Movie Review: Cross Mission

Cross Mission (Fuoco incrociato)

Starring: Richard Randall, Brigitte Porsche, Peter Hintz, Maurice Poli, Anna Silvia Grullon, Jacobo Vasquez, Nelson de la Rosa, John L. Rock, Carlos Santos, Victor Checo, Flora Maria Castillo, Francisco Julius, Lisandra Ventura, Danilo Javier, Lucas Abreu, Johnny Castillo, Riccardo Petrazzi

Director: Alfonso Brescia (as Al Bradley)

A.M. Trading International S.r.l., Italy, Philippines, 1988.

This movie can be found in Fuel Injected Films 20 Movie Collection by Mill Creek Entertainment.

General Romero (Maurice Poli) also known as El Predestinado leads an UN-backed operation against drug traffickers. Army destroys some drug plantations. However Romero is running his own drug business. The press wants to know about Contra-rebels, but the government assures that there are no rebels. Reporter Helen (Brigitte Porsche) is not assured.

General Romero

Helen

William Corbett

William Corbett (Richard Randall) arrives to do some work for Romero. Helen wants to know more about William, and William instantly recognises her to be a reporter. Group of goons attack the pair but the heroes easily knock them out. Impressed with Helen's fighting skills, William promises to arrange an interview with Romero.

Miguel, Myra and David

A group of rebels are escaping Romeros troops. The leader of the rebels is a woman named Myra (Anna Silvia Grullon). Other notable rebels are injured guerrilla Miguel, spy Pablo, David (Peter Hintz) who looks like Douglas Fairbanks, herbalist Pedro and some unnamed black secret agent dude. William is working for some organization involved with Romero's drug trade. He warns Romero: "If you go down, we take you with us!" When Romero sees the pretty reporter, he agrees to give an interview.

Painting of Astaroth

The General is rumoured to be a black magic wizard. well, the rumours are... Correct! He shows his powers by summoning a demonic midget Astaroth (Nelson de la Rosa)! Romero has a collection of occult paraphernalia and a painting of Astaroth. Romero can also use his sparking hands as lie detector. Maybe that guy is related to M. Bison?

Astaroth

Romero's lie detector

Returning from General's base William's car breaks and the heroes have to take a bus. For some reason there are pineapples hanging from the bus ceiling. The Army tries to stop the bus but rebels hijack the bus. When the army soldiers shoot a little girl, Helen and William join the rebels without having second thoughts. After a furious gunfight the heroes are captured.

Why the pineapples?

Helen's rebel moment

Romero decides to get rid of the Americans and frame the rebels. In prison William and Helen give first aid to injured rebel Miguel. The rebels free the prisoners and capture Romero's henchman Ramirez (Riccardo Petrazzi). The rebels want to get the location of Gates of Paradise, a labour camp.

Ramirez

William is revealed to be Marine and he turns into Rambo. The rebels raid the camp, shoot about 1000 enemies and blow a lot of stuff up. When Helen gets captured and is tortured by Astaroth, William and the rebels decide to free her. The rescue operation looks like The Normandy landings on budget.

Rambo-William

Astaroth's lightnings

This is a weird Italian action film with high cult value. Despite some wonderfully bad film making (and partly because of it) the film never ceases to entertain or surprise. In how many movies the villain has an evil lighting-shooting magical little guy bodyguard? Some of the plot twists are delightfully stupid. The action scenes look unintentionally hilarious. Some soldiers just stand as their buddies are shot in front of them. Also some action scenes are recycled, and some guys die more than once. Composers Stelvio Cipriani and Carlo Maria Cordio loan heavily elements from "Blade Runner" soundtrack.

Duck, you sucker!

Serious guy

Rating: Good (as an Italian cult action film) or Bad (for those who don't get it)