Cage

Lou Ferrigno at his BEST!

I expected to get some laughs from a movie I thought would be like Schwarzeneggers Commando or something like that but I was amazed at what it actually is, a movie about a powerful friendship between two vietnam veterans (Lou Ferrigino and Reb Brown), one of them saved the other while getting shot in the head and now hence he has the mentality of a boy. Reb Brown being the one Lou saved he now repays his debt by taking care of him.

At the same time two low mobsters have lost money fighting on an illegal cage match and need a new fighter. They run into Brown and Ferrigino and later persuade Ferrigino to wrestle out in the cage because he doesn't understand what it actually means. Brown try to find him to save his one and only friend and it all ends in a terrific climax. Good action and some reasonable good acting.

Is somewhere between a six and a ten.

Cage is an entertaining action pic from the 80's.

The plot: Billy (Ferrigno) is a 'Nam vet who tragically gets shot in the head on a mission. He survives but now is mentally challenged. He goes through a lot of grueling physical therapy and eventually becomes a productive member of society. He only has one friend, fellow vet Scott Monroe (Brown). Then slimy gangsters show up. They kidnap and brainwash Billy to go into the dangerous world of cage fighting. Scott must rescue his friend by going into the ring himself.

Cage is the only movie that delves deep into the idea of "Retard Strength". This politically incorrect idea would never be made today. The fight sequences are brutal and predate UFC by decades. Cage was ahead of its time. Another movie of this ilk is called "Shootfighter" it stars Bolo Yeoung. Lou Ferrigno puts in a sensitive performance as exemplified in his first fight scene when he jovially introduces himself to his mean opponent, with the now-immortal line "Hi!, I'm Billy!" Billy doesn't want to fight and he is a sweet-natured man. But the gangsters attempt to corrupt him to be a fighting machine. Let's not forget about Reb Brown and his classic yell. (e.g. "Strike Commando" and every movie Brown has been in.) "Cage" apparently had so many fans clamoring for more "Cagey" goodness a sequel was thankfully released 5 years later! Comeuppance Review by: Ty & Brett For more insanity, check out: comeuppancereviews.com

If you like Bloodsport, this is a must see, I love this film and it's sequel, Lou's real voice was used unlike most of his other films back then like Hercules or Sinbad, he does a fantastic job for the role he was given, I think the storyline is great and Reb Brown and James Shigeta as well as other in the cast did very well. Lots of great cameos, to me it's a fun and at times grabs your heart sad film and I've watched it a few times over the years, Amazon is the best place to watch it, most streams or videos look terrible, the vhs tapes aren't too hard to find, the dvds are extremely rare and as of right now no Blu-rays have been released, hopefully they someday release a double feature!

What seems just another banal action film is a story of friendship has depth, feeling, and yes, it still kicks ass...

The cage fights, occurring within an illegal underground club run by the Asian mafia known as Tongs, serves as a sporadic glimpse into what's to come while most of the film deals with two Vietnam Vets, Reb Brown as Scott and Lou Ferrigno as Billy, both shown in a Vietnam era prologue...

Billy saves Scott's life by grasping his hand in an ascending helicopter to keep him from falling - after being shot in the head. The loss of blood causes brain damage...

Cut fifteen years later, after a corny opening credit montage guided by music a lame song too weak for the upcoming testosterone-driven action... The reality is, Scott owns a bar and takes care of Billy like a mildly retarded son.

Although, the characters that really drive the film's plot are two shifty but likable Italian thugs played by Michael Dante and Mike Moroff who, cornered by an impending debt, stir up the pot in several ways, eventually tricking Ferrigo's gentle giant Billy to partake in cage fighting...

Both serving as not only plot catalysts but comic relief, going back and forth as if annoyed siblings...

Eventually, about an hour in, an enraged Scott seeks Billy, wielding a shotgun like only Reb Brown can, hunting down a gang the Italians used as a patsy...

And Brown has never been better, showing intensity in place of his usual macho cool while Ferrigno nails the role as a friendly man-child who, when pushed too far, all but turns green in that cage: where only the winner survives...

Meanwhile James Shigeta makes a terrific head villain, running the illegal bouts with an iron fist, shifting rules as they go as the always dependable character-actor Al Ruscio, as an Italian mobster, adds his own weight to elevate the already topnotch, underrated vehicle that is CAGE, starring two muscular studs held-up by the strength of top-notch surrounding performers.