It is 1973 and the Paris Peace Talks are underway between the United States and Vietnam. The Vietnamese legation has requested that lead negotiator, Conrad Morgan (James Franciscus), approve the death of CIA operatives currently in captivity. Instead, he had a meeting with CIA Agent Murray Saunders (Lloyd Haynes) and suggested a rescue operation in the next 48 hours.
In Vietnam, Major John T Booker (Chuck Norris) and his elite commando squad known as the Black Tigers climb into a Huey. The team arrived at the site and quickly infiltrated. No sooner had they determined that no POWs were present than Viet Kong attacked. Not only were many of the Black Tigers killed, but the pickup helicopters never arrived. Abandoned, the remaining Black Tigers had to trek through the jungles to escape.
In 1978, Margaret (Anne Archer) approached Booker and asked him about that last mission. Of course, it was classified yet she somehow knew more about it than he did. Moreover, Agent Saunders contacted Booker and revealed that someone is killing the surviving Black Tigers. With the mysterious Margaret at his side, Booker set out to warn the remaining Tigers and uncover whoever was killing them.
This was the first Chuck Norris film I saw. Of course, it was absolutely awesome; I was 11. Watching it today, it is still a lot of fun, but it is short on martial arts. After this film, I was a fan of his and saw a string of his movies over the next several years. Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) was by far my favorite Chuck Norris film. Walker, Texas Ranger was an outgrowth of that movie. I was a consistent watcher of that show for the first couple seasons. His last noteworthy movie appearance was in The Expendables 2 (2012) where he played a legendary mercenary, Booker the Lone Wolf. That was one of the all-time great cameos.
Chuck Norris died this morning at the age of 86. RIP
No comments:
Post a Comment