Missing in Action (1984)

I've never been much of a fan of Chuck Norris. I'm not sure what it is. Maybe that hair-and-beard combo reminded me of someones uncle trying to look cool. Maybe his acting reminded me of a fence post with muscled arms stuck to it. I'm not sure. Compared to other 80's action stars, he lacked the near cartoon physique of Sly Stallone or Arnie, and he certainly didn't have half the charm of Mel Gibson or Harrison Ford. He did have a few things going for him, though. Number one, that hair-and-beard combo. If you are watching one of his films and somebody walks into the room, it's a guarantee that they'll laugh when they see him. It's iconic, and is as identifiable as the Groucho Marx 'eyebrow, glasses and moustache' look, and makes up for his lack of acting ability and charisma. Number two, the man could seriously kick ass. Being a karate world champion should definitely be a requirement for all action stars.

Missing in Action sees Norris star as the stoic Col. James Braddock, a Vietnam veteran with some demons. After spending ten years as a POW, he is sure that some of his comrades are still being held captive by the Vietcong, despite public consensus that the war is over, and all is well. He has the nightmares and flashbacks to prove it; sure what more evidence do you need? Convinced to go back over to 'Nam for a hearing, the clearly evil General Trau (James Hong, Big Trouble in Little China, Waynes World 2) accuses Braddock himself of war crimes, and as evidence to his own imprisonment. Braddock isn't the kind of guy to take this shit in his stride, so he sneaks out at night, breaks into the generals room and gets him to spill the beans on where the POW's are being kept.

After knifing the general and having an action packed flee back to his hotel, Braddock heads to Thailand to find an old gunrunning buddy of his, Jack Tucker (M Emmet Walsh, Blade Runner, Blood Simple, Raising Arizona). He is followed by some Vietnam killers who attempt to take him out by blowing up his hotel. With the help of Tucker, Braddock heads into the depths of Vietnam to attempt a rescue on the POW's, and to try and finally end the war!

There really is very little else to Missing in Action. The first 30-40 minutes of the film is quite slow, despite the occasional 'Nam flashback, and the film seems to only kick into gear when Braddock sneaks out of the hotel. From here on the pacing is much better, as he makes his way through sleazy Bangkok and then back to Vietnam for the rescue mission. If you are watching a film like this, you certainly aren't in it for the story, so it is a pity it takes so long to get to the meat of it. The action scenes are at their best when it is hand-to-hand combat, as Norris obviously excels at kicking the life out of his enemies. The rest of the action is typical 'point machine gun - bad guy jumps off spring board' kinda stuff, but it clips along nicely and never feels too boring. We also get some old school car chases, boat action, and giant explosions among other things. Apparently Chuck did most of his own stunts too, which does add some credibility to the action. Whether he is jumping off boats or shimmying across ropes, it's always nice to see the actors face there, doing the dirty work.

M Emmet Walsh does a great job of livening up the second half of the film. He really excels at playing the sleazy, wheezy comedy relief, and he does it perfectly here. He adds some much needed charisma to the film; I really don't think it would have worked without him. Norris is Norris here; nothing more, nothing less. He never has that sad, misunderstood quality that Stallone brought to the Rambo character, though I doubt they were aiming much higher than what ends up on screen. It's a pity though, as it's that vulnerable side to Rambo that has made him such an enduring character. Speaking of Rambo, it would be hard not to compare both Rambo II and Missing in Action. Both have pretty much the same plot, though Rambo II did come out a year later. Apparently Cannon studios rushed out production of both MIA I&II after getting whiff of James Camerons script for Rambo II. Low budget thievery? Most likely, but who knows really.

The supporting cast do nothing incredible for the most part, and are fairly forgetable. James Hong is always worth watching, he does a good line in sneering cruelty. Lenore Kasdorf is what you think will be the love interest, but she gets dropped after the first half. She gets to see Chuck in his underpants and show a bit of side boob, if that counts. The rest of the Asian cast gets to play evil 'Charlie' stereotypes, but at least they do it with gusto.

It was a good year for director, Joseph Zito. Both Missing in Action and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter were big box office hits. He does a reasonable job on MIA, though the very low budget does hamper him some. He makes do with what he has though, and relies on Norris' skills to convince in the action scenes instead of having six different set ups and rapid fire cutting. The pacing in the second half shows he had a good feel for action, and it is no surprise that he went on to make the likes of Invasion USA and Red Scorpion. Sadly, he doesn't seem to do much work these days.

If you are not a fan of Norris, this film probably will do little to change your mind. However, if you can get past the sluggishly paced first 30 minutes or so, you might enjoy it. After that, you get plenty of M.60 action and springboard jumps. With a few friends and beer, this could be good fun. It has enough explosions, fights, machine guns, naked Bangkok hookers and Chucks hair-and-beard combo to keep most undemanding action audiences happy.