Armed Response (1986)

"I've seen, heard and smelled things that would
curl your hair one second and straighten it the next." - Burt

A family enacts their revenge against criminals.
Starring: David Carradine, Lee Van Cleef, Ross Hagen, Brent Huff, and Mako

Link to IMDB

Jim

Jim Roth owns a bar where his entire family always gathers to spend time with each other. Besides Jim's wife and daughter, there are his younger brothers, Tommy and Clay, and the grumpy patriarch, Burt.

Most of them are ex-cops or ex-military, but Clay is a private investigator and his newest case is to help a well known criminal lord named Mr. Tanaka retrieve a stolen priceless statue. The family worries about this, but Clay and his partner, Cory, assure them it's a simple job that will pay well.

Things go even worse than anyone expected when Clay gets killed on the job, but what they don't know is that his death could have been prevented if Cory hadn't double-crossed him!



Now the Roth family know there's only one thing that they must do, which is to pull out their guns and avenge Cory's death. They go after Mr. Tanaka first, but all he wants is the missing statue so that he can use it as a peace offering between his rival gang. Jim and Burt get embroiled in Tanaka's plan in hopes that they'll get revenge against Cory, but will they still be able to protect their family!?

    Burt                                Cory                              Mr. Tanaka

This movie has a great mix of everything that made gritty crime action of the 80's so awesome, while still keeping the story mostly grounded in reality. There are gun fights and cars blowing-up, but it doesn't get too bombastic and there are even some film noir vibes to appreciate. Likewise, there's just a touch of cheesiness to some of the characters and their dialog, but without becoming too silly.

At the heart of the movie is the realistic portrayal of the Roth family, consisting of likable characters with a clear motive to fight to protect what is theirs. The actors here are more than capable enough to highlight the solid (albeit melodramatic) material, and the story hits all the right notes to keep the pace moving.

All of the 80's cliches you want to see are here, and they're delivered with an authenticity that can only come from talented people having fun in that golden age of cheesy awesomeness.


Be sure not to miss:
- What kind of magazine is "Ken for Men" ?
- Jade suppository.
- Dick Miller, Michael Berryman, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, and David Goss all have small roles.

Internet review:
"It was even more awesome than I was expecting!" - EAction

Should I watch it?
Recommended.

Where can I find it?
Links here.

Armed Response gets...