Navy Seals (1990)

[Neville]

Plot: During a succesful raid in an Arab country, a Seal team locates several crates containing Stinger missiles. During the following months the same team tracks the terrorist group in possession of the weapons, but tensions among the team members arise after one of them is killed in action.

Comments:  This movie puzzles me. Although shot in 1990 it's basically an 80s action film. And you know the drill, they came in two fashions, there are the good ones and the silly ones. And then, I might add, there's "Navy Seals". It switches from competent to absolutely ludicrous in a matter of seconds, and then it does again. Like 10 times.

Basically, its main problem is that whoever wrote it used "Top gun" and its silliness as a model. So we are led to believe that these über soldiers happen to be absolute jerks in their spare time. Specially Charlie Sheen. His mullet is already as hilarious (and non army) as they come, but his Maverick impression borders on the psychotic. At one point he jumps from a moving jeep down to a river. For kicks. Later he "rescues" his car from a moving tow. From a bike. And he locks lips with another guy in order to defuse a bar fight. I think. And his partner, Michael Biehn, is not much better. While trying to obtain information from a reluctant journalist with contacts in the Middle East, he places her in the middle of a target practice exercise. Earlier, while giving her a guided tour around the Seal training facility, he casually mentions most of the Seal members are there because it's fun. Mmm... right. I can see why a world power would want to leave their most secret ops in the hands of adrenaline junkies. Oh, wait, I can't.

But then, there are the action scenes. There are just a few of them, but they all are above average. The night raid on a cargo vessel benefits from the use of a real ship as a location, and director Lewis Teague, of "Alligator" and "Jewel of the Nile" fame manages to inject it with some suspense. And the final scenes in war torn Beirut* just kick ass. They're brutal and surprisingly atmospheric, and towards the end they lead into a lenghty chase where almost every army in the city takes a shot at erradicating the Seals. Lots of fun.

* To my surprise, I later learned that the city that stands for a debastated Beirut is Algeciras, a coastal village in the south of Spain. Either the art directors of the film are very good (which I doubt) or the place was in need of serious reform.  

[Flick James]

Basically, its main problem is that whoever wrote it used "Top gun" and its silliness as a model. So we are led to believe that these über soldiers happen to be absolute jerks in their spare time. Specially Charlie Sheen. His mullet is already as hilarious (and non army) as they come, but his Maverick impression borders on the psychotic. At one point he jumps from a moving jeep down to a river. For kicks. Later he "rescues" his car from a moving tow. From a bike. And he locks lips with another guy in order to defuse a bar fight.

Good indicator why he was cast for Hot Shots.

Good assessment of the flick, Neville.

[metalmonster]

One Of The Best Action Films I've Ever Seen , Most Action Films Either Have A Long And Confusing Plotline Or No Plotline At All , But This One Has A Good , Simple And Easy To Follow Plotline , It Also Has Good Acting , And Believable Action Sequences