After successful films like Rambo: First Blood Part II and Missing in Action, Hollywood went crazy with Vietnam action/rescue pictures, which was lovingly dubbed the Namslpoitation subgenre. At the forefront of the genre were Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, churning out a couple of Missing in Action sequels with Chuck Norris, Platoon Leader with Michael Dudikoff, P.O.W. the Escape with David Carradine, and several others. Ronin Flix has just reissued P.O.W. the Escape, and I couldn’t be happier that they did.
For one, David Carradine is a legend who is no longer with us. He’s been a part of so many brilliant projects, and his lesser-known films should be preserved for new generations of fans to discover. Second, it was a Cannon Films production, and during the ’80s, they were my everything. That logo meant something, and you knew what you were in for. Revisiting the movie was a pleasure and a wonderful stroll down memory lane.
Colonel Cooper (David Carradine) is brought in by the government to lead a team into a camp in Vietnam to rescue P.O.W.s. Once there, he realizes it’s a giant ambush, and most of his team is killed while he’s captured and taken prisoner. Captain Vinh (Mako) of the North Vietnamese army wants to buy himself a new life in the United States, so he offers Cooper the chance at freedom if he leads the way. He only agrees if the rest of the prisoners are let loose with him. Vinh is willing to risk it in order to make his way Stateside to be with his family there. They pack up and head into the jungle, but it won’t be easy. The Vietnamese Army will be on its tail the entire way, keeping the war raging within.
RELATED: Only A Ninja: Sam Firstenberg Discusses His Cannon Films Legacy
P.O.W. the Escape is nothing more than a heroic action film. It doesn’t try to be Apocalypse Now or Platoon. It knows what it is, and it’s done well. Much of the appeal comes in the form of excellent casting. In addition to Carradine, two of the other leads, Mako and Steve James, both of whom are no longer with us, are equally outstanding. While the characters are pretty basic stereotypes, these character actors always make them more memorable. For the full ninety-minute runtime, there’s never a dull moment.
Director Gideo Amir only directed one other film. In contrast, one of the film’s screenwriters, James Bruner, was fairly well known for having scripter Chuck Norris blockbusters like Invasion U.S.A., The Delta Force, and others.
The Blu-ray is a little light on special features, but it does include interviews with Amir, Bruner, and stuntman Steve Lambert. The HD transfer looks crisp, and this was the first time seeing the film Widescreen which really helps to give the film a much larger-scale look. The film and disc will appeal to so many, and if you were unable to get it the first time around, make sure you don’t hesitate and nab one now.
We’re hardworking geeks that love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers.
