Zebra Force (1976)

There seems to be a lot of confusion between this film from 1976 and another made later in 1987 as both films get called 'The Zebra Force' or 'Code Name-Zebra'. On IMDb itself the wrong poster is given to this film. Both films were directed by Joe Tornatore. The 1987 film is the sequel to the 1976 film with the character Carmine Longo appearing in both. The version I saw called itself 'Code Name-Zebra'.This film is about war veterans donning disguises and taking on the Mafia and breaking up their operations, mainly by killing people. The mob boss with an impressive mustache brings in an enforcer from Detroit, Carmine Longo with an even more impressive mustache, to deal with the situation. So there is talk followed by action followed by talk etc. You could probably write the script yourself though the final scene did surprise me. The film stock is grainy and the action uses slow motion too much and the acting itself is stilted and amateur but for some reason I found it rather charming. A good print in the original format would be worth seeing even if only to enjoy/cringe at those 1970's fashions.

Makeup has a great deal to do with this story, so much so that it could have been given Oscar consideration. You won't even know how much until the very end of the filmHaving said that The Zebra Force is one incredibly dumb action adventure film where a group of Vietnam veterans who were an elite unit have taken to ripping off the Mafia, known here as 'The Outfit'. They've done this in such a way that the blame is being placed on a local group of black gangsters whom The Outfit considers are getting too uppity. A nice little gang war erupts before the truth is known and most of the cast is killed.The Zebra Force seems very much to be influenced by Sam Peckinpah and his work. A few slow motion violence ballets are in this film, but believe this ain't Peckinpah.Makeup great, the rest of it you can have.

When I was a kid, the genre to which CNZ belongs was called 'commando' or 'superaction—violence'. And it might prove a bit more interesting to discuss genres than to discuss this one movie. Yet a word or two have to be said, as this is Robert Z'Dar's first role.Zdarsky, 34 yrs in his first movie performance, was just embarking on a career of bizarre and unique Z features; you should see at least another 7 of his movies.He was a Palance for the '80s Z movies. I can confess, with a straight face, being something of a Zdarsky _completist. And if u ain't, u ain't. Using electronic music, the '80s thrillers could be quite suspenseful; and Zdarsky was a part of that mind—bending suspense.CODE NAME ZEBRA, a silly action movie or _actioner, like you have seen so many if you grew up in the '80s, like you should have, might have been a flick for the guys but is on the other hand an almost unique and perhaps even deliberate specimen of nasty acting coming both from the Mafiosi (Carmine, Charlie and the others) and the quasi—vigilantes; some men who fought in Vietnam now join together to form a band of almost vigilantes.As you wouldn't have believed, they're ingeniously disguised, by wearing amazingly efficient masks, as Afro—American citizens; but then again, the movie's insulting to the army by the atmosphere of idiocy that identifies the reunions of these former soldiers.CNZ is poor in action, a couple of scenes with derisory effects; most of the movie is people sitting, talking, planning, doing grimaces, but I would lie if I wouldn't admit that I have watched the whole movie avidly. Too much of a '80s _actioners fan.

This is nothing more that an excuse for a bunch of scenes of slaughter. It has virtually no plot or motivation. The characters are stereotypical and really questionable actors. Their reason for doing what they do wouldn't stand up under any scrutiny. It's the Zebra force against the Mafia. I don't know why because it's never clear. If they are both basically evil, why don't the just stay away from each other. There's virtually no conversation and when it happens it is senseless and pointless. The old running back, Timmy Brown, is in it. So is the Sinatra kid. It's a monumental waste of time. There isn't even the "bad movie" syndrome at work here.