Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

release year: 1985
genre: action/adventure
viewing setting: home DVD, 11/29/04

synopsis: This prequel to the first movie depicts the POW time of Colonel Braddock and some of his men.

impressions: This movie is pretty much about the evil Viet Cong officer's attempts to break Braddock and his men. His tactics include torture, murder, and mind games. Since this is Chuck Norris, you can rest assured that when Braddock escapes, there will be hell to pay.

something this movie has that no other movie has: a guy getting shot full of opium and then set on fire while still alive

acting: Chuck Norris plays it low-key as usual, remaining utterly calm until it's time to kick ass. Soon-Tek Oh does a good job as a villain - most viewers will want him to get what's coming to him. Steven Williams is the POW who turns to the enemy side, but deep down knows what's right and wrong. Cosie Costa plays the most visible of the other POWs, and gives Chuck someone to talk to. Professor Toru Tanaka (notable for evil-big-Asian-guy roles in various action movies of the 1980s) plays a big-bad-guy soldier.

final word: Pretty strong POW action movie, worth seeing.

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