Mission Kill (1985) User Reviews

No Originality, Lots of Action and Violence

[webstergrayson · 4/10 · 26 January 2008]

This is a fairly standard 80's style action movie, with nothing to distinguish it from others of its kind. Although reasonably entertaining while it lasts thanks to a fair amount of action and a fast pace, it is, overall, a ridiculous and below average action pick.

Robert Ginty, best known for the 1980 cult classic "The Exterminator," her plays a vengeful Vietnam Veteran (way to broaden your horizon, Bob), who assists rebel forces in a fictional Central American country after his buddy is killed running guns into the nation so as to provide aid for the rebels. The story is as ridiculous as one would expect; Robert Ginty plays a sort of superman who single handedly leads the struggling rebellion towards success. Of course, nobody wants to see an action movie called "Mission Kill" and have it be entirely believable, but the movie is so self serious and overly dramatic that it just can't get away with such a ludicrous premise.

In addition to the typically ridiculous and entirely forgettable premise, Ginty's performance is also bland and unmemorable, as is most of the cast. Only Sandy Baron stands out as the zealous reporter responsible for getting Ginty's efforts as a rebel leader recognized by the public.

The actions sequences aren't really anything special either; however, they are enough to keep the movie from getting boring throughout its runtime. If anything, this movie is reasonably entertaining, thanks to a fast moving plot and lots violent action.

Although it isn't boring, "Mission... Kill" certainly isn't memorable, with a plot that manages to be both preposterous and overly dramatic, stereotypical characters and generally lousy performances. Action fans ought to be able to get some enjoyment out of the movie, but honestly, considering the number of excellent action movies available, there really isn't much reason to be watching a mediocre one like this.

Despite some slow passages, we do get a healthy amount of shooting and blow-ups.

[tarbosh22000 · 5/10 · 7 December 2020]

Cooper (Ginty) was a demolitions expert in 'Nam. He parlayed that into a career of blowing stuff up after returning home. When he meets up with his buddy, an older fellow Marine named Harry (Cam), at the Little Nashville Club to take in some ladies oil wrestling, Harry tells him he's running guns to the rebels in the South American country of Santa Maria. Harry, filled with a sense of patriotic pride (although what that has to do with the people of Santa Maria I'm not exactly sure), in his enthusiasm convinces the reluctant Cooper to come with him on one of his gun runs south of the border.

The two men hop into Harry's big rig, named Harry's Dream Machine, and they eventually reach their destination. However, much trouble follows as the baddies proceed to ambush them and Harry goes to the big oil wrestling ring in the sky.



So Cooper figures the best way to get revenge is to join the rebels and slaughter as many of El Presidente's goons as he can. Thanks to an embedded wartime journalist named Bingo Thomas (Baron - unforgettable to Seinfeld fans as the irascible Jack Klompus), Cooper becomes an inadvertent media celebrity and the fight against El Presidente Ariban (Rojas) and the entrenched bureaucracy represented by Senor Borghini (Darrow) escalates to much bigger proportions than the rebels ever imagined before Cooper's arrival. But what about Sydney Borghini (Van Kamp)? Where do her true allegiances lie? You'll find out if you accept the mission that Ginty accepted: MISSION KILL.

In the 80's, there was a lot in the news about the turmoil in certain South American countries such as El Salvador and Nicaragua. While not South American, the incident on Grenada captured the public's attention as well. And, with the possible help of Stripes (1981), there was a renewed national fasciation with oil wrestling. With this context in mind, we have Mission Kill, yet another addition to the seemingly-endless El Presidente Boom of the 80's. Not just ninjas had a Boom back then, let's not forget.





Mission Kill falls in with compatriots such as Cocaine Wars (1985) and Hour of the Assassin (1987). It's not particularly distinguished but it's not awful. It does have fan favorites Ginty and Cam, after all. Nothing with them could ever be a total disaster. But a better example of their pairing is another Winters film, Code Name: Vengeance (1987). In that case they're in Africa, not South America. But, you know, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Despite some slow passages, we do get a healthy amount of shooting and blow-ups. The score has some very nice synthy moments underpinning it all. A brief exploding helicopter is also present and accounted for. We liked the plot device of Ginty being a demolitions expert: it gave a reason for the explosions (though one is never really needed, of course). He blew in Vietnam, and he blows today.





Naturally, preceding all of this is an on-screen quote by William Faulkner from his 1950 Nobel Prize speech. Of course there is.

Featuring the catchy and memorable end credits song "Stand" by Jesse Frederick - which absolutely should have been used at about the mid-way point in the movie during a training sequence in order to pump things up but unfortunately isn't - Mission Kill can certainly be categorized as one of the El Presidente movies that took up video store shelf space in the 80's. It's not in any way bad, but it needed more focus and drive. If choosing between this and Code Name: Vengeance, pick Code Name: Vengeance. It's sillier and a bit more fun.

Fate of Characters Predictable In Film Having No Particular Merit.

[rsoonsa · 2/10 · 1 March 2006]

If a viewer might have a sense that this film has been seen before, but yet not remembered, it shall be accepted that such a presentiment is shared by most others who may happen to watch it, as there is precious little of originality or, indeed, interest to be found within this production, a rather hackneyed affair that leaves the memory unburdened. Robert Ginty, who also contributes to the screenplay, performs as J. F. Cooper, a building demolition virtuoso who, after being released from his New York employment, travels west to California where he visits with a former Marine Corps comrade, Harry (Cameron Mitchell), the latter cajoling J. F. into joining with him in a quixotic plan to smuggle arms to rebels in an imaginary Latin American nation, Santa Maria, and although Cooper is initially reluctant to join in this roguery, once arrived in the embattled nation, he becomes avidly committed to aid the guerrilla fighters with their conflict against a despotic government, a decision that leads to a somewhat tedious series of "action" sequences. These, shot primarily in the Mexican Highlands, move the film relentlessly forward, with barely a nod to constraints of logic, and there are continuity flaws aplenty, but an abundance of local extras is on board to die in the many scenes featuring explosions and automatic weapon combat that comprise the spine of the work, rationality being sent to the rear as when Cooper, renamed (by a journalist) "Robin Hood" Kennedy, requests use of a helicopter from his ragtag band of peasant companeros and, lo, one immediately becomes available for him. The crew is competent, as is most often the case, and the largely inexperienced extras are put through their paces well by the stunt coordinator, despite their tactical deployment that, in reality, could only result in their shooting each other. The players are a mixed bag, with Ginty a less than charismatic commander of men, Mitchell hamming it up as is his habit, and Olivia D'Abo is fairly ridiculous as a bandoliered rebel soldier, but solid turns come from Henry Darrow, and Merete Van Camp, as a corrupt government functionary, and his wife, in addition to Brooke Bundy in a small role as Harry's spouse, while Jorge Reynoso, owner of a charter for glowering Mexican villains, is consistently malignant.

Plenty of action on a limited budget

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 29 August 2016]

Cheapo British director David Winters churned out a series of no-budget actioners during the thrill-heavy '80s and this south-of-the-border thriller is very much par for the course. Robert Ginty, no stranger to exploitation after the success of THE EXTERMINATOR, doesn't make a great deal of effort as the Robin Hood-style hero but he does shine in a couple of over-the-top moments where his unique style of acting comes to the fore. The laboured and overly-complex plot sees Ginty teaming up with an old army buddy to deliver a shipment of arms in Mexico. Said buddy is played by Cameron Mitchell, looking booze-swollen and bloated, a far cry from his shining days twenty years earlier in the likes of MINNESOTA CLAY. Thankfully, Mitchell is killed off early on, leaving Ginty to carry the film amid a cast of underachieving Mexican actors and actresses and a brief role for Brit starlet Olivia d'Abo in a nonsensical part.

What I did like about this film was that was more ambitious than most no-budget schlockers. Involving a revolution in a South American country, it sees the rebels battling corrupt government troops in lots of high-powered show downs. This involves copious stock footage during one interlude – where we see a series of random buildings being demolished – and a handful of action scenes that surprisingly don't suck. Sure, they're not that good, but they're certainly passable and the film reaches a high when Ginty initially takes a stand, grabbing a machine gun and taking care of half a dozen troops in one burst. What follows is entirely predictable, but not without merit; for instance, I liked the traitor plot and the cheesy helicopter ending. At least Winters understands that action is what the viewers are looking for, and he offers plenty for your money's worth.