Just
what the Action doctor ordered, never mind an apple a day a healthy dose
of Margheriti easily washes away the blues with this Big Bang ‘B’
movie trail blazing "Tornado".
Giancarlo Prete steps into Vietnam as a solid U.S. Army Sergeant in his Americanized
movie guise of Timothy Brent. Following engaged battle with the little
guys with funny hats, and an indigenous skill at digging underground
condos, he heroically hangs back to save a wounded young soldier only to
just miss the last helicopter ride home thanks to a by the book senior
officer. Brent fights his way back to base and soon falls out with the
officer which lands him in hot water as he is sent to a holding, pending
court martial. Soon after its time for the Margheriti's magic as on course
to the penitentiary there is an air attack that comes straight out of
Anthony M. Dawson's very own classic 'Nam outing "The
Last Hunter". Seeing that train explode again is like
revisiting a welcome old visual flashback friend. Timothy Brent escapes
and heads for the border but is soon pursued not only by his own soldiers,
under orders from the senior officer who thinks nothing of letting his men
die without just cause, but also the Vietcong who capture and torture him.
A
very well done "Braddock: Missing In Action"
sequence propels Brent to fighting freedom and on to fight his way past
the American soldiers as he then heads onwards for the inevitable face off
with his superior.
The
movie benefits greatly from viewing in its original wide screen 2:35:1
format as do all of Director Antonio Margheriti’s Jungle Action
Adventure outings. His eye for the Philippine’s back shot environments ,
that double for the Vietnam settings, is magnificent and a further
attribute to his creativity of scope in letting the story unravel like a
full metal jacket blasting out in front of his camera.
Lots
of explosions and the regular feast of mega Action rumblings in the
jungle, all dished up with recognized gusto from Director Margheriti and
with a non too shabby a believable performance from his lead Giancarlo
Prete. A good solid entertainer that even includes the usual helicopter
rental that gets to explode with its stand in miniature extra,
accentuating the modelling skills as a further highlight from Team
Margheriti.
Review
By: Paul Cooke
