MEN OF WAR (Perry Lang, 1994)

[Craigie-Boy]

I haven't actually seen the Bourne movies, so I can't pass judgement on them, or whether I think he makes a decent action star. Look back to when Keanu was making the Bill & Ted movies (which are awesome, by the way!) - who'd have ever thought he would emerge in the 90s as an action star? Who expected Will Smith to go from The Fresh Prince to appearing in Bad Boys and Independence Day?! A certain actor may not look like your typical action star, but as the above examples demonstrate, appearances can be deceiving.

The beefed-up hulks of the 80s (Arnie, Sly, Dolph, etc) gave way in the 90s to the likes of Keanu and Will, but as Dolphage pointed out, people are starting to want to see a return to the testosterone-fuelled one-man armies of yesteryear. Sly seems to have more or less kickstarted this by resurrecting Rocky and Rambo, and with a new Rambo on the way, and with Dolph bringing out multiple new films over the next couple of years, it looks as though those people are in for a treat!

[leigh1975]

So, who won the DVD competition, then???

[Jack Caine]

I just watched this again on tv last night for the first time in a year--the part where Keifer has the one-sided fight with Dolph at the bar. Suddenly I love this movie and need to own it. Is it easy to find in video stores at all?

[Jox]

Cool review from the inimitable Vern!
(from Ain't Cool News and his infamous book "Seagalogy")
http://outlawvern.com/2009/07/19/men-of-war/

[Jox]

Interesting stuff which I believe is accurate in the review comments

I had some involvement in the making of the movie and can tell you that you are kind of wrong about the script. John Sayles wrote the original screenplay many years before it got made, based on a story idea from the guy who gets story credit or co-story credit and may also be one of the producers on the movie, if my memory serves correctly. Reiff & Voris were brought in to update the script — it had been originally written before “PLATOON” came out in 1986 and was a much heavier Vietnam allegory type of story — add all the other characters to support Dolph as “Gunar” and pump up the action and humor.

A lot of great stuff from the John Sayles script remained in the shooting script and remains in the movie but pretty much all of the jokes and action and all the quirky supporting characters came from the other guys.

[Jox]

Theatrical trailer

[Mosquito]

Theatrical trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fyvik5sIsQs

Sweet...

[bomaz]

SPOILER
What is kinda cool today, it's that when I make a review of Avatar, I can tell that the story reminds me of Men Of War (yeah, and Pocahontas).

[Catty]

I enjoyed watching "Men of War" and yes it's the type of film you can watch again. The location was very nice (did some of that get destroyed later for another film?).

[Jox]

Did you know that MEN OF WAR was released as "THE PUNISHER 2" in Romania?! (thanks to Krom for the trivia)

[Mosquito]

Did you know that MEN OF WAR was released as "THE PUNISHER 2" in Romania?! (thanks to Krom for the trivia)

Of course. That makes total sense. It's almost the same setting and plot... *facepalm*

[dolphage]

Did you know that MEN OF WAR was released as "THE PUNISHER 2" in Romania?! (thanks to Krom for the trivia)

That's insane!

Can't be legal either.

[Jox]

Can't be legal either.

I don't know, but I don't think anybody would care what's it called in Romania. Actually the Germans were making up sequels too, back in the day KICKBOXER was retitled KARATE TIGER 3 and BEST OF THE BEST became KARATE TIGER 4 etc...

[Jox]

Japanese LD

[Jox]

New UK DVD cover