Double Target

Slightly more seriously toned and classier film than Mattei's other 1987 RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II knockoff STRIKE COMMANDO, DOUBLE TARGET suffers from a slow pace, bizarre use of footage from other movies, and O'Keeffe's far more subtle approach to the subject matter. Furthermore, Bo Svenson's casting as a Russian bad guy couldn't be much more off-target if he tried... or off-DOUBLE-target for that matter. Svenson doesn't even try a Russian accent and seems to be putting even less effort into his role than Harrison Ford into any movie after 1993.

Perhaps it's just that I came in with expectations rendered ultra-low after having seen STRIKE COMMANDO and ROBOWAR prior to this film, but I was shocked at this film's relative professionalism. The cinematography and musical score both rank a cut above most of Mattei's films from the same period. I have to give special props to Stefano Mainetti, at the time a newcomer to the field of film composing. Some of his tracks for this film feel much more sweeping and orchestral than one would expect for an 80's score accomplished largely on a Casio keyboard. While not exactly Vangelis quality, it gives the film a character of its own.

Furthermore we get a fun supporting cast including Ottaviano Dell'Acqua, Massimo Vanni, Mike Monty, Donald Pleasance (albeit in a completely forgettable cameo), and Luciano Pigozzi. They all look to be having a good time and the lush jungle scenery and exploding hut action ranks among the best of the dubious Italian-Filipino action subgenre. As far as Bruno Mattei schlock knockoff films go, it may be one of the only times he seemed to take himself semi-seriously and with decidedly mixed results. So, if you're like me and go in with low expectations, you may find yourself (Donald) Pleasantly surprised.

Double Target is an Italian war action film directed by Bruno Mattei. It stars Miles O'Keefe, Bo Svenson, Donald Pleasence, Kristine Erlandson, Luciano Pigozzi and Massimo Vanni. It tells the story of Bob Ross, an ex-military specialist in Vietnam who is trying to gain custody of his son from the Vietnamese government after learning his wife died in a concentration camp. Unknown to him, there are others watching who believe he's a spy for the American government. Ross makes a deal with the state department to gather information on their behalf. If Ross is successful in his mission, he'll be able to claim his son and take him back to the United States.

Shot mainly on location in the Philippines, Double Target isn't a very well-conceived war film but an entertaining one nonetheless. As with many films directed by Bruno Mattei, there are plenty of big explosions and gun play to keep things going. The plot and dialog are rather half heartedly conceived. The performances range from average to somewhat okay. What stands out the most is Bo Svenson's Russian accent often switching between a Russian and American one, making difficult to tell whether or not he is one or the other.

The characters aren't really given much of a backstory, the only thing made clear about them is their purpose in the overall plot. Otherwise you don't really get to know much about them. Although the character of Toro is mildly likable. Overall, it's not well thought out but still entertaining.

I am not a big fan of Bruno Mattei, in fact I think his films are terrible, but for some reason I still watch them when I find them. This one, like STRIKE COMMANDO followed the plot of RAMBO FIRST BLOOD PART II to the letter. If only it was as well made as the Stallone film then it might be worth watching but alas it is not. The acting is awful, not even genre vets Pleasence, Pigozzi, Monty or Vanni can lift this film. The script doesn't help, in that it is littered with pathetic humour that wouldn't fit in a CARRY ON movie, a good example being when hero O'Keefe races through the Russian / Vietnamese camp on a motorcycle and runs over one of the enemy, one gets stuck on the front of the bike and the heroes throw him off with the cheesy line "no hitchhikers" or something banal like that. Just avoid it at all costs

Bruno Mattei and Claudio Fargrasso really delivers the good in their own half-arsed way in another jungle explosion-fest that morons like me can't get enough of, with plenty of stupid dialogue, entire cities of bamboo huts exploding, and Bo Svenson trying to be Russian, and failing!

Miles is another Vietnam vet trying to get his Vietnamese son and getting caught up in all sorts of red tape. It doesn't help that some US agents are following him, and some Russian agents (played by Bo Svenson, who puts on a Russian accent when he feels like it), think the Miles is back on the Nam as a US agent. Bo tries to have Miles killed, but Miles breaks out some moves and beats up a hundred or so guys.

The US agents grab Miles and take him to asthmatic Senator Blaster (Donald Pleasance) and Mike Monty. They agree that Miles can go get his son, but he's also got to go into the jungle and prove that Russian soldiers are training up the Vietnamese, probably because scriptwriter Claudio Fragrasso just watched Rambo. Hooking up with Belgian mercenary Ottaviano DellAqua, Miles infiltrates the Russian camp (rather quickly, I thought), and the action begins!

I nearly forgot to mention the shark attack scene! This was on of the funniest things I've seen in a long time, as Miles gets his SCUBA gear on to get to where he's going, but can't due to two NVA sitting in a boat. Luckily for Miles a shark knocks the two of them into the water and eats them in a brain-melting mixture of rubber sharks, stock footage of sharks, and scenes filmed both night and day. Miles also thanks the shark by blowing it to pieces in a spectacularly crappy fashion.

Basically, the rest of the film involves Miles trying to escape Bo and his allies, but at the same times Miles is trying patch things up with his son, who sides with the Russians! The kid hates Miles so much he's willing to turn in him to the bad guys, that involves some tender scenes between the two as Miles just glares at the boy, and the boy just stares into space. It's like Kramer vs Kramer.

Bruno Mattei knows we're not here for Miles to patch things up with his son and some of us even rooted for the kid to be gunned down so it would give Miles and even bigger reason for fighting Bo Svenson on a helicopter. Bruno also throws in Massimo Vanni having a good old punch up with Ottavio, followed by a class (but half-arsed) scene between the two in a minefield. Luciano Pigozzi turns up as an old man who gets gun down (his daughter hooks up with Miles), Mike Monty roots for Miles and Donald gets sass talk from Miles that burns him so bad he's flashing back to it a mere thirty seconds after he's received it.

It's not Strike Commando, but it's yet another non-stop explosion fest filled with rubbish one-liners, everything exploding, extras flying into the air and b-movie actors hefting huge machines around the place.

The ever dependable Miles O'Keeffe stars in this enjoyable action yarn as a highly decorated soldier who is persuaded to undertake a dangerous reconnaissance mission in Vietnam whilst simultaneously searching for his son there.

There are some commendable action scenes throughout and of course, this being a Bruno Mattei action film, you can count on plenty of BIG and beautiful explosions.

A good assemble of B-movie regulars including Donald Pleasance, Bo Svenson, Ottaviano Dell'Acqua, Luciano Pigozzi, Mike Monty and Massimo Vanni make up the rest of the cast and they all put in fine performances in their respective roles (although Svenson's Russian accent is, shall we say, severely wanting in a number of scenes)

On the down side however, I must say that the promised spectacular climax proves to be anything but with Svenson as the arch villain meeting a most unimpressive end.

Another notably stupid point concerns O'Keefe's son who undergoes such a dramatic change of heart and personality overnight at the end of the film that one would be perfectly justified in assuming he was suffering from some form of schizophrenia! Still, in such a film, any such criticisms are trivial and in the end one has to judge the movie on its merits i.e. on entertainment value.

In this respect, whilst not a classic by any means, Double Target comes across well and certainly delivers the goods for its running time, being a fun flick and one that should certainly appease less discriminating action junkies and B-Movie aficionados in general.