My review was written in December after watching the film on MGM/UA video cassette.
"The Devastator" once again brings the Vietnam war back to the homefront as a vet uses military tactics to clean up bad guys in California. Originally titled "Kings Ransom" (after the town where it is set) and alternately "The Destroyer=s", pic is similar to "Final Mission", a 1984 Cirio Santiago opus as well. "Devastator" opened regionally in September 1985.
Wracked by nightmares about his stint in Vietnam, Richard Hill visits the small town of Kings Ransom after Debbie Brooks, the widow of his pal Marty, calls from there telling him her husband has been killed in a car wreck. Befriended by gas jockey Katt Shea, Hill is terrorized by locals for being an outsider. It seems the local growers have taken over the valley for their marijuana business and corrupted the local sheriff (Kaz Garas).
Hill barely escapes when the thugs burn down Brooks' house (where he is staying), but comes back in force with other war vets armed to the teeth. With the sheriff won over to theris side they burn up the pot fields, rescue Shea from the villains and set things straight.
Action scenes are acceptable and both Ill and Shea make for sympathetic protagonists. Crude editing job has the picture ending very abruptly, perhaps acceptable to antsy home video consumers but a definite irritation for a theatrical film. Several credits seem to have been anglicized, e.g. Richrd Reemington for Santiago's regular cinematographer Ricardo Remias.
"The Devastator" once again brings the Vietnam war back to the homefront as a vet uses military tactics to clean up bad guys in California. Originally titled "Kings Ransom" (after the town where it is set) and alternately "The Destroyer=s", pic is similar to "Final Mission", a 1984 Cirio Santiago opus as well. "Devastator" opened regionally in September 1985.
Wracked by nightmares about his stint in Vietnam, Richard Hill visits the small town of Kings Ransom after Debbie Brooks, the widow of his pal Marty, calls from there telling him her husband has been killed in a car wreck. Befriended by gas jockey Katt Shea, Hill is terrorized by locals for being an outsider. It seems the local growers have taken over the valley for their marijuana business and corrupted the local sheriff (Kaz Garas).
Hill barely escapes when the thugs burn down Brooks' house (where he is staying), but comes back in force with other war vets armed to the teeth. With the sheriff won over to theris side they burn up the pot fields, rescue Shea from the villains and set things straight.
Action scenes are acceptable and both Ill and Shea make for sympathetic protagonists. Crude editing job has the picture ending very abruptly, perhaps acceptable to antsy home video consumers but a definite irritation for a theatrical film. Several credits seem to have been anglicized, e.g. Richrd Reemington for Santiago's regular cinematographer Ricardo Remias.