[Also released as “Commando Platoon”, and on German VHS as “Platoon – Die Zur Holle Fahren”]
Director Tony Y. Reyes [as Antonio Y. Reyes]
Cast Robert Marius (Lieutenant Walker), Jim Dixon (John Webb), Emanuel Ayi (Mike Bradford), Victoria Bierschbach (Caroline Smith), George Soethe (Major Mulligan), Bernard Higgins (Brian Adams), Jeff Griffith (Billy Graham), Steve Rogers, Henry Strzalkowski, Ernie Forte
War torn Vietnam 1973 sees a village of innocent men, women and children subjected to a horrific attack from above. The American air force lay siege upon the jungle beneath them with an unmitigated barbarity that shoots down a deadly nerve gas. The toxic agent is a flesh eating concoction that literally feeds itself upon the naked skin of those it comes in contact with. This is as brutal a pre credit opening you are likely to experience. Scenes of scurrying people of all ages are hit with an acid rain that suppurates their flesh, peeling it away to the tendons and bone. Handfuls of hair are pulled out to the bloody root in exasperation of the terrible pain. In camp tethered animals lay twitching in their death throws as globules of blood trickle from nose and eyes in all too realistic fashion. The combined mass of a tortured populace, staggering around like rotting corpses barely still alive, is a scene straight out of an Italian Zombie flick!
Two U.S Air Force pilots are taken prisoner by Vietnamese soldiers and duly taken to an uncharted jungle prison camp. There they are immediately interrogated about the earlier events of crimes against humanity. Major Adams and Major Webb are soon subjected to torture. Both men are strung up and subjected to electric shock treatment to the genital region. A forced variation on Russian roulette is played out with a pistols barrel shoved into the mouth of one of the officers, who writhes in sheer terror. Their commanding interrogator is no more perturbed by the use of barbaric violence than his counterparts and is determined to get a confession from the American’s.
A war seasoned rescue team is put together outside of normal military procedure. Six men and a woman form up what is best described as the dirty half dozen plus one. Their objective is to storm the concentration camp and bring back Adams and Web. Their bounty a princely sum of one and a half million dollars. A marauding seven that although not exactly magnificent certainly know how to take care of business. A killer corps of trained mercenary tacticians who’s survival instinct is to kill or be killed. There’s definitely no Hollywood happy ending on the horizon here. It’s a raid and rescue mission where everyone but the objective is the enemy!
There is enough gunfire and explosive Action to keep fans of the true grit lovers entertained, but the insidious message that plays throughout is a political play that paints a tainted picture of the entire war from the American standpoint. The level of ruthlessness and the blatant disregard for human life in favour of political might is clear for all to see. A clumsy attempt at telling the world how insane the Vietnam War was from all involved. A bleak portrayal of man no matter what his creed or colour.
The team storms the encampment and free both Adams and Webb to the enragement of the Vietnamese prison commander, who without prejudice unloads an automatic rifle into the combined bound remainder of the detainees. A break from his ritualistic raping of the local young girls in an alternate expression of his pent up aggressive nature. Bodies fly as bullets and explosions follow each other in rapid succession. The prison enclosure turns into a mini war zone as bodies are strewn all around and huts ablaze from the sheer firepower being distributed.
The surviving assault team members and the two prisoners escape into the surrounding jungle but the remaining Vietnamese soldiers are soon in pursuit.
As ever you have to question the motif behind a mission that ends in more deaths per head than that of those rescued! Here the definition of ‘for the greater good’ is answered come the final scene of the movie as what has preceded turns out to have far deeper ramifications , but for the delight of the steadfast viewer payback indeed proves to be a bitch!
The movie has a look and feel akin to that of a jungle action flick made around ten years earlier. A throwback to the heyday of the mid Eighties conveyor belt of hard hitting, blood spitting and explosive action fodder that an audience could kick back with. This is definitely throwaway Action but not without its merits. The powerful opening is something pretty unique to the genre, the ubiquitous firepower is always welcome, but it is the complete lack of any righteous hero that leaves the overall experience cold. Even an anti hero would have made the movie more palatable but here what is served up is a devilled dish of cold hearted villainy from all quarters. Bland characters in a bleak situation that leaves its audience with absolutely no one to root for in a truly nihilistic outing. A pretty rare viewing experience that dares to be different, and must be lauded for that, but in so being instantly alienates the majority of the demo graph it is aimed at! What will stay with the patient viewer is the detached coldness of the players and the opening sequence, that although vile in its conception is an incredulous one to experience.
[Philippines
release date 9th September 1983, original title “Mga Pusang Bundok”/“The
Mountain Cats”. Distributed internationally by Atlas Films, released on French
VHS as “Les Commandos De La Mort”]
Director Segundo Ramos [IMDB lists Leo Valdez as
co-director] “Dialogues” Larry Dolgin [IMDB lists Ramos & Daddy Gomez as
writers] Cinematography Danny Bustos Musical Director Pablo Gomez Editors Danny
Gomez, Heinz Schulhof
Cast Johnny Wilson (Colonel), “George Pallance” [real
identity unknown], George “Regan”/Estregan (Jose), Robert Lee, Ramon Zamora,
“June Ariston”/Jun Aristorenas (Captain Barone), Rodolfo “Boy” Garcia
(Karamat), Renato del Prado, Joel Alano (Donald), Raquel Montesa, Nina Sarah,
Boy Sta. Maria, Tony Martinez, Benny May, Jolly Jogueta, Rudy Rivera, Bobby
Oreo, Tony Beso, Allan Garcia, Buddy Lanuza, Big Boy Gomez, [uncredited]
Ulysses Tzan (Elmer), Mohamad Faizal
Mini-review by Andrew Leavold:
Emperor Films’ successful sale of Deadly
Commando/Suicide Force (1981) to Germany’s Atlas International prompted them to
approach Atlas two years later, in true Filipino form, with essentially a
carbon copy of their previous hit, dragging along much of its cast and crew.
Once again, Army Commander Johnny Wilson sends a squad of black-clad commandos
to rescue kidnapped person-of-interest from a rebel commander played by Rodolfo
“Boy” Garcia; this time he is self-styled People’s Revolution leader Karamat,
suffering from delusions of his own divinity, who snatches the province’s
Governor and his daughter and drags them back to his mountain lair. Wilson
charges Captain Barone (60s cowboy star Jun Aristorenas) to reactivate his
Death Raiders, a boozing and brawling bunch consisting of three of the Pinoy
Bruce Lees – Ramon Zamora, Ulysses Tzan and Robert Lee – plus the Man Mountain
from Mindanao, Mohamad Faizal. From a cast well-versed in comic action films,
you’d expect some broad comedy moments – Ulysses Tzan recreating his Drunken
Master routine from Mantis Boxer (1979) during a street fight, for instance,
and the Raiders’ room-trawling during their rescue of Tzan’s girlfriend from a
busy brothel. It’s also a much less one-dimensional film than Deadly Commando,
with more welcoming serves of sleaze and blood, more fleshed-out characters,
and imaginatively shot bang-bang scenes. George Estregan is also back as
Karamat’s reluctant second in command working to bring down the lunatic cult
leader down, alongside Karamat’s son Donald, played by teenage pin-up Joel
Alano, who would pass away from a heart attack in 1986 aged only 21. Not bad.
This Filipino picture from 1984, directed by Segundo
Ramos (who also did Suicide Force which stars the same lead), begins when an
evil military big-wig kidnaps a local politician and his pair of daughters,
after which he marches them through the jungle and basically holds them hostage
at his secret hideout/fortress. The government wants to get their man back but
are worried that sending in the army will find them dead so they bring up a
team of special forces types dubbed The Death Raiders and lead by Captain
Barone to sneak in and get the hostages out. Unfortunately for the military
big-wig kidnapper, his own son disagrees with his politics and stars to make
life difficult for him just as Barone and his crew show up and shoot their way
through a seemingly endless supply of enemy soldiers.
Fast paced and plenty violent, this is an enjoyable
enough picture in its own right as long as you’re able to look past the cheap
production values and just enjoy the chaos. The last half hour of the film is
chock full of shoots outs, burning buildings, explosions and carnage but even
before that there’s a weird energy to the film, from its bizarre rape scenes to
its uber-macho dialogue, made all the more screwy by some ham-fisted acting and
macho chest beating.
A provincial Governor and his two daughters are kidnapped by the evil Karamat and his trigger-happy men. After a treacherous trek through the jungle, Karamat and his prisoners finally arrive at his fortress, which is heavily fortified with men with guns and a series of maze-like caves. The government deems an air attack or a full-on ground assault too dangerous, so they reform the Death Raiders, a small group of Black Ops. soldiers headed by Captain Barone, to penetrate Karamat's fortress and rescue the Governor and his daughters. So begins this enjoyable (sometimes for the wrong reasons) action film from the Philippines, as Captain Barone rounds-up all the ex-members of his squad; from a disco (with the prerequisite bar fight), a police hostage situation (with the prerequisite attempted rape scene) and helping an alcoholic member free his girlfriend from a mafia whorehouse. Meanwhile, Karamat's son, who disagrees with his father's political views, unsuccessfully tries to lead the prisoners to freedom. When Karamat catches him, he ties him up in the middle of town and beats the stuffing oput of him with his bare hands in front of all the citizens. This does not sit too well with Karamat's wife, who secretly plans a revolution with a sympathetic rebel in town. After Captain Barone and his men train to get into shape, they set out on their mission to Karamat's stronghold. They make it to the cave where the Governor and his daughters are being held and they get an unexpected hand from Karamat's wife and son. From then on, the group try to make it through the jungle to safety, before the Army does a full air and ground attack on the compound. Members will be lost on the way as Captain Barone and his men must fight an inexhaustable supply of Karamat's soldiers, even as some of Barone's men return to Karamat's compound to rescue innocent women and children.
Directed and co-written with a lot of intentional humor (check out the disco and whorehouse scenes) by Segundo Ramos (SUICIDE FORCE - 1982), this film has a lot going for it (especially the early martial arts fights, including an inventive, almost comic book-like, use of a spinning bar stool), but stops dead in it's tracks every time it goes back to the Karamat father-son conflict. This film works best when it concentrates on the Death Raiders themselves and their comradarie, which seems natural and unforced (it's apparent these actors, including Johnny Wilson [DEVIL'S THREE - 1979] and George Estregan [CLASSIFIED OPERATION - 1985], here using the name "George Regan", have worked together many times before this film). As with most Filippino action films, this one contains more than a few scenes of attempted rape (but, surprisingly, no nudity), including a comical scene where a bunch of Karamat's soldiers fight each other in the middle of a lake as they try to rape one of the Governor's daughters. While most of the action in the latter-half of the film is basically gunfights and explosions, the film has a kinetic energy that's infectious and fun to watch. I was taken aback by the abrupt ending, but that's a small complaint to an otherwise highly watchable film and, at 80 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome.
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Rebellious Filipino jungle war fare in which a governor and his two daughters are taken hostage. An explosive opening montage of stock footage and pretty well staged pyrotechnics open proceedings on a high. Jungle combat dominates the screen with a glut of gun power and explosive grenade pitching. Watch towers explode, and a bridge is obliterated, as the Filipino national military corps take on the rebels in an ongoing plight for democracy.
The governor of the province has his home invaded by the rebels whilst holding a private function. Along with his two adult daughters the governor is forcibly taken away and delivered before the rebel force leader. Held to ransom for the Filipino government to concede to their demands, it is up to the military forces to initiate a counter strike in order to safely retrieve those abducted. Time to call up the Death Raiders!
The military big wigs assign a special rescue team, a unit of crack commandos called the Death Raiders. Given two weeks in order to seek out and rescue the governor and daughters before the rebels designated demands deadline comes to be.
Death Raiders is not the greatest example of low budget ‘B’ movie jungle goodness produced in the Philippines, and indeed for the greater part is a flaccid affair. There is neither a great bad guy to goad, nor any particular good guy to steal the show. The movie goes about its business pretty much by the numbers, plodding through a basic plot until its inevitable climax. There are though enough moments of explosive Action and hand to hand combat scenes to see the viewer through the entirety, if only to leave a feeling of being left under whelmed. It’s a one time drink from the trough for this pony, but the sub stallion ride isn’t completely without its giddy up moments.
Throwing the members of the Death Raiders together again serves up some fun as each of the main players gets his own moment of introduction. A minor play on the bringing together of The Magnificent Seven (1960). Tough guy Ray busts some nifty kung fu moves at a disco, as a local thug with his lackey’s foolishly pick a fight. Freddie sends a low life man handler, holding a young woman at gun point, to his final resting place as he acrobatically leaps through the air, deftly delivering a bullet directly to the forehead of the scumbag.
As the team of specialist comes together there is also a rewarding full on fist fight, and more martial arts mastery played out in a whorehouse, as Ray and Freddie help out their buddy Elmer rescue his girlfriend from a prostitution racket.
Proceedings are often peppered with Action scene moments akin to the old Harold Lloyd silent movie styled set up sequences. Well done, but somewhat odd in what is a movie portraying itself as a tough Actioner!?
Following a fast track training camp, to make sure that the teams working parts are well tuned and their mental application is readjusted, the Death Raiders are back in tandem.
The team is helicopter parachute dropped into the general region of rebel activism within the Filipino jungle with orders to retrieve the governor and his two daughters with all due prejudice to any aggressors.
Arriving under cover of night the commandos soon uncover and surreptitiously sneak into the rebel leaders camp. They take out the perimeter guards using knives to keep things quiet, and bust a few heads with the butts of their guns for any others in their path. The alarm is inevitably raised though and it soon becomes open season, with guns and grenades fuelling a fight for freedom.
With an unexpected assist from within the rebel ranks, Ray and Freddie, along with their fellow Death Raiders, round up the governor and his daughters, and make an immediate play to escape the enemy. It’s a frenzied fight to the finish line here on in as the rebel leader rounds up his own troops to stop the commando corps. Some furtively futile sequences of stupidity ensue as the audience is treated to formation death tolls, dutifully dollied up by rebels lining up in bunches of three to fives for some synchronised kills by the commandos. Just like shooting sitting ducks at a fairground these hapless rebels run out into the Death Raiders gun sights, like multiple swim teams, soon drowning in their own blood!
Heavy artillery support brings wanton annihilation to multiples of straw huts, enveloped in explosive flames, and the destruction of innocent trees alike. An all out war that brings proceedings to a welcome Action ending.
CastCraig Alan (Strobe Walker), Leonard Oliver, George Nicholas (Madaglen), Chris O'Hara, Gerald Fox, Robert Marius (Klaus), Frank Dux (Brock Towers), Mark Kristofferson, Judy Green (Nikki), Jacqueline Landau, Mel Davidson (Senator Murdock), Nick Nicholson (Pierre), Frank Juhas (Manolo), Ernie David (Bigman), Willie Williams (Wagner), Elizabeth Foreman (Senator's Wife), David Anderson (Russian Officer), Jeff Griffith (CIA Man), Daniel Freeman (Raul), Brad Goreman (Mr. Braden), Dorothy Simpson (Mrs. Braden), John Evans(VTR Operator) Pierre’s Group Benjamin Langdon, Timothy Henson, Adam Kater, Gregory Daniels, Arthur ReaganTerrorists Peter Gordon, Sam Thomas, Chris Ford, Logan Henderson Restaurant Customers Bill Morris, Judy Hart, Lynda Peters
Paul Cooke’s review from the AV Maniacs forum:
‘‘We are trying to put the terror back into terrorism’’
Before Peter Jackson painted cinema screens a lush shade of New Zealand green, with the epic saga that is ‘The Lord Of The Rings’, the battle cry of Orks was super ceded by the mighty war bellows of ‘Commander’ (1988) star Craig Alan. Steely jawed, and ripped like a Rambo replica, here he goes toe to toe with a band of crazed terrorists in a role that demands he get the job done. A vengeful faction named People For Freedom sends a terror message to the U.S.A. by striking with fatal intent U.S. facilities, and recreational places where American citizens gather socially, resulting in the multiple deaths of dignitaries and innocent people alike.
An explosive opening sequence sets the vitriolic tone as a member of the People For Freedom, irreverently dressed in an all black priest tunic set off with a dark foreboding wide brimmed hat, makes a telephone call to the national press from a phone booth across the street from the Overseas Bank Of America. The message is received loud and clear as moments later the bank is detonated in a fireball of mass destruction. Sermon and last rights delivered by the miscreant man in black!
The American government calls upon ex special forces elitist Brock Towers, played by martial arts legend Frank Dux, and offers him $250,000 to head up his own hand picked team to head on into South America and bring down Randalph Maclaghlen, the People For Freedom’s leader. Maclaghlen is a fanatical communist with a personal grudge against his homeland of America, rejected for his self attaining Capitalist beliefs and now misguiding a following in the name of freedom and democracy. He wants to protect the world from America!
This is one of only a handful of in front of the camera roles that Frank Dux made as his martial arts skills clearly are his forte beyond that of acting. One time friend of Jean Claude Van Damme, and the apparent inspiration behind Van Damme’s hit movie ‘Bloodsport’ (1988), Dux often worked as a movie fight coordinator, and indeed assisted Van Damme in this respect on the Muscles From Brussels’ feature ‘Lionheart’ (1990).
Given just seven days to complete his assignment Brock Towers sets out, like Yul Bryner’s character Chris Adams from ‘The Magnificent Seven’ (1960), to locate some old fighting buddies from his military past. Klaus the German mercenary is discovered fighting off local’s looking for trouble in a bar in what turns into a well staged brawl. Next on Towers list is Strobe Walker, a one man army, incarcerated in a bars and bricks prison. Craig Alan plays the affable martial arts fighting machine, sporting a T-shirt that sums his character up perfectly ‘‘Kill ’Em All And Let God Sort Them Out”.
The three reacquainted seasoned professionals go outward bound to locate the next recruit, a weapons and reconnaissance expert named Pierre, played with scene stealing aplomb by Nick Nicholson, who has become a reclusive operator deep within the recesses of the South American jungle region. They receive a hostile welcome and are met by Pierre’s feisty arms bearing daughter Nicki. A buxom blonde babe who shoots from the hip and packs a set of bazookas to rival those of Ilsa, She Wolf Of The S.S.
Pierre makes an appearance to spare his comrades blushes at getting ass whooped by G.I. Jane’s jungle fury, and everyone gets introduced and reacquainted. There is immediate sexual attraction between the gregarious Strobe Walker and Nicki, with Walker naughtily musing, “I’d walk a mile just to smell her bicycle seat!” The evening turns into a round table sharing of the mission at hand and the morning sees the start of a plan in action.
Pierre stays out of the limelight and allows his daughter to hook up with Towers, Klaus and Walker as they set about making contact with a snitch loyal to Pierre, one with an ear to the ground and a foot in the camp of their prime objective Randalph Maclaghlen. With privileged information pertaining to venues targeted by the People For Freedom organisation Walker and team strike a blow for the free world. The Action comes fast and furious as the bullets fly and the body bags are filled with toe tagged terrorists. Maclaghlen is soon very much aware of the infiltrators as his group take severe hits and he immediately issues the order to take the American soldiers of fortune out of the picture. The screen is filled with plenty of gun action and some juicy bloody body hits, including an arterial splatter shot to the head at close range.
Klaus infiltrates the People For Freedom’s jungle militia camp, whilst Strobe Walker lays down some airborne firepower cover aided by Nicki’s abilities as a helicopter pilot. Randalph Maclaghlen arrives at the scene to witness the assault as his small army of men run around like headless chicken. Alan Craig comes into his own here as the star Action hero Strobe Walker, eating up the screen and spewing bullets by the barrel load into the bad boy battalion. Pierre reappears in the nick of time, like a barnstorming bearded beret just screaming out to be modern day deuced by Nick Nolte for ‘Tropic Thunder’, bringing support troops to counter the overwhelming number of soldiers defending the camp.
Bullets and brawn match with heroic bravado Strobe Walker style as he shoots his way through the enemy line, on a direct course to head to head with his nemesis Randalph Maclaghlen. In the field of battle the two bulls of war take testosterone trade off to a new level, and Strobe Walker goes hell for leather to ‘Get The Terrorist’!
[Philippines release date 25th December 1986, original title “Salamankero"; also released as "Monster Of The Universe"]
Director Tata Esteban Writer Grace Hill Serrano Music Rey Ramos Cinematography Joe Tutanes Editor Pat Ramos Assistant Production Manager Lar’ San Assistant Directors Joy de la Cruz, Brillante Mendoza, Grace Hill Serrano Assistant Cameraman Molly Delino Schedule Master Larry Santos Company Secretary Daisy Santos Production Assistants Boyet Daguio, Wingky Gonzalez Assistant Editors Randy Brien, Nelson Ramos Stills William Tan Setting Ricky Sujede Props Hermando Samson Wardrobe Oscor Mansao
Cast Michael De Mesa (Lolo Omar/Professor Jamir), Tanya Gomez (Lovina), Tom Tom (Bojok), Sunshine (Freza), Armida Siguion-Reyna (Mikula), Liza Lorena (Kleriga), Gina Alajar (Siddha), Odette Khan (Madera), Dick Israel (Arbutus), Rene Johnson (Tumok), Turko Cervantes (Ahura), Nonong de Andres (Akay), Rex Roldan (Krug), Sonny Erang (Drago), Ricky Sujede (Swamp Thing), Bobby Beso (Ukko), Ruben Rustia
Paul Cooke’s review from the AV Maniacs forum:
‘‘I am an animal , that’s true. But I rule !’’
It's freaky Filipino fairytale time in this incredibly bizarre offering that conjures up a nightmarish world of dark creatures that would not look out of place in a Jim Henson work shop at Halloween.
A circus magician named Jamir sees his own daughter disappear for real during his stage act and has to seek guidance from a greater power to retrieve her from the other side. Jamir goes deep into a mist enshrouded forest to locate the high priest of mystical magic, the one known as The Prophet. His magic mojo is most powerful , but boy could he do with a hut cleaner with a magic mop to clean up after him! The Prophet leads the way into the realm of black magic by inducing the spirits of the occult brought on by munching down on monkey brains. Cerebral sorcery or just plain old monkey business it matters not as Jamir gets a glimpse of what lies ahead in getting his daughter back. The grey matter gets passed around for a monkey munch down with an extra big portion for The Prophet, it is after all his supper time!
Soon Jamir’s wife is also snatched away into the alternate universe leaving just him and his young companion to go forth in search of the dark realm. A world where freakish man monsters and twisted creatures inhabit and a powerful queen rules over human kind. Queen Mikula seeks revenge over the birth line of Jamir’s family tree, back to his grandfather who imprisoned her for practising the black arts. Mikula was Jamir’s grandfather’s disciple who learnt all she could from him before choosing to take the path of evil. Cast out to the alternate dark universe Mikula spent a hundred years embracing evil and planning revenge, holding the Jamir family accountable in her dark heart for her imprisonment. The personification of embitterment her faded looks and pulsating forehead give away her rancorous intentions.
With an old school horror Universal Studios overlay special effect the ghostly apparition of Jamir’s grandfather appears to him to tell him what he must do in order to save his wife and daughter, as well as ending Mikula’s hold over them. Arming him with an amulet that forewarns of danger, and the ability to glow when close to Mikula’s realm, Jamir prepares to continue his trek with his newly gained state of the mystical art global tracking system. The path ahead has many dangers though and when a behemoth of a man wielding a giant sword jumps out to attack Jamir needs more than a flashing artifact to show him the way to safety. Out of the forest mist steps the forest guardian, Mother Nature’s answer to Xena warrior princess. Sporting a Linda Evans set of shoulder pads from the Dynasty left over bins lady Kleriga comes to Jamir’s aid and takes down the giant with her magical eye lasers. Blink and you’ll miss it, she blinks and heaven knows what those lasers might do!
This is high camp horror humour at its highest form that dares not to take itself serious at all. Highlighted perhaps in its true intentions with the bizarre rendering of a monster mash disco party down at queen Mikula’s den of despair, where the monster band plays its funky jive upon instruments made out of human bones, and a karaoke king creature M.C. gets on down to the ghoulish groove.
Jamir eventually gate crashes the party and armed with a magical laser throwing weapon of his own has an energy beam ‘blast’ dance with Mikula. Watch that head of hers pulsate to the blasting beat and Jamir groove on down to the elements of truth and justice as he combats the forces of evil.
This truly is the ‘Magic Of The Universe’ in more than just title. Discovering such fantastical weirdness from the Philippines is a reward in itself. Add to this magical filmic pot a tribe of quizzical pygmies, a swamp Zombie who gets picked on just for wanting a taste of prime Filipino fillet and a whole host of back lot non aired pilot show monster rejects, and you have sure fire matinee madness for a late night showing shindig. Jim Wynorski, eat your heart out.
[Listed on the end credits as “The Ultimate Solution” – possible alternate or working title?]
Director "Richard Smith"/Maria Sarret Story “Joe”/Jose Mari Avellana Screenplay Siegfried Sepulveda, Rosanno Abelardo Executive Producer Alan R. Escano Cinematography Joe Tutanes Music Gabby Castellano Editor Edgardo “Boy” Vinarao Associate Director Rosanno Abelardo Casting Nick Nicholson Production Design Vic Dabao Production Coordinator Norma Adela Gaerlan Production Comptroller Thirdy D. Escano Production Managers Alan Garcia, Siegfried Sepulveda Art Director Rafael Schulz Wardrobe Julie Guzman Wardrobe Assistants Ed Guzman, Joe Panopio Stunt Coordinator Eddie Samonte Routine Instructor Boy Sta. Maria Special Effects Jose Carmona Effects Assistants Mario Carmona Jr, Elmer Lumot, Angel Carmona, Paul Carmona, Emen Picpic 2nd Unit Cameramen Popoy Orense, Rey de Leon, Claro Assistant Cameraman Roy Sangco Property Master Quirino Villanueva Props Assistants Efren Baldezer, Richard Sanchez Post-Production Manager Jay Pineda Assistant Editors Francis Vinarao, Isagani Celis Loopers Jun Vinarao, Edwin Celis Special Sound Effects Rodel Capule Sound Supervision Tony Faustino Music Arranged and Conducted by Domingo Zafe Revolutionary Song performed by Moshen Hassani Layout Artist Vic Delotavo Titles/Optical Effects Ruben Abelardo Opticals Man Boy Quilatan Additional Dialogue Ed Mills, Robert Gaerlan Production Nurse Mercy de Leon Production Secretary Osmen Camps Production Bookkeeper Vicmar Turtal Make-Up Ely Magpali Script Boy Robbie Gaerlan Radio Maintenance Officer Thulskie Orila Production Assistants Jeffrey Gonzales, Poncholo Gaerlan, John Gaerlan, Warren Tiller, Lyle Vorstaken, Johnny Montero Jr, Henry Rivera, Dennis Galang Post-Production Security Tim Hermino, Bam Cate, Rene Villafria Utility Men Jabbar Hilario, Mong Hilario, Michael Reino
Cast Anthony Alonzo (Rashid), Nanna Anderson (Lesley Prentiss), Mark Gil (Ahmed), Steve Rogers (Hawthorn), “Ed”/Eddie M. Gaerlan (Abu Hassad), Ronnie Patterson (Casey), Nick Nicholson (Ox), Willy Schober (Ibrahim Habash), Rafael Schultz (Trident Schulz), Tony Ogumsaya (Trident Robinson), Majid Jadali (Trident Majid), Randy Hrobar(Trident Harel), Jim Moss (Trident Parsons), Tony Lao (Trident Kimura), Gerald Tosco (Trident Dobouis), Carlos Terry (Trident Gomez), Mike Aguas (Trident Aguas), Salah Mahfoudi (Sultan of Quamamesia), Paul Holmes (Israeli Ambassador), Moshen Hassani (Imam), Bahman Borzoo (Ambassador of Jordan), Rebecca Garcia (Human Bomb), Al Alonzo (Rebel Leader 1), Den Montero (Rebel Leader 2), Kristine Erlandson (News Reporter 1), Ingrid Erlandson (News Reporter 2) SAS Officers Mike Monty, Frank Juhaz, Vic Saad Mercs Philip Gordon, Dave Gibberish, Butch Aguas, Miguel Soques, Beth Terry
Email from Nick Nicholson:
“Trident Force!!! Holy Jeebus!!! We did that a long time ago. Our director was Maria Sarret, and our 1st AD was her son Sonny Sarret. ANNA was the acronym for Anthony, Norma, Norma, Alex. Anthony Alonzo (died from AIDS), Norma Gaerlan (if she is still alive she is in Oz someplace), Norma Escano and Alex Escano. Norma and Alex's son Allen Escano owns Road Runner Studio in QC. The Escanos are uber rich! They all come from Cebu and have mining and shipping lines. That was perhaps one of the most bizarre film shoots I have ever been on.
“The Gaerlans are a mixture of Spanish and Indian. Ed is Norma’s uncle, others are brothers, nephews and only God knows what! We ended up without a caterer – Norma, she had some sort of illness that ate her tissue. She was in a wheelchair and a real battle axe.
“It was almost like shooting a movie with the Adams Family! Norma was confined to a wheel chair. She had something like leprosy. It was eating her fingers and toes away. She was a real firecracker though. She made sure all of her relatives were involved so that they could suck every cent out of the production. She needed Anthony in a bad way. He was her Joker Card with the Escanos. To keep him happy, she encouraged her 18 year old nephew to hang out with Anthony (he was a Top Gay!) The kid later complained to me that his asshole had become like a pork rind! I think you get the picture. Every day was filled with conflict! I thought I had actually crossed through the Twilight Zone into another dimension. One day I was getting ready to wrap a bunch of extras and I had their vehicle on standby. Ed wanted to use the vehicle to go to Manila to drop off a crossword puzzle entry for some dumbass contest. The extras would have to have waited for around 4 hours for the damned jeep. I didn't let him use it, so Ed and Norma threw a hissy fit. Anthony tried to threaten me with bodily harm, and I responded by calling him out. He backed down and they spent the rest of the day pouting and whispering evil plans...
“Towards the end of the shoot, Norma and Maria were absolutely at war with each other. We snubbed the wrap party and fled to Manila from Tagaytay.
“A couple of months later something even more disturbing happened. Norma had a maid who had a 4 year old son with her at Norma's house. Also living at the house was another nephew who was a Bakla. The Bakla was wired on crank. One night with a full moon, the Bakla stabbed the little boy 13 times in the neck, nearly decapitating the child. He then stuffed the body under the bed in the maid’s quarters.
“Now get this... Tony Ferrer has a mistress and she is none other than Norma's sister Diana!”
Knee deep in Middle Eastern explosive dung a corps of the British army do an Alamo as they fortify a military holding in a desert terrain. The last day of their duty and it rains rebels with activist intent and a death to the Western culture look in the eye. An American photo journalist is caught up in the battle but she continues to do her job and on more than one occasion gets too close to the front line. Watched over , and repeatedly rescued by a mixed parentage British soldier named Rashid , Lesley Prentice later turns out to be more than a shutter shooter with long legs. This opening sequence is an explosive introduction to ‘Trident Force’ that lasts nigh on twenty minutes before the credits even role! It’s bazookas against berets and a stiff upper lip British attitude with amusing dialogue to go with it , ‘‘Hey boys we got us a camel jockey here’’. The Action is fast and furious though and has more than the odd head shot following a bloody squib throwback to surprise.
Reinforcement arrives in the form of a battle readied fighter helicopter and the on board big gun soon mows down the enemy below. Now that’s the way to begin an Action movie! Things jump about a bit for a while as the headlines tell the tale of worldwide terrorist activity that springs from Malaysia to Moscow. A startling scene involving a sexily black leather clad female motorcyclist hits home the events portrayed across the news reels as her mission ends as a suicide bomber. The Israili ambassadors residence in Beirut is also hit by a killer who coldly slaughters an entire family by gun. All in the name of The Palestinian Revolutionary Legion. A new organisation is called for to address the terrorist situation and Rashid is called upon to undertake the gruelling training camp to be a part of The Trident Force. His British commanding officer, Colonel Hawthorne from the desert operation, reunites with him along with Lesley Prentice who is revealed to be working for the C.I.A.
Boot camp is a bigoted ballywhoo where Rashid’s mixed heritage comes into question and sees him singled out by bullying hick drill instructor Ox , played brilliantly by Filipino resident film regular Nick Nicholson. Their relationship is a turbulent one, but one that by the end of the course turns into mutual respect. The training regime is brutal but teaches the unit commando tactics and techniques, along with bomb disposal skills and rescue scenarios. The course involves the use of real ammunition rounds and overcoming lethal set traps. Only the strongest and best survive to become the proud wearers of the red beret of The Trident Force. It’s a testosterone runaway train of an Action movie that spits bullets and bleeds red berets. The kind of movie you know you expect to be entertained by and it doesn’t let you down.
Gleefully for continued viewing plus points Nick Nicholson’s character Ox decides that he now digs Rashid so much that he wants to take on the mantle of a red beret soldier himself and is honoured into the ranks of the Trident Force. The turkey shoot camp closes up shop and the new elite corps are open for business. Their coinage is wrapped up in a full metal jacket and it’s the terrorists who will pay dearly. Prepare to wear a smile as the ‘B’ movie brilliance here on in is propelled into ballistic overdrive. Terrorist leader Abu Hassad is top of the teams hit list and leader Colonel Hawthorne gives the order to lock and unload! It’s not just the rapid fire smile enducing dialogue that hit’s the funny bone, look out for a groovy rendition of spin the skull with a gloriously tacky pointy arrow that calls upon Allah to pick out a traitor. Honestly ‘Trident Force’ could single handedly have been the inspiration behind Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s puppet parody ‘Team America’. A world delegation conference sees the Trident Force immediately called into action as the terrorist faction gate crash the gathering. They dispense of the threat using their combined commando honed skills and the Eastern activists are dealt with, sending a message to Abu Hassad that the free world has a new policy and its enforcers are called Trident Force. With balls bigger than an elephant with mumps this is low budget Action at its most gregarious and its energy level is infectious. There’s always room to amp up those levels though and when Rashid is sent the head of his brother in a box he snaps. Revenge is a dish best served up by a red beret waiter kitted out in Rambo threads and readied to spill the arterial vino! Prepare for a barn storming conclusion where the bullets fly and bodies bleed, all to the tune of a one man wrecking crew. Majorly explosive stuff, and more carnage than a free day at K.F.C when chicken is off the menu. Yes siree its that ‘Plucking’ good!
1988 – Assault Platoon (company unknown) 
Paul Cooke’s review from Cinema Nocturna: 
Two U.S Air Force pilots are taken prisoner by Vietnamese soldiers and duly taken to an uncharted jungle prison camp. There they are immediately interrogated about the earlier events of crimes against humanity. Major Adams and Major Webb are soon subjected to torture. Both men are strung up and subjected to electric shock treatment to the genital region. A forced variation on Russian roulette is played out with a pistols barrel shoved into the mouth of one of the officers, who writhes in sheer terror. Their commanding interrogator is no more perturbed by the use of barbaric violence than his counterparts and is determined to get a confession from the American’s.
The surviving assault team members and the two prisoners escape into the surrounding jungle but the remaining Vietnamese soldiers are soon in pursuit.
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