The Violent Breed (1984)

The Age of Commercialism

Absolutely brilliant

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

I really can't understand why everyone is panning this film. I don't usually like "action films" but this one, (along with the non-stop action) held my interest because unlike most of this genre, the characters were unusual and developed enough to be interesting. Harrison Muller, the lead actor, has a great screen presence and does well with this very active role and he gives it a very cool character, so you just have to like him. The situations in the plot were not that obvious to me, so it held my interest throughout when unexpected turns in events occurred. It's true that after the opening sequence Henry Silva was wasted....but the female characters more than made up for it. They added a lot to the story with their widely different personalities. My only negative impression was the startling and preposterous ending. I couldn't quite accept it. Harrison Muller, Jr.'s engaging, energetic performance is indicative of his talent which deserved better showcases than the films he appeared in. They are worth watching only to see him, and he steals every one of them even when acting with bigger named co-stars. It's incredible that he didn't become a bigger star himself.

Back when they were all in 'Nam together, Mike Martin (Muller Jr.), Kirk Cooper (Silva) and Polo (Strode) were the best of buddies and they always looked out for each other: saving children, rescuing hostages and even plying bullets out of each others' bodies. This team of soldiers worked together well, with their expertise being in surprise attacks. To the shock of Mike and Kirk, Polo willingly stays behind in 'Nam.Years later, both Mike and Kirk are CIA agents. It turns out that Polo is one of southeast Asia's worst offenders when it comes to drugs and arms smuggling. He's working with the Russians, the Mafia, everybody. So Kirk sends Mike to Bangkok to find his old compatriot Polo and stop his evil doings. While there, he meets a hooker with a heart of gold, thanks to the "comic relief" French madam (La Loggia), and they take on Polo's army (yes, he commands his own army) of goons. And what is Mike's girlfriend Sharon (Andre) up to? Dare you try to find out? The Violent Breed is your classic jungle/exploding huts shoot 'em up with constant gunfire and explosions. After a while, it all gets pretty numbing. Muller is the glib, wisecracking hero who always seems to land on his feet. While he fights the baddies, his Harrison-fu is on full display. Silva and Strode, both great actors, could have done much more with their meager roles.Director Fernando Di Leo has done considerably better work than this in his career, and everything in this film seems to drag on and on. Perhaps he was just trying to fit in to the then-current Italian action boom, but this one falls pretty flat. You'd have to be a pretty big Harrison Muller Jr. fan to try to track this one down. Seeing as we've reviewed FOUR of his movies to date, Comeuppance Reviews seems to be your one-stop Harrison Muller Jr. shop. Who else can claim that? Seemingly a continuation of The Final Executioner (1984) formula (both have Muller and Strode), and again released by Cannon/MGM in those cool big boxes on VHS (as was its predecessor), The Violent Breed, despite its promising name, is middle-of-the-road action at best.for more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com

A reasonably entertaining jungle action turkey. The plot has something to do with with the far east drugs war, CIA, young prostitutes and mercenaries. Fluffy indeed.Lots of pyrotechnics and gunplay make this one watchable, but bad acting and tremendously bad script work in the other direction.Released on video in Finland in the early eighties.

Harrison Muller and Woody Strode are reunited after their triumphant 1982 classic "The Final Executioner" for this completely idiotic Italo action non-epic from certified hack Fernando di Leo.The film begins in Vietnam, with Muller, Strode (who must be the oldest grunt in cinema history), and platoon leader Henry Silva rescuing some children. Silva is shot and Strode digs the bullet out of his chest with a knife in a scene that must be seen to be disbelieved. Then, out of nowhere, Strode (playing a character named "Polo") sends Muller and Silva on their way, while he stays behind.Turns out Polo is running some kind of drug and prostitution ring based in Thailand that has ties to the Mafia, the KGB, and the CIA. Silva, now a CIA agent, sends top man and chronic Wrangler-wearer Muller to Thailand to stop Polo's reign of nonsensical terror.Nothing makes sense: Silva recites his lines like he's talking to a 3-year-old, Muller is glib at all the wrong times (he's strung up and about to be killed by Strode, and he keeps asking for a beer), weeks seem to go by, yet Silva (who, despite his top billing, has hardly any screen time after the opening sequence) and the people at the CIA always seem to be wearing the same wardrobe, and Muller & Silva even kiss at one point.The most jawdropping aspect of the film has to be the extended climactic siege, where Muller and a prostitute take refuge in a brothel while Strode's army attacks. This portion of the film is more drawn out than the live version of "Stairway to Heaven." The action takes place in a small, enclosed camp, with Muller and the girl running from building to building, yet Strode and the most poorly-trained, inefficient platoon this side of "Gomer Pyle USMC" can't seem to see them, and even when they do, they all run after them one at a time, enabling Muller to easily dispose of them.Add to that a "surprise" ending without a semblance of coherence or sensibility and you've got something that even bad movie purists won't be able to handle.