a review of

I really enjoyed this film about two friends sticking up for each other. Two dudes losing family left and right (mostly one dude, but still). Two guys just ready to kick some ass when ass-kicking is needed. The main big bad must've seemed outlandish when this came out, but here we are nearly 40 years later, and actually he's pretty much the kind of fascist white nationalist the country is currently dealing with, so that's weird. John P. Ryan plays that part with such panache though, so it's hard not to be amused when he's on screen. Michael Dudikoff should've become a bigger name, he's a great lead here! For my money, Steve James matches him completely until his character beefs it and Dudikoff has to avenge his death (spoilers). (I could totally picture these two as Lethal Weapon's Riggs & Murtaugh, they'd've nailed it.) There's a really great score by George Clinton (not that one) that really sets the tone for every scene. Definitely the best Matt Hunter film.