Leofwine_draca
MCBAIN is another hugely entertaining B-movie thriller from James Glickenhaus, the man who bought us THE EXTERMINATOR a decade before. This film is just as fun, and almost as violent, although it lacks the nasty, gritty edge of that movie. Things begin with an outrageously over-the-top Vietnam flashback which outdoes RAMBO in terms of body count, before moving into the present-day story. The corrupt president of Colombia is ripe for a coup, but when a rebel leader dies in the attempt, mercenary Christopher Walken is called in to sort things out. He assembles his old team to help out, which includes B-film stalwarts Steve James (in one of his last roles) and Michael Ironside (as completely bad-ass as ever). What follows is a string of South American action set-pieces, involving aerial combat, village ambushes, enemy compound attacks, and machine gunning and rocket launching galore. It's cheesy and low rent, but with tough guy Walken at the helm, the beautiful Maria Conchita Alonso (of THE RUNNING MAN fame) at his side, and Victor Argo as the imposing villain of the hour, it's never less than entertaining.
oscarlawren
Typically period-movie, not very good, not exceedingly bad, clear division between the good and the bad. Story about a handful of mercenaries supplying revolution to south- America. Simon Bolivar and Rambo in one package. Anyone familiar with the Stallone vehicle The Expendables will recognize the similarities between this picture and the Expendables fighting El Presidente. This might be called the unauthorized prequel so to say without the bravado and speed of the Stallone picture. Not very uplifting, cliché-filled, but worth every teenage penny, if you like the thrill to be fast and easy and like the old style novel with torn banknotes and honour-killings. I lacked the patience to concentrate dully on this movie, harvested from a rumble sale. Not memorable and soon forgotten. Nicer period-character is Mrs Fletcher from Murder she Wrote. Thrown in the problem of US POW's after withdrawing from Nam, solving it with an ambush and killing th bad guys.
Dr. Gore
*SPOILER ALERT* *SPOILER ALERT*I bought this one from Blockbuster for three bucks. The title "McBain" instantly made me think about the McBain character from "The Simpsons". In the various clips they showed on the show, McBain was always trying to take down Latin drug kingpin Mendoza. "MEEEENNNNDDDOOOOOZZAA!!" I was hoping Walken was going to do a Schwarzenegger impersonation while gunning down insane amounts of Colombians. Well, there's no Arnold impersonation but Walken does get the lead out. Of his machine gun that is.This is a ridiculous B-action movie. When you see Walken hanging out in the jungles of Colombia wearing a Hawaiian shirt, you'll be laughing. Walken is asked to come to Colombia to settle some scores. His old army buddy was killed there and Walken decides he owes him a violent revolution. So a handful of guys take on the Colombian army. It's a B-movie war.If you're into insane B-movie body counts and idiotic action scenes, you'll get into this one. If you need more coherence and logic in your action flicks, steer clear.
TomStrange
This movie is pretty cheesy, but I do give it credit for at least trying to provide some characterization for it's principles. There are some great moments in the film and the dialogue has some great moments as well.
The aerial assault sequence is perhaps the best part of the movie.
I guess I really like the idea of what lengths a veteran will go for a fellow veteran. Sure it's not all that well done, but the premise is not at all bad.Tom
AD
