Never Say Die (1994)

Very well executed

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

A motor boat mechanic Blake gets involved with a girl who is escaping from a cult leader Reverend James. Coincidentally the mechanic has a history with the cult leader. There follows what is mainly a chase movie with the FBI and the police and the military after Reverend James who has poisoned his followers. There are a couple of plot twists you can see miles away and several lapses of continuity. Blake seems to appear and disappear at will.As the mechanic Frank Zagarino goes through the motions. Todd Jensen as the FBI guy fares better and Robin Smith as Angel looks suitably fearsome. They are all upstaged of course by Billy Drago as Reverend James who raises the watchability when he is onscreen. No one can play unhinged villainy with a sense of humour like Mr Drago can. Also Craig Freimond plays a character called 'Weak Male Disciple' and he does it very well.A lot of running about but not to much effect. Apart from Billy Drago of course.

It does have a very routine script, but at least it's reasonably amusing and refrains from being boring. Decent action scenes keep it watchable, as well as some entertaining villains. The acting ranges from effective (Billy Drago once again proves himself to be one of the greatest cinematic villains ever) to basically competent to hilariously bad. Jenny McShane supplies some eye candy as the leading lady, and Frank Zagarino is a passable, fairly likable hero.Zagarino plays Blake, a former Special Forces operative now making a living as a boat repairman. He's obliged to do battle with your standard creepy cult leader (Billy Drago), who turns out to be a character from Blakes' past. The "story" amounts to a series of pursuits and confrontations as Blake and bumbling law enforcement types force Reverend James (Drago) from his compound and keep him on the run.Plot twists are predictable and, as could be expected, the story serves the action, which isn't the worst that this viewer has ever seen. However, if it weren't for Drago, this wouldn't be as acceptable as it is. Some people might consider it a bad sign when the villain is more magnetic a character than the hero, but I for one don't mind. Robin Smith is the perfect picture of an action movie henchman, and proves to be just about impossible to kill. Director Yossi Wein keeps the movie moving along adequately, and here it's not treated as a given that the hero will hook up with his leading lady.Still, only die hard B movie fanatics will likely find anything of value here.Five out of 10.

First off let me just say that this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. But without Drago the movie would slip from "bad" and into a black hole. Watching this film (did I call it a film) and in particular Drago, I could not help but think he is probably the most committed actor to have ever been filmed ... or at least the most committed since Rod Steiger in the Pawnbroker.Now does that make it a good performance? I dare not say one way or another, but I did want more Drago because there was no telling where he was going with this character (despite the transparent script) ... surely his own spittle that he had to wipe off his own face was not in the script.As for the other elements ... there is too much to get into, but I suppose the early warning sign was the change in font of the opening titles. Never Say Die is a sleeper, and by sleeper I mean, unless Drago is yelling out "And God..." then most likely you will fall asleep. I know I did.So, if you are looking for one of the most over-the -top performances with action to laugh- for, this is the movie for you.

This movie is the kind of movie I would really enjoy if I were 8-9 years old. Since I'm not, this dumb movie about a Death Cult, it's evil, psychopathic leader(Billy Drago, an yes, he does use his favorite acting move, head slightly moved to one side - improves the image of his presumably high degree of mental illness) and retired US marine(not really sure about exact military position), Frank Zagarino who fights them is beyond any bad comment I can give. Also the story includes an US congressman, killed by Drago, mass suicide of cult members(any similarities with Jonestown is purely fictional) and loads of other rubbish either pulled out of more successful(but not really much better) Holywood blockbusters or invented by fascinatingly inventive screenwriters, who have really put their worst in this flick. Couldn't say it's the worst film I have ever seen, cause there are so many, but anyway, stay away.