Rare courage is what the men in this movie had and they went
above and beyond what our own United States Government would
not do to bring MIA’s home to their families.
Marine Colonel Jason Rhodes (Gene Hackman) discharged
because of his adamant determination to get our government to search for the
missing MIA’s that everyone knew were still being held prisoners by Vietnamese.
Even ten years later all anyone in government would say is they were negotiating
with the Vietnamese government. And, we all know they did not try, because none
of their sons were MIA and it is doubtful any of them even fought in the war.
Besides, this was not a popular war when it was going on, so they mainly just
wanted to keep it quiet and not let anyone make waves to draw attention to a
war that North Vietnam won.
Colonel Rhodes finally acquired evidences of where the
P.O.W. camp’s location---after his son Frank was a MIA---for ten years.
MacGregor a wealthy business man financially backed the mission because his son
was MIA and fought with Colonel Rhodes son Frank (Todd Allen).
So he begins recruiting the guys who served with his son’s platoon.
It was a slow at first, because some of the guys had families and were reluctant
to give up their lives after ten years of being home in America.
Finally, he obtained the men he needed for the mission,
Blaster (Reb Brown), Sailor (Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb), Kevin Scott (Patrick
Swayze), Charts (Tim Thomerson), Johnson (Harold
Sylvester) and Wilks (Fred Ward).
All the men had weapons experience and skilled in combat to
stay alive in the war. All the men but Kevin Scott; who’s a Former Force Recon
Marine and sharp shooter skilled in hand to hand fighting, but no combat experience. Kevin trained the
men in a refresher course to get them ready to hit hard, fast and get out
with the MIA’s.
Sailor gave Kevin a hard time at first until Colonel Rhodes told the men the reason he was helping. Kevin’s father was a MIA from the Vietnam War, his helicopter was shot down. Then a new respect for Kevin from all the men developed.
Sailor gave Kevin a hard time at first until Colonel Rhodes told the men the reason he was helping. Kevin’s father was a MIA from the Vietnam War, his helicopter was shot down. Then a new respect for Kevin from all the men developed.
The US government spied on the group while they were being trained in Texas and listen in on their conversations; and even had the
CIA take their weapons and truck away, but that did not stop them. They used the money MacGregor gave then in Texas before they left from home.
They hired a guide with horses and he brought his two daughters
with him to help. The trip was not always easy going through the jungle; but
they never complained. They just made their way until they reached the P.O.W.
Camp.
This is an amazing movie---but any movie Gene Hackman is in---is
always special. These actors are the “Cream of the Crop” of action actors and
some of my very favorites.
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PurvisBobbi44
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