| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Chuck Norris | ... | ||
| Louis Gossett Jr. | ... | ||
| Melody Anderson | ... |
Patricia Goodwin
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| Will Sampson | ... |
Tall Eagle
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| Sonny Landham | ... |
El Coyote
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| John Rhys-Davies | ... |
Corky Taylor
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| Ian Abercrombie | ... |
Boggs
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Richard Lee-Sung | ... |
Chinese Man /
The General
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Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez | ... |
Indian Girl
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Álvaro Carcaño | ... |
Willie
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John Hazelwood | ... |
Tubbs
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José Escandón | ... |
Co-Pilot
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Mario Arévalo | ... |
Guerilla Leader
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Juan Jaramillo | ... |
Tough Guerilla
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Miguel Ángel Fuentes | ... |
Big Man
(as Miguel Fuentes)
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Max Donigan sets off on a treasure hunt with his friend Leo and newly-acquired partner Patricia, who provided the treasure map. Along the way they encounter a few bar fights, evil "coyotes", and other obstacles they are able to overcome with ease. When they find the temple with the treasure, they also find the Firewalker, who wants to retain the power of his ancestors and put an end to the trio's treasure hunt. In the end, Max and his two friends persevere and return home wealthy. Written by Darryl Schneider <fish2@datanet.ab.ca>
"Firewalker" is more than a bit of a mess. Like most movies from the Cannon studio, it's not low budget enough to dip into Ed Wood land, but not well done enough to rise to a major studio production. The sets are cheap and the story is not much more than a vaguely connected series of scenes referencing better films--but I think the filmmakers were well aware of these and other shortcomings and set a self effacing, tongue in cheek tone from the start. Though as sloppy and slapdash as most of director J. Lee Thompson's other 80's efforts, "Firewalker" shows Thompson turning these attributes to his advantage and giving us a breezy, goofy, self-aware-yet-totally-clueless, low budget pop culture gem. I don't think anyone was under the impression that they were making the next "Raiders of the Lost Ark," they just wanted to give us some old fashioned fun. I mean, an Academy Award winner costarring with CHUCK NORRIS? How could it not be great in its own way? And while we're on the subject, this is one of the few films where you couldn't call Norris "Old Stone Face." In this film Chuck gives one of his liveliest, most natural performances ever--almost charming. Too bad he didn't work with Thompson more often.