Ah, Colonel Braddock. I heard much about you. Welcome to the People's Republic of Vietnam.

Chuck Norris is Col. James Braddock, a survivor of a Vietnam Prisoner of War camp who many years later decides to return to find proof - and liberate - American soldiers still being held against their will.

As the 1980s boom for martial artists becoming filmic action stars gathered apace, Chuck Norris carved his own spot upon the testosterone fuelled wave. Much like a lot of films of its ilk, Missing in Action is of course daft, violent, jingoistic but also crucially it's a whole bunch of fun. This naturally comes down to expectation levels for a production of this type, park the brain and enjoy the cheese and carnage. It's a bit disappointing to find that we don't get to see much of Norris' martial artistry, it' s more a case of gun play and standard fists and kicks taking the lead in this one. The story is hardly taxing and many scenes just serve to show some flesh and pecs, but with M. Emmet Walsh along for the ride as an ebullient side-kick, there's enough here for the undemanding action film fan to enjoy. 5/10

I watched this for one reason, and one reason ONLY: to laugh at a movie that, at one time, I thought was absolute killer. How in the world poor ol' Chuck Norris managed to ever become a "star" is beyond me; I know the guy was a martial arts champion but seriously, his moves are as exciting as a stomach virus, and when it comes to the _Missing in Action_ franchise, I'm not sure they could have made it any cheesier if they had been **pushing** to make a cheesy movie. This thing opened with a laughable (I actually did laugh!) "jungle" scene that looked like the fake plant department in a Home Depot or something, complete with clear walkways betwixt all the crisp, vibrant green rubber plants and "ferns" of hot, steamy Vietnam. It only goes downhill from there, folks. If I were to pick apart all the laughably bad gaffes in this stinker, I'd probably overload the Trakt servers. But of all the glaring errors, seriously... not a smudge of facepaint to hide that sweaty, glaring white face in the deep greens and blacks of a Vietnam jungle, and not once did ol' Chuck ever have to worry about mussing those golden blonde locks of his with a Kevlar helmet. Let's just be a beacon in the night for everyone to see...but they're so smug and confident they can't notice this white face running around their camp in the dark. I'm still laughing, honestly... So many holes, they should have entitled this...I don't know, but find something with "Swiss Cheese" in the title. Speaking ONLY for myself, this was laughingly bad only because I absolutely loved it back in 1984...when I was somewhere in my early 20's. (Yes, I'm an old fart, I admit.) I had fun watching this for that very reason, but the eye-rolling was practically audible. Don't watch this with any expectations of a "great" (nor even a "good") action movie; it isn't. It's fun to watch and laugh at how horribly bad it is, though. (Seriously, though...not even a SMUDGE of face camo?!!!) :rolling_eyes:

Not an all too bad Rambo-esque copycat from the folks at Canon. Chuck Norris makes for a charismatic hero although the plot felt choppy. But the fight scenes were at least passable and in the end I had a fun time, which is all I can ask from 1980s action schlock. **3.25/5**