Objectif Danger

This is cheesy fun with a not so bad story with a twist as well. A wealthy businessman, once a vet is viciously attacked while his wife is raped and murdered by these thugs. Now wheelchair bound, he enlists the help of six of his old buddies, vets too, who all have their own fighting style. We see examples of their work in their early scenes, one involving a disgruntled employee who shoots his own toe off. One of the squad, an Asian, shows his employee what happens when he refuses to pay him. Another one of the squad is thrown off the scaffolding of a building, hitting a mound of sand below, and amazingly doesn't die. When the guilty co workers run down to check that's he's kaput, he's vanished. But the kill squad become the death squad, where one by one they're taken out, til only one's left standing, who finds out the real truth, heartbreaking and horrifying as it is as it's motives are revealed. This movie I saw back in 86' was a fun watch, though again it lacks in the brain department, but what brains it lacks here certainly makes up with the action which karate action fans will as well as it's golden twist.

Well, one things for sure, they certainly don't make 'em like this anymore!

This is a joyously carefree kung-fu fest from an all but forgotten era when martial arts films didn't actually take themselves so deadly serious as the stoic, wire fu/fast edited ordure that represents a large portion of the industry these days.

OK, so the transpiring on screen events in this are formulaic at best i.e. good guys seek out bad guy for questioning, bad guy denies any knowledge of requisite info, bad guys mates turn up (often brandishing iron pipes etc) and a fight ensues after which a mysterious sniper in black (whose identity I guessed straight away!!!) wastes one of the heroes, but frankly who gives a shi- um....damn, when this is just so much fun! Just check out such scenes as one guy accidentally blowing a bloody great hole in his own foot(!), another guy getting pushed off of what must have been an eight story building, landing on a car and immediately getting back up for a fight without a scratch(!!), a kid riding his bike into the side of a car and flying over the back of it onto the ground......and his subsequent priceless response? - 'Oh sh*t!' (!!!), plus a plethora of highly amusing kung fu fights that break out literally every few minutes(!!!!!). I mean seriously, how can anyone not love this movie?!

But if the above wasn't enough, just check out the groovy soundtrack that backs all this action up - hell it's enough to make me want to don camouflage togs, get some buddies together and kick some miscreant butt!

I've also just got to add (and no serious review of this movie would be complete without) mention of the utterly hilarious manner in which each of our protagonists are introduced and subsequently recalled into the squad. Suffice to say, it just has to be seen to be believed!

Finally, to all those who view this film and indeed others of it's ilk negatively I have but one thing to say.....which would you rather sit through; this innocent, nostalgic knock about or else the latest CGI saturated, big screen faecal pile to emerge from Hollywood? If you've just answered the latter then truly, I pity you.

My review was written in June 1982 after a Times Square screening: "Kiil Squad" is a very low-budget action picture which should do okay with fans of chopsocky films, even though it features a more down to earth U. S. brand of martial arts (as opposed to the wacky, trampoline-assisted Hong Kong versions currently prevalent).

Filmmaker Patrick G. Donahue has opted for a format consisting of numerous quick fight scenes, strung together by a minimal plotline. Unconvincing story has a squad of Vietnam vets rounded up to go after Dutch (guest actor Cameron Mitchell in yet another slumming role) after he has paralyzed the squad's commander in a night raid on his house linked to an attempt to takeover his electronics busine--= With very flat acting by a cast chosen for fighting prowess alone, episodic structure quickly becomes silly, as each of the six-man squad is seen fighting some baddies before our recruiter arrives and says "Joseph needs you", cuing a typical "Let's go" response. Once the sexter is finally in place, each one shows off his weapons prowess for the camera.

Ensuing manhunt is played mainly straight and dull, with the twist of an unknown black-masked sniper picking off our heroes one by one at five minute intervals about half way through the picture. Final twist of who the sniper is getsspoiled by lapses in logic along the way.

Martial arts scenes are unexciting here, though sheer quantity may please undemanding fans. Pic's best sequence comes in some hair-raising car stunts staged during a chase near the end. Tech credits are acceptable for a cheapie, though sound is quite variable.

If one was to try and make a list of all the implausibilities and flaws in this movie, he would need much more than a thousand words. From its crummy-looking cinematography (the sky looks mostly yellow) to its supremely silly plot (that is just an excuse to get from one kung-fu scene to another in as little time as possible), this flick is bad. But...it's enjoyably bad. It is intended for bad-movie lovers ONLY, and only if you belong in that category should you take my ** rating seriously.

You should know what to expect. And with Kill Squad you get what you expect. Silliness. Man-love. Rose beds. Friendly interrogating. Work place conflict. That's non-stop silliness, man-love, rose-beds, friendly interrogating and work place conflict. The only thing that was missing was Carl Douglas' song 'Kung-fu fighting'. Yeah, everyone (yep that's everyone who's standing around on screen) fights like they know kung-fu or at least gives it some sort of shot. No one is safe from these party poopers. And nobody is safe from the sound FX too (swoosh, crunch and smack). All of this mayhem over a electronics company.

Cheap, low-grade drive-in exploitation that's simply fun from start to finish. Its heedless approach is episodic, but it's all about the kung-fu set-pieces. Less talk, more fighting. Although there's bit of strutting as well. Well they can't help it because of its funky dory soundtrack. Sure it can be repetitive, but never does it become tiring due to its speedy pace and unsparing carnage.

A small group of Vietnam veterans with special abilities reunite to seek vengeance for a friend who was left paralysed. The motto; "Joseph needs you." So after the brutal opening, we then see the squad but before teaming up ("Assemble the squad Larry. You know where to find them."). They all get some sort of intro to show how badass and invincible they are (Although bullets are the exception). Then it comes "Joseph needs you." No hesitation, they're in and they deck up in their former army gear to help their pal. It's super best friends doing (a head nodding) Joseph proud, out to dig up leads (Cameron Mitchell their number one suspect), but finding nothing but trouble as they take matters into their own hands. Especially those you don't like to play fair, by bringing out a gun but those moments do end up with comical and quite bloody results ("You better let me hold onto this before you kill yourself").

Plenty of humour, but never does it feel all that serious. There's a good mixture of laughs, sleaze and take no prisoners violence. That's not to say it doesn't get ridiculous, because it does like the balaclava wearing sniper who suddenly appears from nowhere eliminating any clues / ties / the kill squad. While the climatic revelation is melodramatic ham that doesn't make much sense. You just roll with it.

Enjoyably dumb, macho kung-fu entertainment.