Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

"You lose." In Missing in Action 2, Soon-Tek Oh's soulless character says this phrase several times to the equally soulless character played by Chuck Norris. But when the movie is over, it is clear that the only real loser is the viewer himself. An hour and a half of life forever lost . . .. "I lost."

Chuck Norris returns as Col Braddock, in this inert sequel which shows how Norris escaped the prison camp in Vietnam. This clumsy and wooden sequel is so tedious that it feels more like "Chuck Norris on Gilligan's Island". Though Soon Tech Oh makes cuts a decent villian figure.

This is an above average prequel, with a good enough pace and good performances. It has a few shocking moments, and all the characters were pretty cool, plus Soon-Tek Oh is extremely menacing as the main villain. Chuck was somewhat bland at times in this, however, this was a challenging role, and for the most part he was up to the challenge as were the rest of the cast. It had a few dull moments here and there, and the characterizations could have been a bit better, however it's helped by a good enough, pace, good performances, and for the most part unpredictable. The finale is pretty exciting, and the story is kind of engaging, however it could have been a lot better, plus Chuck seemed to be a little bored in places. This is an above average prequel that's well worth a watch!. The Direction is good. Lance Hool does a good job, here with good camera work, good angles, nothing overly fancy but he got the job done, plus he kept the film at a good pace. There is a little bit of violence. We get quite a few bloody gunshot wounds, a couple gory impaling's, and a gory wound. The Acting is very good. Chuck Norris for the most part was fantastic as always, and really did good with some of his emotional scenes, however he looked bored at times, and as a result was kinda bland, however he kicks that ass, and for the most part was tons of fun to watch! (Norris rules!). Soon-Tek Oh is fantastic as the main villain, he is extremely menacing, evil, and was very interesting to watch, as he was so unpredictable!. Steven Williams does pretty good with what he had to do i liked him. Cosie Costa and John Wesley are both good with what they had to do. Rest of the cast do fine. Overall well worth a watch!. *** out of 5

It's not surprising to learn that Chuck Norris made this series as a tribute to his brother who had been killed in Vietnam. He really gave all that he had to these films. It may be manipulative but damn is it ever satisfying. The villains are the kind of loathsome scum whom you JUST CAN'T WAIT to see messed up in a variety of ways. And the good guys are fleshed out enough as characters that you do feel bad for them, and want to see them get their revenge. As one can guess, this is a prequel to the original "Missing in Action" film of 1984. It shows how Chucks' colonel character, James Braddock, was shot down and captured during the war, and the tortures that he and his men are obliged to endure for the next several years, even after the war has basically ended. The sadistic colonel in charge of his work camp, Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) acts like a dictator, and just when you think you can't hate this guy any more, he ups the stakes yet again. With Lance Hool taking the directors' reins, this proves to be a high old time for the action junkie, underscored by the genuine poignancy to be found in stories about prisoners of war. This is exciting much of the time, with kick ass battle footage, lots of explosions, lots of gunfire, and some breathtaking scenery. Chuck is a formidable hero as always, and Oh is a deliciously evil bad guy. Lending strong support are Cosie Costa, Joe Michael Terry, and especially John Wesley as the ailing Franklin. Steven Williams is good in an initially unlikable part as a captain eager to cooperate with his captors in exchange for better treatment. It's also cool to see hulking screen heavy Professor Toru Tanaka and "Ninja III: The Domination" villain David Chung as two of the guards. All in all, this is solid entertainment, complete with a high body count and never ever boring. Eight out of 10.

In 1972 Vietnam, Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) tags along on a mission and his helicopter gets hit. The men are captured Missing in Action. Ten years later, they are in a prison camp run by the ruthless Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) who demands Braddock's confession. Braddock is still holding out and only Nester has caved in to Colonel Yin. Even by the standards of cheesy 80's action movie, this is pretty bad. The action is poorly done but there are some explosions. The dialog is really bad. It is worthy of the worst of B-movies. The acting is pretty bad and Chuck Norris accounts for much of that. The movie is a simple prison movie without much of a compelling story.

I have seen lots of bad movies, but this one is so bad it's beyond belief. I hate these war films in the style "Americans are the best and all the others are garbage". I don't understand how can anyone shoot a "film" like this, how can anyone produce it, and how the hell can someone watch it..... The plot is about American soldiers constrained in Vietnam during the absurd USA-Vietnam war. Everything in the film is directed against Vietnamese people, Vietnamese are shown as evil, cruel bastards with no regret and Americans are shown as those who are always good, fair and against violence. I don't understand how could Chuck Norris condescend himself to something like this. How the hell can someone who in real features to be against violence, against racism and so on act in such a crap?? The "movie" is full of unnecessary brutal scenes, the whole atmosphere is depressive and racist. The fight scenes are terribly choreographed, Norris is slow and clumsy and he appeals very non-athletic. Besides Norris is a bad and wooden actor and so is the rest of the "actors" in this crap-movie. And what the hell was the end supposed to mean?? Terrible hand-to-hand combat with hardboiled murder at the very end?? Gosh!!! I beg everyone, If you have any discernment, never watch this. It's a violent and racist crap with no plot and no acting. If you want to have REAL entertainment with REAL martial arts watch for example Jackie Chan's Police Story!!!

When we last left Colonel James Braddock, he was shoving it up Vietnamese butt by barging into their press conference about how they didn't have any POWs in Vietnam with a POW he just rescued. Truly a fairy tale ending, but what about the beginning of the fairy tale? Missing in Action 2: The Beginning is his most personal mission of all! Because it's when he was a POW himself! Which we already saw in sporadic flashbacks in the first movie. Missing in Action 2: The Beginning shows the capture of Colonel Braddock (Chuck Norris) during the Vietnam war in the 1970s, his captivity with other American POWs in a brutal prison camp, and his plans to escape. Norris and his crew are holed up in a prison camp for the whole picture, ruled by tyrannical Colonel Yin (Soon-Tek Oh) who resorts to psychological mind games, torture and murder to try to make Braddock sign a statement admitting to war atrocities he never committed. There seems to be no end to the different scenarios and interesting scenes that play out during the film: escape attempts, arranged fights between prisoners, a guy who stumbles onto the prison camp and gets executed. Things really start to pick up when Braddock gets really mad and you see him sneaking here and there, setting bombs, picking off people one by one, freeing people, blowing up stuff, and staying behind after everyone leaves because he doesn't believe Yin really died when he bombed Yin's hut. But Chuck really delivers in the end, especially in his final feel good showdown with Yin. In my opinion, Missing in Action 2: The Beginning is the best of the Braddock movies, it's part action film and part action drama, which sets it apart from the other movies. The first time i ever watched this film was in the early 80's in the cinema and it was great, and i still think it's great...

The picture focuses Colonel Braddock (Chuck Norris) aboard a helicopter which is down . He is imprisoned , along with various Vietnam soldiers (Steven Williams , John Wesley..), by a hideous and sadist POW camp chief warden (Soon-Teck-Oh) and underlings (professor Tanaka..) . The tough Braddock continuously attempts to free the prisoners held captives and they receive numerous tortures and sufferings in charge of the concentration camp wardens and their evil ruler . The screenplay of the movie is plain and simple . It's a predictable routine and formula actioner film . It's all obvious , unconvincing and overblown . However if you appealed the first part , you'll probably love this picture . It deals upon horrible conditions of prisoners and grueling efforts of the meager band of captives to survive , confronting starvation , mistreats , rampage and continuous violence by hitting , punches , lashes , knocks and incredible tortures . Storyline is a bit ridiculous , embarrassing and shallow , it concerns on prisoners trying to escape and subsequent revenge executed by Braddock as a headstrong and reckless Colonel . In the wake of : ¨Uncommon valor¨ (directed by Ted Kocheff) and ¨Rambo II¨ (by George Pan Cosmatos) and Norris imitating to Silvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger as one army man , shooting and killing numerous enemies The film results to be the second installment from a trilogy , concerning the first ¨Missing in action¨ (made by Joseph Zito) on Braddock accused of war crimes by a Vietnam general and he then escapes to free inmates ; this second part (directed by Lance Hool , the first one 's producer) about tortures and Braddock suffering in a prisoner camp , and the third part (directed by Aaron Norris , Chuck's brother , who in 'Missing in action 1' was the stunt coordinator) upon looking for his wife after downfall Saigon . Filmed back to back with Missing in action (1984) , this picture was supposed to be released first . However , when ¨Cannon¨ realized the second film was the better of the two , they released it first and re-titled this movie as a prequel . The three films contain ominous and villain enemies played by oriental actors (James Hong , Soon Teck Oh , Aki Aelong) with offensive racial stereotypes . Nice support cast formed by Steven Williams (TV L.A. Heat) and Professor Tanaka (a wrestler who possessed incredible strength) who was arguably the successor to Harald Sakata (Golfinger) as the archetypal Asian henchman . Appropriate musical score by Jay Chattaway and adequate as well as atmospheric cinematography by cameraman Joao Fernandez , filmed on location in Philippines . The motion picture was middlingly directed by Lance Hool , also producer . Rating : Average but entertaining . The motion picture will appeal to Chuck Norris fans .

What makes Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, is not the great supporting cast of Cosie Costa, Professor Toru Tanaka, Steven Williams or Joe Michael Terry: Nor is it the effacious use of props such as "the tree" or Francois' helicopter. Simply put the storyline which was developed by the renowned writer Steven Bing, makes the film a simple test of wills between Colonel Braddock(Chuck Norris) and Colonel Yin(Soon-Teck Oh)! Yin's incessant prodding of Braddock to obtain a confession is very well articulated. Yin's methods of persuasion(including the torturing of Opelka, the kidney punches by Lao, and the overdose of opium given to Franklin) are almost as persistent as Braddock's capability to survive them, and yet not give in to Yin's signed statement of "confession". In the end the realistic action sequencing, and excellent auteur directing by Lance Hool, make Missing in Action 2: The Beginning a film to be seen and enjoyed by all fans of great film.

For many years I have enjoyed Chuck Norris. Now I can say that one of his movies made me cry. This movie was an absolute heart-stopper, tear-jerker, and gut-wrencher. This is a total psychological flick, exposing to the viewers the horrors of Asian prison camps. Of course, Norris busts out in the end with his comrades. After watching this movie one feels like a true American. If you can't crack open a Budwieser and wear a t-shirt with an American flag on the front you shouldn't watch this movie. This makes me think of Bruce Springstein's Born in the U.S.A. The only thing missing from this movie was Billy Drago, of course. All in all, a worthwile and moving flick to view. Rent it right now, or better yet, buy it.