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His death faked after his car plunges into a river, an American policeman is given a new identity and forced to become an assassin for a government-run secret organisation in this mix of action and comedy starring Fred Ward as the title character. As evidenced by the title, this was intended to the first in a series of James Bond like movies that never quite took off, which is unfortunate since this is as riveting and entertaining a ride as one would expect from 'Goldfinger' director Guy Hamilton. The story is not without its weaknesses. Ward is a little too accepting of his new identity and role in life, never once pining for what he left behind. The film also spends little time on the idea of assassinations made to look like accidents despite an intriguing suggestion that the secret organisation has been run for decades as a way of the government dealing with shady figures that cannot legally be touched. All of Ward's training scenes are very well done though and frequently suspenseful (hanging off amusement park rides). Joel Grey is also dynamite as Ward's trainer who compares him to a yak claims that "fear is nothing more than a feeling" while dodging bullets by predicting muscle movements (!). The film is filled with great set pieces too; whether it be hanging off the Statue of Liberty or evading intelligent guard dogs, there is nary a boring moment to be had here.
peleus429
I like this movie, mostly for its smart-assery and tongue-in-cheekery. But I think that Fred Ward is the only actor who was properly cast; Wilford Brimley, maybe, but I found something dissatisfying with his role (although real-time video on a computer monitor was an enjoyably accurate prediction). Joel Grey, although his comic timing was impeccable, was a disaster in my opinion.Watching this movie, I get the feeling that the producers seriously misunderestimated their audience. Too often they served up hamburger in scenes where moviegoers needed steak to work up an appetite for the franchise that was obviously intended. Still, it's a pleasant fantasy and fun to watch.
SnoopyStyle
A secret government organization in the service of presidents called CURE fakes the death of a NY patrolman and inducts him into the organization. They give him a new identity Remo Williams (Fred Ward), and give him a trainer Chiun (Joel Grey) master of Korean martial arts Sinanju. Based on the series "The Destroyer" by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy.This is definitely cheesy and pulpy. Joel Grey has great fun as the Korean master. The training sequences are fantastic and does all the well worn classic clinches. He's dodging bullets, and walking on water. It's all fun. I'm also amazed that they filmed an action sequence on the Statue of Liberty. It fun to see. The serious part of the movie doesn't work as well. Maj. Rayner Fleming (Kate Mulgrew) gathers evidence of defective weapons and faces a deadly weapons manufacturer. It's the more forgettable part of the movie.
FFAxDAVID
Like any book turned into a film,this does not do the books credit. That said,it is very faithful to both the repartee between the master and student as well as the excitement and skills obtained during training by Remo. Sure its fictional,a lot of the moves taught are impossible,but a lot are also plausible, and that along with the humorous banter between master and student as the wisdom and skills are passed on to the latter are what made me so addicted to Remo in book form, and what also makes this film so much fun to watch.Being addicted to the books before the film was made, usually a hindrance to enjoying the film when made as gets your hopes up too high, did not deter me from enjoying Fred Wards performance as the Destroyer to be, and i find it almost unfathomable that a follow up film never became a reality-but i will live in hope of it happening, and if they made another film half as close as this one was to the books i will die happy i will die happy.
AD
