Colonel James Braddock (Norris) survives a brutal stint in a Vietnamese POW camp, but he believes that even after the war ends enemy forces are still secretly holding American men captive. Eventually, he is tapped by the president to go overseas and search for U.S. soldiers who went missing years ago. Once in Saigon, Braddock learns that his suspicions are correct, so he teams up with reckless fellow veteran Tuck (Walsh) and stages a violent rescue mission in the jungle.
- Based on characters created by Arthur Silver, Larry Levinson and Steve Bing.
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When browsing the streaming services, I stumbled across a Chuck Norris classic: Missing in Action. I vaguely remember seeing this years ago, but couldn’t remember if it was any good or not. So, I figured I’d give it another look. Would the now meme-worthy Chuck Norris live up to his hype, or was this just another run of the mill action flick?
Chuck Norris has gained quite a reputation these days, thanks to Chuck Norris “facts” like “Chuck Norris does not bowl strikes, he just knocks down one pin and the others faint.” Back in ’84, he was an ex-karate champion and trainer kicking off his heyday as an action star, and it shows in Missing in Action. He’s not very emotive but his determined and no-nonsense attitude perfectly fits the character. He’s got a mission to accomplish, and nothing will stand in his way. The rest of the cast is mainly around to back him up, and none really stand out except for familiar face M. Emmet Walsh (Critters, Blade Runner).
The film is pretty straightforward. Ex-POW James Braddock (Norris) is determined to rescue other POWs from Vietnam that he saw while he was captive – which the Vietnamese government flatly denies having any Americans still in captivity. While the US government tries to negotiate, Braddock takes matters into his own hands, and heads into Vietnam to rescue the men himself. Pretty simplistic overall, and Missing in Action delivers the story in an easy-to-follow step by step. Mostly, it’s just an excuse to watch Chuck Norris take on a large group of people all on his own, wrapped up in a just cause with a large dose of patriotism sure to keep the viewers rooting for him.
The special effects are pretty decent in Missing in Action, with the typical large amount of explosions mixed with some knuckle-cracking fights and plenty of bullets – very similar to Rambo: First Blood Part II. The two films are almost copies of each other, with their respective leading actors making the movie fit them. It’s impressive the effects haven’t suffered from age at all (probably because most were practical effects, rather than the CGI so familiar these days.
If you liked Rambo: First Blood Part II, you should enjoy Missing in Action just as much. While the two films are very similar, their lead actors provide enough difference to make them feel a bit less like a carbon copy of each other. Not bad for an ex-karate champion who has since become a legend.
