Opposing Force (1986)

Director:

Eric Karson

Writer:

Linda J. Cowgill (written by)

Release Date:

August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Where civilization ends and survival begins.

Plot:

The commander of an Air Force camp simulates prisoner-of-war conditions for realistic training goes too far, creating all too real torture situations. He prays on the only woman in the experiment.

Plot Keywords:

Training | Air Force | Island | Major | Lieutenant

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Tom Skerritt	...	Logan
Lisa Eichhorn	...	Casey
Anthony Zerbe	...	Becker
Richard Roundtree	...	Stafford
Robert Wightman	...	Botts
John Considine	...	Gen. MacDonald
George Cheung	...	Tuan (as George Kee Cheung)
Paul Joynt	...	Ripkin
Jay Louden	...	Stevenson
Ken Wright	...	Conway
Dan Hamilton	...	Ross
Warren McLean	...	Dunn
John Melcher	...	Jerrell
Scott Sanders	...	De Carlo
Jerald Williams	...	Fisher

Also Known As:

Hell Camp (Australia)
Hellcamp

Runtime:

100 min | Norway:88 min (video version) (PAL)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Philippines

Company:

Eros International Film Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Casey gets put into the isolation box for the first time, she is wearing an orange POW poncho. A close up of her inside the box, however, clearly shows the outline of her unit patch on the shoulder of her flight suit. When she is taken out, she is still wearing the poncho. Only during the second time she is put into the box is she wearing her flight suit.

Quotes:

Becker: After a few times, you'll be the one in control.

Wow

OPPOSING FORCE, better represented by its original title, HELLCAMP, draws its inspiration from THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME/ZARKOFF'S HOUNDS, and in turn clearly served as inspiration for G.I. JANE. Major Tom Skerritt joins a band of young elite soldiers, including a female (Lisa Eichorn), who are sent to a remote island for special training. They are quickly caught by soldiers stationed on the island and subjected to all sorts of realistic POW conditions: minimal food, frequent beatings, mind games, isolation units, forced marches and even waterboarding. No one breaks, least of all Eichorn, which infuriates the base commandant (Anthony Zerbe) who by his own admission has been on the island too long. He cracks under the strain and instead of ending the "exercise," ups the torture quotient, zapping Skerritt with electricity and raping Eichhorn. Zerbe's sergeant, played by Richard Roundtree, stands by and does nothing about any of this. Zerbe then sends Skerritt off into the jungle, pursued by his evil Asian henchman, played by steely-eyed George Cheung. Skerritt quickly turns the tables on the bad guys and pretty soon, it's all-out war between Zerbe's and Skerritt's men. Skerritt is terrific as always, and Eichorn play a proud and determined soldier who shows she can hold her own against the enemy. The film is quite graphic and contains large dollops of nudity and deaths. Full of unexpected twists and turns, HELLCAMP is well worth your time.