Armed Response (1986)

The Roth clan gets wrapped up in underworld double and triple crosses after youngest son Clay (David Goss) is shot by his P.I. partner Cory (Ross Hagen). Seems the duo was hired by Tanaka (Mako) to reclaim a jade statue from some thieves (Dick Miller and Laurene Landon) and Cory felt it was the perfect ticket to good life. So ex-cop/drunk Papa Roth (Lee Van Cleef) corrals his two remaining sons Jim (David Carradine) and Tommy (Brent Huff) to get some family revenge. This action flick was technically my first Fred Olen Ray film as I remember my dad renting it back in the day. I don't know why, but knowing that FOR pulled one over on my pops with the allure of Carradine and Van Cleef makes me smile. Anyways, I barely remembered it so tonight's revisit was almost like watching it anew. This moves fast and is actually better made than some of the films Ray made right after it. It is simple stuff plot wise but I enjoyed it and there are a few good shootouts here and there. The biggest surprise is that the leads are really there for the whole film and Carradine and Van Cleef really give it their all. Trying to swallow Lee as David's dad is kinda funny though as they were separated by roughly 11 years in real life. Lots of great character actors in supporting roles like Michael Berryman as a fortune cookie giving hit-man, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa as a long-haired torturer, Bobbie Bresee as a stripper (who stays clothed), Michelle Bauer as a stripper (who doesn't stay clothed), Conan Lee in the first five minutes, and Dawn Wildsmith (aka Mr. Olen Ray at the time) as a barroom tough girl.

Okay, as another reviewer, WebsterGrayson already stated right off in the beginning of his excellent review, 'The movie delivers exactly what is expected' Now, come on! You already bloody KNOW that this is not going to be high art. You've got David 'well, tie my genitals down!' Carradine and ol' Lee 'Angel Eyes' Van Cleef for Goodness sake! And, you even have Mako and the ULTRA-cool Asian guy who was the b*tch'n Alien with the awesome looking eyes in the 6 total episodes of 'Space Rangers' (which I have, BTW - and, I'm sorry, but this guy even out-COOLS David Carradine) ANNNNND, if that is not enough, you even have the ICONIC Dick Miller! ANNNNNND the cooler than cool Michael Berryman!!! (even snapping his misshapen fingers in a David Lynch syncopated way and giving a Lambada glare to the camera when the radio suddenly turns on after a guy he just shot get's thrown into it! (you notice I didn't say WHO got shot, so no 'Spoiler Warning' needed)I mean, what the HELL more do you want for this kind of film...? I'm not normally a fan of outright CheeeeeZ as a rule, but this is good, solid, MASTER CheeeeeZ. And it is a total blast!So, yeah, I'm gonna give it an '8' because '4.8' just simply ain't right...

Father and son Chinatown bar owners, Burt & Jim Roth(Lee Van Cleef and David Carradine)become inadvertently involved in a war with the Tanaka crime family over a jade statue, quite a pricey artifact desired by a powerful Yakuza family.Clay Roth(David Goss), Burt's son/Jim's brother, is partners with a no-good, dirty, rotten scoundrel, Cory Thorton(Ross Hage, perfectly vile and two-faced)who has taken a job to exchange money for a jade statue, commissioned by powerful mobster Akira Tanaka(Mako). It would be a 5 thousand dollar payday to orchestrate what seems like an easy task, but Cory's greed and avarice throws a cog in Akira's plans. Cory is to take all of Tanaka's money, kill the thieves(an unhinged Laurene Landon and Dick Miller offers another cameo), and set up Clay as the one responsible for the botched job. But, a wounded Clay delivers the jade statue to Jim and Burt before dying. With the money, Cory goes into hiding, with Tanaka targeting the Roth family desiring to get the statue he must provide to a major Yakuza boss arriving by plane in the coming days. Kidnapping Tommy Roth(Fred Olen Ray regular Brett Huff), and torturing him with acupuncture needles, Tanaka and his men will stop at nothing to secure the statue, but waging war with Burt and Jim may not be the smartest idea despite how powerful and dangerous a threat they are. When Tanaka captures Jim's wife and daughter, as well as show him his slain brother, Tommy(..whose courageous escape attempt ends in a shot gun blast to the chest), there'll be hell to pay. Another development is that one of the thieves, Deborah(Landon)didn't die after all(..she's one tough chick)and wants the money Cory took from her.I imagine it was a dream come true for director Fred Olen Ray to obtain the star power of Carradine and LVC in his movie. To have them in a war with Mako, Michael Berryman, and a litany of mobster vermin must've been a joy. FOR also has two major action set pieces, the double-cross when Cory betrays Clay, with hired guns(..paid by Cory)blasted in their cars before they could cause any damage. There's the Chinatown showdown where Carradine faces off with Mako and his goons(..my biggest disappointment was not seeing LVC getting to partake in the festivities very long). There's also a chase where a cop pursues a wounded Berrymen, with innocent bystanders(..in their vehicles)impacted, resulting in car crashes(..and FOR gets to demolish a telephone booth). Carradine's Jim has some plot development as FOR establishes some trauma that has left scars from a combat experience in Vietnam. Berryman seems to be having fun as one of Mako's assassins. Unfortunate for me, LVC doesn't have as substantial a role in the movie as I, a major fan, would prefer, but he was on up in age by this time. When Carradine tosses grenades at Mako's gunmen, explosions hurl lots of stuntmen in the air.I think fans of low budget action, not expecting strong acting or a challenging plot, might enjoy this rather straight-forward, undemanding, uncomplicated B-movie. Carradine's revenge over Mako("Rest in Pieces.")is certain to amuse. Brett Huff has a great scene where Mako and company seek information, using torturous methods which would make most squeal, not allowing them to benefit from his anguish. LVC, in his seventies, gets a chance to kick some ass, punishing a pack of loathsome customers looking to start some crap when they enter Jim and Burt's bar. Lois Hamilton, as Carradine's wife, gets to blow away a bad guy with a machine gun in a memorable final scene after a car is driven into Jim and Burt's bar! Another rather unfulfilling scenario for me was not seeing Cory get his comeuppance in gruesome style(..while he does pay, it's not nearly the fate he deserves for the trouble he has caused).

There are two sides to every war. There are the chivalrous heroes and the treacherous villains. The honorable heroes include Burt Roth (the late Lee Van Cleef), and his sons, Vietnam Vets Jim (David Carradine), Tommy (Brent Huff), and Private Eye Clay Roth (David Goss). This close-knit family will either go down fighting or stand together in victory.Now, meet the worthy adversaries. The ringleader is Akira Tanaka (Mako), the insidious mob boss who controls the Japanese Yakuza in Los Angeles. This antagonist gives new meaning to the word "evil." Then, there is F.C. (Michael Berryman, star of THE HILLS HAVE EYES), a gigantic bodyguard who is seemingly unstoppable. When this guy gives you a fortune cookie, be afraid...be very afraid. Get ready to panic, for that is just a sign of heinous things to come...The setting is the mean streets of Los Angeles's Chinatown. The object of affection is a priceless Jade statue. The Yakuza has intended to use this statue as a "gift" of reconciliation aimed towards the Chinese mob. However, after murdering one of his own perfidious men, Tanaka realizes that the statue is in the hands of someone else. Tanaka wants this Jade statue back...and he is willing to torture any soul just to obtain that prized possession...The Roth family realizes that after one of their own kin unwittingly clutches the Jade statue in his hands, Tanaka is targeting them for termination. They have no choice. The Roth family has only one option: WAR. The forces of good and evil will clash in a fists-and-firepower battle. The Roth family is prepared...for an ARMED RESPONSE...One of the best characteristics of ARMED RESPONSE is its all-star cast. With favorites including David Carradine, Lee Van Cleef, Mako, Michael Berryman, et. al., ARMED RESPONSE is armed with a terrific cast. The cast is glooming with talented character actors and actresses. Both David Carradine and Lee Van Cleef are capable as a father-and-son fighting duo who are bonded by courage, strength, and honor. Carradine may not portray the most poignant Vietnam Veteran, but at least his character still has intermittent flashbacks of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Mako is great as the sadistically evil bad guy who is a master of torture! He may be an intelligent nemesis, but sadism is his true forte. Ross Hagen is cool as a back-stabbing con artist who is posing as a detective. This guy is only interested in making a profit. Laurene Landon (MANIAC COP) and Dick Miller (GREMLINS) are amusing as a couple of thieves who are also weapons experts, mind you. Michael Berryman plays it straight as Tanaka's right-hand henchman. ARMED RESPONSE features some of the best exploitation veterans in this particular genre.ARMED RESPONSE is not bad for a B-movie. For a mere budget of probably no more then a million dollars, this film features a lot of explosive car crashes and high caliber thrills. ARMED RESPONSE is reasonably fast-paced with a few expertly directed action scenes and stunts. Another redeeming factor is the film's fatuous sense of humor. In a way, ARMED RESPONSE satirizes on the action genre itself, poking fun at certain types of characters, behavioral characteristics, and character stereotypes. This film also benefits by having a few interesting one-liners...Though ARMED RESPONSE is much better than some of the competition, it is still, nonetheless, a low budget film with its defects. Though the cast is excellent, the material and plot are very simplistic. This movie is nothing more then a simple tale of "heroes with a vengeance." There are a few twisted deviations, but those are nothing exceptional. If only the characters and story-line had more insight, then maybe this movie could have been an outstanding thriller. I also kind of resent the Asian stereotypes. Not since "Fu Manchu" has there been such a negative portrayal of Asians. "Here we go once again...the evil yellow man torturing the valiant white hero." That quote is a classic example of the villain pointing out the jingoistic attitudes of some Americans.If you want to see an enjoyable B-movie, then look no further. Your search has ended here! This is one of Fred Olen Ray's first and foremost action films. ARMED RESPONSE is definitely worth a Saturday night rental. Granted, some people may detest this movie's blatant jingoism, but the overall permeating silliness of this movie makes you glad that it was made strictly for fun. This movie does not demand to be taken seriously at all!Overall, the production values of ARMED RESPONSE are adequately adept, especially for a low budget film. This film is almost worth **1/2, but sadly, the film's ethic biases bring this film down a notch.ARMED RESPONSE is an unrealized action flick that did not deserve to be ignored by critics. Though this movie may fall short of being an ambitious thriller, it works perfectly as a perfunctory, crowd-pleasing lunacy for action fans. ARMED RESPONSE may be junk food, but it is certainly delicious.RATING: ** out of ****.