The Last Hunter

Mr. Antonio Margheriti, the uncrowned KING of Italian rip-offs, and his dynamic duo of charismatic actors David Steiner and John Steiner (though the latter only in a small role this time) strike again with this raw and excessively violent war-exploitation flick. Clearly inspired by the success of "The Deer Hunter" and a variety of other Hollywood films about the Vietnam War, but "The Last Hunter" goes straight for shocks, fast-paced and explosive action sequences and macho behavior instead of focusing on story-building, character drawings or – God forbid - underlying messages about the insanity of warfare. This film just loves the war in 'Nam and all dialogs like "Damn this country" or "I hate this awful war" are obviously insincere. Margheriti also couldn't resist providing his film with genuine horror aspect! The make-up effects are extremely gore (gorier than the ones in my horror movies for sure), with images of a soldier missing an eyeball, disembowelment after bombings and the severely decomposing bodies from dead parachutists falling from treetops. The battle sequences are long and exhilarating whilst the actual plot is thin and clichéd. In other words, just the way we like our Italian exploitation dish served! Captain Henry Morris (Warbeck) is assigned with the important mission of blowing up a Vietcong radio transmitter, located far behind enemy lines, which broadcasts demoralizing reports and encourages the American soldiers to throw away their guns and go back home. Morris' squad, which also includes a female report, gets killed and he's taken to a prisoner's camp for some inhumanly cruel torture. And yet, even whilst enduring the most excruciating pains, Morris intends to complete his mission, if it were only as a last tribute to all the friends and loyal soldiers he lost. Admittedly the script features every single Vietnam feature in the book, but hey, at least "The Last Hunter" is never boring and actually one of the most thrilling war movies ever made. You don't look for deep dialogs or complex characterizations here, just a lot of blood and delightful stereotypes. The "twist" at the end is extremely implausible and suddenly gives a somewhat stupid feeling to the whole movie. Truly ironic how the only remotely original twist in the entire script is also the most ludicrous one. Personally, I still like Margheriti's Indiana Jones rip offs better ("Hunters of the Golden Cobra", "Ark of the Sun God") and his ultimate masterpiece remains "Cannibal Apocalypse", but "The Last Hunter" is undoubtedly great low-brain entertainment and comes highly recommended!

¨Hunter of the apocalypse¨ or ¨Héros d'apocalypse¨or ¨Cacciatore 2¨is set during the Vietnam war, an American soldier, Captain Henry Morris (David Warbeck) , gets trapped behind enemy lines. A squad of buddies (Bobby Rhodes , Tony King , who are accompanied by a reporter : Tisa Farrow) sets out to rescue him . Later on , the group arrives in a headquarter commanded by a stranger commandant , Major William Cash (John Steiner) . After that , captain Henry is trapped in Vietnam jungle , tortured , beaten, and still he fights. The Brutal Story of One Man's Fight for Survival Behind Enemy Lines. You're living a nightmare... in a hell hole they call Nam! The Most Horrific War Movie Ever Made!The screen explodes in a blazing spectacle of war, there was no escape for... THE LAST HUNTER

This moving film packs frantic thrills , perilous adventures , relentless feats , buck-loads of explosive action and violent events . This one isn't a film against the Vietnam War , but an entertaning and amusing movie full of noisy action , gore and violence . Medium budget European war film that lost continuity with US cuts . The noisy action is uniformly well-made , especially deserving of mention the rip-roaring final scenes in which the motley group is really besieged by the Vietcong , including some spectacular shootouts and blowing up . Anthony M Dawson or Margheritti as expert in special optical effects and model-making , that's why he provides a lot of explosion , crossfire , gory images , guts and mayhem . David Warbeck is the leader in this thrilling Vietnam wartime movie about a commando getting to carry out a deadly assignment . During the 1970s Warbeck became a popular European star of low-budget genre pictures made in Italy, the U.S. and England. His notable films include Antonio Margheriti's Teasure island of the outer space (1987) , Tiger Joe , Black cat , The Ark of the Sun God , Rat man , Formula for a murder and Luci Fulci's Beyond (1981) . Warbeck made his final film appearance in Jake West's Razor Blade Smile (1998) . He early died of cancer in 1997 , London , aged just 55 years-old . He is well supported by a fine plethora of B-actors and regular in Italian sub-genres such as Bobby Rhodes , Tony King , Massimo Vanni , John Steiner , Luciano Pigozzi as Alan Collins who's nicknamed the Italian Peter Lorre playing a Bartender.

Atmospheric cinematography by cameraman Riccardo Pallottini who unfortunately died in a plane crash during location filming in the Philippines, in fact the movie is dedicated to him . Being shot on location exteriors were filmed in the Philippines and the interiors scenes shot in Rome. The motion picture was professionally directed by terror/action/adventure expert Antonio Margheritti, though it displays some failures and flaws . Anthonio was assisted by his son : Edoardo Margheriti who served as second unit filmmaker . Antonio often used pseudonym Anthony M Dawson, he was born in Italy 1930 and passed away in 2002 . Italian writer director of horror and exploitation films, a former university engineering student who began shooting in 1956 . Antonio directs with ordinary aplomb and being especially known for films as Yor, Virus and Horror castle. He was specialist in model-making, optical effects , FX, miniature as floods, scale models and explosions . He directed all kinds of genres such as wartime : The last hunter, Tornado, Codename Wild geese, Der Commander, Command Leopard . SCIFi :War of planets , Planet of the prowl, Criminal of the galaxy, Yor the hunter from the future, Treasure planet . Spaghetti Western as Joko, Dynamite Joe, The stranger and the gunfighter, Take a hard ride, Ghosts go west, Joe implacable, God said to Cain . Terror as Virgin of Nuremberg, Cannibal Apocalypse, Alien from deep, Flesh for Frankenstein. Action : Operation Goldman, Indio, The squeeze, Cyberflic. Rating :5.5/10. Acceptable and passable.

My review was written in February 1984 after a screening at Apollo theater on Manhattan's 42nd St.

"The Last Hunter" is an imitative Italian action film made in 1980. Its original title, "Hunter of the Apocalypse", points more exactly at the picture's origins, lifting liberally for visual images and situations from both "The Deer Hunter" and "Apocalypse Now", but outfitted with a different (and rather dull) storyline to avoid accusations of plagiarism.

Set in Vietnam in 1973, tale has Capt. Henry Morris (David Warbeck) on a mission to destroy a Vietcong radio transmitter which is sending demoralizing messages to the Yankee troops. He's aided on the way be a ragtag group including war correspondent photographer Jane Foster (Tisa Farrow), minority GIs Sgt. George Washington (Tony King) and Carlos (Bobby Rhodes) as well as a bitter and nutty Major Cash (guest star John Steiner), last-named filling the slot Robert Duvall occupied in "Apocalypse Now".

Payoff has most of the players sent to the Happy Hunting Ground by the time Jane helps Morris escape from watery tiger cages (a la "The Deer Hunter") to conveniently find the transmitter nearby. Gimmicky resolution consists of Morris' best friend 's girlfriend Carol (Margit Evelyn Newton) turning out to be the nasty voice of Ho Chi Minh trying to weaken our boys' fighting resolve.

Since his best friend committed suicide in a Saigon brothel at the beginning of the film by revolver (the Christopher Walken "Deer Hunter" role), finale is almost like bringing Meryl Streep in as the surprise villain. The same year, Newon played the uninhibited and undefeatable heroine in another European picture derived from these (and other U. S. hits), "Apocalypsis Canibal".

"Last Hunter" is dull between its outbursts of action scenes. As in Margheriti'ss earlier film, "Killer Fish", the model explosions are very good, mixed in with full-scale special effects work. Pic includes gratuitous, exaggerated gore effects as well.

Acting is fine, with British thesp David Warbeck serving well as Margheriti's gung-ho adventure hero (he represents the Italian helmer's cutrate version of Harrison Ford, having gone on to star in two imitations of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" for Margheriti since "Hunter" was shot.

Farrow is a game trouper, willing to get her hair mussed, but one wonders why Woody Allen doesn't give her a Stateside assignment alongside her sister, Mia, to save her from being typecast as an Italian B-movie denizen.

I had the privelige to see this awesome movie on a huge screen in 1997, it was shown at a festival as a tribute to the late David Warbeck.

The opening sequence is truly stunning, a slow-burning scene in a brothel ends in huge explosions and sees Warbeck as an action hero in a white singlet years before Bruce Willis.

John Steiner once again shows his prowess as his squad is picked-off, leaving only Warbeck and the larger-breasted of the Farrow species (Tisa), to escape tiger-cages and discover the identity of a traitorous broadcaster.

Don't miss the final shot of Warbeck against the war-torn sunset, left to his fate in the jungle. It's a real kick in the guts, with the same power of seeing Martin Sheen rising from a swamp.

The one problem the movie really has is that the identity of the mysterious traitor is quite ridiculous, but not enough to grind things to a halt.

All in all, one to put at the top of your "must-get" list, right above beer, pizza and peanuts.

Director Antonio Margheriti's Vietnam piece is bound to be loved by some audiences and hated by others. This is simply not a film for all tastes. On the surface, it looks like cruel exploitation of a controversial war; exploiting Vietnam was certainly a risky move in 1980. Dig a little deeper, though, and "The Last Hunter" becomes a brutal allegory on the futility of warfare.

Margheriti tells a straightforward tale: Captain Morris (David Warbeck) heads into Cambodia with a small band of soldiers on a mission to find and destroy an enemy radio station which is broadcasting disgusting anti-American propaganda. Along the way, he encounters many people and situations which point to the ultimate insanity of warfare.

Margheriti begins his tale with one of the best opening sequences ever put to film. Morris tries to relax in a Saigon bar, making conversation with another GI whom he's never met. Soft music plays in the background, providing a perfect tempo for the dialog. It's not long, however, before Morris realizes that he escape the realities of the war outside. The music stops abruptly as the tone changes from quiet to tense: Steve has been aggravated by the aforementioned GI. He shoots him in the head, and then turns the gun on himself. As if on key, enemy sappers attack the city, and the bar is destroyed; only Morris escapes. A first-time viewer may see this scene as unnecessary, but the characters and themes will become crucial to the plot as Morris moves closer and closer to his objective.

With the mood established and the audience glued to the screen, Margheriti shifts his focus to the Cambodian jungle. Morris is escorted to the drop-off point by helicopter in yet another excellently shot sequence: Franco Micalazzi's score comes out full force for just a few moments as the action builds, and then dies. Margheriti lets some great hand-held camera action and excellent, fast-paced editing do the work. This scene will be followed by a number of quick, brutal action sequences: the discovery a rotting corpse, an ambush by a band of Viet Cong in a burned-out village; and a great sequence in which Massimo Vanni's character is forced to run into the jungle under enemy fire to retrieve cocoanuts for the unhinged Major Cash (John Steiner). The high point of the action is definitely a Viet Cong raid on an underground American bunker complex, in which hordes of black-pajama-clad guerrillas emerge and a firefight ensues. For the most part, the American characters are drunk or stoned and don't seem to know what's going on. This long sequence is shot in the dark with hand-held cameras, features lots of cutting from action to reaction – all while a radio plays happy tunes in the background.

All of this builds to a pulsating surprise ending. Morris does find his radio station – the audience knows he will from the start; it's no surprise in a film like this – but the voice of propaganda will come as a shock as all of the pieces laid out in the opening scenes and flashbacks come together. We've had some subtle hints and little suggestions as to who Morris is going to encounter, but nobody will come to the conclusion until the character steps into frame. The result is a jaw-dropping scene with an outcome that goes completely against the norm. The final shot of the piece is one of confusion, awe and surprise – we never do get to find out what happens to an essential character. If the violence and pure insanity of most of the movie don't shock you, the last two few minutes surely will.

Admittedly, "The Last Hunter" is not a perfect film: basic plot aspects are lifted directly from "Apocalypse Now" – Morris' character is a take on Martin Sheen, while Major Cash and his bunch seem to be loosely based on Marlon Brando's guerrilla force. Instead of a trek upriver in a small boat, we follow a mixed group of soldiers through the sweltering jungles. (Only here, they're too busy dodging booby traps to discuss heavy issues of morality). More blatantly, a sequence depicting Morris' imprisonment in an underwater bamboo cage reeks of "The Deer Hunter". Some of the special effects scenes come up a bit below par for a 1980s film: watch for a dummy which gets flamed during the village skirmish; superimposed rocket bursts around a helicopter; and there are a few cheesy miniatures.

These are only minor flaws. "The Last Hunter" is an anti-war gem which can be enjoyed by fans of Italian exploitation (Margheriti said that he wanted to shoot the film seriously; the producers forced him to throw in exploitative content to draw in fans of his successful horror works). Any serious war film fans that can make it through the opening without dismissing this as graphic trash will not be disappointed. It's not often that a director can make a great action picture that's still considered an anti-war piece.