Ultima missione

I bought this movie for .99 cents at a video store, and to tell you the truth, it wasn't even worth that. It's low budget with bad editing and is a total rip-off of Sylvester Stallone's "First Blood". Don't bother, rent the "Rambo" movies instead!

Of all the "First Blood" ripoffs that hit the screen in the eighties this filipino-made movie is clearly one of the better ones. Acting is pretty lousy (with the notable exception of Kaz Garas as the sheriff) but the movie has its good moments.

Final Mission (1984) is one of those cheesy, no budget First Blood rip-offs. Unlike the other Rambo wannabes, this movie's great. The director has no shame, he blatantly copies scene-for-scene and shot-for-shot from First Blood. Others may see this as a rip-off, I see it as a funny, horribly acted, badly written and cheesy as hell action picture. There are many scenes from this movie that still boggle my mind. Even today I still wonder if a Gun shop would have an M-60 machine gun (with a full cartridge box) in a storefront window display or is it really sanitary to use a dirty knife to pop out a bullet?

I highly recommend this movie, it plays like a comedy instead of a serious action/revenge film. A word of advice, stay away from open motor boats. They always seem to explode in these type of movie.

Highly recommended.

A (for the cheese factor) F (as a straight movie)

My review was written in September 1986 after watching the movie on Thorn EMI/HBO video cassette.

"Final Mission" is a routine action drama about a war vet out for revenge. Filmed by prolific Filipino helmer Cirio H. Santiago at the beginning of 1984, pic bypassed theatrical release for the home video market.

Richard Young portrays Vince Deacon, a Vietnam vet living with his family in California, who is suspended from the police force for being ultra-violent with thieves. The punks laer boobytrap his boat on a family outing, blowing up his wife and kid. It's revenge time.

A key subplot involves a turncoat who was at odds with Vince back in Laos in 1972 and turns out to be involved with the punks who killed his family. Final reel is a manhunt in a forest with Vince as the prey, heavily influenced by "First Blood".

As usual with a Santiago film (he cranks out about two a year like clockwork), technical credits are good. Acting is okay, with a guest appearance by John Ericson as a military expert who helps Vince figure out who had the explosives expertise to help the punks blow up his boat.

I did enjoy this movie even though it was almost a duplicate of Sylvester Stallone's 'FIRST BLOOD'.

I do think that if a higher budget had have been given the movie could well have been a block buster. It carries the undertones of a damn good story line and the need for higher rated actors. Released in 1984, it is very much the basis of 'FIRST BLOOD' although the off set for revenge is based on rape and murder. Acted very well with depth at times and the need to push the boat out this movie in my opinion should be watched to help bring fourth the true critic with an understanding of low budget and where we would be without the low budget movies. I own a copy and would not depart with it for any amount of money. Like I said previously, it's low budget, average acting and a copy cat story but a great, great movie.