Hostage Dallas

Edward Albert is quite a good actor...but the main reason i watch this movie is not because of him, but because of Joe don baker... i bought this movie a few weeks ago on VHS...i bought this with a very cheap price.. not very serious on watching this movie... but i was quite surprised after watching this movie!! do you know why?? the main cast of the movie have been brilliant in their acting!! especially Edward Albert and Joe don baker!! it is really fun to watch Joe don baker as a villain in this movie!! i had never thought that he is quite brilliant in being a villain!! wow!! this movie is really fantastic!! there's plenty of action to be enjoy!! watch it!!! 10/10*****

I enjoyed this movie mostly because I did the computer graphics and got my name in the credits at the end for both that and programming. It was filmed in Dallas, Texas and it was a blast hob-nobbing with the actors, especially, Joe Don Baker and Audrey Landers.

The plot starts out with "Tag" and his Black Ops team breaking into a not-so-secret lab in Russia to steal cannisters of a new nerve gas the Russians were developing. Back home, the tables were turned when bad guy Kenderson (Joe Don Baker) steals the gas from Taggert's lab.

Kenderson threatens to release the gas over downtown Dallas if he doesn't get the ransom he's demanding.

FBI agent Paige Starson (Audrey Landers) directs the search for the gas and the bad guys and in one scene (my favorite) she turns to a computer in Tag's office and pulls up a war games program, selects "Chemical Warfare" and proceeds to find out what the casualties would be if the gas is released.

Although the "special effects" are necessarily low-tech (we did this in 1986, after all) the chase scenes, fights and other stuff weren't bad.

(1986) Getting Even ACTION

A special ops unit lead by Taggert everybody calls him Tagger (Edward Albert) successfully very toxic steal poisonous gas tubes from the Russians who were setting up shop in Afghanistan. And by the time US gov't scientists begin to find an antidote for it, CEO Texas millionaire, King R. Kenderson (Jon Don Baker) employ people to steal the poisonous gas canisters which then killed his love life Molly( Caroline Williams) wanting to vent his revenge against the city of Dallas as opposed to what he initially wanted to do which was to sell it to the highest bidder.

The plot is similar to what one can see from a James Bond movie before Daniel Craig acquired the role, but because I label it as action film as far as action is concerned you can't compare it as it is quite bland. There is stunts but I've seen it done better on a James Bond movie as well as First Blood and Commando for it's exciting.

My review was written in May 1986 after a Times Square screening.

"Getting Even", filmed in Texas as "Hostage: Dallas" (a title retained for international distribution), is an uninteresting thriller that finally picks up steam in its last reel due to some exciting aerial and building-top stunts. Pic has been in regional release since February.

Edward Albert toplines as Taggar, a successful Dallas industrialist who steals a deadly new poison gas from the Russkies in Afghanistan (an unconvincing, chintzy opening also shot in Texas) on orders of our government. His chemical company is under government contract to develop an antidote, and federal agent Paige Starsen (Audrey Landers), who trained and romanced years ago with Taggar, is sent to Dallas to see what's taking him so long in the lab.

Rival chemical magnate King Kenderson (Joe Don Baker), king of the good ole boys) is in sorry financial condition, and hits upon the dumb idea of stealing the poison gas from Taggar. After the theft, his scientific wiz Molly (Caroline Williams) immediately self-destructs via some sloppy lab technique that contaminates her, whereupon Kenderson sends Taggar a ransom note asking for $50,000,000 or he will kill off the denizens of Dallas with his gas.

Taggar gets the money out of petty cash and several double crosses later he and Starsen retrieve the gas, vow to get out of the weapons business and live happily ever after. As stated, final reel of helicopter chases, stunt climbs and falls almost counteracts the four preceding reels of relentless dullness. Until that finale, director Dwight Little lets the pace lag and gives no evidence that there is anything to worry about, hardly the approach necessary for a doomsday thriller.

Edward Albert smirks his way through the main role, Landers is merely decorative and Joe Don Baker hard to hate as a villain for a change. Remainder of the cast is weak.

The computer graphics for this movie were ahead of the times. Rent "Getting Even" and find out what the crew was referring to when they mentioned, "The Green Pickle".

PS... Having lunch every day with Audrey Landers was fun too.