Rugged ex-Marine Major Howard Toliver (played to the rough'n'tumble hilt by Michael Dudikoff) picks six hardened convicts from the prison that he runs to assist him in a desperate rescue mission in which they must go to Vietnam to save a kidnapped heiress.
Director Louis Morneau, working from a gloriously ludicrous script by Darryl Quarles, keeps the preposterous premise zipping along at a brisk pace, stages the exciting action set pieces with rip-roaring gusto, blows lots of stuff up, and clumsily shoehorns in a heavy-handed would-be poignant redemption theme for sappy good measure. The felons are a colorfully scrappy bunch, with Cedrick Terrell as the brutish Monster and Jacqueline Obradors as the feisty Vasquez rating as the definite stand-outs. Moreover, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa snarls and sneers with lip-smacking wicked aplomb as the vicious Vinh Moc. Alas, Don Stroud isn't given much to do outside of wearing an eyepatch and sporting a fixed scowl in the minor part of a gruff general. Mauro Fiore's slick cinematography provides an impressive polished look. Terry Plumeri's spirited score hits the stirring spot. An enjoyably schlocky blast.
Director Louis Morneau, working from a gloriously ludicrous script by Darryl Quarles, keeps the preposterous premise zipping along at a brisk pace, stages the exciting action set pieces with rip-roaring gusto, blows lots of stuff up, and clumsily shoehorns in a heavy-handed would-be poignant redemption theme for sappy good measure. The felons are a colorfully scrappy bunch, with Cedrick Terrell as the brutish Monster and Jacqueline Obradors as the feisty Vasquez rating as the definite stand-outs. Moreover, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa snarls and sneers with lip-smacking wicked aplomb as the vicious Vinh Moc. Alas, Don Stroud isn't given much to do outside of wearing an eyepatch and sporting a fixed scowl in the minor part of a gruff general. Mauro Fiore's slick cinematography provides an impressive polished look. Terry Plumeri's spirited score hits the stirring spot. An enjoyably schlocky blast.