Men of War

Example #242 in movies that sound too crazy to exist:  Men of War, starring Dolph Lundren as “Nick the Swede” who, with his team of misfit soldiers, invades a small island in Thailand to persuade the natives to sign away their mineral rights. Add in a cartoonish rival merc villain, alluring native girls plus a canoe full of ammunition and you’ve got a familiar recipe for a forgettable direct-to-video mid-90’s action entry.  Only this Seven Samurai rehash happens to be written by Oscar-nominated screenwriter John Sayles.

Haunted by his past but addicted to the excitement, Nick (Lundgren) decides to get back into the game when his old mentor recommends him for a new gig.  After recruiting his team and adding a new member along the way (Catherine Bell of JAG), the realization hits that he’s fighting for the wrong side. Outnumbered and outgunned, Nick and the natives make one last stand to protect their island paradise from the encroaching army of capitalism.

Ironically, the pristine fishing village used to film the locations for Men of War is now a high-priced resort.  But that’s probably the only thing predictable about this gorgeously photographed and surprisingly gentle action vehicle for the former Rocky villain, who shot this one between more typical B-movie fare like Pentathlon and Hidden Assassin.  Sayles’ script – which was given a hefty rewrite once Dolph was cast – focuses on his usual themes of the exploitation and abuse of those living under the thumb of capitalist aggression.  And you don’t get much more aggressive than the pumped-up cast here, which includes the late Tom Lister Jr. as a mutinous man-mountain who gives Dolph a good run for his money.

But it’s the way director Perry Lang soft-sells the situation that makes his movie stand apart. Shot anamorphically, the film feels like a major production, taking full advantage of the exotic location in a way that even rival jungle combat movies like Rambo 2 didn’t manage to pull off (a few music cues lifted from Predatordon’t hurt either). There are a number of creative compromises along the way, but Men of War is the kind of sleeper title hidden on the home video shelf fans dream of discovering on two-for-one night.

So it’s a perfect fit for the latest Blu-ray addition to the MVD Rewind Collection, packaged up like an old VHS rental cassette.  A solid transfer is paired up with a quick director’s intro, archival Making Of, raw footage, photo gallery, trailer and mini-poster.

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