Trappola diabolica

A whiskey stream of consciousness review.

What did Richard Harris get paid for this film?!?! He must've needed some fundage to keep up with his notorious hellraising habits. Directed by Bruno "the man of many names other than his own" Mattei. There are actually a few nice shots and sequences spoiled by bad acting, script, and production design.

Love the scene where Ransom picks up Rosanna Boom and tosses her in the truck. Hilarious. Can't get over how much Mary Stavin (Boom) looks like Dolores O'Riordan, the late lead singer of the Cranberries. Brent Huff (Ransom) reminds me of Chris Cuomo. Fake newscaster and fake action star. Ha!

Yes, this film rips off Raiders of the Lost Ark in so many ways. If only they could have gotten a better keyboard player. Still trying to figure out why Ninjas are in Vietnam. There are scenes ripped from Rambo First Blood Part 2 and Predator as well. The movie looks like it was filmed 10 years before Predator, but was released the year after.

The clown keyboard music throughout the film adds to the ridiculousness and is probably the most appropriate style decision made. I'm guessing the choice was dead serious. Not quite the Troll2 of return to Vietnam flicks, it's close. The first Strike Commando is a much better film even though part 2 had the better budget. I'm guessing most of it went into Harris's bottle. If you like baddies, drink up. If you want more action, skip it. Wallowed through with Old Grandad 114.

The first one was a black comedy starring Reb Brown and Christopher Connelly, and it had numerous scenes that was lifted from RAMBO 2. But now, the sequel is more serious and headlines action star Brent Huff as a commando who is in search of his old old Vietnam buddy Richard Harris (!). Harris, a very masterful actor looks puzzled why he is even in this film (he said once in a interview he retired until they offered him THE FIELD, so this movie must have motivated his retirement!). Harris looks very ill in the film, and suprisingly he is most of the film unlike Mary Starvin who is second bills (Harris is 3rd billed) who seems to have little to do. Not bad action scenes, and even has Harris killing a giant fake bug. Huff is good as usual, but this film steals the ending of RAMBO 2 just like first STRIKE COMMANDO film. The film does looks depressing, and it's kind of sad to see Harris in a Philipeno shot cheap film, and on a role that Bo Svenson to Henry Silva usual does.

Vietnam squad leader, Major Vic Jenkins : Richard Harris is kidnapped by captors terrorists demanding ten million dollars worth of precious diamonds in return for his freedom . Michael Ransom : Brent Huff is dispatched by the CIA assigning him the risked mission to release him . Along the way , he is helped by the tough but sympathetic Rosanna Boon : Mary Stavin , who owns a jungle tavern, but not all is as appears and then things go wrong , including a final twist .

Adventure movie with ironical and hilarious moments , including noisy action , thrills , plot twists, shootouts , fights against Ninjas and lots of explosion . This is a rip-off to known movies , that's why it takes parts here and there of "Rambo" by George Pan Cosmatos , "Raiders of the Lost Ark" by Steven Siielberg , "Romancing in the Stone" by Robert Zemeckis and , of course , "Strike Commando I" , also made by Bruno Mattei/Claudio Fragasso and starred by Reb Brown as Michael Ransom , Christopher Connelly , Allan Collins . In fact , the latter was an exploitative ripoff of the expensive mega-action thriller Rambo .This 1988 sequel Trappola Diabolica or Strike Commando 2 has an overwrought script from Claudio Fragasso and director Bruno Mattei himself , sleepwalking actors and below average plot . The yarn is decently played by Brent Huff as Michael Ransom who relunctantly takes the dangerous mission , the likeable Mary Stevin who bears remarkable resemblance to Farrah Fawcett and incredible interpretation by Richard Harris in a low-budget film , giving an acceptable acting as the kidnapped Maj. Jenkins . They are accompanied by some regular secondary actors of the B or Z Italian series as Massimo Vanni, Ottaviano Dell'Aqua, the Philippino Vic Díaz and Luciano Pigozzi or Allan Collins but whose scenes were ultimately deleted.

It contains a lively and moving musical score by Stefano Mainetti who lifts some John Williams' sounds. As well as atmospheric cinematography shot on location in Philippines Islands . The motion pucture was regular but professionally directed by Bruno Mattei who often used pseudonym Vincent Dawn , being assisted by his regular collaborator Claudio Fragasso who wrote the script , though uncredited . Bruno Mattei was an Italian craftsman who made a lot of films in all kinds of genres : Terror , Peplum , Spaghetti Western, Erotic , Nunexploitation, Women in Prison or WIP , such as : " Rats" , "Cage Women" , "Seven Magnificent Gladiators" , "Hell of the Living Dead" , "Robowar" , "Scalps" , "Apache Kid" , "Cop Game" , "Terminator 2" , "Emmanuel in Prison" and several others . Rating : Average 5/10. The film will appeal to Italian adventure/action aficionados.

More like a collection of ripped-off scenes (just to name a few of the "sources": "Predator", "Rambo II", "Lethal Weapon") than an actual sequel to "Strike Commando". Not as enjoyable as that film, anyway, but still worthy of two stars, because for those who can enjoy "Strike Commando" this won't be so bad after all. However, the villains are too stupid to be considered a threat and Brent Huff is an actor with all the talent of, say, Lou Ferrigno.

Vietnam veteran Michael Ransom, now played by Brent Huff ('The Rookie'), is currently still living in Asia, where he is recruited for a mission to rescue his former commanding officer / savior Vic Jenkins (Richard Harris ("Orca"), in a classic case of "What the Hell is HE doing here?"). To help achieve his goal, Ransom hooks up with a feisty female bar owner, played by the gorgeous Mary Stavin ("House").

Exploitation master "Vincent Dawn" (a.k.a. Bruno Mattei) strikes once again with another amalgam of ideas and scenes "borrowed" from earlier classics like "Romancing the Stone", "Apocalypse Now", "Rambo: First Blood Part II", "Predator", and "Raiders of the Lost Ark". The whole thing is quite agreeably cheesy, with a ridiculous plot (involving diamonds and drug smuggling, among other things) and oh-so-tacky dialogue and performances. Given how tacky the movie can be at times, however, I'm inclined to give the filmmakers the benefit of the doubt, and say that this is *meant* to be portrayed as tongue-in-cheek.

The action is decent, there are explosions aplenty, and the sex appeal of 1977 Miss World Stavin is undeniable. The supporting cast includes such familiar faces as Ottaviano Dell'Acqua ("Rats: Night of Terror"), Massimo Vanni ("Robowar"), and the ubiquitous and always welcome Vic Diaz ("The Big Bird Cage"), a guaranteed presence in many a Filipino exploitation picture.

Frequently funny and never boring, "Strike Commando 2" is silly as Hell but impossible to dislike.

Seven out of 10.