Missing in Action 1984/1985 by AverageMansReviews

Missing in Action 1984/1985 by AverageMansReviews

Review Time

Warning: there is flashing effects/colourful effects/mental health/torture/shooting/stabbing/impaling/cutting/man on woman violence/vehicle hit/vehicle crash/burning

There is only one man for this job: briefly; when the Vietnamese Government are lying one man steps up Colonel James Braddock [Chuck Norris:] he has at minimum elements of PTSD, but he goes into Vietnam to bring some American MIA's/POWs back home.

Generally speaking: the framework and pacing of this 104 minutes film is for a large amount of this movie slow and steady, but it has to be said this film does move much better when it has some gusto behind it and we do have some exposition in this kind of PTSD character developments.

Action and art; the art and action coincided in one another in its subtlety or/and chaos; we do have a good mix of action; Colonel Braddock now and again does some stealth as he very quietly escapes from this hotel room without being spotted by those that are there to keep an eye on him, but then again in this occasion I have to give an assist to this character dropping a glass so it brings over/creates a diversion for him to make a clean getaway or later on we either have martial arts or let's just say it very chaotic conflict sequences with explosions, ammunition or/and chasing vehicles on land or by water.

Character developments and performances; the character developments are very much the standard outlay for these action films for this time in history; so by definition they are good, I would like to defend myself for seeing this exposition as PTSD; if I didn't see it as PTSD it would seem a crucial character development and also a great disservice to people that fight for their country regardless of what is on the flag that they come from; that if they are lucky enough to come home, they regardless of gender also; they still have to rotate back to real life, after what they have seen or felt or done or other, the cast performances are also solid versions of what they are meant to be with good chemistry it has to be said; the performances that stood out for me were as follows Norris, James Hong as General Tran: he is the head/overseer of this political situation for Vietnam and I mean this in a good way; he is positively an unpleasant individual and then we have M. Emmet Walsh as Jack "Tuck" Tucker: a good friend of Colonel Braddock, they go way back in the day as they have both served alongside one another; Braddock goes to him for help amongst other things.

This film receives: 6/10, this film is good; now for disclaimer on reflection I was in two minds if I should give his mark or something slightly less as I really did struggle to keep awake throughout this film regardless of a better pacing or not; it is just if that was straight through consistently with good pacing, and speculating that this probably wouldn't have been a problem, but I also wanted to give high praise for a trio of really positive performances so I went with something slightly higher. This film does have some awards accredited to its name such as 2 Nominees; Video Software Dealers Association 1985 VSDA Award Most Popular Current Video Program and from the same award ceremony/event VSDA Award Most Popular Current Action/Adventure Movie. Now sadly I would like to dedicate this content to; Chuck Norris that sadly is no longer with us; RIP Chuck Norris 1940-2026; you were a member of the original generation of action heroes that inspired future generations of action heroes, so you may be gone but you will never be forgotten and it has just come to my attention that M. Emmet Walsh is also no longer with us; just looking back over his volume of work being 236 acting credits spanning from 1968-2024, I have always regarded him as someone that is always there and what was given to him he made it the best we could every time so RIP M. Emmet Walsh 1935-2024; you will always be there for future generations to be enjoyed in your works.