User Reviews

STRIKE COMMANDO 2 is another crazy jungle adventure film from Bruno Mattei, the undisputed king of Italian trash cinema. This one was shot in the Philippines like its predecessor, so you see folk like Vic Diaz turn up in minor roles. The film sees the wooden Stallone impersonator Brent Huff struggling to rescue a colleague from sinister terrorists, but there are twists and turns in store as well as a whole lot of cheesy and repetitive action sequences.

Yep, this is another RAMBO rip-off from the late 1980s, with the addition of a scene or two outrageously stolen from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; there's even a Nazi guy impersonating Ronald Lacey from that film. The most bizarre thing about this sequel is the presence of Richard Harris in support, certainly the biggest star I've seen appearing in Italian trash cinema. No wonder he gave up acting for a while afterwards.

Brent Huff takes over the role of Michael Ransom, formerly played by Reb Brown, in this light hearted sequel to the original film.

It's basically more of the same i.e BIG and beautiful explosions (a staple in Bruno Mattei action flicks), lots of macho posturing, our hero screaming his lungs out whenever he fires off a few rounds from his favoured M-60 and especially in the case of the film in question, some absolutely awful and inappropriate 'comedy' music! In fact, as regards the comedic value, the film plays out more overtly like a deliberate comedy throughout than its prequel which seemed to start out with serious intention before descending into an out and out hilarious laugh fest (with some possible debate as to if it was entirely intentional or not)

Added to the mix this time around we have a sadistic panama wearing Russian who has a curious predilection to garrote his victims, a small army of ninja (!) and the presence of Richard Harris (!!!!) – Yes THE Richard Harris! It's a real credit to him that even considering the material he found himself lumbered with here he still gives a great performance without hamming it up and actually lends a touch of genuine class to a film that certainly doesn't deserve it. This is not to say that the film is bad however, far from it, for although this is a HUGELY derivative movie (more about this in a moment) it's certainly never dull and more than achieves what it sets out to accomplish i.e simply to entertain.

Now, as to the aforementioned derivative nature of this, well put it this way, whilst these films are very usually shall we say politely, 'heavily influenced' by bigger budgeted American fodder, the movie in question, directly rips off amongst the most scenes (scene for scene) from other films that I think I have ever ever witnessed. As examples, obviously Rambo being a big influence here, we have a few direct re-enactments of moments from that movie in addition to and more shockingly, a number of scenes directly from Lethal Weapon including the electrocution torture scene and the staff/tonfa combat climatic fight sequence. Hell, there's even the drinking game from Raiders Of The Lost Ark lifted here! When I say 'lifted' I really do mean DIRECTLY lifted! For instance, in the previously mentioned Lethal Weapon torture scene, even the exact method of our hero's escape is copied i.e. by breaking his tormentor's neck with his legs!

Back to the more positive points of the movie now though, there's some great stunt work on display throughout the film and the action sequences are competently handled (although the final showdown being so obviously sped up does come across as odd to say the very least)

I particularly liked the macho slow mo shots of our man firing off his weapon towards the end of the film with the obligatory close ups of the spent rounds flying out and bouncing onto the floor whilst our hero hollers at the top of his lungs – cool stuff!

I must say that overall, for me at least, this movie wasn't nearly as much fun as the original but that I would still nonetheless recommend it as well worth a watch if you wish to see a lighthearted take on the genre.

Now, any chance of Strike Commando 3 Mr. Mattei?

Rough'n'tumble Vietnam veteran Michael Ransom (a likeable performance by hunky Brent Huff) goes after the terrorist group who kidnapped his former 'Nam superior officer Major Vic Jenkins (nicely played with surprising conviction by a slumming Richard Harris!).

Once again notorious Italian schlockmeister Bruno Mattei delivers the right-on ridiculous Grade B exploitation goods: We've got lots of stuff blowing up real good, loads of expendable flunkies who include some of the most hilariously feeble and useless ninjas to ever disgrace the screen, frequent use of strenuous slow motion, plentiful ineptly staged action, a high body count, a pleasing sense of lighthearted humor, and a shamelessly derivative ragbag script that rips off "Rambo: First Blood Part II," "Romancing the Stone," "Lethal Weapon," and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." Lovely blonde Mary Stavin contributes a lively turn as feisty bar owner Rosanna Bloom while Mel Davidson as suavely slimy sadist Jenkins and Vic Diaz as wicked and depraved drug kingpin Huan To make for fun villains. A goofy blast.

Only the genius - or madness - of Bruno Mattei, Claudio Fragasso and Rossella Drudi could take a Rambo ripoff made in the Philippines and decide to add ninjas, the KGB and no small amount of inspiration from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Sgt. Michael Ransom's (Brent Huff!) owes a debt of honor to his Vietnam squad leader Vic Jenkins (Richard Harris!), who has been captured by heroin-selling terrorists who want ten million dollars worth of diamonds. Now, everyone is going to pay.

How else can I sell this movie to you? Oh yeah, Vic Diaz is in it! Plus, the Strike Commando works with a girl he meets in a bar who is in the midst of a drinking contest named Rosanna Boom. Yes, that's her name, but I'd forgive you if you called her Marion Ravenwood. She swears more than me, which is saying something, and is played by 1977 Miss World Mary Stavin, who was also in Mattei's Born to Fight, A View to a Kill, House and Adam Ant's video for "Strip."

Italian stalwarts Ottaviano Dell'Acqua and Massimo Vanni are also in this movie, which was shot at the same time as Zombie 4: After Death. And speaking of recycling, a lot of the jungle action here also shows up in Mattei's Cop Game, which is also beloved in my world.

The movie has a great twist which I didn't see coming. Then I realized that the movie had been missing one of the essential Rambo ingredients. We had not yet seen our hero get tortured. Yes, like a southern tag team babyface, he must sell and sell to build for his comeback on the man who has turned heel on him, then emerge from the mud and the blood and the filth and unleash unholy hell on people who only care about diamonds when the Strike Commando's one true love is the unending thrill of bullets, brawls and blowing things up real good.

Michael Ransom is back! This time around, he's played by Brent Huff, and he really has his hands full for this particular adventure. His old Major in Vietnam, Vic Jenkins (Harris) has been kidnapped, and his captors want ten million dollars in diamonds in return for his release. The baddie doing all the dirty work representing the terrorists who not only kidnap people, but have a large heroin-making facility, is named Kramet (Davidson). He wears a white suit in the dead of summer and has an army of ninjas backing him up wherever he goes. Soon, Ransom ends up teaming up with local tavern owner Rosanna Boom (Stavin) and CIA guy Kelly Sellers (Vanni) (who is coming up with these names?) - to ultimately shut down the drugs operation, run by the nefarious Huan To (Diaz, because this movie was shot in the Philippines) and save Jenkins, but some twists and turns might say otherwise. Will Ransom pay the ransom for Jenkins? Find out today! While Strike Commando 2 has some good moments, overall we prefer the first entry in this two-part series. It must have been tough for Huff to fill the shoes of Reb Brown, and he even tries his hand at a Reb-style scream, or, Reb-el yell as we call it, towards the end of the movie. While it would have been a perfectly serviceable scream in its own right, compared to the master Reb, it falls short. But the main problem is that there are too many "wacky" musical stings, which highlight some attempted comedy. Usually this comes in the form of the typical bickering between Brent Huff and Stavin, who plays the stereotype "nagging woman" role. That is, until they can learn to get along. Adding some loopy clarinets and silent movie-style sped-up fights detract from the intensity the movie should have.

But there are plenty of positives to be found as well: many high-quality explosions are on show, and of course the main victims of these blow-ups are huts. There is some funny dubbing and some unintentional "laffs" as well. Naturally, there is the prerequisite torture scene, and in this jungle, many guard towers fall, or, poor unfortunate watchmen fall out of them. And lest we forget Richard Harris, of Richard Harris fame, whose presence here is inexplicable - but extremely welcome. Maybe the Academy Award voters held this against him and that's why he was a nominee but never a winner? Regardless, this is Harris as fans want to see him, and, like a true professional, he doesn't treat the material as inferior. He gives a strong, classy performance.

Michael Ransom has some UNFINISHED BUSINESS - with his automatic rifle and his missile launcher. Despite some missteps, if you can see SC2, do go forth and watch. Don't leave in a Huff, check it out if you get the chance.

It isn't often that a sequel to a film turns out better than the first. But that's exactly what happened with STRIKE COMMANDO 2. Given a bigger budget this time director Bruno Mattei and screenwriters Claudio Fargasso and Rossella Drudi came up with a much better picture. Not only that, this time they brought along a major star in actor Richard Harris.

The group also did the smart thing of not bringing Reb Brown back to reprise the role of Mike Ransom. Instead this time he is played by Brent Huff who went on to numerous other films and can currently be seen on TV's THE ROOKIE. He turns in a much better performance than Brown and adds a touch of humor to the character not seen in the first film.

This time around Ransom is called in by an old friend to help with a situation. An old Army colleague named Vic Jenkins (Harris) has been kidnapped and is being held by the KGB. In flashbacks we see that Jenkins save Ransom's life in battle and there is a bond, a debt between the two of them. He agrees to take on the job and attempts to save Jenkins only to discover he was duped. The CIA were holding onto Jenkins to protect him. Now Ransom has put down his help and the real bad guys move in and capture Jenkins.

Ransom is taken in by the CIA and told what's going on and agrees to go in and clean up the mess he has made. He still owes Jenkins and looks at him as a father figure. Ransom is given the $10 million in diamonds the kidnappers are demanding and hits the road. Making his way through the jungle he comes across a seedy bar where he meets the owner, Rossana Boom (Mary Stavin) while looking for information. A fight ensues, the bar is burnt to the ground and Boom invites herself along as a partner with Ransom.

Along the way Ransom learns that the person behind the kidnapping is Kramet (Mel Davidson), a Vietnamese drug lord in charge of a major heroin ring. The diamonds he is demanding will expand his business globally and increase his power.

As with all movies in the Rambo-esque world these films become there are crosses and double crosses galore. But the film does toss in some comic relief at times that makes it bearable. In addition to that the stunt work here is among some of the best seen from the stuntmen in the Philippines.

It has been said that Mattei and his writers wanted to combine the concepts RAMBO and RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK and from the way it turns out there seems a touch of ROMANCING THE STONE going on here too. Strangely enough it almost works. The film does entertain, far more so than the first film. Apparently it wasn't successful enough to see a third film.

Severin has released this one in an amazing transfer as well with another 2k scan of the original film negative. The extras are also pretty good for a film this old including both the theatrical and extended cuts of the film, "Guerilla Zone" an interview with co-director Claudio Fragasso, "Michael Ransom Strikes Back" and interview with actor Brent Huff and the trailer for the film.