Search and Destroy

Filmed in 1978 and showing its age, "Search & Destroy" is a monotone action film which instead of offering diversion attempts to conjure up the bitterness of Vietnam War veterans in a standard vengeance format. Grim, humorless nature of most of the pic bodes ill on the grind circuit.

Simple plot line begins in 1968 when a Vietnamese official (Park Jong Soo) being escorted by a U. S. Special Forces unit refused to aid a wounded G. I., looking out for his own skin instead. The G. I.'s four buddies were understandably angry and left Soo behind to face the VietCong alone.

Picking up 10 years later, Soo, (with disfigured hand encased in black glove as audience identifier), is in the U. S. methodically killing off the quartet. Last two survivors, Kip (Perry King) and Buddy (Don Stroud) are ambushed at Niagara Falls by Soo early in the film, leaving Buddy paralyzed and Kip fighting mad. Film's last hour is the one on one war, with local cops powerless and Kip's girlfriend (Tisa Farrow) listening to Kip's resentful pronouncements concerning the "unfinished war".

Photogenic views of Niagara Falls are the main interest in "Search & Destroy". Canadian helmer William Fruet gets a couple of kung fu fights over with early on, packing bulk of the pic with unconvincing automatic weapons battles and Buddy Van Horn-guided chases around town. Cast performs adequately, though Soo's villain is expressionless and lacking in the required hint of menace.

My review was written in June 1981 after Midtown Manhattan screening.