Nam Angels

My review was written in June 1989 after watching the movie on Media Home Entertainment video cassette.

This oddball picture introduces Hell's Angels on their bikes into the Vietnam War with entertaining (though unconvincing) cross-genre results. Released in Miami in January, it's now simultaneously available on pay-cable and video cassette.

Filipino helmer Cirio H. Santiago has made several conventional films about the Vietnam conflict (including two "Eye of the Eagle" features), but here goes wild with a crazy gimmick. A group of Hell's Angels happens to be hanging out in a Saigon bar. They're recruited by young Lt. Calhoun (Brad Johnson) to help him rescue two comrades captured behind enemy lines.

Gimmick is that he needs specialists to take dirt bikes into the rugged terrain before a massive offensive is launched. He offers the rowdy quartet a chance to earn $10,000,000 in gold hoarded by local warlord Vernon Wells.

Though that key plot twist is hard to swallow, Santiago stages action scenes well and it's fun to see the free-spirit bikers in gung-ho war action. Predictably , they don't take kindly to following orders.

Cast is serviceable and tech credits fine.