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1988
Directed by Riki Shelach Nissimoff
Synopsis
War is hell. Especially if you fight on both sides.
The president of an African country wants to boost his economy with a new dam. He ignores the protests of the tribes in the flooded region, so they declare rebellion. To avoid bad publicity, the president doesn't use his army, but hires four international mercenaries, who shall find tribes leader Kuruba and smother the protest. However after learning about the tribes motivation, the Vietnam veterans T.J. and Cliff realize how they're being used and reconsider.
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- Cast
- Crew
- Details
- Genres
- Releases
Cast
Reb Brown Peter Fonda Ron O'Neal James Mitchum Robert DoQui Jerry Biggs Joanna Weinberg Henry Cele Laurens Celliers Brümilda van Rensburg
DirectorDirector
Riki Shelach Nissimoff
ProducersProducers
Yoram Globus Menahem Golan
WritersWriters
Andrew Deutsch Bud Schaetzle Dean Tschetter
EditorEditor
Dean Goodhill
CinematographyCinematography
Daniel Schneor
Executive ProducerExec. Producer
Avi Lerner
StuntsStunts
Ed Anders
ComposerComposer
Howard Morgan
Studios
The Cannon Group Golan-Globus Productions
Countries
South Africa USA
Language
English
Alternative Titles
Οι Μαχητές της Ειρήνης, Freedom Fighters, Freedom Fighters - Söldner für die Freiheit, Проектът "Коруба", Los guerreros de la libertad, Dzsungelkommandó
Genres
Adventure Action Drama
Releases by Date
- Date
- Country
Theatrical
01 Feb 1988
USA
Physical
26 Jan 1990
- Germany18
Releases by Country
- Date
- Country
Germany
26 Jan 1990
- Physical18
USA
01 Feb 1988
- Theatrical
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Popular reviews
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Review by Lou (rhymes with wow!) ★★ 6
Peter Fonda looks like he would rather have his wisdom teeth pulled than spend another day working on this film. James Mitchum looks perpetually drunk.
At least everyone got a free South-African vacation out of it.
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Review by Curtis ★★ 2
With a big dam project on the line, Colonel Kyemba (Robert DoQui) hires Peter Fonda and his ragtag group of Mercenary Fighters to clear out the last of the indigenous tribes and stop their leader, Jaunde, from reminding people of things like freedom and self-determination. Fonda's group includes Ron O'Neal, one of Robert Mitchum's kids and Reb Brown as "the one who will think twice about his motivations after falling for a girl." Occasional chaos ensues.
I've mentioned expectations in some other reviews, and they can be damning. Yes, Reb Brown is in this, and yes, there are fleeting moments of howling Reb Brown here, but this character feels like it's almost his version of a calm and reflective man…
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Review by Chuck Dowling ★★½
So, there's a lot going on in Mercenary Fighters, but I just want to focus on Reb Brown's character. He'a a blank slate of a man who, along with friend Ron O'Neal, is hired to go to Africa to murder a bunch of rebels. Once there, after murdering some rebels, he seems like he realizes what's happening is wrong. He murders some more rebels. Then he meets some rebels, including the rebel leader. He likes him. Then he murders some more rebels. The rebel leader dies and then I think Reb Brown incorrectly assumes that he is now the leader of the rebels? Then he goes home. It's fascinating, but also it's a Cannon movie so it's not very good either.
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Review by 47Ronin100 ★★★★★
Love interest: *shares extremely traumatic backstory*
Reb: That's messed up. 😘
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Review by jeffster ★★
Little seen Cannon film that just popped up on cable. Plays like a cross between Dark of the Sun and Red Scorpion, though duller than either. Reb Brown is the main star and gives a surprisingly subdued performance that plays against his high pitched screaming strengths.
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Review by DocShadow ★★
A fun 80s action movie that balances story and action. I think the effort to give the characters actual details and make them feel like, well, characters, is nice.
At one point a character lands a plane on a moving bus just so another character can make a cool entrance. It’s a completely gratuitous moment, but I kind of liked the ambition.
The sociocultural implications as mercenaries deal with maybe being on the wrong side of history are interesting. I mean there’s at least a halfhearted attempt to explore how the biggest guns don’t necessarily mean that the side with the guns is right.
It’s a forgettable but essentially solid enough 80s action movie.
What Phantom Raiders could have been.
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Review by Brendan O'Keeffe ★★★½
Essential Reb Brown actioner
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Review by Mark Tinta ★★★
One of the more obscure late '80s Cannon actioners, the South Africa-shot MERCENARY FIGHTERS has a ton of explosions and stunt work that border on the irresponsible, including a toddler in the path of a speeding Jeep. More or less a Golan-Globus take on DARK OF THE SUN, with Peter Fonda working harder than he has to as a ruthless, racist mercenary and Reb Brown as a new recruit who ends up protecting the people they've been hired to wipe out, and doing some of his usual Reb Brown battle cries in the process.
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Review by Rodolfo Lassparri ★★★
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
Reb Brown and Ron O’Neal yelling together in a chopper is the ultimate highlight in this entertainingly goofy turd.
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Review by Eamon ★★
Classic case of something looking cool and not being all that cool. I don't think I could point out Peter Fonda in this movie tbh
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Review by Bootstrap96 ★★★
An exhilarating blend of based and racist
Reasonably well-made action schlock
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Review by KaijuWorldOrder ★★★★
*loud sounds of machine gun fire*
YEEAAAGGGH
YEEAAAGGGH
