( 1988 /USA/Thailand )
( 1988 /USA/Thailand )
Review by Paul Cooke
Director: Philip Chalong Starring: Erik Estrada , Sorapong Chatree , Pierre Delalande , Christoph Kluppel & James Phillips Source : Doberman Japanese VHS / Full Screen Presentation / English Language with non removable Japanese Subtitles‘‘Any man who helps us and comes back alive we will let go free’’
As Saigon falls , a platoon of twenty American soldiers battles through the jungle of Kampuchea seeking the border to freedom. Led by Lieutenant Oliver and urged on by Sergeant Curt , played by an impressively fit and very well looking Erik Estrada , the band of men fight off a rear assault by chasing Vietnamese soldiers. The jungle back drop is impressive , and the barrage of shoulder bearing big guns tear through the foliage with their unloading full metal jackets. The all Action opening leads the American force to an old temple under the cover of darkness and an overhead storm. When lightening strikes the temples holy shrine it tears open a hole in the rock face , and when a golden light shines forth the soldiers investigate. What they discover is a man sized golden idol. Greed overcomes the Lieutenant and he orders his men to retrieve the statue and bring it along with them , as its value is clearly worth a fortune.
Carrying the priceless antiquity upon a four man bearing stretcher slows their escape and Sergeant Curt is more concerned at getting everyone home rather than cashing in on an ill gotten gain of war. Oliver reluctantly decides to hide the idol in a rock side cavern , clearly marked by the facia of a religious engraved face , with the intention of returning for the bounty after the war. The overpowering force of avarice leads him to turn upon his own men as he unerringly shoots them dead , looking down upon their startled faces from beside the safely hidden precious icon. The quick witted Sergeant escapes with a shoulder wound back out into the jungle and eludes Oliver’s chase as he slips and descends into a river , drifting down stream to be rescued by a young Thai woman.
For the next passing years the two men follow a different lifestyle , Erik Estrada’s character setting up home with his attractive young saviour and together raising a daughter , whilst back in the U.S.A Lieutenant Oliver is unwittingly decorated for bravery and ascends to the rank of Major. With the regular news of American soldiers still missing in action it gives Major Oliver the perfect cover to plan a mission back into Vietnam , his true intensions to recover the lost idol. Once he returns through Thailand he soon receives unexpected news that his old war companion sergeant Curt is still very much alive , and in order to successfully retrieve the idol he knows he will need all the help he can get.
Major Oliver visit’s a Bangkok club to rekindle an old business relationship with a local businessman , and through this contact he procures a group of seasoned soldiers of fortune. The biggest and toughest of the bunch being a huge German fighter , built like a brick outhouse and looking like a bulldozer with pectorals and piston driven biceps fit to burst. This is none other than the mighty Christoph Kluppel and a very intimidating bison of man mountain destructiveness he proves to be. With his team pulled together Oliver abducts Curt’s daughter as an insurance to ensure his old sergeant comes along for the retrieval mission. With his family left safely behind Curt reluctantly goes along for the journey , and what lies ahead proves to be an Action outing of explosive ‘B’ movie pleasing proportions !.
In the heart of Kampuchea , where the idol is hidden , at the foot of the land mark holy face insignia now sits the base camp for a Vietnamese soldier encampment. The odds against attaining the golden statue just increased greatly , and to add to their woes Cambodian army intelligence , as led by one of Thailand’s familiar faces and regular Action stars Sorapong Chatree , are also closing in upon the whereabouts of the lost idol. With so much at stake and so little time to strike it is no surprise that all three factions soon clash and the stage is set for a colossal collision of all out war.
In true Thai movie making Action finale fashion the last twenty minutes is an edge of the seat , crowd pleasing , rip roaring charge of the ‘fight’ brigade !. The huge Chrisoph Kluppel pummels anyone who stands in his way , the Brent Huff of Thai Action cinema Sorapong Chatree leads the line as the Asian Action hero intent on stopping the bad guys , and of course Erik Estrada gets to blast his way across the screen as he heads towards ending Major Oliver’s quest for egocentric wealth.
You know when a ‘B’ movie of this caliber is going to stand out not just by its wealth of solid ‘B’ movie actors but by the introduction of real helicopters !. No dodgy ply wood miniatures appear until one staggeringly funny moment during the climax , when the makers go all out with a paltry looking whirly bird explosion , set off by a mirth rendering back projection that makes those old Harold Lloyd movies seem real !. It’s all part of the Big Fun on display here though as ‘The Lost Idol’ is actually a Lost gem of ‘B’ movie Action brilliance. Erik Estrada looks in superb shape , and looks younger and fitter than during his earlier Television days of ‘C.H.I.P.s’. This is what Saturday matinee movie mayhem is all about , never taking itself seriously and pulling no punches in the entertainment department. The lush jungle setting of Thailand is beautiful to behold , and once again Thai movie Director Philip Chalong has delivered an audience rousing all out Action ride to revel in. This one’s more than a Thai , its an all out winner !.
