The last time I watched a horror flick about undead soldiers, it was a no-budget indie production that was effectively filmed in the woods behind someone's house, standing in for another country, and for that matter, pretty much on video. Sights unseen that's what I expected of this, too - so imagine my surprise when I see 'The lost platoon' apparently benefited from actual resources and financial backing! Some, anyway! I'm not saying this 1990 release is any prime exemplar, but I recognize the (modest) time, money, and care that went into the suitably flavorful production design and art direction, the capably evocative costume design, hair, and makeup, and the gratifying, appreciable practical effects, stunts, and action sequences. Real thought went into the editing, the cinematography, and certainly the filming locations. And I really like the somber, moody energy of the music, too, arguably melodramatic though it may be.
On the other hand, whether it was a matter of skill, experience, limitations of the production, or creative choices, other facets of the picture don't come off quite so well. Take for one example - and hardly the only one - an early scene where a group of extras seemingly had difficulty following rudimentary instructions, and it comes across that either director David A. Prior lacked the know-how to try another take, and/or the production lacked the film stock. The acting is highly variable, such that while some select individuals give fairly good or at least earnest performances (I'd argue William Frederick Knight, David Parry, and Michiko), others (Stephen Quadros, Tim Lutz, Roger Bayliss) come off a lot more poorly, and even those trying their hardest have notable weak spots.
In fairness, it's not necessarily their fault. In general the direction is soft and unpracticed, distinctly dampening what vitality the proceedings might have carried; sometimes the execution is gawkily forthright. Just as troublesome, the dialogue tends to be oafish, blunt, and hokey, if not downright awful; the scene writing commonly bears good ideas but is fleshed out much more questionably. The concept of the feature is rather fantastic as an aging war correspondent discovers that four young soldiers have fought in numerous conflicts spanning several decades and haven't aged one bit - a swell blend of the horror and war genres, with the core narrative set in Nicaragua against a foe of a similar dark nature. Yet 'The lost platoon' is a straightforward action piece, and doesn't delve as much into the horror that would help the movie to stand out, and the writing isn't smart enough to tackle the themes, ideas, and questions that would make such characters especially interesting.
It's not that this title is bad. It's somewhat enjoyable, if ultimately middling and less than particularly memorable. It's surprisingly firm with regards to the craftsmanship of the contributions from behind the scenes; again, the effects and action scenes are unexpectedly sharp, and I really do like the music of Tim James, Mark Mancini, and Steve McClintock. The problem is that the sum total feels too much like a rendition of the concept that has been reduced and simplified - the most ordinary and unremarkable iteration of an idea that begins with "these soldiers are extraordinary and remarkable." At its worst the writing is all but boneheaded, and the direction has points that are sadly unconvincing, or gauche. No, 'The lost platoon' isn't bad, but it's a so-so representation of splendid notions, and maybe it never had much of a chance of being any better than that. It's duly entertaining if you happen to come across it on a quiet night. Just don't go out of your way for it, and keep your expectations in check, and maybe that's the best way to get the most out of this.
