My review was written in November 1989 after a screening at Criterion theater on Times Square.
"Heroes Stand Alone" is a subpar war film notable only for its attractive Peruvian locations.
Chad Everett, who toplooined in a more thoughtful WW II war pic for WB back in 1966 ("First to Fight"), stars as CIA mercenary Zack Duncan, serving in Central America in the guerrilla war of fictional country San Pedro. Film's shooting title was "Duncan's Dodgers", but it's a far cryh from such action forebears as "Merrill's Marauders" and "Dayton's Devils".
Ridiculous screenplay concerns an abortiive U. S.-backed flyover mission that violates a San Pedro ceasefire. When the plane is shot down, Everett and his men are sent to recover survivors and the incriminating flight recorder black box before Cuban and Russian troops find them and create an international incident.
Bradford Dilllman is the bad guy, an ex-CIA operative who's now a dirty, doublecrossing arms dealer. As a sign of the times, pic makes the Russian adviser a good guy ane even humanizes the set of stereotyped Cubans; "the company" (CIA) and is alumni are naturally the easy targets for scorn. A pretty Indian girl (Elsa Olivero) is artificially put on he Cuban team as a tracke, mainly to set up a topless bath at a Peruvian waterfall.
Mark Griffiths directs limply, with poorly staged battle scenes. Hokey finale of Everett and the Russkie thowing away their weapons (more a case of detente than glasnost) is laughably bad.
"Heroes Stand Alone" is a subpar war film notable only for its attractive Peruvian locations.
Chad Everett, who toplooined in a more thoughtful WW II war pic for WB back in 1966 ("First to Fight"), stars as CIA mercenary Zack Duncan, serving in Central America in the guerrilla war of fictional country San Pedro. Film's shooting title was "Duncan's Dodgers", but it's a far cryh from such action forebears as "Merrill's Marauders" and "Dayton's Devils".
Ridiculous screenplay concerns an abortiive U. S.-backed flyover mission that violates a San Pedro ceasefire. When the plane is shot down, Everett and his men are sent to recover survivors and the incriminating flight recorder black box before Cuban and Russian troops find them and create an international incident.
Bradford Dilllman is the bad guy, an ex-CIA operative who's now a dirty, doublecrossing arms dealer. As a sign of the times, pic makes the Russian adviser a good guy ane even humanizes the set of stereotyped Cubans; "the company" (CIA) and is alumni are naturally the easy targets for scorn. A pretty Indian girl (Elsa Olivero) is artificially put on he Cuban team as a tracke, mainly to set up a topless bath at a Peruvian waterfall.
Mark Griffiths directs limply, with poorly staged battle scenes. Hokey finale of Everett and the Russkie thowing away their weapons (more a case of detente than glasnost) is laughably bad.