Die Vergelter

Anytime a film delivers what it promises, it gets at least a 5 rating from me, and "Armed Response" gives you exactly what you would expect from a low budget action movie. The weak points would be , numerous explosions and gratuitous car crashes, a paper thin plot, finally a shootout in Chinatown with grenades and automatic weapons that goes totally unnoticed by anyone. The strongest point is the fun of seeing David Caradine, Lee Van Cleef, and Michael Berrymen together, and they do not disappoint. Another plus is the musical score, which seems to fit perfectly. Top that off with some lively one liners and you have an entertaining action film. - MERK

Armed Response is a movie that doesn't exceed one's expectations, never trying to be any more than a typical action film, but does what is expected of it in the best way possible. It's silly, not terribly original, but also entertaining through an trough, just as an action movie ought to be. The movie's terrific B-movie cast help to make this a thoroughly enjoyable experience for action fans.

The plot focuses on the Roth family, Burt (Lee Van Cleef) and his sons Jim, Clay, and Tommy (David Carradine, David Goss, and Brent Huff), who become targets of mob boss, Akira Tenaka (Mako) after coming into possession of a stolen jade statue. The plot isn't hard to follow,and it is able to hold one's interest despite not being terribly complex or original. The plot is also filled with action it the form of shoot-outs, fist fights, and one terrific car chase. The plot moves along quickly thanks to a fair amount of action and the presence of some great B-movie stars.

David Carradine makes a great leading man for this sort of movie; his performance is not technically "good" but he is nevertheless enormously appealing in his role. Mako is also good as the movie's villain, but the film's most stand-out cast member is without a doubt B-movie veteran Lee Van Cleef, who is a joy to watch as Carradine's tough, irritable dad who doesn't crap from anybody. His character is undeniably rather clichéd, but he plays the part better than anyone else could.

Armed Response delivers exactly what it offers, and provides a fun hour and a half for fans of its genre. It doesn't offer anything new or special for those who aren't already fans of the genre, but those who are should find it consistently entertaining.

Here's your typical B grade, run around action pic that does deliver, in action, only it has good actors in it, or wastes good actors. It is, I dare say an interesting pic with some real heartless and nasty baddies, male or female. Two brothers, and his father, Lee Van Cleef, of all people, the most wasted star here, are all combat veterans, who avenge the death of their other family member, the third brother who got into some shady dealings with these really bad people, led by Tanaka (Asian icon-Mako) The late brother was also double crossed by a partner (Hagen) who at the end, Carradine gives a double meaning to the term surface. We're off to a great start when one of Tanaka's guys apologizes for dishonouring him, by cutting off one of his fingers, which the that tall bald headed goof Michael Berryman picks up, smiling at it. There are some unintentionally moronic lines I just found funny, or as if in "You've heard this all or saw it all before in many other pics, it's mundane". Some funny moments occur in that torture scene, where the second brother openly defends his family honour, stating how all of them were proud to be vets. The torture scene too which includes a mysterious middle aged Asian woman, we don't know anything about (there's always a mysterious figure in these scenes you never see again, it's eerie, as never more here) assisting in a some poison needle torture, where soon the brother count is down to one. It's then up to man (Van Cleef) and son (Carradine) to avenge the dead. I really liked Carradine in this who as an actor, led a very private life and had closeted publicity. Here his character, Jim, has violent 'Nam' flashbacks that trigger momentary anger if provoked, as displayed in one early scene of family gathering, a nice touch as in the family bit, which you get to know too, a bit more later. Armed Response has pretty much what you expect, though I do say, I enjoyed it more I thought an I would, which as an action pic, does pack a punch, but again it falls into that so so mundane, or moronic type, ala Chuck Norris territory. No surprise too, Corman great, Dick Miller shows up in this.

"Armed Response" is one of Fred Olen Ray's earliest directorial efforts, and it also less schlocky than some of his other ones, closer to an actual legitimate action film (it's hard to believe he would make a film as unbelievably bad as "Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers" only two years later). It has a fairly complicated plot, which would be hard to summarize in a single paragraph, and a cast that's a B-movie fan's dream (where else could you find Lee Van Cleef and Michael Berryman together?), though it must be noted that David Carradine is particularly awful in this movie. (**1/2)

Okay, as another reviewer, WebsterGrayson already stated right off in the beginning of his excellent review, 'The movie delivers exactly what is expected' Now, come on! You already bloody KNOW that this is not going to be high art. You've got David 'well, tie my genitals down!' Carradine and ol' Lee 'Angel Eyes' Van Cleef for Goodness sake! And, you even have Mako and the ULTRA-cool Asian guy who was the b*tch'n Alien with the awesome looking eyes in the 6 total episodes of 'Space Rangers' (which I have, BTW - and, I'm sorry, but this guy even out-COOLS David Carradine) ANNNNND, if that is not enough, you even have the ICONIC Dick Miller! ANNNNNND the cooler than cool Michael Berryman!!! (even snapping his misshapen fingers in a David Lynch syncopated way and giving a Lambada glare to the camera when the radio suddenly turns on after a guy he just shot get's thrown into it! (you notice I didn't say WHO got shot, so no 'Spoiler Warning' needed)

I mean, what the HELL more do you want for this kind of film...? I'm not normally a fan of outright CheeeeeZ as a rule, but this is good, solid, MASTER CheeeeeZ. And it is a total blast!

So, yeah, I'm gonna give it an '8' because '4.8' just simply ain't right...