Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Dorathen Better Late Then Never

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Comeuppance Reviews When Col. Halloran (Keith) assigns Gunnery Sgt. Burns (Dryer) and his young Marines - including Ramirez (Gian) and Ruggieri (Mitchell) - to the turbulent middle east country of Jemal, despite the willingness of the local military to use their help, at first they don't get to do too much. This is thanks to the politically correct, out-of-touch views of Ambassador Virgil Morgan (Winfield), who doesn't want to step on any toes. But Morgan, and the rest of the Americans, get a rude dose of reality in the form of a terrorist named Jihad (Tarkington) who is orchestrating acts of terror in the region. A photographer, Elli Baumann (Pacula) is documenting his rise to power. When he and his goons kidnap some of Burns' men, including Halloran, Burns decides to take matters into his own hands and becomes a one-man army bent on revenge! Will he face death, dishonor, or NEITHER? Find out today! Death Before Dishonor is a classic example of the Reagan-era patriotism film. It features good, noble Americans doing heroic deeds - and in this era of cynicism, irony and anti-Americanism, movies like this are not only highly refreshing, but also needed. It was just nice to see America portrayed as upstanding good guys for a change, something you rarely, if ever, see on TV these days. Based on the subject matter, the movie is perhaps more relevant today than it was back when it was released. They should release Death Before Dishonor back into theaters! Now wouldn't that be something? The great Fred Dryer is always cool, whether he's initiating his new Marines (which mainly involves a lot of beer-chugging and grunting), or chasing/shooting the baddies. The movie is peppered with little standout moments, and it all plays out as if an episode of Hunter took place in Iraq or Afghanistan. It was nice to see Dryer act out his personal vendetta, with the full might of the 1980's-era military. Of course, you know the main baddie is really bad when his name is Jihad. Kind of a dead giveaway that he might be a dangerous Arab terrorist. Of course, there is the prerequisite machine gun shooting, as well as the prerequisite torture, but Dryer gets off some great lines and is a leader you can believe in.It was also cool to see a young Sasha Mitchell here in the ranks, before his Kickboxer 2 (1991) and Class of 1999 II (1994) (and of course Step by Step) fame. Joanna Pacula did the best she could in kind of an unnecessary role, and an off-camera Franco Columbu is credited as "body building coach". Because you're definitely going to need Columbu to work your quads so you can be in the proper shape to stop the terrorist bad guys. In all, "Death Before Dishonor" is sort of "What you see is what you get". It's a nice package of action where the good guys are good and the bad guys are bad. And in our uncertain, confusing times that we live in today, that's a comfort. Recommended.

lost-in-limbo I don't know how many times I've come across the film in stores that were selling their ex-rental tapes, to have the film in my hands to only put it back. I don't know why; as it seemed it could be a juicy throwback to the Reagan era of dumb-down patriotic action set in the Middle East. "Delta Force" anyone. Well after watching it, you can't say it disappoints on that point. Strangely it starts of slow, but then its wears its pride with ridiculous glee with gung-ho activity with brutal and unsparing carnage as the tersely hardened Fred Dyer goes berserk (sometimes with a rocket launcher, all maybe a shotgun) when one of his men and close friend/colonel are kidnapped by Arab terrorists who are working with some German/or were they Russian mercenaries. I'll go German. They were extremely evil too, especially in their intro were they completely demolish a dinner table by machine gun and I almost forgot a diplomatic family. Dyer's Sgt. character likes to do things his way, but Paul Winfield's American ambassador does things by the book. They clash in the most clichéd manner, but this won't stop Dyer. He wants payback. And boy does he get it. So what we get is explosions galore… you know suicidal bombing, slow-motion car chases that end in explosions and then the chaotic ambush filled with explosions / gunfire at the bad guy's hideout. Throw in robotic bad guys - the German pair takes the cake, cringe-worthy torture, stilted dialogues, macho posturing, marine instincts, flag waving, dummy stunt work and a stunning Joanna Pacula as an internationalist photographer. The material is quite one-sided in its viewpoint, but because of this it manages to strike some unintentional laughs in its leave no one behind mindset. Brian May contributes to the funky score. Simple, raw and cheap, but effectively busy in what it sets out to achieve; chintzy, but no-bull action exploitation that makes a lot of noise. "You're dead marine"

Corpus_Vile Some Spoilers to followFred Dryer (That guy who played bad ass cop Hunter on TV in the 80s) is bad ass veteran of um, El Salvador, Gunnery Sgt Burns, who is sent to the fictitious country and terrorist haven of Jemal, to whip Jemali terrorist ass, which he does with gritty gusto. However, the terrorists kidnap his crusty cigar chomping superior Brian Keith, and subject him to a spot of surprisingly graphic power drill torture, partly to get information, and partly for chuckles because they're evil. Not only that, they then evilly suicide bomb the US embassy, killing his buddy. Burns goes ballistic, but is hampered by a lot of wussy crap from uptight pen pushing US Ambassador to Jemal Paul Winfield, who constantly bleats things like "You gotta do this by the book Sergeant! By the book!!" However, Gunnery Sgt. Burns is bad ass, played Hunter and does things his way by gawd, and to hell with the consequences, so Winfield's whining only enrages him and causes him to whip even more terrorist ass, this time aided by a handy and intrepid Israeli hit squad, (Who fortunately happen to be in Jemal on an ass kicking mission at the time) thanks to that damn girlie Ambassador Winfield and his "My hands are tied, by the book!" b.s. Death Before Dishonour is critically... well, not great. However, it more than makes up for this with cheerful xenophobia, awesome bad ass-ery and testosterone fueled cheese. It also obligingly throws in scenes of evil German terrorist ringleaders in cahoots with those sneaky Jemalis, heroic soldiers who fearlessly throw themselves in front of grenades before patriotically gasping "Take... me... home... sir!" and hot Polish babe Joanna Pacula as a mysterious and alluring war photographer, and will sadden you that the cold war is over, as they just don't make 'em like this no more.Recommended for rabid right wingers, angry loners, addled military vets, stoners and lovers of jingoistic cheesy goodness, such as myself.

BuzzardHawk This was typical of the one-sided, unintentionally funny, and jingoistic action movies that came out during the Reagan Administration, and as such, clearly shows its age.See Edward Zwick's "The Siege" instead.