aka Rage To Kill
( 1986 / USA / Germany )
Review By-Paul Cooke Director: Ernst R. Von Theumer Starring: Stewart Granger , Candice Daly , Maud Adams , Romulo Arantes , Russ McCubbin & George Lazenby Source : Victor / NTSC VHS Japan / Full Screen Presentation / Hi Fi Mono Sound / English Language / Small Japanese Subtitles
‘‘I only regret that I couldn’t shoot their eyes out personally’’
Something is stirring down in the jungle , and its not Tarzan’s loin cloth !. Forget the call of nature as this nasty little number has eight legs and you wouldn’t want to give it a platform to swing from. It’s a rare breed of spider who’s venom is being collected by a crazed Nazi scientist and being formulated into a toxin that can wipe out humanity !. Featuring English actor and Hollywood great Stewart Granger , in a rare bad guy role towards the end of his screen career , as a crazed World War Two Nazi Germany survivor still working for the Nazi cause. Intent on purifying the human race in the name of Hitler he has eluded capture for crimes against humanity and has spent the peace years in hiding preparing a deadly and lethal strike upon an unsuspecting mankind.
Maud Adams plays the role of Amanda , a dedicated Nazi Hunter , who gets too close to Stewart Granger’s character Martin Hoffmann , and in so doing loses her own life in attaining crucial information for her fellow war crime vigilantes. When her daughter Ally , portrayed by the very attractive Candice Daly , flies out to Rio De Janiero in Brazil for the funeral she soon becomes embroiled in events that draw her into a world of life threatening peril.
Ally hooks up with a mercenary by the name of Tonio , another Conrad Nichols ‘Rush’ , ‘Rage’ clone with the dark brooding looks and Action man physique , and together they take on the bad guys as well as finding time to engage in some one on one Action of their own. Candice Daly is one sexy G.I. Jungle Jane , feisty as heck and showing off her very welcome curves in a waterfall sequence that sets the kinky kettle whistle blowing amidst the steamy locale. Once those firm breasts burst onto the scene you just know its time to dial up the love doctor and Tonio has just the stethoscope that she has been waiting for !.
The movie rolls along like a Forties styled serial with many a cliff hanger moment to revel in. Tonio has a strong female partner named Nelia , a sallow skinned beauty who knows how to look after herself in a fight as well as being more than capable with a selection of weapons. The three of them set about retrieving a diary made by Ally’s mother , which sets out the location and other important information about Hoffman. In order to get to the destination they call upon the services of a local boats man and all round tough guy appropriately named Kong. Nelia takes to Kong like Fay Wray and is eager to climb his Empire State right to the very top. Nelia gets to deliver what is the best of many wry moments of dialogue when she is asked ‘‘Why do you smoke cigars !?’’ , to be suggestively hit right back with ‘‘I like the feel of long pointy things in my mouth !’’. The freedom fighting foursome are a force to be reckoned with and pretty soon Stewart Granger has more than his share of swashbucklers knocking at his door and looking to cross swords.
Hoffman’s insidious plan is to introduce his deadly spider serum into the Los Angeles reservoir system , the drinking water being an instantaneous method of genocide to the masses. Assisting him in his insane cause is a guy named Heinrich , played by none other than one time James Bond George Lazenby , and getting about as much screen time here as his moment of delivering the line ‘‘The name’s Bond , James Bond’’. Lazenby must have been holidaying in the region or repaying a favour to someone involved with making the movie . He is literally seen twice for no more than a minute in total before disappearing completely with no explanation at all !?. The highs and lows of a movie star could not be more evident.
Eighties Jungle Action at its most entertaining is served up with a platter of Fun characters , a very sexy female lead in Candice Daly and a bizarrely agreeable mad scientist turn from Stewart Granger still looking good into his Seventies. The mercenaries versus the Nazis finale is gung ho goodness with plenty of gun Action , along with the requisite exploding hut and makeshift building structure. Watch the movie and be sure to rewind the tape back to the waterfall sequence and revel all over again in the splendour of the lovely Candice Daly , a young starlet at the peak of perfection with dials to die for and a chassis worth every spare moment to buff.
© 2006 cinema-nocturna.com