent upon Carey !.

Guns, grenade launchers and plenty of explosive devices, bring proceedings into the high octane Action percentage column in the final third of the movie. Vietnam vets against drug running animals. The only way for Porter and his men to cull the rabid beasts is to put them down. Outnumbered, but out smarting such overwhelming odds, the battle seasoned pros bring a war to Carey that raises all hell, and his Marijuana operation to the ground.

Rick Hill steps out of ye old world Deathstalker (1982) mode, and muscles right on into modern Action hero mould pretty seamlessly. Crofton Hardester plays the mean spirited and avarice hungering bad guy role of John Carey well enough, ably assisted by Cirio H. Santiago recognisable regulars Nick Nicholson and Don Gordon Bell, amongst others, as his heavy handed henchmen.

Left to team Porter the bad baggage gets taken down, toe tagged and sent packing care of lethal Vietcong man traps and bad ass bravado. The Destroyers is a low budget, high value Action fest that delivers the goods.

Movie Rating: 6/10

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

The Destroyers (1986)
Director Cirio H. Santiago
With Rick Hill, Katt Shea, Crofton Hardester,
Kaz Garas, Terrence O’Hara & Bill McLaughlin

Cirio H. Santiago's Post Nuke Carnage ...

Wheels Of Fire

(1985/USA/Philippines)

In a post apocalyptic future, where fuel is precious, those that rule the roads set the rules. A despotic bandit known as Scourge terrorises the desolate landscape, taking what he wants from those that stray from the protective umbrella of the last remnants of societies liberal governors. With a small army of barbaric men at his command there is little resistance left to oppose his reign of terror, and high on his agenda is illicit regulation of the regions fuel reserves. The fight for the future rests with Mad Max makeover macho man Trace (Gary Watkins), and a gutsy gung ho girl named Stinger (Laura Banks), to stand up to the Scourge and bring hope to a post nuke nightmare !.

A Filipino filmed fuel injected futuristic flick, made on a micro budget for Roger Corman’s Concorde Pictures production company. Polish is applied to proceedings by director Cirio H. Santiago, who knows how to deliver Action entertainment. Ably squeezing all the thrills and spills, along with mighty explosions and car stunt arrangements, into his predominantly exterior locations shot frames.

Tough guy Trace looks out for himself and his own, avoiding unnecessary run ins with the Scourge and his anarchic army of followers. That self imposed law is revoked when Trace’s sister Arlie (Lynda Weismeier) is chased down, beaten, raped and taken captive by the lawless lackeys of the Scourge. Trace weapons up and revs up his super charged super car, engaged for Action and hell bent on getting his sister back !.

The desert backdrop landscape is the perfect canvas for Cirio H. Santiago to adorn his Action laden picture with multitudes of speeding motorcycles and automobiles, racing around, smashing and crashing all over the place. Trace tears up his tires in relentless pursuit of Scourge’s hideout, and in his destructive wake he gives aid to a female soldier of fortune, caught in the crossfire of a Scourge attack. Together they take out the trash, and Trace has a new ally in the shape of Stinger (Laura Banks), one tough tigress of a girl who it just so happens also has a score to settle with the Scourge.

It’s an inevitability that Trace and Stinger will come face to face with Scourge, and in that respect the Action filled finale does not disappoint. Their journey together on route throws up a few tricky encounters along the way, including a run in with an underground race of flesh eating beings known as The Sandmen. Pulled into the caverns of The Sandmen, beneath the surface of the shifting sands, Trace and Stinger have to fight their way out against a daylight affected race akin to the Morlocks from The Time Machine (1960). Here they meet and rescue a young woman named Spike, a feisty girl who can look out for herself and who also has the gift of E.S.P. Her ability to read thoughts proves invaluable and immediately gives her and her two new friends the advantage they need to make good their escape from the frenzied cannibals !.

Plenty of gun Action, fist fights and pretty well staged car chase sequences, and crash stunts, keep viewers nicely preoccupied with what is front and centre, cleverly detracting from what is otherwise a flimsy script and bare bones set up. It is easy to forgive any shortfalls here though as Wheels Of Fire never once pretends to be anything other than what it is, and that is low budget ‘B’ movie hokum, with an accentuation on Action. A bare bones, bare breasted, bare knuckle ride along the highway to hell, in a post apocalyptic world where each new day is a fight for survival !.

Movie Rating: 2.5/5

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

Wheels Of Fire (1985)

Director Cirio H. Santiago
With Gary Watkins, Laura Banks, Lynda Weismeier,
Linda Grovenor & Joe Mari Avellana 

The Horror Of Scream Queen Quigley ...

Treasure Of The Moon Goddess

(1987 / USA / Mexico)

‘‘Tell the monkey to back off’’

American / Mexican jungle Action adventure production that tries to emulate the style of the Eighties made Euro flicks. Four adventurers and two Mexican bandits become embroiled in the acquirement of a legendary treasure. Deep within the South American jungle lives a hidden tribe, who worship the memory of their goddess, and protect their idols fabulous riches of jewels in her honour. Word of the tribe and their capacious cache has leaked to the outside world, bringing deceit and treachery to the natives harmonious sanctuary, in the form of the avaricious Mr. Diaz !.

Harold Grand (Don Calfa) is a talent manager who runs up bad debt and is beholden to Mr. Diaz. On his talent books is rock singer Lu De Belle (Linnea Quigley), an attractive blonde star in the making. In order for Harold Grand to pay off his tab Mr. Diaz tells him to hand over Lu De Belle to him. Unbeknownst to Grand is that Lu is the personification of the Moon Goddess, and with her in his possession Mr. Diaz intends to trick the hidden South American tribe out of their treasure.

Both Harold and Lu set off with instruction to meet Mr. Diaz at a remote destination. They hire a small boat owned by Sam Kid (Asher Brauner) and his attractive partner Brandy (Jo Ann Ayres), in order to best get to the location given. On route they are set upon by another boat, filled with marauding Mexican bandits, out to abduct Lu De Belle. Sam Kid is not one to be unprepared for any situation and fends off the attempt with gun power. He and his small compliment are way outnumbered however. The barrage of bullets and heavier fire power takes its toll upon Sam’s boat and all abandon ship just in time before it blows up.

Sam Kid, Brandy and their two new acquaintances swim to shore and make their way through the coastal jungle to an inland ramshackle town. They barely have time to catch their breath before Mr. Diaz sends his goons out to collect his prize in the form of Lu. Sam springs into Action man hero mode and its not long before fisticuffs and a bar fight, with a snake pit, breaks out.

It’s almost like The Perils Of Pauline (1967) for poor Lu as she is sought after not only by Mr. Diaz but it turns out that the Mexican bandits were acting at the behest of their boss, who just so happens to be the cousin of Mr. Diaz, whom just so happens to be on to his relatives scurrilous intensions.

An inept attempt at blending humour with Action, along the lines of a bargain basement Indiana Jones adventure, all too often falls flat. The script would have been far better handled by Italian 'B' movie maestro Bruno Mattei, who undoubtedly would have livened things up and had Brent Huff in the lead, chewing up the scenery and delivering the one liners as only he could.

There are a few entertaining Action escapades, but sadly they are all too short and ultimately unconvincing. With a tribe of South American natives about as threatening as vegetarian cannibals there really is little to get your teeth into. The absurdity upon revealing the true connection between Mr. Diaz and the tribe is about as glib as it gets. If you can stick with this until the test of strength within the sacred temple, where at least some Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981) traps liven things up a bit, then you’ll make it through till the let’s leave this open for a sequel ending.

Treasure Of The Moon Goddess really is a bottom of the bargain bin pick up only, and not the rough diamond hoped for. This type of Action adventure movie is best laid at the door of big budgeted Hollywood blockbusters, and the far more accomplished low budget genius of the Euro Action film makers from the same decade.

Movie Rating: 1/5

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

Treasure Of The Moon Goddess (1987)

Director Joseph Louis Graz
With Asher Brauner, Don Calfa,
Jo Ann Ayres & Linnea Quigley

Rutger Hauer Hitches A Hit ...

Hobo With A Shotgun

(2011/USA)

‘‘Put the knife away kid, or I’ll use it to cut welfare

cheques from your rotten skin’’

Once he was a Hitcher, now he’s a ‘hit and gun’ hobo. Rutger Hauer wipes crime from the street like a bidet blasting bowels !. He may appear a down and out homeless bum, but he’s no asshole. The true rim raiders and scumbags of the streets are the scourge of the state, and this hobo has seen enough. It’s time to take up a shot gun, pump, dump and flush the crap right out of the city !.

Drake (Brian Downey) is the villain of the piece, who along with his two petulant post teen nephews, Slick and Ivan, rule the urban city landscape with dope, prostitution and violence. Life is cheap to them and the people are mere cattle to prod, preen and slaughter as they see fit. Torture is but an entrée to the surf and turf slaughter main dish they relish, with free flowing blood !.

The hobo ambles into the city, having free ridden the livestock carriage of the connecting state train, looking for shelter and to scour about for enough loose change to afford himself the dollars he requires to purchase a sturdy old lawn mower. His focus in his latter years is to start his own lawn cutting business. There’s only one kind of grass that’s cut in this city though, and that’s the kind the Drake supplies !.

Witnessing first hand the excessive force and brutality that Slick and Ivan dish out, all with the approval and encouragement of uncle Drake, the hobo takes a stand when the life of a bright young prostitute is threatened by Slick. The hobo sees good in her and convinces himself that given the chance to escape her lifestyle she could be a teacher. He saves her from the thuggish punk and turns to the cops for help. It is here that the diabolical reality of the city’s situation reveals itself to the well intentioned and decent homeless hobo. Low life criminal scum doesn’t just regulate the streets, it owns the police force that is supposed to protect them !.

Receiving his harsh reality check at the end of a fist, and painfully etched deep into his chest with a blade, both courtesy of Slick, Rutger Hauer’s character takes a stand against the scourge and becomes a … Hobo With A Shotgun !.

The intentional Grind House groove runs rampant in over the top, often excessive violence, splashed across the screen in a crimson cauldron of transgressed trash. The intent is clear, to be as outlandish and over the top as is distastefully possible, highlighted by, the thankfully not shown, but none the less carried out and left to run the gauntlet of gruesomeness across the imagination of those viewing, the sick asphyxiation of a group of school kids on a bus by Slick burning them to death with a flame thrower !. There are certain boundaries that should not be crossed, and even in the blackest vein of shock horror humour this is not a cinematic moment to condone. The only gratification coming out of this unpleasant apparition is the aptly applied last rites of passage to hell epitaph, deftly applied to Slick by the hobo.

The blood, guts and violence otherwise is suitably over the top silliness, and the joy at delighting in Rutger Hauer taking out the trash, shot gun in hand and grizzled dialogue, delivered with vitriolic disdain at those deserving, is nothing short of bad assed inspirational. Hauer owns this role, and effortlessly shows pretty much every other actor up for the minimum wage stooges they portray. Friends, and likely family members of the film makers do not good actors make, even in a low budget production hiding behind its intentions at recreating a genre style where this once upon a time was overlooked. Watching and listening to the character of Slick is akin to experiencing the excellent Jon Cryer recreating his role, today, of Duckie, from Pretty In Pink (1986), but as Tony Montana in Scarface (1983). Please, let’s not have to say hello to this little friend of the film makers again !.

Stand out sequence of the movie without a doubt is when Drake deploys two of the crime worlds most lethal dispensers of pain and death, The Plague. Brothers of botulism, belched forth from the brine and brimstone of Beelzebub’s hellish boudoir. Their onslaught through a hospital in search of the hobo, kitted out as they are in full sheet metal attire, replete with forged eye slit hole helmets and spiked gauntlets, is nothing short of biblical. Like horsemen of the apocalypse, arriving astride their steel steed motorcycles, their passage of pain is surely written somewhere within the text of the book of revelations !.

Gregarious gruel slaps itself across the screen like a visceral Salvador Dali, ladled upon his canvas with a pallet of blood. A nightmarish vision of a world gone to hell, with only the evocation of Charles Bronson, brandishing a shotgun, standing at those gates with both barrels loaded, and pointed directly at Satan’s nut sack !. Major league movie making it ain’t, but balls to the wall grind house experience, it sure as all heck delivers a pretty darned good representation of.

 
 
Movie Rating: 6/10
 
Review by Paul Cooke / Source V.O.D
 
Hobo With A Shotgun (2011)
Director Jason Eisener
With Rutger Hauer, Molly Dunsworth, Gregory Smith,
Nick Bateman, Robb Wells & Brian Downey

Filippino Post Nuke Pretender ...

W is War

(1983/Philippines)

‘‘With or without a badge I’ll find a way’’

Filippino Action fury with an anachronistic feel of a futuristic post apocalyptic movie, yet set in its contemporary time line of production in the early Eighties !?. A bizarre combination of Mad Max (1979) and The Warriors (1979).

Law enforcer Sergeant W2 heads up his team of fellow enforcers against the scourge of Asia. Their greatest concern is the ever burgeoning manufacturing and distribution of drugs. The continents largest cartel is The End Of The World Organisation, and they have a centre of operations right on Sergeant W2’s patch. Headed up by the garish, fanatical Jim Jones type guru, Nosfero, and his legion of loyal acolytes. A small army of shaven headed thugs, garbed in minimalist fetish leather, bonded together like a futuristic variant of the Hell’s Angel’s. Nosfero leads them with a iron grip and the steely facial intensity of Jack Palance, set apart from his bald followers by a side set pigtail and one mean manicured uni-brow !.

Sergeant W2 and two of his men get into a scrape with a rowdy bunch of Nosfero’s men outside of a club. When a knife is pulled W2 instinctively reacts by pulling out his gun. In the line of duty, and deemed in self defence, W2 shoots and kills his attacker, the brother of Nosfero !. Back at enforcer HQ W2’s superior officer informs him that he is suspended from duty, and told to take some time off. Whilst away W2 marries his sweetheart, but during their honeymoon period W2 is attacked by Nosfero’s men in an act of retribution. W2 is beaten and eternally branded by an act of castration upon his person !.

W2 is a broken man, and with no job, and a wife he can no longer satisfy, he fully channels his frustrations towards Nosfero and his illegal operations. As a renegade though he is outnumbered and outclassed. Falling into the hands of Nosfero once again W2 is tortured and made an example of. Coming to W2’s aid is a female member of the Nosfero cult, a reluctant submissive soldier seeking a way out, she frees W2, and together they formulate a way to strike at the heart of Nosfero and The End Of The World Organisation’s operations.

Even in castrated form W2 has the balls to bring down the rebel force, but not with a solo hand, as his loyal enforcers become his wing men once more, and aided by his new found princess this alliance is readied to bring Nosfero’s evil empire down !. W is war up against Nosfero’s camp clan of Frankie Goes To Hollywood look alike bandits, and what is it good for ?, absolutely nothing but big bang, all out explosive fun for the finale.

The closure is the meat and two veg of the piece that W2 longs for, and gets with the assistance of his trusted cohorts, and a customised assault vehicle that is most definitely straight out of a Euro Post Nuke movie from the Eighties. Armour plated and replete with weapons of mass destruction. W is war for sure at this juncture, and raises the films fun factor several notches. Three wheeled super charged motorbike riding villains against the Philippines version of Mad Max, in an off road warrior warpath of wanton death and destruction. Deliriously delivered ‘Pines on toast whole hearted ‘B’ movie goodness.

Movie Rating: 5/10

Review Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

W is War (1983)
Directed by Willie Milan
With Anthony Alonzo, Paul Vance,
Joonee Gamboa, Alicia Alonzo & Ada Hubert

SyFy Opens Hanger 18 ...

Area 51

(2011 / USA)

‘‘I want this to go quickly, and cleanly’’

When the government, under continued pressure, gives in to allow strictly monitored visitor access to Hanger 18 in Area 51, what has lain secret for decades takes a fancy to its ‘Alien’ visitation.

Reporter Sam Whitaker (John Shea), and highly watched news blog investigator Claire Fallon (Vanessa Branch), are allowed chaperoned access to Area 51, along with their personal photographer and camera woman, to take notes and ask questions on a specially arranged guided tour. Once the doors open the floodgates soon spill forth far more than any of them could have ever imagined for, beyond their wildest expectations !.

Base leader Colonel Ronald Martin (Bruce Boxleitner), of the U.S Air Force, takes the reporter quartet on the suitably arranged show and not so much tell walk through the infamous Hanger 18. Global spy devices and prototype weapons are discussed and shown off, whilst anticipated talk of any alien activity and captivity is dismissed by the military man.

In a lower level of the base scientists and security go about their regular daily routines, including of course interacting with the actual alien life forms that do indeed reside, and in many cases are actually restrained in high security isolation. On this particular day, however, things do not go schedule. Alien Patient Zero, a shape shifting entity able to adopt and mimic the physiology and characteristics of whatever living thing it comes into contact with, chooses this very day, after twenty five years of passive stability, to escape its cell and wreak havoc throughout the base.

The internal alarm is raised and lockdown is instigated. It isn’t just Patient Zero that Colonel Martin and his men have to concern themselves with, but the escape of some other alien entities, far less intelligent than Patient Zero, and with a violent temperament and hunger for flesh !.

What excels, to the movies great credit, is its non reliance on any overly apparent CGI, and indeed some good old fashioned cool looking men in monster suits. Gore splattering, sinew snapping, blood spurting schlock horror galore ensues in this very well made, better budgeted than usual, SyFy Channel outing. Sure it borrows heavily from a multitude of Sci-Fi, horror themes and movies, but does so with an enjoyable spring in its step. Military fatigued soldiers issued with regulation weapons and perimeter scanning devices is straight out of Aliens (1986), but it’s a well used staple that pretty much succeeds every time, and this is no exception.

There is some alien folklore titbits amongst the mix to look out for, and indeed smile at their introduction, such as the introduction of Hanger 18’s resident friendly alien J-Rod, working with the military on a way to return home since crash landing here in the desert back in the fifties !. A highly intelligent being who’s understanding of the entity Patient Zero assists Colonel Martin is invaluable. Along with the four guest visitors to the base they have to work together to stay alive, and find a way to bring order back to the facility.

With the nastier alien variants escaping from the lower levels, up and out to the topside facility, it lays with the brave last line of military defence to go head to tail with them. Guns and gore galore as aliens and soldiers go out on a limb to take each other out !. Pretty impressive stuff then for a made for television syndication movie, and most worthy of any sci-fi, horror, action loving fans attention.

Movie Rating: 6/10

Review by Paul Cooke / Source SyFy Channel

Area 51 (2011)

Director Jason Connery
With Bruce Boxleitner, Jason London, John Shea,
Vanessa Branch & Rachel Miner

Fugitive In From The Cold ...

Covert Action

aka Sono stato un agente C.I.A.

(1978 / Italy / Greece)

‘‘Stick to fiction, you’ll live longer’’

 

An expose tape implicating the C.I.A in world military take over’s is in the possession of one of the C.I.A’s very own, and the organisation want it, and him eradicated !.

Former C.I.A operative Lester Horton (David Janssen) is in Athens, Greece holidaying. His presence, and photography sessions, in and around the city are a cause for concern from the stationed C.I.A Chief Maxwell (Arthur Kennedy). Maxwell and Horton have a history, and the former would rather that the retired C.I.A agent were literally, no longer around !.

Government agent man John Benson has been murdered, but announced as having gone missing. He is the man responsible for the tape, implicating the C.I.A from high. Lester Horton is now a journalist and novelist, penning many a chapter and verse causing ripples. He is in fact in Greece to investigate the disappearance of Benson and uncover more about the tape. Maxwell suspects the same, and has his men tail him.

One lead has Horton cautiously approaching a man in a cinema, during the screening of a movie, but before he can ascertain any solid information the man is shot in the back from someone sitting a few rows behind. Horton’s brief interaction with the man leads him to a former friend during his active time in the C.I.A, Joe Florio (Maurizio Merli). Their friendship was tested when Florio’s wife Anne (Corinne Clery), and Horton became attracted to each other in the past.

Joe Florio is an operative on the edge of his usefulness with the C.I.A. He has been informed that he will be transferred back to America, but in reality the wheels are in motion for him to have a planned accident !. He has become an embarrassment to the agency, due to his dependency on heroin. Chief Maxwell has ordered that he be eliminated, as he is not good for the company reputation !.

Lester Horton wants to help his former friend, but both he and Florio together stir up too much heat for Maxwell, and both are overtly targeted. A fantastic car chase in Rhodes has Florio believing more in Horton, and news of the tape is shared with his former friend. Their mutual respect for each other ends in tragedy as the two are cornered in one of the cities historical outdoor amphitheatres. Chief Maxwell’s right hand problem solver known as The Silent, due to his inability to talk, administers a lethal overdose of heroin to Florio, as Horton is restrained and forced to watch. Ivan Rassimov plays the role of, The Silent with an icy calmness that is effectively chilling. His performance as the bad guy extension of Chief Maxwell is very well realised, and the inevitable cumulative run in with Lester Horton is an emotive one.

Chief Maxwell sanctions Horton to the insane asylum in his desire to get him to divulge information pertaining to the tape. Horton refuses to cooperate and is subjected to all of the indignities of the environment he has been placed in custody to, along with some horrendous applications by the doctors believing him to be of unstable mind. When Horton tries to escape from the institution he is subjected to electro shock treatment, which is actually difficult to watch !.

Anne Florio uses her charm and respected position to call in a favour from the local police inspector, played quite perfectly by Philippe Leroy. He is an honourable and incorruptible officer of the law and facilitates the release of Horton from the institution. He reunites with Anne, and together they hold up in her secluded second home. It affords Horton some time to recuperate, but both know that it is only a matter of time before Maxwell uncovers them.

For a late entry in the Euro crime stakes Covert Action is a very accomplished piece of work from Director Romolo Guerrieri. A stellar cast, all delivering strong performances, adds to the enjoy ability of the film. Maurizio Merli gets to portray a more vulnerable side to his acting skills, and David Janssen is perfectly cast as a man with a past he is fighting to disassociate himself from. Arthur Kennedy delivers a demonstrative characterisation of self assured unpleasantness, and Ivan Rassimov emits an aura of stoic menace throughout.

A well paced slice of Seventies Euro espionage and crime. One that does not play to the Hollywood stereotype of good versus evil, but displays the shades of grey in between. Not everyone gets all that is coming to them, delivering instead a rather sombre conclusion, but at the same time a suitably realistic one.

Movie Rating: 7/10

Review by Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

Covert Action (1978)

Director Romolo Guerrieri
With David Janssen, Corrine Clery, Maurizio Merli,
Arthur Kennedy, Philippe Leroy & Ivan Rassimov