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2.3/10
3.6K
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Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.Maverick deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo is tasked with escorting a mobster to Malta. When the prisoner escapes, Geronimo must capture him.
Helena Dalli
- Maria
- (as Helena Abella)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Joe Don Baker is an alright to good actor in small roles here and there...he was alright in Goldeneye and made a pretty good Bond villan in The Living Daylights and has appeared in various other movies. One thing he can't do is carry a movie as the lead, which he is in this extremely bad revenge movie set in Malta. Joe Don's partner is killed so he kills the killer's brother and escorts the killer to Italy, but some guys cause the plane to set down in Malta and the killer gets away. The rest of the movie is seeing Joe Don chase the killer here and there, Joe Don getting taken into custody various times, Joe Don torturing a bartendar and being interrupted and so on. The movie is quite bad and you won't find yourself exactly pulling for Joe Don's character. You will be amazed at how many times Joe Don the hero gets taken out by one punch and how incompetent he proves to be. The crowning part of the movie comes when Joe Don chases the killer all over Malta with the killer in a priest robe and then they get in boats and he chases them all around Malta. This movie also features one of the worst closing lines to end a movie ever.
The MST3K print of this is, in my humble opinion, one of the funniest things they have ever done. I was on the floor. That is primarily the fault of the movie itself, though. OK, we've got a Texas "Indian" (despite the name Geronimo, which I thought was just an amusing nickname, I had no idea he was supposed to be Indian until the end). He lumbers around and when challenged, says, "You think you can take me? ....Go 'head 'on. It's your move." Possibly the stupidest catch phrase ever. The plot keeps going in the same circle - Joe Don is told by someone to let things alone, he doesn't, he manages to destroy something or someone, he is hauled back into an office of authority, lectured, and told not to do it again. Then he sneers and goes and does it again. As seems to be typical of Joe Don in these years (see Mitchell), he intentionally plays his hero as a clumsy, close-minded, stupid but dogged individual. I mean, I appreciate realism, but I don't exactly want to see my hero hit his head on ceiling posts, stumble over tables, or dribble food down his shirt. Let's leave those little enticing details of the human condition out of a two hour film. Man, this movie is packed with laughs...see it if you can, preferably MST version, but this one is so 'good bad' that you can pretty easily supply the commentary yourself, even if you don't consider yourself a renowned wit.
I didn't think it would be possible for Joe Don Baker to make a movie as bad as his stinkbomb 'Mitchell', but this one succeeds.
I wouldn't recommend this if you're a fan of Joe Don Baker's MUCH better work. But,if you like to watch fat guys sweat and really, really drawn out gun fights, you'll love this movie.
I wouldn't recommend this if you're a fan of Joe Don Baker's MUCH better work. But,if you like to watch fat guys sweat and really, really drawn out gun fights, you'll love this movie.
It's amusing to see that Hollywood later borrowed ideas from this film, and used it in BLACK RAIN many years later. Joe Don Baker plays a texas cop ordered to take a prisoner (venantini) back to Italy. But he escapes. Lots of action and exploitation sequences as Venantini goes crazy of some female victims. Rosanno Brazzi has a thankless role as a bad guy, and Venantini is really great as a villain. This was the last of the Greydon Clark/Baker production. The film even has a catchy end credit song. The video print is dark, and the DVD is also dark and scratchy, but I remember the old HBO print was excellent.
Joe Don Baker. He was great in "Walking Tall" and had a good bit-part in "Goldeneye", but here in "Final Justice" all hope is gone...the dark side has won.
As with most of humanity, my main experience with this one was on MST3K, and what an experience it was! Mike and the robots dig their claws deep into Baker's ample flesh and skewer this flick completely. It's obvious they were just beginning with "Mitchell" on their anti-Joe Don kick and here lies their continuation on a theme.
It makes for a funny experience, though: there are plenty of choice riffs. My favorites - "John Rhys-Davies for sale", "It's 'Meatloaf: Texas Ranger'", "none of them are sponge-worthy", "Why was she wearing her prom dress to bed", and my favorite - "'Son of a...'? What? What was he the son of: son of a PREACHER MAN?"
By itself, "Final Justice" is, as Joe Don puts it in the movie, "a big fat nada". But here, it actually has some entertainment value. You get a chance, catch THIS version of "Final Justice".
Two stars for "Final Justice". Ten for the MST3K version ONLY.
Oh, and try not to visit Malta when Joe Don's in town.
As with most of humanity, my main experience with this one was on MST3K, and what an experience it was! Mike and the robots dig their claws deep into Baker's ample flesh and skewer this flick completely. It's obvious they were just beginning with "Mitchell" on their anti-Joe Don kick and here lies their continuation on a theme.
It makes for a funny experience, though: there are plenty of choice riffs. My favorites - "John Rhys-Davies for sale", "It's 'Meatloaf: Texas Ranger'", "none of them are sponge-worthy", "Why was she wearing her prom dress to bed", and my favorite - "'Son of a...'? What? What was he the son of: son of a PREACHER MAN?"
By itself, "Final Justice" is, as Joe Don puts it in the movie, "a big fat nada". But here, it actually has some entertainment value. You get a chance, catch THIS version of "Final Justice".
Two stars for "Final Justice". Ten for the MST3K version ONLY.
Oh, and try not to visit Malta when Joe Don's in town.
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie grew in popularity when Mystery Science Theater 3000 made fun of it.
- GoofsWilson says that the US has had excellent relations with Malta for "over a hundred years." Malta has only been an independent nation since 1964.
- Quotes
[after capturing Palermo in Texas]
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III: You have the right to remain silent...
[kicks him in the head]
Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III: ...and all that other shit.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Final Justice (1999)
- SoundtracksThe Sound of Justice
Music by David Bell
Words by John Wilkman
Performed by David Morgan
- How long is Final Justice?Powered by Alexa
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- The Maltese Connection
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