Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985)

In 1972 Vietnam, Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) tags along on a mission and his helicopter gets hit. The men are captured Missing in Action. Ten years later, they are in a prison camp run by the ruthless Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) who demands Braddock's confession. Braddock is still holding out and only Nester has caved in to Colonel Yin.Even by the standards of cheesy 80's action movie, this is pretty bad. The action is poorly done but there are some explosions. The dialog is really bad. It is worthy of the worst of B-movies. The acting is pretty bad and Chuck Norris accounts for much of that. The movie is a simple prison movie without much of a compelling story.

We all know Braddock was Missing In Action (1984). But this sequel - actually a prequel - fills us in on just what went on in the brutal prison camp he was imprisoned in. Braddock and his fellow soldiers are routinely tortured and subjected to harsh, cruel, and sadistic practices, thanks to maniacal commander, Col. Yin (Oh) and his sidekick Lao (Tanaka). Will Braddock escape to see freedom? (Actually, you know he will, because this is a prequel, but just ignore that).The fans clamored for more Braddock, and more Braddock is what they got with this sequel/prequel. Cannon provided more jungle action and Prerequisite Torture with that trademark Reagan-style patriotism that we've all come to know and love. There's even stock footage of Reagan in the actual movie. It could definitely be argued that this sequel is superior to the original, because the plot is more streamlined, and the final fight between Chuck and Soon-Tek Oh absolutely delivers the goods. The movie primarily takes place in one location - the prison camp - and you see their travails, everything from Punchfighting to dealing with Professor Toru Tanaka. He's a fan favorite and his presence improves the proceedings.Like the first film, you kind of have to wait for any substantial action, but when it comes, it's a true crowd pleaser. Adding to this, you get to see the origin of Chuck's beard. When he was first captured in 1972, he did not have a beard. But he had to grow one in captivity because Col. Yin did not provide razors. Apparently, he liked the way he looked, so he kept it. Because of Chuck's long hair and beard, and the way he's treated, in Missing In Action 2: The Beginning there are certainly some parallels to the story of Jesus. Think about it.Director Lance Hool, who was credited with writing and producing credits on the first film, here steps into the director's chair with successful results. He obviously understands the Braddock character and that's probably why he got the gig. Once again Aaron Norris is on board for stunt work, as is fan favorite John Barrett. Dean Ferrandini, usually part of the stunt team, here steps in front of the camera in the role of Kirtle. It appears everyone knew what they were doing and did their best to expand the story of Braddock, and it certainly worked.It was released in one of those cool MGM/Cannon silver big boxes, so the collectability factor is high. But the movie is definitely worth seeing, as is the first one. But the highest heights of Braddock were yet to come: the final installment of the trilogy was still three years away.

It's not surprising to learn that Chuck Norris made this series as a tribute to his brother who had been killed in Vietnam. He really gave all that he had to these films. It may be manipulative but damn is it ever satisfying. The villains are the kind of loathsome scum whom you JUST CAN'T WAIT to see messed up in a variety of ways. And the good guys are fleshed out enough as characters that you do feel bad for them, and want to see them get their revenge.As one can guess, this is a prequel to the original "Missing in Action" film of 1984. It shows how Chucks' colonel character, James Braddock, was shot down and captured during the war, and the tortures that he and his men are obliged to endure for the next several years, even after the war has basically ended. The sadistic colonel in charge of his work camp, Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) acts like a dictator, and just when you think you can't hate this guy any more, he ups the stakes yet again.With Lance Hool taking the directors' reins, this proves to be a high old time for the action junkie, underscored by the genuine poignancy to be found in stories about prisoners of war. This is exciting much of the time, with kick ass battle footage, lots of explosions, lots of gunfire, and some breathtaking scenery. Chuck is a formidable hero as always, and Oh is a deliciously evil bad guy. Lending strong support are Cosie Costa, Joe Michael Terry, and especially John Wesley as the ailing Franklin. Steven Williams is good in an initially unlikable part as a captain eager to cooperate with his captors in exchange for better treatment. It's also cool to see hulking screen heavy Professor Toru Tanaka and "Ninja III: The Domination" villain David Chung as two of the guards.All in all, this is solid entertainment, complete with a high body count and never ever boring.Eight out of 10.

This middle chapter of the James Braddock trilogy is a prequel to the original Missing In Action that traces the origin of Chuck Norris's not-quite-iconic franchise player. The film is centered around Braddock's detention at a Vietnamese prison camp with several other American POWs, who are held at the mercy of a malevolent colonel who subjects them to a variety of cruelties. Of course, Norris is never one to sit idly by while injustice is being done, and he soon navigates a daring escape, blowing tons of stuff up and gunning down dozens of bad guys in the process.Though The Beginning boasts all of the hallmarks of an enjoyable B-action flick (slow motion explosions, liberal use of machine guns, a hero seemingly impervious to damage, etc.), Missing In Action 2 spends a lot more time developing the characters and the scenario than fans of the genre may be used to. While this relegates most of the action to the third act and slows the pace a bit, the film benefits from the more immersive approach, and delving deeply into the horrors of the POW experience brings home the real-world resonance of the piece while simultaneously bolstering the pay-off when the guns n' grenades portion of the plot gets underway.The dramatic emphasis also allows the usually stone-faced Norris to showcase his acting chops a bit, and even when he's called upon to express actual emotions, he does a capable job of humanizing Braddock beyond the scope of an interchangeable action hero. I'm keenly aware that most people curious about the Missing In Action series aren't all that interested in seeing Norris cry, so I should post-script that endorsement by adding that even though this outing is a bit more serious-minded than some others you'll encounter from the era, Chuck still doles out plenty of vengeance upon his captors with flame-throwers, Uzis, explosives, and good old-fashioned karate leaps out of trees.Your basic good-vs-evil movie is only as strong as its villain, and we get a suitably malicious match for Norris in Soon-Teck Oh's Colonel Yin, who notches up serious baddie points by burning people alive, tormenting Norris with news from the home-front, and humiliating one prisoner by having the least attractive prostitutes you'll ever see strip him naked and mock his genitals. In adherence to the sort of muddled logic you only find in '80s action films, Colonel Yin is a rare breed of Vietnamese overlord who speaks perfect English and is proficient in advanced martial arts.The presence of veteran henchman Professor Toru Tanaka is a welcome addition, and always entertaining character actor Steven Williams lends his services as a conniving turncoat, who, in true Williams fashion, fights valiantly to steal the movie by taking big meaty bites out of every scene he's in.Most of the shoot 'em up aspects of the film are fairly standard, but MIA2 does boast a few truly memorable scenes during the extended prison camp segments, the most effective of which is the "rat in a bag" sequence. Though the majority of Colonel Yin's tortures aren't all that creative, when he orders his men to stuff Chuck's head and an agitated rodent into the same burlap sack, it becomes impossible not to recognize his ingenuity.Though The Beginning dramatizes the true fates of some American soldiers left behind in Vietnam, any parallels to reality are readily negated by Chuck's propensity for invincibility. He does get kicked around a bit as a prisoner, but once he assumes the mantle of heavily-armed liberator, his (we assume) highly-trained captors suddenly forget how to aim their weapons, and Norris is able to elude even the most voluminous volleys of gunfire by simply rolling out of the way. The absurd apex of Chuck's super hero capabilities arrives when he opens a hatch to free some of the prisoners, only to discover that he has been lured into a trap. Instead of POWs, the compartment is filled with a dozen enemy soldiers, who immediately open fire with their machine guns inches from our sturdy protagonist's face... and somehow miss him entirely.Of course, such silliness is to be expected from a film like Missing In Action 2, and when the result is a fun and entertaining 90 minutes, it seems beside the point to complain about the improbabilities. Judged against the other work being churned out by Norris and his contemporaries during the era, The Beginning is a surprisingly thoughtful offering that balances its heart and its gonads rather adeptly. Above average is definitely good enough in this case.