Showdown in Manila

Within a very short time of starting to watch, this movie made three distinct impressions. The first was to reflect that I had low expectations, so the good news was I wouldn't be disappointed. The second was that this is unmistakably a paycheck film, a production that its biggest stars and most others surely signed onto to help pay the bills, and for no other reason. The third was that some individuals working in the film industry, whether as actors, stunt people, writers, or otherwise, are able to very adeptly make a shift to the director's chair - but Mark Dacascos does not appear to be one of those individuals. One or two moments elicit a short laugh, but that's mostly on account of Casper Van Dien leaning into his character, who is seemingly written primarily as comic relief - but even that becomes overbearing after a point. One or two shots seem particularly well done, if unremarkable in the grand scheme of things, but many other instances seem imitative and derivative. I would love to say that I have more concrete praise to offer, but I really don't: 'Showdown in Manila' is... Well, it's not a movie you need to watch. Ever.

Even including Van Dien and his character Charlie, dialogue mostly varies from boorish, to tired, to dull. Scene writing varies from boorish, to tired, to dull. Characters range from boorish, to blase, to flat. There's nothing whatsoever in the narrative to meaningfully grab one's attention. With four brief sentences I've succinctly described Craig Hamann's screenplay, and it's not worthwhile to expound upon it any further except to note more than a few tropes, including one or two racist ones. Dacascos' direction is truly no better. The fundamental orchestration of almost every shot and scene feels lethargic and soporific, if not stilted - and that most definitely includes scenes with any measure of action or violence. I can't speak for every actor on hand, but there are a few noteworthy names here whose skill I recognize - so for the fact that they are shoved into a small corner that reduces their performances to either unbothered, lackadaiscal daydreaming or egregious overacting, with no middle ground, I assume Dacascos' inexperienced guiding hand is to blame. On the other hand, leading man Alexander Nevsky seems as stone-faced, wooden, and unmoving as John Wayne or Steven Seagal, illustrating acting one or two steps down from even that of his constrained co-stars. Ugh.

Whatever the tone of a given scene, or its content, the intended stimulation is so heavily squashed by flagging pacing and flailing direction that one may fairly wonder if 'Showdown in Manila' weren't intended as a deadpan parody of its brethren. For every inclusion that should offer a spark of joy, others cancel them out as questionable and unnecessary. What levity we get can't begin carry the film. The cast is utterly wasted, so one shouldn't get too excited that, say, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa is involved, or Cynthia Rothrock. Even supposing that action scenes did serve up appropriate levels of excitement - and they emphatically do not - the rest of the picture drags them down. The nearest this comes to offering any invigoration at all is in the hand-to-hand combat we see at the climax, but the arrangement of these moments is so blunt as to diminish their impact. I don't even know if I can rightly say that the feature is well made from a technical standpoint, as special effects are dubious, sound design feels indifferent, Sean Murray's music is bland, and even props and costume design seem to have been approached with a mindset of "Hmm, yes, this looks very paramilitary."

I want so badly to say there was something about this to stick out to me, in a positive way, that would save the whole from sinking to the bottom of the barrel. But there just wasn't. From start to finish 'Showdown in Manila is endlessly tedious, and altogether lacks color or flavor - which is, genuinely, preferable to moments that outright leave a bad taste in our mouth. There are no highlights; on the other hand, I'm not sure whose specific contribution is more rotten. Whatever it was about this title that drew you in - as someone who has watched many movies of a wide range of genres and quality, let me assure you that there's just no reason to watch this. Whatever you're looking for, it can be found elsewhere in much greater abundance, with much more value. Even if you're a diehard fan of someone involved in the production, 'Showdown in Manila' isn't a movie that anyone needs to see.

At least we know who should play in the life and times of Imelda that being Tia Carrere (Ms. Wells) who all of a sudden is looking a bit maidenly. Ms Carrera however was by far the best actor in this mess. Alex Nevski (Nick) should stick to being a thug rather then a depressing leading man. Even Veteran Casper Van Dien (Nick) was off key in a part that only Dirk Benedict could love. Everybody else was forgettable and struggling with a script that could have used a couple of rewrites. Nick's girlfriend Sofia (Maria Bravikova) pop's in from time to time and seems to be from a different movie, it is weird. The only good things about Showdown in Manila are - the music is not bad, the ending had some finality, and sniper Victor (Dmitriy Dyuzhev) looks a lot like a young Martin Landau, but other then that don't waist your time.

If you go in with lowx epectations you won't be as disappointed. Tia Carrere the once knock down gorgeous chick from Waynes world, is now pushing 52 and gets about a 1/5th a 'schwinn' in this flick. The lead is a horrible Arnold imitator. Not a good flick by any stretch of the imagination; I only tuned in for the gorgeous chick in the above trailer hoping they're be other beautiful Filipinas...

first of all trailer and actors the style of movie looks like cheap version of Expendables movie. Mark Dacascos as a director is terrible. as a actor doing Martial Arts and action everything is great !! about what is most terrible thing about movie is writing of movie sucked is only thing is cast in movie are not really part of movie the guys who were only part of movie is Alexander Nevsky and Casper Van Dien are only guys part of movie. In Expendables for example they show everyone but in this movie NO it's 2 guys they only show the rest don't appear like almost to end of movie. the story follows in Raid Team Nick Peyton (Alexander Nevsky)was SWAT Team in Manila working in it to catch Aldric Cole

(Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa)is main villain and his Henchmen trying to be like Steve Austin Character in first Expendables(Matthias Hues)Dorn in movie as always all raid team got killed the only one is left is Nick was shot and he Survived. 2 years later Here you go Crying Freeman (1995), Drive (1997), Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) (Mark Dacascos) Matthew Wells in film he directed and act in and Showdown in Little Tokyo, True Lies, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (Tia Carrere)Mrs. Wells is in it this playing her husband going for a holiday The action your going to have last for second is Mark Dacascos character killed 3 guys then he's character gets killed off buy Aldric Cole now Mrs Wells wants revenge she goes up to these Private detectives Nick (Alexander Nevsky) and Charlie (Casper Van Dien) oh look it's Starship troopers live and work in Manila. A murder investigation leads them to the jungle camp of an international terrorist called The Wrath what a lazy as name called Wrath for the group villain leaders. Nick and Charlie agrees to do mission to catch the guys who tied to kill him, in movie the actors you might think everyone is in it like part of movie but the only actors who is part of is only Alexander Nevsky and Casper Van Dien are only guys who is part of it none of another actors Don The Dragon Wilson,

Olivier Gruner, Cynthia Rothrock they don't appear at final showdown of movie. in all movie its just Alexander Nevsky and Casper Van Dien are looking and Investigating to find the guys who were involved is Aldric Cole and Dein doesn't do much in movie only thing is he gets into fight for second with Casper character then Alexander knocks him out that's it he gets arrested he doesn't do anything in movie. the action is lazy not very well made but why could off the budget could been a bigger movie you have the final showdown at end of jungle this is when Don The Dragon Wilson, Olivier Gruner, Cynthia Rothrock they appear at final showdown in a very well great place to shoot a action movie if it was a BIG BUDGET movie but its a very low budget movie with fake shoot outs, fake blood spatters, fake Explosions now i love action scenes at jungle or like rip off of the rescue mission like in Predator in jungle scene and Welcome to the jungle AKA Rundown in jungle that's where Aldric Cole is hiding they found they were Hiding in Jungle. one final showdown they had a M60 Machine gun shooting around but it didn't last long. Don Dragon Wilson kicks ass in movie but not for long but no stunts for him but i can see a lot of stunts in movie Cynthia and Oliver fights in movie you do see them fight but you can see Cynthia background fighting so its not her there is too many stunts in movie come on final showdown has few another explosions that's it the hand grenades are so fake. movie didn't do anything its not worst movie but it's fun to see these actors back but they don't appear until at very end of showdown. Mark Dacascos doesn't know how to direct or write movie i don't know why he got himself as character killed when he is not in movie he is in it for 30 seconds then he got killed off i don't know why he really did that he could be lazy ass can't be bothered or been lead star in film like his old films i love and liked his old staff that's what got Me Interested but then got me Disappointed it got all the other fans Disappointed rather then getting Alexander Nevsky why could of they get Jean Claude Van Damme or Dolph Lundgren as Lead but Alexander Nevsky was OK but not great. Mark Dacacos is great as actor and Martial Arts but for directing makes everyone disappointed i was thinking of John woo to direct movie rather then Mark he is terrible writer terrible director why ? the action is good and it's good to have Don The Dragon Wilson,Olivier Gruner, Cynthia Rothrock back in one movie they don't appear until at end of showdown what a sad thing they all could been apart of movie specially Mark Dacascos if you want movie like this stick with watching Expendables 1-3 Stallone is better director, writer and has better idea's then Mark. Mark Dacascos Said i wanna make movie like this but complete Epic fail. 5.10 but why is this so cheap why could been different director big budget like Expendables better story but Mark Dacascos Lazy directing with lazy action expect at final showdown ending in Jungle. and it's a movie is just good for time waster that's all i can say it's not like your gonna watch more then million times it's your opinion not mine.

I saw this movie via my satellite TV's movie package, and it was such a waste of 90 minutes of my life. The movie drew me with its cast of former action stars Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock and Oliver Gruner plus Tia Carrere but gosh, the (lack of) acting, plot, flow and everything else made it one of the worst movies ever. Please do yourself a huge favor and avoid this turkey.