Wartime

While shooting an action film in Thailand a film crew gets attacked by real soldiers who kidnap their leading lady. The director Frank who has a background in military tactics, gathers members of the crew to set out on a daring rescue mission.

I bought this movie from a distributor in South Africa called Impact Video who released the film under the title, BLASTFIGHTER FROM HELL. Aside from believing the title change might help it sell better, I have no idea why they did that. Of course, I also expected a completely different movie as the summary on the back of the cover didn't match what I saw in the final film.

Nonetheless, this was a fun little action gem that managed to entertain. The concept on paper sounds totally absurd but it actually works. Mainly because it features a bunch of very fun characters. The film stretches plausibility to an extent, although in this case it never really bothered me. In fact, putting your brain on autopilot makes it even better.

The only thing that hindered the entertainment value was a single scene that never really added anything to the overall plot and created a bit of a pacing problem. If removed the film would've been better for it.

For those looking to be entertained this film comes highly recommended. Serious film fans might also find something to like about it so I would encourage everyone to seek it out, as the fun factor is really high regarding characters and action set pieces.

"Movie in Action" is a perfect example of an 80s exploitation film that is bad and cheaply, but nonetheless massively entertaining and original. The plot is crazy and incredibly implausible, but due to the enthusiast performances of the cast and the non-stop spitfire of ingenious action sequences & stunts, you can't help but sit and watch with a big sardonic smile on your face from start to finish! A film crew is shooting a war movie in Thailand, and it is already a very troubled production, but things even get worse when the lead actress gets kidnapped by Cambodian guerrilla soldiers. Rather than to pack up their gear, the crew unanimously - well, almost - decides to set up a mission to head into the jungle and rescue her.

The coolest thing about "Movie in Action" is that the characters are also credited according to their functions. So, we've got a special effects guy, a lead actor, a soundman, a make-up girl, a cameraman, and a location guide teaming up with each their own specialties. Especially the special effects guy has the time of his life, with remote controlled jeeps and explosions all over the place. Admittedly, the Cambodian border patrollers are extra dim-witted, and the guerrilla kidnappers do not put up much of a battle, but hey, don't let it ruin the fun! Bo Svenson is the only familiar name in the cast, but I reckon they could just afford him for a couple of days. As "the director", Svenson safely stays in a hotel room for most of the mission.