Avenging Force
directed by Sam Firstenberg
directed by Sam Firstenberg
The Golan-Globus/Cannon Group produced Avenging Force. Golan-Globus/Cannon Group is an Israeli-American film production group/studio notable for making many profitable but derivative low budget action movies.
The company either launched or more often boosted the careers of such then novice actors as Jean-Claude Van Damme and Michael Dudikoff and veterans such as Chuck Norris and Charles Bronson.
The small budgets weren't necessarily evidenced in the special effects or settings but were usually apparent in the writing and supporting actor quality.
People didn't watch a Golan-Globus movie for the writing or lush period settings or top line actors. People watched to see good guys and bad guys throw down. Golan and Globus produced and financed simple movies for people who wanted simple storylines.
A few things stood out upon my rewatch. The movie lacked an intimate female love interest for the hero, instead substituting his underage sister as the female in need of protection/rescue. This was unusual but ok.
The secondary lead had more screen presence and physicality than the lead but he was Black so second he would remain. And lastly the racist rhetoric spouted by the bad guys, which was hyperbole in the eighties, is absolutely par for the course for too many Republicans today.
Former Secret Service agent/ex-military man Larry Richards (Steve James) is now a local politician running for Louisiana Senator. But Larry is Black so he has attracted death threats from a shadowy white supremacist group known as The Pentangle.
The Pentangle has five leaders. The most visible and dominant boss is Professor Elliot Glastenbury (John P. Ryan), who leads "Most Dangerous Game" manhunts with three other Pentangle members. Their hunting costumes reminded me of The Village People, which I doubt was the writers' intention.
Retired Secret Service agent Matt Hunter (Michael Dudikoff) is Larry's former partner and loyal best friend. Along with his grandfather and baby sister Sarah (Allison Gereighty) Matt visits Larry and his family. Matt learns of the threats and insists upon accompanying Larry to the New Orleans Mardi Gras parade.
The Pentangle tries to assassinate Larry. Though Matt and Larry foil the attempt, tragically one of Larry's sons is murdered. This raises the stakes. Both sides want payback.
The writing and acting are subpar. The story has some unfortunate racial/gender implications that escaped me as a younger man but that are embarrassingly obvious to me now. The ending sets up a sequel but I don't think one was ever done. Cheesy 80s fare if you're into that sort of thing.
