Foxtrap

I recently watched Foxtrap (1986) on Tubi. The storyline follows a private detective who's hired to travel to Europe to find a wealthy man's missing niece. When it turns out he'll also need to rescue her and bring her back, the price goes up.

The film is directed by and stars Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn), and also features Maurizio Bonuglia (Top Sensation), Christopher Connelly (Benji), Lela Rochon (Any Given Sunday), and Arlene Golonka (Hang 'Em High).

This is one of those action movies that's extra cheesy and fun purely because of that. The acting and dialogue are a bit rough, but there are a few lines that will definitely make you laugh-the "recognize me" scene had me cracking up. The action scenes are passable, though nothing particularly memorable, and while the fight choreography is a bit stiff, the shootouts manage to keep things entertaining.

In conclusion, Foxtrap is a classic blaxploitation-style action flick that doesn't offer much beyond nostalgia. I'd score it a 4/10.

Back in the 80's, this film was released in Argentina. It was really strange and as every two Friday, my father and I went to Lavalle street (it used to be the Film Theatres Street) to check some film. There was nothing to see, late shows already started and the rest of the films were rated R. Last chance... Foxtrap. There we went. My father complaining for his luck. Me... happy because we were going to the movies. The film is amazingly dumb but funny enough to delight a little kid and bring out the rage of a father. Long live films! and The Fred Williamson...

My review was written in February 1986 after a screening at UA Twin theater in Manhattan.

"Foxtrap" is an uneventful, so-called action picture, marking actor/athlete Fred Williamson's ninth feature as director. Box office prospects are weak.

Overreaching in its attempt to masquerade as a globe-hopping adventure in the James Bond vein, pic has Williamson as Thomas Fox, a bodyguard who reluctantly agrees to a private eye-type job for John Thomas (Chris Connelly). J. T, says his brother's daughter Susan (Donna Owen) is missing in Europe and sens Fox to find her.

After several dull reels and pointless killings, Fox finds Susan, unconvincingly bamboozles her into coming back to Los Angeles with him and then exposes J. T.'s secret, which has to do with tohose old genre standbys: balckmail, drug addiction, pimps and prostitutes. At fadeout, a threatening title alerts the viewer to "Watch for 'The Fox and the Cobra' next summer".

Pic has almost no action, with Williamson padding the proceedings with sluggishly edited wandering around shots and scenic transition footage. Locations at Cannes, Rome and L. A. are naturally photogenic but spoiled by the constant distraction of people in each exterior shot ogling the camera -apparently no extras were used for this cheapie.

In place of action, Williamson applies his budget to frequent costume changes for himself. Another personal touch is the presence of an array of international beauties who, naturally, can't keep their hands off the star.

Action star Williamson was trying to give up his Jesse Crowder character and start a new character called Fox. He drives a car with a licence plate saying "DA FOX" ! Funny scene in the beginning where kids try to steal the radio off his car and runs away as they see his licence plate! Fox is hired by Christopher Connelly to find a girl who is in France, so Williamson goes to the Cannes film festival! Good music, slow on action, but the ending mentions "coming soon...FOX AND THE COBRA" which was never made. (the coming soon optics is missing on the video print). It would be interesting to see Fred do another Fox adventure, but to all us Williamson fans, he is still Fred no matter what character he plays.

I was not sure if I enjoyed this film because I had a place in my heart for the actor playing the lead, or because it was so bad that it became a gem in the postmodern era. Fights that make playground scuffles look choreagraphed, and the best/worst line in movie history..... Da-Fox says..... "your style may be ghetto, but your bank account is Beverly Hills.." Pure classic.......