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Missing in Action

  • 1984
  • R
  • 1h 41m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
18K
YOUR RATING
Chuck Norris in Missing in Action (1984)
Trailer for Missing in Action
Play trailer1:31
1 Video
99+ Photos
B-ActionJungle AdventureOne-Person Army ActionActionAdventureDramaThrillerWar

Colonel Braddock launches a mission deep into the jungles of Vietnam to find the POW camp that he escaped from and free the Americans still held captive there.Colonel Braddock launches a mission deep into the jungles of Vietnam to find the POW camp that he escaped from and free the Americans still held captive there.Colonel Braddock launches a mission deep into the jungles of Vietnam to find the POW camp that he escaped from and free the Americans still held captive there.

  • Director
    • Joseph Zito
  • Writers
    • Arthur Silver
    • Larry Levinson
    • Steve Bing
  • Stars
    • Chuck Norris
    • M. Emmet Walsh
    • David Tress
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.4/10
    18K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Joseph Zito
    • Writers
      • Arthur Silver
      • Larry Levinson
      • Steve Bing
    • Stars
      • Chuck Norris
      • M. Emmet Walsh
      • David Tress
    • 110User reviews
    • 62Critic reviews
    • 43Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Missing in Action
    Trailer 1:31
    Missing in Action

    Photos124

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    Top cast40

    Edit
    Chuck Norris
    Chuck Norris
    • Braddock
    M. Emmet Walsh
    M. Emmet Walsh
    • Tuck
    David Tress
    David Tress
    • Senator Porter
    Lenore Kasdorf
    Lenore Kasdorf
    • Ann
    James Hong
    James Hong
    • General Tran
    Ernie Ortega
    • Vinh
    Pierrino Mascarino
    Pierrino Mascarino
    • Jacques
    Erich Anderson
    Erich Anderson
    • Masucci
    • (as E. Erich Anderson)
    Joseph Carberry
    Joseph Carberry
    • Carter
    Avi Kleinberger
    • Dalton
    Willie Williams
    • Randall
    Ric Segreto
    • GI
    Bella Flores
    Bella Flores
    • Madame Pearl
    Gil Arceo
    • First Vietnamese Businessman
    Roger Dantes
    • Second Vietnamese Businessman
    Sabatini Fernandez
    • Dinh
    Renato Morado
    • Mike
    James Crumrine
    • Gibson
    • Director
      • Joseph Zito
    • Writers
      • Arthur Silver
      • Larry Levinson
      • Steve Bing
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews110

    5.417.5K
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    Featured reviews

    fuzzy-31

    oh my god its damn good

    this film kicks so much ass its all about chuck norris who goes back into vietnam and takes on the viet cong all by himself and WINS outnumber like a million billion commies to one ass kickin' dude .

    Thank god for this true story adaptation, cause without chuck norris vietnam would be ruled by dirty pinkos.

    it starts off with him having a dream about kicking ass in vietnam, then he takes that dream and makes it a reality and goes back to 'nam to kick all the commie ass he can find .

    seriously buy this movie.
    6TOMASBBloodhound

    A fun film about a bitter subject.

    The subject of forgotten American soldiers left behind in Viet Nam served as a catalyst for some decent action flicks in the 1980s. This film and Rambo: First Blood Part II were the most prevalent of them. The film has some good action, but not much proof of the existence of POWs was found, however.

    When I was about ten, these types of films really psyched me up. I really wanted the US military to stage a massive operation to go back in and get those guys. But my father who was an intelligence officer in the Air Force told me not to get too excited about things. We really never did have any concrete proof that a great number of our soldiers were being held in camps or used to harvest the rice and whatnot. Still, films like Missing In Action are a lot of fun to watch. My father did tell me that Bangkok is just as sleazy as the film makes it appear, though.

    Joseph Zito does a good job making Chuck Norris look his best as he fights his way in and eventually out of Viet Nam looking for POWs. Lots of bullets fly, bombs go off, and people get the crap kicked out of them. Norris was perhaps the most wooden of all action stars during the period, but it was always fun to watch him whip up on the enemy.

    There are two great supporting performances here, as well. M. Emmet Walsh and James Hong are two terrific character actors, and they are well used. Many people recognize Hong for being the host at the Chinese restaurant in Seinfeld when they have to wait for an entire episode to be seated.

    If you get the chance, take another look at this film which has been forgotten by many. Norris was in his prime, and you'll likely be satisfied with the conclusion.

    6 of 10 stars

    The Hound.
    6ma-cortes

    Chuck Norris vehicle as tough Colonel Braddock and followed by two sequels

    A Vietnam war vet (Chuck Norris) and previous POW goes back to Vietnam ten years after . When Braddock arrives is accused of war crimes by a Vietnam general (James Hong) . He then schemes to free some American soldiers still held prisoners in a far prison camp into Vietnam . As long as he's there , Braddock decides to head Thailand where is pursued by a former enemy who tortured him in the concentration camp where he was prisoner . He's helped by a gunrunner friend (M. Emmet Walsh) . The two-fisted Colonel Braddock tries continuously to free the prisoners held captives suffering various tortures in charge of the camp wardens and the evil ruler.

    This is a routine actioner with Karate star Chuck Norris as the Vietnam veteran resulting go be one of the best roles he'd made to date , as he's nice as tough , cold and stubborn Colonel Braddock . It's a predictable , shallow and brainless film , though it will appeal to Chuck Norris enthusiasts because of it contains some excellent action sequences (when Braddock shoots with his machine gun or scenes about bounds and leaps aboard a motorboat) . Chuck stated that he made this picture as a memorial honor of his younger brother who was a war casualty in the long Vietnam conflict . In the wake of ¨ Uncommon courage ¨(by Ted Kotcheff) and ¨ Rambo II ¨(George Pan Cosmatos) with Norris attempting to imitate Silver Stallone or Arnold Schwarnezzegger like an one army man .

    The film is the original from a trilogy , concerning the second part (directed by Lance Hool , the first one 's producer) about tortures and Braddock suffering in a prisoner camp , and the third part (directed by Aaron Norris , Chuck's brother , who in 'Missing in action 1' was the stunt coordinator) upon looking for his wife after downfall Saigon . Shot right after Missing in action 2 (1985) , this movie was supposed to be the follow-up . Nevertheless, when ¨Cannon¨ realized this film was the better of the two , they re-titled them and made the other film a prequel . In the three movies there are some nasty , ominous villains well played by Asian players : James Hong , Soon Teck Oh , and Aki Aelong , who bear offensive racial stereotypes . Appropriate musical score by Jay Chattaway and adequate as well as atmospheric cinematography by cameraman Joao Fernandez , filmed in Philippines . The motion picture produced by Cannon films (Mennahem Golan and Yoram Globus) was professionally directed by Joseph Zito (USA invasion , again with Norris). The motion picture will appeal to Chuck Norris fans .
    8siektwo

    classic....

    CLASSIC.........bad movie. It does all the things that critics would laugh at and more. It has bad acting, and a lame story. However, it's a lot of fun for those of you that enjoy lazy afternoon cheeseball films (such as myself).

    The best scene has to be the slow motion shot of Chuck Norris emerging from the swamp water with a rifle letting rounds off and keeping a "stone face"...hahahaha.

    Oh wow, how i love this movie. You really cannot argue a movie's credibility with a powerhouse lead actor such as Chuck Norris.

    RATING: 8/10 - Because it's an entertaining bad movie...great for those times when you're bored out of your mind on a rainy day.
    8ivo-cobra8

    Defending Chuck Norris my favorite underrated bad-ass action war flick

    In Thursday 4th May Chuck Norris arrived in Ljubljana Slovenia and he visit us to make a car commercial. He stays by us till tomorrow then he returns back to his homeland. I love Chuck Norris I grew up watching his movies and Missing in Action defines my childhood and I grew up watching this movie. I am writing this review in honor of Chuck Norris. Slovenia loves Chuck Norris!

    Missing In Action is an underrated solid, very decent, good, pure bad-ass action war flick. It is my number 1 favorite Chuck Norris movie! I love this movie to death and I have it on Blu-ray in Hi-def in my collection. I love the music score from Jay Chattaway it is a beautiful score. it is rated Hard-R RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. It is not for kids it is a pure sample entertaining flick, it has explosions, a lot of gun shootouts, martial arts, climbing the electric wire and walls, you have even bobby traps, you see a lot of boats on the water, a lots of jungle and it is one-man army action hero type. One man on a mission to find American POW's who are still imprisoned in the country. You'll see lots of heavy automatic and explosive weapons, and you'll see them used well. This is my favorite Chuck Norris film for the simple fact that it has one of the best action hero moments ever with Braddock coming out of the water in super slo- mo and blasting bad guys to pieces.

    Missing in Action and Missing in Action 2: The Beginning were made back-to-back, with part 2 being ready first, so they released it as this movie, Missing in Action. I am defending this film: Why I am keep hearing from film critics and assholes like Maziun who has no dick about movies how bad this movie is, it is as a rip-off of the Rambo film series. Rambo was better, Rambo was looking for American POW's and blah, blah, blah! Shut up all of you!! Missing in Action and Chuck Norris is not yours kind of type action hero or his movies, they are just not for you so f**k You!

    "It was more like 20,000. Why don't you tell us why there was a price on my head?" *For your war crimes, of course.* , "For killing assholes like you!"

    I am big fan of Rambo movies I love all of them, but Missing in Action is different Vietnam action-War movie who is really fictional portrayed. The movie is not perfect, it is not great, realistic, or the best it does have a plot holes which I am little confused but I love Colonel James Braddock I love the character portrayed. Chuck Norris does a fine and solid job as the hero. I love the action the rescue mission I love this movie from the 80's and I miss these kind of action movies today. They don't make'em like this anymore. He saves people, he saves 4 American POW prisoners and he help them I love the ending of the movie. I love the jungle I love how Col. James Braddock (Chuck Norris) uses the M60 during the POW rescue mission and he opens fire with the M60 mounted on the fast boat classic scene and he blast all the bad guys away.

    There's a lot of Chuck Norris sneaking around in this movie more than Norris smashing guys, but that's present too. Norris doesn't take any crap, and I love the muscle duel between him and one enemy where Chuck slaps a knife right into his heart, literally. James Hong makes an appearance as General Trau as the villain and he's good at his job. He constantly taunts Braddock until Braddock literally attacks Trau in his sleep! The movie really lets you know where they stand on the issue of whether or not there are POWs being secretly kept in Vietnam with its exhilarating, "In your face, Vietnamese government!" ending.

    Missing in Action get's 8/10 it my favorite Chuck Norris film a brisk action/adventure with good old Chuck playing a stoic American super soldier fighting for America's freedom no matter the risks. It's a great Regan-era action flick, unapologetic and brutal.

    Missing in Action is a 1984 American action film directed by Joseph Zito and starring Chuck Norris. It is set in the context of the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue. Colonel Braddock, who escaped a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp 10 years earlier, returns to Vietnam to find American soldiers listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War. The film was followed by a prequel, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985), and a sequel, Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988).

    8/10 Grade: B Studio: The Cannon Group, Inc. Starring: Chuck Norris, M. Emmet Walsh, Lenore Kasdorf, James Hong Director: Joseph Zito Producers: Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus Screenplay: James Bruner Story by John Crowther, Lance Hool Based on the characters by Arthur Silver, Larry Levinson, Steve Bing Rated: R Running Time: 1Hr. 42 Mins. Budget: $2.550.000 Box Office: $22,812,411

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Jean Claude Van Damme was one of the stuntmen for this movie. His name appears in the credits under Stunts Performed by as J. Claude Van Damme. This was before his breakthrough performance in Bloodsport (1988).
    • Goofs
      Braddock was tortured when POW in flashbacks. He has no visible scars when he removes shirts throughout film.
    • Quotes

      Gen. Tran: Colonel Braddock, is it not true that during the war there was a price on your head of 5,000 American Dollars?

      Col. James Braddock: It was more like 20,000. Why don't you tell us why there was a price on my head?

      Gen. Tran: For your war crimes, of course.

      Col. James Braddock: For killing assholes like you!

    • Alternate versions
      Prior to 2000, all versions released in Germany were cut for violence to achieve a "Not under 16" rating. The DVD release features the complete film, but is also rated "Not under 16".
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Special Show: This Time We Win (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Tibetan Jam
      Written by Chris The Glove Taylor (as Chris "The Glove" Taylor)

      Performed by Ice-T

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    FAQ19

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 16, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Vietnamese
    • Also known as
      • Nhiệm Vụ Giải Cứu
    • Filming locations
      • Philippines
    • Production companies
      • The Cannon Group
      • Golan-Globus Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,550,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $22,812,411
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,101,460
      • Nov 18, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $22,812,411
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 41 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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