David and Ted Prior were in a unique situation, not unlike that of Chuck and Aaron Norris. They’re brothers who would navigate their way through film, one being an actor while the other lends their talents to working behind the scenes. Sadly, David passed away in 2015, but Ted is still around and active in the scene. They first made a stamp in movies with the SOV horror film Sledgehammer (1983), which has recently grown a rather devoted cult following and was recently shown on an episode of The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs. In 1985, they switched gears and put their stamp on the action genre with Kill Zone.
Right up until David’s passing, the two would churn out film after film, mainly focusing on action and horror titles. David was even a co-founder of American International Picture (A.I.P.), which would produce seventeen films and distribute forty-one between 1988 and 1994. MVD Rewind is adding their Namsploitation masterpiece to their collection with a wonderfully loaded special edition.
Jason McKenna (Fritz Matthews) is a Vietnam veteran who takes place in a military training exercise that causes his PTSD to take control and has a break from reality. He believes he’s back in Nam and can’t handle the pressure. His friend and fellow soldier, Mitchell (Ted Prior), does all he can to protect McKenna, but Colonel Crawford (David Campbell) isn’t willing to go light or help him out.
McKenna eventually snaps, lives are lost, and he takes off into the wilderness. The rest of the soldiers at the camp are assigned to track him down and kill him. Mitchell isn’t about to see his friend killed and disobeys direct orders to save him. Friendship and brotherhood trump orders, but will it be enough to keep them both alive?
Kill Zone is the type of film you’d rent in the ’80s or early ’90s when you’d hit the video store right before they closed after having a few drinks with friends. I didn’t rent this particular film in that situation, but I did rent many like it and have nothing but fond memories. Seeing it for the first time took me back to those moments, constantly reminding me why I love B-movies.
The film was done on a minuscule budget, but it somehow works with never a dull moment. There are shades of Missing in Action, First Blood, and many others, never for once forgetting what it is. Fritz Matthews gives a pretty crazy performance, but you can’t go wrong when you fill a film with non-stop bullets, explosions, and a hint of martial arts action.
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In addition to the 4K scan of the original 35mm negative, the disc includes commentary from co-writer Jack Marino, “The Making of Kill Zone” with Marino and project producer Steve Latshaw, the Vestron Video VHS version, trailer, photo gallery, limited edition slip, double-sided poster, and more.
While Kill Zone does borrow pretty heavily from all the heavy hitters, it still manages to entertain, and this edition is wonderfully done and honors the memory of David Prior, just as it should.
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