80's Month Day 25: Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

 Missing in Action 2: The Beginning is the 1985 follow up film to 1984's Missing in Action. This a prequel to the events in the 1984 film and, while this one didn't quite make the cut on my "10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See" list (which you can check out here), it is a solid action flick.
Interestingly, just like another 80's POW action movie (Rambo: First Blood Part II), this one isn't as good of a film as it's predecessor but does provide a bit more action.

In this one, Colonel James Braddock (played by Chuck Norris) is being held in a North Vietnamese POW camp. The camp is being run by a man named Colonel Yin (played by Soon-Teck Oh), who forces his prisoners to grow opium for a French drug runner. Throughout the film Yin is constantly torturing and toying with the POWs in hopes of getting Braddock to admit to list of war crimes. Braddock always refuses until one day a fellow POW comes down with malaria, and Braddock agrees to trade an admission of guilt for the necessary medicine. However, Yin tricks Braddock and instead gives the sick POW a lethal dose of opium. The enraged James Braddock promptly escapes, steals a bunch of weapons, and starts killing Vietnamese soldiers left and right while freeing fellow prisoners along the way. Eventually, It all comes down to Braddock versus Yin. They decide on hand to hand combat and, of course, Braddock beats him pretty convincingly. Then, with Yin down and unable to continue the fight, Braddock leaves and blows up the building.

It's an entertaining and enjoyable movie, especially for Chuck Norris fans. Is it one of the best action movies of the 1980's? Probably not, but I say it's worth checking out if you've never seen it.
I give it a 3.5 out of 5.


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80's Month Day 8: Lone Wolf McQuade

It's "80's Month" so as with last week, I'm taking a little detour from my normal "Western Wednesday" reviews, which tend to be more traditional genre films, in favor a film that is a sort of a 80s-meets-Western. That's where 1983's Lone Wolf McQuade comes in. It's one of my all-time favorite Chuck Norris movies, and it combines big 80's action with martial arts and a spaghetti Western feel. Even the score is very reminiscent of the one in Sergio Leone's 1968 classic Once Upon a Time in the West.
  Lone Wolf McQuade also came in at #1 on my "10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See" list and you can check out that post by clicking here.

So, what's the movie about?
Well, Chuck Norris plays a badass Texas Ranger named J.J. McQuade, who lives out in the middle of nowhere, prefers to work alone (as all badasses seem to) and he has a pet wolf because, why not? McQuade has all the typical characteristics of an 80's action hero; rough exterior, ex-wife, has a new partner despite insisting he doesn't need one, etc. Pretty early on he encounters the movie's villain, an arms dealer and martial arts expert named Rawley Wilkes (played by David Carradine). The plot pretty much hits all the beats you'd expect but it's done in such a way that, at least in my opinion, it's very entertaining. There's a love interest named Lola (played by Barbara Carrera) who's husband was killed by Wilkes and she falls for McQuade pretty soon after meeting him. McQuade's daughter Sally is kidnapped at one point and, overall, McQuade is seemingly being bested by Wilkes at every turn until the end when our hero finally kills the villain. There are explosions, shootouts, Chuck Norris kicking people, and plenty of other cool stuff. It's just a fun movie that I always enjoy rewatching.

It's not something that everyone's going to get into, and I don't think it's a universally beloved film but, I recommend checking it out.
I give it a 4 out of 5.


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10 Chuck Norris Movies Everyone Should See

While sitting in my screen room, drinking my coffee during a hurricane, I thought to myself “Today’s blog entry should be about a true force of nature: Chuck Norris”. 

So, like my previous ‘10 Movies Everyone Should See’ lists (the others being Sean Connery, John Travolta, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Alfred Hitchcock), this list will focus on 10 films that I think best represent the person’s career.

1)      Lone Wolf McQuade -1983

This always made my think of a sort of alternate universe version of the TV show ‘Walker Texas Ranger’. Chuck Norris still plays a Texas Ranger, except this one he is more violent, drinks heavily, and is a total badass. This one is also my personal favorite of all his films

2)      Missing In Action -1984

Norris plays a Vietnam vet who goes back into Vietnam to rescue some prisoners of war. The 1980’s were full of action flicks set in Vietnam, but I’d put this one up there as one of best. Its two sequels ‘Missing in Action 2: The Beginning’ and ‘Braddock: Missing in Action III’ are also good movies for any 80’s action fan.

3)      Forced Vengeance -1982

Chuck plays the Head of Security for a casino named ‘Lucky Dragon’. One day some mobsters kill the casino’s owner, but the head of mob didn’t realize that Chuck Norris would be looking for revenge.

4)      The Delta Force -1986

When terrorist hijack a plane, the Delta Force is called in take care of things… that’s uh, pretty much the whole plot. It’s as much of a hostage drama as it is an action movie, but it is one of Chuck Norris’ most well know films and so it deserves a place one this list.

5)      Top Dog -1995

It’s a pretty standard buddy cop action/comedy except it’s Chuck Norris and a dog. I’m not gonna lie and tell you that it’s a good movie. It’s dumb, but fun-dumb and entertaining.

6)      The President’s Man -2000

A simple but enjoyable movie about a Secret Service agent (Chuck Norris) that is ready to retire but needs to train his replacement.  And here’s a Fun Fact: Chuck’s son Eric Norris actually co-Directed the film.

7)      Good Guys Wear Black -1977

Though generally not thought to be one of his best films, it’s entertaining to watch Chuck Norris roundhouse kick his way through this action/thriller. At one point he even jump kicks his way through a car windshield to kill the driver, you just don’t get that in every movie.

8)      The Way of the Dragon –1972

This movie has Bruce Lee fighting Chuck Norris in the Roman Coliseum. That alone makes this one worth watching at least once.

9)      The Hitman -1991

Chuck Norris plays a cop who gets shot and is believed to be dead. And since everyone thinks he’s dead, it seems like a perfect opportunity to give him a new identity and send him in to infiltrate the mob. 90’s Norris movies generally are not as memorable as his films from the 80’s but this one is still enjoyable.

10)   Hero and the Terror – 1988

 After a serial killer breaks out of prison and goes back to killing in L.A. there is only one man who can stop him. That man is, you guessed it, Chuck Norris!

Honorable Mentions: Invasion USA (1985), Hellbound (1994), A Force of One (1979)


Have a recommendation for a review or '10 Movies Everyone Should See' list?
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https://youtu.be/Dh79XDvzQXg