The ancient videotape of "Combat Corps" that I watched had silly Dutch subtitles and it even translated the title as "Fresh meat for seven bastards". Admittedly it sounds somewhat like an inferior spaghetti western, but this translated title pretty much covers the load, I'd say! "Combat Corps" is a typical early 70's exploitation product, in other words it's a mean-spirited, raw and barbaric film with extremely low production values and rough editing and directing. The plot is as rudimentary and derivative as can be: a band of mercenaries are on their way to a conflict in Central America and make a stop in a sleepy little town near the Mexican border. They're a bunch of despicable and rancid pigs that entertain themselves by terrorizing the intimidated local peasants and sexually humiliating their wives & daughters. When they also capture a free-spirited female hitch-hiker, her hippie boyfriend (along with one group member who's fed up with the others' behavior) has the guts to fight back. "Combat Corps" isn't suitable for many audiences, but highly recommended in case you're a fan of gritty drive-in exploitation trash. The sexual harassment sequences are reasonable unpleasant, but near the beginning there's a very cool and memorable showdown scene with a couple of bikers. In spite of its obscurity status, "Combat Corps" stars a few familiar names like Alex Rocco, Michael Pataki and Jennifer Billingsley.
