Kill Squad

If one was to try and make a list of all the implausibilities and flaws in this movie, he would need much more than a thousand words. From its crummy-looking cinematography (the sky looks mostly yellow) to its supremely silly plot (that is just an excuse to get from one kung-fu scene to another in as little time as possible), this flick is bad. But...it's enjoyably bad. It is intended for bad-movie lovers ONLY, and only if you belong in that category should you take my ** rating seriously.

Well, one things for sure, they certainly don't make 'em like this anymore!

This is a joyously carefree kung-fu fest from an all but forgotten era when martial arts films didn't actually take themselves so deadly serious as the stoic, wire fu/fast edited ordure that represents a large portion of the industry these days.

OK, so the transpiring on screen events in this are formulaic at best i.e. good guys seek out bad guy for questioning, bad guy denies any knowledge of requisite info, bad guys mates turn up (often brandishing iron pipes etc) and a fight ensues after which a mysterious sniper in black (whose identity I guessed straight away!!!) wastes one of the heroes, but frankly who gives a shi- um....damn, when this is just so much fun! Just check out such scenes as one guy accidentally blowing a bloody great hole in his own foot(!), another guy getting pushed off of what must have been an eight story building, landing on a car and immediately getting back up for a fight without a scratch(!!), a kid riding his bike into the side of a car and flying over the back of it onto the ground......and his subsequent priceless response? - 'Oh sh*t!' (!!!), plus a plethora of highly amusing kung fu fights that break out literally every few minutes(!!!!!). I mean seriously, how can anyone not love this movie?!

But if the above wasn't enough, just check out the groovy soundtrack that backs all this action up - hell it's enough to make me want to don camouflage togs, get some buddies together and kick some miscreant butt!

I've also just got to add (and no serious review of this movie would be complete without) mention of the utterly hilarious manner in which each of our protagonists are introduced and subsequently recalled into the squad. Suffice to say, it just has to be seen to be believed!

Finally, to all those who view this film and indeed others of it's ilk negatively I have but one thing to say.....which would you rather sit through; this innocent, nostalgic knock about or else the latest CGI saturated, big screen faecal pile to emerge from Hollywood? If you've just answered the latter then truly, I pity you.

This is cheesy fun with a not so bad story with a twist as well. A wealthy businessman, once a vet is viciously attacked while his wife is raped and murdered by these thugs. Now wheelchair bound, he enlists the help of six of his old buddies, vets too, who all have their own fighting style. We see examples of their work in their early scenes, one involving a disgruntled employee who shoots his own toe off. One of the squad, an Asian, shows his employee what happens when he refuses to pay him. Another one of the squad is thrown off the scaffolding of a building, hitting a mound of sand below, and amazingly doesn't die. When the guilty co workers run down to check that's he's kaput, he's vanished. But the kill squad become the death squad, where one by one they're taken out, til only one's left standing, who finds out the real truth, heartbreaking and horrifying as it is as it's motives are revealed. This movie I saw back in 86' was a fun watch, though again it lacks in the brain department, but what brains it lacks here certainly makes up with the action which karate action fans will as well as it's golden twist.

My review was written in June 1982 after a Times Square screening: "Kiil Squad" is a very low-budget action picture which should do okay with fans of chopsocky films, even though it features a more down to earth U. S. brand of martial arts (as opposed to the wacky, trampoline-assisted Hong Kong versions currently prevalent).

Filmmaker Patrick G. Donahue has opted for a format consisting of numerous quick fight scenes, strung together by a minimal plotline. Unconvincing story has a squad of Vietnam vets rounded up to go after Dutch (guest actor Cameron Mitchell in yet another slumming role) after he has paralyzed the squad's commander in a night raid on his house linked to an attempt to takeover his electronics busine--= With very flat acting by a cast chosen for fighting prowess alone, episodic structure quickly becomes silly, as each of the six-man squad is seen fighting some baddies before our recruiter arrives and says "Joseph needs you", cuing a typical "Let's go" response. Once the sexter is finally in place, each one shows off his weapons prowess for the camera.

Ensuing manhunt is played mainly straight and dull, with the twist of an unknown black-masked sniper picking off our heroes one by one at five minute intervals about half way through the picture. Final twist of who the sniper is getsspoiled by lapses in logic along the way.

Martial arts scenes are unexciting here, though sheer quantity may please undemanding fans. Pic's best sequence comes in some hair-raising car stunts staged during a chase near the end. Tech credits are acceptable for a cheapie, though sound is quite variable.

Before the A-Team started working in the L.A. underground the Kill Squad was out paving the way. Actually these kung-fu goof balls make anything Mr. T did look like Shakespeare, but its worth the laughs! For no other reason you should rent this just to see the team get the "call to arms"...housewives wielding dinner trays, chumps falling four stories only to get up and start fighing again, and cowboy pimps whoopin' some honkey butt. It seems everyone knows some sort of martial arts in this film...car dealers, prostitutes, construction workers. The added Bruce Lee screams, yelps and slaps only add to the glory of this cinematic event. Must see!