Omega Syndrome

My review was written in July 1987 after watching the movie on New World video cassette.

"Omega Syndrome" is a low-effort example of an action film backed by European producers to be sold on the world market as an American product. Pic is U. S.-made but locks the energy and diverting elements to be a credible theatrical release. New World has had several bookings this year but has rushed it out on its video label soon after.

Ken Wahl is a journalist down on his luck, hitting the booze. He whips into action when his 13-year-old daughter (cute Nicole Eggert) is kidnapped during a liquor store robbery. The L. A. police led by Doug McClure are portrayed as particularly lame here, so Wahl teams up with his ex-Vietnam buddy George DiCenzo to find the kidnappers and rescue Eggert. It turns out she's in the hands of a group of neo-Nazi terrorists, identifiable by their omega symbol wrist tattoos.

Boring film consists mainly of Wahl and DiCenzo interviewing people for clues, punctuated by perfunctory action scenes and explosions. In vey cornball fashion, a one-night stand with Patti Tippo is written in for Wahl -that went out with Screenwriting 101. Elsewhere, John Sharkey's clutz dialog is ridiculous, right down to the imitation James Bond/Schwarzenegger throwaway quip, as DiCenzo exclaims: "Say Goodnight, Gracie" before wasting a heavy.

Hunky actor Ken Wahl, shortly before attaining TV stardom on the series 'Wise Guy', here headlines what is pretty standard B action fare. Wahl plays Jack Corbett, a Vietnam veteran turned hotshot journalist, whose daughter Jessie (an appealing Nicole Eggert of 'Charles in Charge') is kidnapped by a bunch of feeble-brained Neo-Nazis for a purpose that eventually becomes clear. In the time-honoured tradition of routine action movies, our hero realizes that he can't rely on the cops. Detective Milnor (Doug McClure, whom you may know from "Humanoids from the Deep") is a useless grouch who can't abide the yogurt diet that his wife has him on. So Jack turns to an old Army buddy, Phil Horton (George DiCenzo, 'Helter Skelter') for help.

Wahl and the under-rated DiCenzo are capable heroes in this adequately handled (by director Joseph Manduke) low grade action fare. The villains are a bunch of repulsive goons who can't die soon enough, and sure enough, whenever a firefight erupts, they never can hit a target. At least the movie is effectively manipulative in getting you on board to root for their destruction. And the daughter is a fighter, which is good to see. Milnor is such a stubborn dummy that by the end you kind of wish that Jack would pop him one. The action scenes are decently handled by stunt co-ordinator / second unit director Spiro Razatos, and the music is one of those classic cheesy 80s electronic scores.

A couple of familiar faces turn up, such as Xander Berkeley ("Candyman") as a villain named Yo-Yo (he plays the character as a childish moron), Colm Meaney ('Star Trek: Deep Space Nine') as an explosives expert who makes sure to let us know that he's not really on board with the villains' cause, Bill Morey ("Death Race 2000") as Jacks' disapproving father-in-law, and Al White (one of the jive talking dudes from "Airplane!") as a detective who takes the time to impress upon Milnor that Jack is no "wimp writer" as Milnor puts it.

This is mild entertainment for an hour and a half, if you're looking for a no-brainer to fill up some time.

Five out of 10.

The bad guys in this film are a gang of stupid neonazis, who of course can't shoot straight when it comes to killing the heroes, a couple of Vietnam veterans (What a novel idea!) Sadly, you can't take them seriously , and you know from the start that the cute smart alec teenage girl is going to get the better of them.

Very corny indeed.