DIRECTOR: Fabrizio de Angelis
CAST: Christopher Connelly, Oliver Tobias, Manfred Lehmann, John Steiner, Ethan Wayne, Gordon Mitchell, Donald Pleasence and Luciano Pigozzi.
REVIEW: Probably the most standard Italian 'Nam actioner, with a better-than-average ensemble cast and some decent photography. Unfortunately, because it's helmed by legendary bad producer Fabrizio de Angelis, the movie is only mediocre and coulda been a lot better.
A band of Vietnam veterans decide to go back into Vietnam to rescue American POWs, and battle the NVA as well as their own government, which doesn't want to admit men were actually abandoned after the war. Hmm, sound familiar? Yes, folks, it's the most straightforward Uncommon Valor rip-off in existence, but still manages to hold its own quite well.
One of the reasons the movie manages to stay together is because it's got such a great cast, which stick together and try earnestly despite being forced to deliver some pretty bland dialog. Christopher Connelly (Strike Commando Force) leads the bunch, aided by Manfred Lehmann (Casablanca Express), John Steiner (The Last Hunter /A>) and Oliver Tobias. Gordon Mitchell (Hour X Suicide Patrol) is the general who gets in the way, but the good guys ignore his orders, of course. Once they get into Thailand, a Catholic Priest (Donald Pleasence from Double Target) supplies the band with arms and ammunition.
Once the movie gets going (and De Angelis really takes his time setting the stage) it's pretty predictable, until reaching a surprise ending that comes out of nowhere and will totally blow you away. Seriously, I could not believe the movie ended the way it does and I seriously doubted what I had just seen on screen! I can't give it away, or there'd be no reason to watch the movie.
There are some decent action scenes, filled with decent explosions and some good camerawork. However, the good guys seem to be invincible. The NVA troops rush in bunches right into enemy fire while the good guys just stand there pulling triggers. Of course the entire NVA is wiped out in the process of the movie, as the guys ambush patrols, blow up POW camps and steal PT Boats. There are also several gaps in logic, like truckloads of troops following the good guys and suddenly drop back to give our heroes just enough time to hide in the bushes along the road; grenades which take 15-20 seconds to explode; prisoners who are able to pick up guns and get into combat after being tortured and starved for a decade; and the number of prisoners constantly varies. Hmm…
Oh, well. Despite all the gaps in logic and plot holes, Cobra Mission is a pretty cool, well-made action flick with a good cast and a great plot twist. It's worth seeing at least once.
SGT. SLAUGHTER'S RATING: 3 Bullets
