Mercenary Fighters (1988)

Real stunts, real sceneries, fireworks for bullets but fiery explosions too, and some scenes feel particularly dangerous. Landing a plane on a bus, the woman picking up the baby right before the jeep pulls through... there are scenes here that I don't think a movie today would be allowed to have.

It has a laid-back pace initially, but once you start immersing yourself in the struggle... it's pretty serious after all. Less of an all-out action movie than I expected. More an anti-war one with plenty of action scenes.

It feels like the intention with the movie and story goes beyond the action, and that's probably a good thing when it's not the strongest point thereof. The danger feels like a stronger point. With real stunts. Real production hazards, even if the mortality in film doesn't quite carry across.

The acting's nothing to hang up in a Christmas tree or anything, but the stunts... I'm certain some people really got injured filming this. If not they sure make it look authentic. Well maybe not authentic but like they really got hurt while trying to NOT get hurt doing those stunts!

It's a movie with morale too, never mind the inconsistent screaming and warrior mentality. Not bad.

And the scenery's special. The details intrusive and real. Tribal female puberty ritual and all? You wouldn't see that either in a movie today...

Feels like there's something special about a B-movie with elements of realness that indirectly break the fourth wall. Both with the stunts and as intimate scenes as such. I like this style, and the all the more real era of film that movies like this seem to be of.

It's a lost age. Them days...

 rated 4/5: fo shizzle