The Game (1988)

 The Game (1988)- * * *1\2

Directed by: Cole McKay

Starring: Craig Alan, Joesph Campanella, Sunni McCullough, Darwyn Swalve, and Robert Elliott

"My son, Kane, is my son." - Mr. Schekel

When a cabal of ultra-wealthy baddies convene in a secret location to play THE GAME, what that really means is that they each have teams of killers who go out and hunt specially-chosen "derelicts". What this cabal didn't count on, however, is the toughness of Kane (Alan), a badass of mighty proportions. Kane's father, a government agent going by the name of Mr. Schekel (Campanella), infiltrates The Game in order to exfiltrate his son. So while Kane, and fellow prey Luna (McCullough) and Stubby (Swalve) are fighting for their lives in the field of combat, Schekel is back at the base, having to contend with Col. Podak (Elliott), the Game Master, and the other evil Game-players. Who will win THE GAME?




Not to be confused with the Michael Douglas film of the same name, or any other movies out there called The Game, THIS The Game takes the "hunted for sport by a cabal" sub-sub-sub-subgenre typified by the likes of Death Chase (1988), Fugitive X: Innocent Target (1996), and later entries such as The Tournament (2009) and The Condemned (2007), and puts a nice 1988 spin on it. Add that to the fact that there are both ninjas n' Nazis (NNN), and The Price Is Right-style game show models. They are named Sherry and Dawn, by the by, and they're played by Casadei and Gava respectively.  A tone of wackiness ensues. Oh, and the ninjas have machine guns.




While there is a surprising amount of setup before the mayhem ensues, the fact that The Game was directed by Cole McKay, the longtime stuntman we all know and love, ensures that stunts, shooting, blow-ups, swordfights, exploding helicopters (no matter the source of which), and other action-oriented material is soon to follow. While not an AIP film, it has a definite AIP feel, akin to the likes of Invasion Force (1990) or Mankillers (1987), the latter of which also featured Craig Alan.




While we love "assemble a team" sequences in movies, here we have "assemble the derelicts" where we see how The Game people pick their, to quote the aforementioned Fugitive X, "Innocent Targets". Why someone would pay ten million dollars just to have commandos shoot at them must show just how evil these people are.



Finished off by the classic 80's electric guitar-based soundtrack and some un-PC dialogue, there's plenty to enjoy with The Game.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Captive Rage (1988)

 

Captive Rage (1988)- * *1\2

Directed by: Cedric Sundstorm

Starring: Oliver Reed, Lisa Rinna, Claudia Udy, and Robert Vaughn

In the small South American town of Parador, the maniacal General Belmondo (Reed) rules the roost. When his son is arrested for dealing cocaine, Belmondo decides the best course of action is to kidnap a bunch of young women and hold them captive until his son is released from prison. What he - and his sidekick Chiga (Udy) - didn't count on was the resourcefulness, know-how, and, well CAPTIVE RAGE of Lucy Delacorte (Rinna). She and some of her female compatriots break out of their captivity and go on the run in the jungle. While Lucy's father Eduard (Vaughn) is trying to figure out what's going on, Lucy and her friends are busy shooting their way out of the situation. Will Lucy and the gang triumph over Belmondo and Chiga?


In much the same vein as Mankillers (1987), Toy Soldiers (1984), or perhaps Sweet Justice (1993) or Hired to Kill (1990), Captive Rage is another in a series of films made in the 80's and early 90's that featured women getting kidnapped and then fighting back. The Grenada incident was still fresh news in the public's mind back then, and, in true exploitation tradition, a spate of movies sought to capitalize on that.


While largely lackluster, Captive Rage has a couple of things going for it: Oliver Reed, who did this the same year as the similarly-titled Rage to Kill (1988 of course), is here in a similar role. He has a beard, sunglasses, and speaks in a ridiculous French (?) accent. Surely it was a nice paid vacation to go to South Africa and spend time with a bunch of ladies, including fan favorite Claudia Udy. Lisa Rinna also stands out as the leader of the girls. She was almost unrecognizable without those puffed-up lips she later became known for. Of course, Robert Vaughn is here, as he usually was around this time. His role is small. His hair is questionable.


Director Cedric Sundstrom, who action fans may know because of American Ninja 3 (1989), American Ninja 4 (1990), and Comeuppance Classic The Revenger (also 1990), delivers a mostly-mediocre movie that makes you wait for the majority of the blow-ups and guard-tower falls. There is gun-shooting throughout, though. But there are plenty of slow moments as well. On the whole, Captive Rage could have been tightened up, including having a shorter running time.


Of course, we don't mean to say it's all bad news of course. There is a classic Drug Deal Gone Wrong in a warehouse, a geologist that looks a lot like Christopher McDonald, and the highly politically-incorrect plot point that the girls have to continually shoot and kill the native population of the Paradorian jungle.


While Captive Rage remains video store shelf-filler, non-U.S. residents will want to take note of the fact that the film, under the alternate titles of Blood Ransom and Fair Trade are both cut. While we agree the movie should have been trimmed down for a leaner running time, they shouldn't have gotten rid of the sleaze. That's one of the only things Captive Rage has going for it.


In the end, despite a handful of bright spots, Captive Rage will probably only appeal to die-hards of this sort of thing.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Also check out a write-up from our buddy, The Video Vacuum! 

Real Bullets (1988)

 

Real Bullets (1988)- * * *

Directed by:  Lance Lindsay

Starring: John Gazarian, Darlene Landau, and Martin Landau 

John Davidian (Gazarian) is the founder and main instructor at the Southern California Stunt School. This year's class is a fun-lovin' group of guys and gals who just want to learn the ways of stunt and then party down in their off time. Unfortunately for them, they cross paths with a drug gang based out of the Vasquez Rocks area in Agua Dulce, California. At first the goons think the stunt team won't be a formidable fighting force, but they turn out to be wrong. Head gangster Sallini (Martin Landau) gets progressively less and less happy as the stuntpeople win more and more of their skirmishes. Will our stunt players get out alive, now that they're playing with...REAL BULLETS?


From the makers of Driven to Kill (1991), Real Bullets is something of a cross between Death Cheaters (1976) and Lone Hero (2002), with a bit of The Contra Conspiracy (1990) and Invasion Force (1990) thrown in for good measure. It was clearly a labor of love for everyone involved, because even though the film was done on a very low budget with mostly non-actors or people just starting out in their career, they managed to turn in a film with an upbeat tone that has a lot of heart.


With that in mind, it's easy to overlook the many technical flaws, such as bad lighting and poor sound quality and things like that. They become unimportant when we're introduced to "The Old Miner" character (that's what everyone calls him) or when John Gazarian breaks out his bow and arrow (which is an odd signature weapon to have in a movie called Real Bullets, but, then again, the whole structure of the film is pretty odd). Also, it's narrated for some reason.


Everyone in the cast has the same character name as their real name, with the exceptions of Martin Landau as Sallini and John Gazarian as John Davidian. Apparently it was important for him to be playing a different Armenian stuntman. Everyone else can be themselves, though. Just another oddity that reinforces the fact that Real Bullets is well worth watching.



Martin Landau's Sallini is a guy who pretty much yells lines like "No More Mistakes!" and other cliches, mostly over the telephone. At one point he wears a blindingly-white suit that can only be described as being of the Ice Cream variety. It's so "Wonderful" that it's amazing that Joe Mantegna, Esai Morales, and Edward James Olmos didn't come looking for it. Meanwhile, Martin Landau's daughter Darlene is running around here somewhere. She has only appeared in two movies to date - Driven to Kill and Real Bullets. It all comes back around.


A highlight occurs when a classic barfight breaks out at a place called Alice's Topless Joint. On their sign, it reads "Truckers Welcome, Suckers Keep Out". (Well, there might have been some inappropriately-placed apostrophes in the words "Trucker's" and "Sucker's", but who's counting? It all adds to the rough-hewn charm of the movie). It's also quite a strange phenomenon that it seems like there are way more members of the stunt school towards the end of the film than there were at the beginning. Or it could have been an optical illusion in the desert. Who knows?


Real Bullets obviously impressed the higher-ups at Vidmark back in the day, enough for them to give it a VHS release. But perhaps they didn't have total faith in the film, because these days it's one of the rarest Vidmark titles. Maybe they made it in limited quantities. All that aside, if you can manage to brush aside (or embrace) all the technical issues, there is plenty of enjoyment to be had with Real Bullets.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Act Of Piracy (1988)

 Act Of Piracy (1988)- * *

Directed by: John 'Bud' Cardos

Starring: Gary Busey, Ray Sharkey, Belinda Bauer, Ken Gampu, Dennis Park, Nancy Mulford and Arnold Vosloo 

All Ted Andrews (Busey) wanted to do was take his two children, some friends, and his new girlfriend (Mulford) on a nice cruise to Australia on his yacht. It was there that a wealthy buyer was going to buy said yacht. His ex-wife Sandy (Bauer) was against the trip, but Ted ends up setting sail anyway, and all hell breaks loose when the Andrews family and the whole crew of the vessel are victims of an ACT OF PIRACY.

A group of international terrorists (they're always international terrorists), led by Jack Wilcox (Sharkey), Sean Stevens (Vosloo), and Herb Bunting (Gampu) kill everyone on board, and kidnap the children. What they didn't count on was that Ted Andrews survived the massacre and is an ex-military mastermind out for revenge. He and his former wife team up to get the baddies and save the children. Their journey takes them from Zimbabwe to Greece, but will the Andrews parents take back their children and stop international terrorism once and for all?


Act of Piracy is standard fare. Busey, surprisingly, doesn't go over the top in his trademarked fashion. Maybe because it was 1988 and that was before he really went insane, but he doesn't spout any wacky sayings, he doesn't really scream or make funny faces at people, and he never calls anyone a "butthorn" or anything of the sort. By Busey standards, he's actually kind of restrained here.


Arnold Vosloo, his then-wife Nancy Mulford, and director John "Bud" Cardos quickly reunited in the same year - '88 of course - after Skeleton Coast to do this. While we certainly enjoyed seeing Busey, Vosloo, Gampu, and Mulford all together, the movie itself is middling, middle-of-the-road and has no surprise twists and turns that keep audiences hooked. There's a dearth of action throughout most of the running time and fans likely won't be satisfied by that.


Ray Sharkey looks like a cross between a young Hugh Jackman and a young Steven Bauer. He has a knock-down, drag-out fight with Busey at the end, but this old tub of a movie is pretty waterlogged. 

If any movie was shot at this time in South Africa (as plenty were), Ken Gampu had to make an appearance. If anything, Act of Piracy could have used more Gampu. Also, during the opening credits, we see "introducing Dennis Park as Dennis Bryant". Not only was Park in some things before this, including No Retreat, No Surrender (1986) as "Karate Fight Referee", 'Piracy was his last movie role to date. He obviously wanted to end his movie career with a bang.

In the end, Act of Piracy is video store shelf-filler that doesn't exactly scream "see me now!" - really we would only recommend it to die-hard Busey fans.



Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Lady Avenger (1988)

 Lady Avenger (1988)- * * *

Directed by: David De Coteau 

Starring: Peggy McIntaggart, Bill Butler, and Michelle Bauer

While Maggie (McIntaggart) is locked up in jail, a gang of street toughs murder her brother Kevin (Butler). Maggie is allowed a temporary release so she can attend the funeral, and then it's not long before she puts on her red revenge bandanna and aviator sunglasses in order to get tough with the baddies responsible. Maggie reconnects with her old friend Annalee (Bauer), and goes through some family drama as well, but she also finds time to get involved in some shootouts and car chases. Can anything stop Maggie as the LADY AVENGER?




While we prefer director DeCoteau's American Rampage (1989), Lady Avenger has plenty to recommend it as well, providing you have a taste for low-budget 80's action. You likely do, or you wouldn't be reading this site. It's a little bit surprising that Massacre Video didn't pair American Rampage with Lady Avenger on their recent Blu-ray release, instead pairing the former with the Dan Haggerty outing Danger USA (1989) - which is also an entertaining movie in its own right, but the DeCoteau action double bill seems to make sense. Oh well, it must have been a rights issue.




Anyway, we wouldn't necessarily recommend newbies of 80's cult action to watch Lady Avenger - it seems like the type of thing you already have to be a fan of - but, then again, who could fail to love the junkyard fight, the blowing-up of cars, the classic flat line readings by just about everybody, the nudity, and the otherwise down n' dirty vibe of the whole thing? It's a bit like a cross between Cyclone (1987) and Death Feud (1987).

Peggy McIntaggart AKA Peggy Sanders doesn't exactly scream "tough" in the way that Brigitte Nielsen might, but perhaps that was the point. That maybe a woman who isn't a bodybuilder and is slight of stature can still blow away the bad guys. Even though Michelle Bauer provides the eye candy, as she always does, it would have been nice to see her get into the baddie-killing fray alongside Peggy.




I think it's worth mentioning the context into which Lady Avenger was born. In 1988, video stores were hugely popular and always needing product to put on the shelves. It was also a time when the action/revenge genre was at a high point. It was only natural that filmmakers big and small would try to get in the game. One of the joys of going to the video store and perusing the aisles was when you'd come across a VHS tape such as Lady Avenger. It provided something you couldn't get in theaters. We would look at the box art and want to see how Lady Avenger dispensed justice. Now how can that be wrong?




Released on the classic South Gate label on VHS in America, Lady Avenger is well worth checking out for not just 80's VHS fiends such as yourself, but also it's ripe for rediscovery in the Blu-ray era.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Iron Thunder (1988)

 

Iron Thunder (1988)- * * *

Aka: Contemporary Gladiator 

Directed by: Anthony Elmore

Starring: Anthony "Amp" Elmore and George M. Young

Iron Thunder tells the tale of Anthony "Amp" Elmore's journey from wide-eyed Shotokan Karate student - where his sensei (Dorsey) tells him to punch walls and floors and take cold showers - to the top of his profession as a kickboxer. His buddy Kingfish (Young) becomes his manager, and despite all the pressure to become a traditional boxer, Amp perseveres in the rough and tumble world of kickboxing. He eventually lands a sponsorship from Coors beer and works his way up the ranks. But will he hit the wall when faced with his toughest opponent yet? Elmore really took control of this presentation of his life story; he's the writer, producer, director, and star, and also he sings on the soundtrack (and dances). Is there anything Anthony "Amp" Elmore can't do?




In a typical kickboxing movie, the hero's manager doesn't get into the center of the ring before the match and sing the ENTIRE national anthem. But Iron Thunder isn't your typical kickboxing movie. This passion project by Mr. Elmore runs 67 minutes and has a lot of homemade charm. Sure, despite its brief running time, there are many extended kickboxing matches, but how could anyone dislike this movie? There are many funny, entertaining, and even endearing moments, and the many nonprofessional cast and crew members give it a lot of heart. It was Razor Sharpe before Razor Sharpe.

It all starts out during the Vietnam era - that's right, despite the film's limited resources, the first section of it is a period piece - and Amp's father disapproves of his kickboxing ways. But Amp follows his own path. Without so much as a title card reading "Present Day", we surmise there has been a leap forward in time solely because in the next scene, Amp's afro and Dashiki are now gone.

It's here we get the entrance of George M. Young as Kingfish. Young steals the movie, which isn't easy to do when Anthony "Amp" Elmore is the star. Young is genuinely funny, energetic, and charismatic as Kingfish. (Perhaps his name is meant to evoke a certain other boxing manager...Don Kingfish anybody?) It's truly a shame that Iron Thunder is his only screen credit. Hopefully he did stage plays or something, because he had the humor and screen presence to take his career quite far.

Iron Thunder is also filled with characters spouting hilariously unintelligible dialogue, funny yelling, and classic musical stings on the soundtrack. What's not to love? Now, this is important: do NOT confuse this movie with the awful Iron Thunder (1998) with Richard Hatch. That remains one of the worst movies we've seen on this site to date. Just one more nail in its coffin is its unoriginal title. Amp was there first! Sure, the original title was Contemporary Gladiator, but it came out on Xenon Home Video as Iron Thunder. In the golden year of 1989, no less. If you watch only one movie with the title Iron Thunder, make sure it's the one with Elmore.

After the end credits, it states: "COMING SOON: IRON THUNDER II". Sadly, this never materialized, but it shows the level of ambition at work here. Despite having not a lot to work with, not only did Elmore and his crew make a movie and get it into stores, but they planned a sequel! You've got to love their drive and determination.

In the end, while people more used to mainstream cinema might not appreciate its style, those of us out there who are fond of these underground classics will find a lot to love with Iron Thunder.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Case Closed (1988)

Case Closed (1988)- * * *1\2

Directed by: Dick Lowry 

Starring: Byron Allen and Charles Durning

Detective David Brockman (Allen) is a cop with a devil-may-care attitude to life. He may be happy-go-lucky, but don't cross him. He always gets his man. His father was on the Atlanta, Georgia police force, and, naturally, David is too. 

This fresh face is about to partner with an old salt: retired officer Les Kabowski (Durning). Kabowski may be a cigar-chomping overweight White guy, and Brockman may be a skinny, nerdy Black guy, but the two men both know how to wisecrack. When a diamond belonging to some European nobility goes missing, and everyone in the criminal underworld associated with moving the diamond ends up dead, Brockman and Kabowski put their unorthodox methods together to find the diamond and end the bloodshed that follows in its wake. How many more people have to die before Brockman and Kabowski can say CASE CLOSED?

Byron Allen with a shotgun. Need we say more? The beloved comedian, host of The Byron Allen Show, and owner of The Weather Channel beats up people, chases them relentlessly, and shoots several of them. We haven't seen anything like this since Collision Course (1989), where Jay Leno slaughtered Randall "Tex" Cobb. After all, it was the late 80's, and buddy cop movies with a lot of humor in them were all the rage: Red Heat (1988), Lethal Weapon (1987), etc. People may compare Case Closed with Beverly Hills Cop (1984). Just because Beverly Hills Cop is far more well known doesn't make it better. Case Closed is better.

Case Closed opens up with Allen singing along in a funny manner to the radio, much like Eddie Murphy does at the beginning of 48 Hrs. (1982). If this telefilm was trying to avoid comparisons with more mainstream Hollywood product, they really weren't helping themselves by starting the movie this way. But here's the bottom line of Case Closed: it's a ton of fun and highly recommended. Allen and Durning have great chemistry together and they both look like they're having a lot of fun. It's infectious for the viewer. There's a lot of upbeat action and comedy and you're never bored. It's really a rollicking good time.

Naturally, Byron Allen has great comic timing and that's displayed well throughout the film. Fan favorite Charles Durning does as well, and this "Original Odd Couple" pairing provides a totally winning entertainment experience for the audience. They have a constant Tango & Cash-esque banter that continues the entire time. Importantly, they're not bickering. To the movie's eternal credit (and the relief of the audience), the two men do not bicker. There's funny banter, and that makes all the difference.

If nothing else, Byron Allen deserves credit for introducing the "Black Nerd" to American television with his David Brockman character. He beat Urkel to the punch by many years. Brockman, with his hiked-up pants, high-pitched voice, and willingness to help others but always getting into a whole heap o'trouble, will make you think that at any moment he'll squeal, "Did I do that?" The crucial difference to remember, however, is that Brockman is not annoying. At least not most of the time. His winning smile and his easy manner (when he's not brandishing the aforementioned shotgun) will charm viewers, most likely, and Durning has his own way about him that meshes well with him.

Of course, all the staples of the late 80's buddy cop movie are here, such as fruit-cart car chases, the classic WYC, shootouts, punch-ups, guitar wails on the soundtrack, and of course the humor. There's really nothing not to love about Case Closed. It's a gem.

Featuring a soundtrack with a main theme that is definitely "inspired" by Faltermeyer's Axel F, all the ingredients are here. It's impossible to imagine that this was a pilot to a TV show that the network suits passed on. What more were they expecting? Case Closed delivers the goods as much as a TV pilot possibly can. Well, that just goes to show that the corporate stooges at the networks don't always know best. Or make the right decisions. Or know anything, really.

In another instance of "what were they thinking?", Case Closed never received a home video release in America on any format. It did in several countries worldwide, but not here. Since 1988, the rest of the global community must be still scratching their heads, wondering why this Byron Allen fellow never made more movies of this sort and became a full-fledged action star. That mystery remains, but let's just say that Allen has done pretty well for himself in the meantime. At least we all have Case Closed as a window to another time...and what might have been.

On a happier note, check out Case Closed. You'll have a great time!

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

The Secret Of King Mahi's Island (1988)

 

The Secret Of King Mahi's Island (1988)- * * *

Directed by: Leonard Hayes 

Starring: Gary Daniels, Anthony East, Jim Gaines, Michelle Frankenberger, William Romero, Jerry Beyer, Kurt Otto Frankenberger, Boy Clinton, and Gomez 

A man named Chuck (Daniels) is a treasure hunter. He and his close band of buddies find themselves in the rural, jungle-enclosed areas of the Philippines doing what they do best. I.e., hunting treasure. They're in this particular area of the world because they're on the hunt for a map that would lead to a hidden cache of gold, supposedly left there long ago by a certain King Mahi. 

Of course, a baddie named Ben (East) and his minions are also looking for the map. During the course of their evil map search, they kill a father named Vince, and in his dying moments he gives a boomerang to his son. As you do. Joe (Kurt Otto Frankenberger) and his sister Leah (Michelle Frankenberger), presumably real-life siblings, join Chuck and his crew on their quest. Leah is also handy with a bow and arrow. This ragtag bunch of misfits then team up with friendly local people to find the treasure and wipe out the bad guys. Who will uncover THE SECRET OF KING MAHI'S ISLAND?

The Secret of King Mahi's Island starts off with several paragraphs of on-screen text that is light blue on a patterned background that you absolutely cannot read. We think it had something to do with the origin of King Mahi and his gold, but we can't be totally sure. Starting off on that note isn't exactly the most auspicious way to kick off the film, but things do get better from there.

You know 'Mahi is a Philippines-set jungle actioner due to the cast: Jerry Beyer, Anthony East, Jim Moss, and Jim Gaines (who evidently also performed uncredited co-direction work on the film), among other mainstays, are all here. We also get other classic credits such as Gomez (just Gomez) as 'Chief Right Hand Man', William Romero as 'Black Legs', Tsing Tong Tsai as Kimo (presumably not the same guy as the one in The Ultimate Fight), Anthony Ogunsanya as Tatu (presumably not the Russian pop duo), and a personal favorite, Boy Clinton as Boy.

Naturally, there are lots of silly lines (and silly line readings and funny dubbing). Of course, the main baddie warns his charges that he doesn't want any more mistakes. Gary Daniels should have done more Martial Arts than he does in the film, but what we get is decent enough. He does wear a sleeveless stonewashed denim shirt with acid-washed jeans, which may be the 80's version of not mixing plaids and stripes, but it's one of those "Only in the 80's" outfits that endear the viewer to the film overall.

He also wears an Indiana Jones-esque hat, and the soundtrack by Mon Del Rosario is John Williams with one synthesizer, further underlying that 'Mahi leans more towards adventure than straight-out action. You have to admire that a first-time (and only-time) director, one Leonard Hayes, attempted to create an Indiana Jones-esque movie with minimal money in the Philippine jungle. Maybe that's why Gaines had to step in to help him out; perhaps Hayes got in over his head. But the fact that he tried was extremely impressive, and shows what a golden time it was in that era of filmmaking. Filmmakers must have thought that they could try anything and just see if it worked. There seemed to be little fear of failure. That's why we have all these fantastic 80's movies we have today. Unfortunately, the film barely got a release at the time, but thanks to the magic of the Internet, we can now all see it.

Other highlights include the very excitable Joe, who is clearly the Bin Bin of this movie, there's an exploding helicopter, and a dance sequence involving the native peoples. It's like one of those Italian cannibal movies but without any of the cannibalism. Overall it's better than Dudikoff's River of Death (1989).

'Mahi was one of the rarest Gary Daniels movies to track down. Apparently it got only a minuscule DTV release in 1988 in the Philippines, Spain and Japan. Collectors have been trying to get a hold of it ever since, with hardly any luck. But, as referenced earlier, it's out there these days for all the world to see. Is it the best Gary Daniels movie out there? Not by a long stretch, but Daniels fans will definitely want to check it out. Jungle adventure buffs will enjoy it as well, and anyone who likes hard-to-find action films will be able to get something out of it. But don't go in expecting another Recoil (1998).

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Also check out a write-up by our buddy, DTVC!

Fast Gun (1988)

 Fast Gun (1988)- * * *

Directed by: Cirio H. Santiago 

Starring: Rick Hill, Robert Dryer, and Brenda Bakke

A gang of baddies led by Nelson (Dryer) are going around to different military bases and stealing their guns and ammunition. After hiding their stash, they decide to hole up in the small town of Granite Lake, California. The sheriff of this dusty ol' burg is one Jack Steiger (Hill). He once was a big-city L.A. cop, but after tragedy struck, he retreated to the country. You know the story. His girlfriend is the local barmaid, Julie Comstock (Bakke) and all seems peaceful in the town. That is, until Steiger gets wind of what's going on. Suddenly, in the peaceful town of Granite Lake, Hill has to fend off bikers, baddies, and ruthless CIA gunrunners. Will his skills as a FAST GUN save him now?

While set in the modern day, Fast Gun is clearly influenced by the Westerns of the past. Most of the action takes place on a classic Western street, with perhaps the only modern update being that this street has a video store on it. The plot overall isn't too dissimilar from the Westerns of yore. The difference this time around is that the baddies have rocket launchers and the lone hero has a machine gun! While Cirio has upped the firepower quotient, this is clearly a tribute to the Westerns he must have grown up watching.

In many ways, it follows a tried-and-true Cirio Santiago formula. That's not a bad thing. It's very similar to The Devastator (1986), which also starred Rick Hill, and Final Mission (1984), among others. There are even many names in the end credits stating certain cast members were "Marijuana Runners". There were marijuana runners in this movie? I thought that was the Devastator! Well, it doesn't really matter, because it all comes to a satisfying, explosive conclusion at the end of its wonderfully brief 75-minute running time. 

Rick Hill looks a lot like Peter Weller. Or perhaps Stephen McHattie. He inexplicably loses his shirt at the beginning of the final battle and spends the rest of the movie shirtless, sweaty and machine gun-shooting. As all heroes should be, obviously. As his paramour Julie, Brenda Bakke has a fairly thankless role but at least she's pleasing to the eye. We last saw her in Fist Fighter (1989), so it was nice to see her again. Hopefully it won't be the last time. Lead baddie Robert Dryer looks a lot like Paul Koslo from The Annihilators (1985), but we've been assured they're not the same person.

To quote Tesla, "It's a showdown in a no-man's land

For the cowboy of the modern day.

Come on, sundown, don't be hangin' round

'Cause the cowboy will blow you away."

Never mind the fact that this song was recorded before Fast Gun was released. We're fairly sure Tesla was watching Fast Gun and were heavily influenced by it. And by "blow you away", they obviously meant by Rick Hill toting a machine gun.

If you can find the VHS of Fast Gun, we say pick it up. It's short, to the point, and delivers the goods. It's hard to ask for more.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Red Heat (1988)

 Red Heat (1988)- * * *1\2

Directed by: Walter Hill

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Belushi, Ed O'Ross, Brion James, Gina Gershon, and Peter Boyle

A violent, drug-dealing baddie named Viktor Rostavili (O'Ross) made a huge mistake. He shot and killed the partner of Moscow policeman Ivan Danko (Arnold). After Viktor flees to Chicago to continue his evil ways by associating with a gang called The Cleanheads, Danko follows. The no-nonsense Danko has only one thing on his mind: bring Viktor back to Russia to face justice. When he's teamed up with wisecracking Chicago cop Art Ridzik (Belushi), their personalities don't exactly mesh...at first. As cultures cross, mutual respect and cooperation grows. But are Danko and Ridzik in over their heads? Will they work together to bring down the baddies? You probably already know the answer...it's time for some RED HEAT!

Red Heat is a time-tested winner and an obvious 80's buddy cop classic. It was a mainstay on cable and on VHS during the golden age of the video store. Even people who aren't as die-hard into action movies (if you'll pardon the turn of phrase) as we are have likely seen it. Because it's a mainstream Hollywood production, it has all the high-quality production values you would expect it to have. The writing and direction by the great Walter Hill is, of course, excellent. It's total entertainment and a blast to watch from start to finish.

Arnold as Ivan Danko pioneered the "non-Russian playing a Russian" that Dolph specialized in later on in his career with such outings as The Russian Specialist (2005) and The Killing Machine (2010), among others. Now it's almost commonplace to do that, but Arnold was first. Speaking of similarities between Arnold and Dolph, Ivan Danko has the same "Russian Haircut" that the similarly-named Ivan Drago has in Rocky IV. Apparently filmmakers thought that having a square, spiky brush cut said to the audience "I'm a stony, humorless Russian". 

Of course, there is a lot of humor in the film, and it all works quite well. It's classic Arnie all the way. He makes a lot of great faces and has a ton of amusing stone-faced looks that he gives throughout the proceedings, mainly at Belushi. Those reactions are worth the price of admission alone. The timing and the chemistry between Schwarzenegger and Belushi is fantastic. It's a crucial element in any buddy cop adventure and here everybody nails it.

Red Heat can stand tall in the canon of the buddy cop action comedy boom of the 80's. It delivers what you want in spades. Remember when Jay Leno and Pat Morita were "As different as Hot Dogs and Sushi"? Well, as fondly as we remember Collision Course (1989), Red Heat is even better. I know, hard to believe. In part because of the power of Hollywood and Walter Hill, not only does the film have a great look to it, but there are plenty of fine character actors to fill out the cast. 

Standouts include Gina Gershon as Cat, the dance instructor caught in the middle of all the mayhem (and yes, there is one dance instruction scene), Peter Boyle as the harried police captain, Donnelly (aren't they always harried?) - although it must be said he doesn't really yell at Danko and Ridzik all that much, so he just barely misses the label of WYC but in spirit he really is. Laurence Fishburne is a fellow cop, Sven-Ole Thorsen is a shirtless Russian, and Brion James is, what else, a baddie underling. We could go on and on, but it all adds up to a lot of color and interest for the viewer.

I know we're having a lot of fun here today, but I do think it's important to quickly pause and remember the cultural context. In 1988, relations between the then-Soviet Union and America were typically frosty. TV news often reported on what was going on behind the Iron Curtain, and it usually took on an ominous tone. However, in just a year or two, the Berlin Wall was going to fall and presumably a thawing of the relations was in the offing. So the zeitgeist was perfect for a film like Red Heat, which mirrored that geopolitical situation in its own way. Perhaps less successfully, so did a film like Russkies (1987).

Anyway, they don't make movies like this anymore, which is a real shame. At least we have our VHS tapes, DVDs, and Blu-Rays to preserve this golden time of filmmaking. Just recently, Red Heat was released on 4K, which, as of this writing, not all that many films have been. The fact that it was chosen for a 4K release says a lot. I think its legacy is assured for a long time to come.



Also, it was nice to see the original bus chase. As you may know, both Rangers (2000) and Running Red (1999) used recycled Red Heat footage in their "bus-chase" finales. As we said, the legacy lives on. Featuring some classic sax on the soundtrack as the finishing touch to this 80's classic, it's very, very easy to love Red Heat.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Higher Ground (1988)

Higher Ground (1988)- * * *

Directed by: Robert Day

Starring: John Denver, Richard Masur, Martin Kove, and John Rhys-Davies

Jim Clayton (Denver) is an L.A. FBI agent who isn't quite On The Edge, but he's getting close. So to prevent getting there, he relocates to Jordan, Alaska to start a new life as a bush pilot. While there, he reconnects with his old buddy Rick (Kove) and his wife and son, and pretty soon, all three are flying the friendly skies with Annakin Airlines. But perhaps things aren't as friendly as they first appeared. 

It seems the nefarious McClain (Masur) has an illegal bootlegging operation running, and Rick gets caught in the middle of it all. So now Clayton must go it alone and find out the truth about McClain, the bootleggers, and just why alcohol is illegal in Alaska anyway. Will he fall on his face...or reach HIGHER GROUND?

Schwarzenegger. Stallone. Seagal. Van Damme. Denver. A pantheon of the action gods, I tell ya. To be fair, Higher Ground is a decent enough TV movie from 1988 that was also a pilot for a prospective show. And pilot is indeed the operative word, as Denver and Kove fly all over Alaska (or is it Canada?) in search of those dastardly bootleggers. 

Because it was made for TV - and this was long before the dominance of cable - it's all pretty tame stuff. There's no real violence, no nudity, and no bad language. Despite what you may have hoped for, John Denver does not shoot anyone in the head. He doesn't go on any drinking benders, killing sprees, Punchfighting tournaments, or anything of the sort. Hell, he doesn't even get involved in any car chases. But there are exactly two scenes of Denver-Fu. That's right, he all but shouts "Rocky Mountain Hi-Ya!" as he beats up some dudes. Now that's entertainment. Those scenes should have been longer. Much longer.

So think Airwolf meets Northern Exposure, maybe with a dash of Wings, but without the humor. But I repeat myself. Hey, we kid Wings because we love Wings (or do we?) 

Anyway, John Denver looks like John Ritter meets Don Johnson. He's glasses-less this time around and he takes time out from his transition from FBI man to plane-flying man with a good ol' country singalong. Apropos of (almost) nothing, at a party, Clayton just happens to whip out his acoustic guitar and he plays the song "Alaska and Me" in its entirety. And the rest of the partygoers all know the words. It was a movie highlight for sure.

Denver is backed up with some solid support - Martin Kove as his buddy Rick was a more than welcome addition, and John Rhys-Davies as Lt. Smight, the Scottish-accented policeman on the case was a nice casting choice as well. 

Richard Masur is another underrated character actor and he brought a lot to the role, which would have been much duller in lesser hands. But, as usual, one of the side characters steals the show. The local restauranteur, named Don, is a friendly, bearded man and he offers all his patrons his specialty of moose burgers. He was a great face and a great presence and we don't even know his name! But kudos to him nonetheless.

While he really should have mowed down many baddies with a machine gun in a Final Warehouse Fight a la Travis Blackstone, what we get is a nice, decent, middling affair that would have been perfect for the PAX channel back in the day. It could have been on after Doc in back-to-back programming featuring country stars turned actors. It should've aired in PAX's 10 o'clock timeslot for a slightly edgier, 'PAX After Dark' kind of vibe.

While it's not exactly unprecedented - Higher Ground is truly the Short Fuse of its day - to see a somewhat unorthodox John Denver taking the lead as a man of action seeking justice (however tepid) - Higher Ground is one of those oddball items that's more than worthy of a one-time watch.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Counterforce (1988)

Counterforce (1988)- * *

Directed by: Jose Antonio De Lama

Starring: Jorge Rivero, Andrew Stevens, Isaac Hayes, George Kennedy, Hugo Stiglitz, Simon Andreu, Susana Dosamantes, Louis Jourdan, Kevin Bernhardt, and Robert Forster

Somewhere in a foreign land, The Dictator (Forster) is causing trouble. No real surprise there, unless you consider the fact that he's known only as "The Dictator". Even the news reports about him call him that. Because there's a pro-democracy politician named Kassar (Jourdan) who opposes The Dictator, the U.S. sends in the COUNTERFORCE to protect him because he now has a target on his back.

Counterforce, who have their own, specially-branded hats and jackets so you know it's them, is an elite squad of soldiers who are the best of the best. They consist of Colby (Kennedy), their leader, Nash (Stevens), the spiritual guy who likes zen and meditation, Ballard (Hayes), the muscle, Harris (Rivero), who leads the men in the field, and Sutherland (Bernhardt), who everyone calls "flyboy" because he likes planes. Will the Counterforce protect Kassar and put an end to the reign of terror of The Dictator?

If you like the A-Team, you'll probably like Counterforce. It's very, very A-Team-esque. The whole movie plays out like a feature-length version of the show. Each member of Counterforce corresponds to an A-Team character. Instead of Mr. T, they got Isaac Hayes. Instead of George Peppard, they got George Kennedy. Of course, for the characters of Face and Howling Mad Murdock, they got Jorge Rivero and Andrew Stevens. And Kevin Bernhardt. Even the shooting, car stunts and blow-ups seem heavily inspired by a certain 80's TV show. And it's not Mama's Family. 

Now that that's out of the way, we can talk about the main reason why anyone would go out of their way to see Counterforce: the cast. It's an impressive lineup of B-Movie favorites and regulars. You get Robert Forster as an out-of-control Arab dictator, complete with an indefinable accent and a proclivity towards wearing capes over his normal clothes. There's Jorge Rivero, who last starred in director De La Loma's Killing Machine (1984), AKA Goma-2. He's very no-nonsense this time around, and his ability to load a pistol one-handed is very impressive.

Andrew Stevens and Isaac Hayes are the original odd couple and provide most of the humor in the film. George Kennedy, as usual, holds things together. At this point in his career, Kevin Bernhardt was on the ascendancy, as Counterforce was sandwiched in between Kick Or Die (1987) and Midnight Warrior (1989). Whether those qualify as video store classics is debatable, but it seems Bernhardt was everywhere in the late 80's. 

As if all that wasn't enough, familiar faces such as Louis Jourdan, Simon Andreu, and Hugo Stiglitz round out the cast, which was truly international. The only real female cast member, Susana Dosamantes, was a mainstay in Mexican movies and TV but is probably best known for being in Rio Lobo (1970) with John Wayne. 

While there are a handful of cool bits and some nice, mild humor, it's all very standard. It's an El Presidente slog by any other name. Yes, the scene in the gym where the Counterforce are all lifting weights, except for Andrew Stevens, who is meditating, is a highlight, but it's all so middle of the road. 

Counterforce is by no means a failure, or even unpleasant to watch, but nothing about it stands out enough for us to give it a wholehearted recommendation.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Arizona Heat (1988)

Arizona Heat (1988)- * *

Directed by: John G. Thomas

Starring: Michael Parks and Denise Crosby

Larry Kapinski (Parks) is a man perfectly suited to be named Larry Kapinski. He’s rude, crude, and has a bad attitude. He’s a male chauvinist pig and naturally he thinks he’s God’s gift to womankind. His favorite hobbies include drinking beer and womanizing. He’s also a cop, and when his WYC (White Yelling Chief) teams him up with his new partner Jill Andrews (Crosby), they are, to quote the great Collision Course, “As different as hot dogs and sushi!”, but instead of being American and Japanese as in that film, in this case it’s American and Lesbian. Well, you know what we mean. We don’t want to be accused of being as sexist as Larry Kapinski.

While Jill and Larry are constantly bickering back and forth about the nature of men and women in society, an evil, insidious cop killer is roaming around Arizona. Will they be able to get along long enough to catch the baddie? Or Will Kapinski’s actions finally send the well-meaning Jill over the edge? Will anyone be able to stand the ARIZONA HEAT?

Arizona Heat can fall neatly in the “mismatched buddy cop” drama/thriller/action/comedy vein of the aforementioned Collision Course or perhaps Red Heat (1988). Even both titles include the word “Heat”. On the one hand, we want to applaud Arizona Heat for including a lot of un-PC dialogue. 

On the other hand, a lot of other dialogue in the movie is juvenile and sophomoric. It becomes very repetitive after a while. It spins its wheels and loses momentum. “Yes! We get it! You two are different!” you may be yelling at the screen as the movie is still drilling this point home at around the 80 minute mark even though we as viewers understand the conflict right from the jump.

To be fair, Arizona Heat does have some good qualities as well besides the lack of political correctness (although the fact that the Chief is in a wheelchair, and the fact that he teamed Kapinski up with a lesbian just for the sake of it would seem to indicate otherwise). 

The soundtrack features the time-honored wailing electric guitar riffs we’ve come to expect of 80’s actioners. There’s a quality (although silly) car chase scene and some shootouts. It was a change to see Michael Parks in a rare non-baddie role, and it’s always nice to see Denise Crosby. There’s a peppering of goofy humor throughout the whole thing, and the bottom line is they just don’t make movies like this anymore. It may be worth seeing for archival value alone.

Arizona Heat was director John G. Thomas’s next effort after Banzai Runner (1987). Perhaps the video store era should’ve been kinder to Thomas, because he didn’t direct anything after ‘Heat until 1994. Part of the reason for that might be Republic Pictures’s awful VHS box art. 

Whoever designed this cover completely failed when it came to highlighting the movie’s strengths, or really making it eye-catching in any way. While it was distributed well throughout the U.S., no one had any reason to take this generically-packaged tape off the shelf. That error was very much corrected by the fantastic European art. Not too many paintings feature a guy giving you the finger. Much less a likeness of Michael Parks. Much less next to Denise Crosby giving him the thumbs-down. Now that’s how you do fantastic artwork to promote your movie.

The end-credits song, “Caught In the Heat”, by Gary Stockdale, is a winner. So much so that they should have used it in the movie proper, perhaps a scene of Crosby and/or Parks training or working out. They could have taken out a scene of them bickering and put that in. That would have improved things. 

In the end, Arizona Heat is a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full situation. You could either see it as a movie with a lot of silliness and some unpleasant dialogue and situations, or you could see it as an 80’s artifact with some redeeming qualities. Either way, however, it’s the type of film that will never be made again. Let’s all concentrate on that aspect of it all.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Death Chase (1988)

Death Chase (1988)- * * *



Directed by: David A. Prior

Starring: William Zipp, Jack Starrett, Reggie De Morton, Bainbridge Scott, and Paul L. Smith

Steven Chase (Of course his name is Steven Chase) (Zipp) is just a mild-mannered resident of Riverside, California who is out for a bike ride with his sister. Seemingly at random, violence erupts and there are car crashes and shootings. One of the mysterious men who gets shot hands Steven Chase a gun and says to him, “you’re it”. Now a pawn in a deadly “game”, Steven Chase goes on the run, having to shoot and/or beat up all the goons that are suddenly after him. Thankfully, he has the help of Diana (Scott) and his buddy Eddie (De Morton). Lt. MacGrew (Starrett) of the LAPD is also on the case. On top of all that, a large man named Steele (Smith) seems to appear wherever the “Death Chase” is going on. Will Steven Chase survive this…Deathsport? Sorry, DEATH CHASE? Find out today!



Before Deathfight (1990), before Fugitive X: Innocent Target (1996), before The Game (1997), and certainly before The Tournament (2009), Death Chase was first in the “innocent guy caught up in a game where people try to kill him” sweepstakes. Leave it up to David A. Prior and AIP – sure, they might have small budgets, but they have big ideas. Entertaining ideas that were used later in other forms. Will Prior and the gang ever get the proper credit? Probably not…except on sites like ours.

If you’re familiar at all with AIP, Death Chase delivers a look and style that you may be used to. Having seen most of AIP’s output at this point, we found it comforting. Low-budget stunts, shootings, and chases (of course) are the order of the day. Chase is chased by car, by motorbike, by boat, on foot…pretty much any way a human being can be chased. One thing you can’t deny – the movie lives up to its title. 

AIP stalwart William Zipp is well-cast as Mr. Chase, our hero. Fan favorite Paul L. Smith brings more life to the proceedings as Steele, and veteran actor/director Starrett is interestingly cast as MacGrew. While Reggie De Morton should have been given more to do, actually the movie felt overlong at 93 minutes. This basic idea could have gotten its point across at maybe 80-85 minutes.

Yes, there is a lot of mindless shooting, and pure silliness with a lot of people talking in funny voices that are post-dubbed in an amusing manner. But that being said, the idea of the corporate overlords in a smoky back room playing a real-life version of Risk with actual people’s lives is a good and interesting idea. The makers of the aforementioned The Tournament must have thought so. Also, the two female assassins playing “the game” was an idea we enjoyed. The idea of a bunch of people tasked with killing Steven Chase and he doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn put us in mind of John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). Could it be that the makers of the John Wick franchise have seen Death Chase? We may never know…

Once again, some ace Steve McClintock music is on the soundtrack. Songs like “Running With The One I Love”, “What’s Goin’ On”, and “Can’t Get Enough” are movie highlights. McClintock always delivers the goods.

So, for an adventurous AIP outing that probably won’t change your life but fits squarely in the AIP canon (and was quite ahead of its time), do check out Death Chase.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Also check out a review from our buddy Keith From The Unknown Movies!

The Glass Jungle (1988)

The Glass Jungle (1988)- * * *

Directed by: Joseph Merhi

Starring: Lee Canalito, Diana Frank, and Frank Scala

Cutler Irving (Canalito) is a lovable lunkhead who drives a cab by day and practices his boxing moves by night. He’s a simple man who never done nothin’ to nobody. Trouble finds him in the form of Tate (Scala), a mob boss who forces him to drive around L.A. with five million dollars in the trunk of his cab. The exact reasons for this aren’t made entirely clear, but the FBI and LAPD are wise to Tate so they try to use Cutler to bring him down. Meanwhile, Cutler has many flashbacks involving Mary (Frank of Mankillers), a French student who he becomes involved with. Will Cutler Irving’s checkered past catch up with him, or will he be saying fare-thee-well…to his own LIFE?

Perhaps the ultimate “taxicab confession”, The Glass Jungle is another low-budget labor of love from Joseph Merhi and the City Lights crew. Like all the City Lights films, and even the later PM outings, we as viewers can readily see that what these movies lack in finances and technical excellence, they make up for with heart and a scrappy charm. In other words, you can sense that Merhi and the gang were young, hungry, and just wanted to make entertaining movies. They succeeded time and again, and here, in spite of some of its flaws, is no exception. 

Cutler Irving is a somewhat unorthodox action hero – a mild-mannered cabbie who, yes, is a boxer (as Canalito is in real life), but is soft-spoken (less charitable people may say unintelligible) and more of a lover and not a fighter. However, that all changes during the final face-off with Tate. Irving finally gets to show that he’s a master of weaponry after all.

The location of the confrontation appears to be the same place where Jeff Bridges and Andy Garcia battled in 8 Million Ways To Die (1986). Of course, that movie didn’t have Frank Scala as Tate, a man who seemingly has modeled his life after the style of Kenny G. And that includes how to be a scary and intimidating mob boss. That being said, The Glass Jungle is filled with fun characters, which is one of the movie’s strengths.

As Cutler drives around, we get to see a lot of L.A. landmarks preserved in time, which, for us at least, was enjoyable as a time capsule. Some movie marquees are seen, so we know it must have been shot during 1987-1988, as Robocop (1987) is showing, among others. The theme song, “Warrior In A Glass Jungle”, by Lee Witherspoon and John Gonzales, blasts on the soundtrack and is a classic 80’s fist-pumper. Just why we’re supposed to be pumping our fist isn’t exactly known. Maybe because Canalito was a boxer and Rocky movies always had songs like this. 

The Glass Jungle is a small, modest movie and a good example of the independent filmmaking of the time. Just because it wasn’t recognized or appreciated by the hoity-toity film festival circuit (i.e. Sundance and the like) doesn’t mean it isn’t a worthy and respectable addition to the independent-film canon. While it may not be as professional a product as our eyes are used to seeing today, we say check out The Glass Jungle for a glimpse of humble – and truly indie – filmmaking in late-80’s L.A.

Comeuppance Review by: Ty and Brett

Deadly Addiction (1988)

Deadly Addiction (1988)- * * *1\2

AKA: Rock House

Directed by: Jack Vacek

Starring: Jack Vacek, Gregory Scott Cummins, Trice Shubert, Larry Washington, and Juan Munoz

John Turner (Vacek) is a COTE (Cop On The Edge, for those that may not know) in L.A. After some drug gangs murdered his wife at some point in the past, he made it his personal mission to clean up the streets and get rid of all the drug pushers. It's not going to be easy, especially when Turner comes up against the evil and seemingly indestructible baddie Turko (Cummins). Meanwhile, he finds time for romance with Sara (Schubert) and to mentor a young boy, Hector (Munoz). Is there anything Jack Vacek - or John Turner - can't do? We urge you to find out today!


A blast of 80's awesomeness, Deadly Addiction (AKA Rock House) is a true gem waiting to be rediscovered. Comparisons to some of our favorites such as L.A. Wars (1994), "Geteven" (1993), and Death Flash (1986) - and, yes, even Samurai Cop (1991) and the almighty Stickfighter (1994) - are completely warranted. We're proud to add this fun and enjoyable film to that vaunted roster.

Jack Vacek is our new hero. He is very, very cool. He has a cool mustache, cool sunglasses, a cool jacket, rides a variety of cool automobiles, and has a wide variety of stylin' shirts. And while he plays by his own rules, his COTE-ness can only be described as happy-go-lucky. His amiable charm comes out whether he's battling a picture-perfect BYC (Washington), shooting and killing baddies, or adopting injured dogs and troubled children. He always knows just what to do and say. He may have just replaced Steve Rally in all of our hearts. And that's not an easy thing to do. 

On top of being likable, and even having something of a childlike quality, John Turner (or is it Jack Vacek? It's hard to tell when one ends and the other starts) seems to have modeled his life after Sonny Crockett. He has the same job, a similar attitude, and a similar wardrobe. He even lives on a houseboat like Crockett. But instead of a Ferrari, Turner drives a Shelby Cobra with the license plate BEER RUN. Sure, it may be an odd choice for a policeman, but it's so slick it's hard to deny the charm. Welcome to Miami Vacek. But in L.A.

There's a classic 80's dance club (could it be the same one from Party Line?), and the whole film has a fantastic soundtrack, alternating between the classic sax, the wailing-guitar 'Chase Music', and to a heavy metal tune during a raid on a gang called The Rockers. Much like in the cartoons when it gets so hot the mercury bursts through the top of the thermometer, the awesomeness quotient is getting out of control!

The baddies hang out at a restaurant called Degusta, named for the head crime boss. Would you eat at a place with a name so close to 'disgusting'? Was this on purpose? Who knows? Who cares? Especially since Turner's hangout is a bar/restaurant called The Poopdeck. Apparently it is/was a real place in Hermosa Beach, California. And Vacek trumped Tom Hanks by a year with the 'Turner and Pooch' subplot. Naturally, the whole thing comes to a head at an abandoned factory of some sort. It's hard to tell what they would have made, so we called it the Shootout Factory. We've all seen them before. Get ready to hear that phrase again in future reviews.

Deadly Addiction hammers home all the right notes we love to hear again and again. It's a movie that says "subtlety is for suckers; it's party time". We can get on board with that. It is just so much fun and it's so entertaining, anyone who fails to get any enjoyment out of it should probably be thrown into a volcano. 

Schedule your "Vacek-tomy" as soon as possible.

NOTE: As of this writing, the stream of this film on YouTube is not the best. Still, it’s worth seeing because the VHS is so rare.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty