Mission Kill (1987)

The first must-see film of the year.

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Cheapo British director David Winters churned out a series of no-budget actioners during the thrill-heavy '80s and this south-of-the-border thriller is very much par for the course. Robert Ginty, no stranger to exploitation after the success of THE EXTERMINATOR, doesn't make a great deal of effort as the Robin Hood-style hero but he does shine in a couple of over-the-top moments where his unique style of acting comes to the fore. The laboured and overly-complex plot sees Ginty teaming up with an old army buddy to deliver a shipment of arms in Mexico. Said buddy is played by Cameron Mitchell, looking booze-swollen and bloated, a far cry from his shining days twenty years earlier in the likes of MINNESOTA CLAY. Thankfully, Mitchell is killed off early on, leaving Ginty to carry the film amid a cast of underachieving Mexican actors and actresses and a brief role for Brit starlet Olivia d'Abo in a nonsensical part.What I did like about this film was that was more ambitious than most no-budget schlockers. Involving a revolution in a South American country, it sees the rebels battling corrupt government troops in lots of high-powered show downs. This involves copious stock footage during one interlude – where we see a series of random buildings being demolished – and a handful of action scenes that surprisingly don't suck. Sure, they're not that good, but they're certainly passable and the film reaches a high when Ginty initially takes a stand, grabbing a machine gun and taking care of half a dozen troops in one burst. What follows is entirely predictable, but not without merit; for instance, I liked the traitor plot and the cheesy helicopter ending. At least Winters understands that action is what the viewers are looking for, and he offers plenty for your money's worth.

This is a fairly standard 80's style action movie, with nothing to distinguish it from others of its kind. Although reasonably entertaining while it lasts thanks to a fair amount of action and a fast pace, it is, overall, a ridiculous and below average action pick. Robert Ginty, best known for the 1980 cult classic "The Exterminator," her plays a vengeful Vietnam Veteran (way to broaden your horizon, Bob), who assists rebel forces in a fictional Central American country after his buddy is killed running guns into the nation so as to provide aid for the rebels. The story is as ridiculous as one would expect; Robert Ginty plays a sort of superman who single handedly leads the struggling rebellion towards success. Of course, nobody wants to see an action movie called "Mission Kill" and have it be entirely believable, but the movie is so self serious and overly dramatic that it just can't get away with such a ludicrous premise. In addition to the typically ridiculous and entirely forgettable premise, Ginty's performance is also bland and unmemorable, as is most of the cast. Only Sandy Baron stands out as the zealous reporter responsible for getting Ginty's efforts as a rebel leader recognized by the public. The actions sequences aren't really anything special either; however, they are enough to keep the movie from getting boring throughout its runtime. If anything, this movie is reasonably entertaining, thanks to a fast moving plot and lots violent action. Although it isn't boring, "Mission... Kill" certainly isn't memorable, with a plot that manages to be both preposterous and overly dramatic, stereotypical characters and generally lousy performances. Action fans ought to be able to get some enjoyment out of the movie, but honestly, considering the number of excellent action movies available, there really isn't much reason to be watching a mediocre one like this.

If a viewer might have a sense that this film has been seen before, but yet not remembered, it shall be accepted that such a presentiment is shared by most others who may happen to watch it, as there is precious little of originality or, indeed, interest to be found within this production, a rather hackneyed affair that leaves the memory unburdened. Robert Ginty, who also contributes to the screenplay, performs as J. F. Cooper, a building demolition virtuoso who, after being released from his New York employment, travels west to California where he visits with a former Marine Corps comrade, Harry (Cameron Mitchell), the latter cajoling J. F. into joining with him in a quixotic plan to smuggle arms to rebels in an imaginary Latin American nation, Santa Maria, and although Cooper is initially reluctant to join in this roguery, once arrived in the embattled nation, he becomes avidly committed to aid the guerrilla fighters with their conflict against a despotic government, a decision that leads to a somewhat tedious series of "action" sequences. These, shot primarily in the Mexican Highlands, move the film relentlessly forward, with barely a nod to constraints of logic, and there are continuity flaws aplenty, but an abundance of local extras is on board to die in the many scenes featuring explosions and automatic weapon combat that comprise the spine of the work, rationality being sent to the rear as when Cooper, renamed (by a journalist) "Robin Hood" Kennedy, requests use of a helicopter from his ragtag band of peasant companeros and, lo, one immediately becomes available for him. The crew is competent, as is most often the case, and the largely inexperienced extras are put through their paces well by the stunt coordinator, despite their tactical deployment that, in reality, could only result in their shooting each other. The players are a mixed bag, with Ginty a less than charismatic commander of men, Mitchell hamming it up as is his habit, and Olivia D'Abo is fairly ridiculous as a bandoliered rebel soldier, but solid turns come from Henry Darrow, and Merete Van Camp, as a corrupt government functionary, and his wife, in addition to Brooke Bundy in a small role as Harry's spouse, while Jorge Reynoso, owner of a charter for glowering Mexican villains, is consistently malignant.