Missing in Action

R

Released Nov 16, 1984

1 hr. 42 min.

War

List

19%

16 Reviews

Tomatometer

43%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) survives a brutal stint in a Vietnamese POW camp, but he believes that even after the war ends enemy forces are still secretly holding American men captive. Eventually, he is tapped by the president to go overseas and search for U.S. soldiers who went missing years ago. Once in Saigon, Braddock learns that his suspicions are correct, so he teams up with reckless fellow veteran Tuck (M. Emmet Walsh) and stages a violent rescue mission in the jungle.

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Red B

It's Brainless, Farfecthed, Over the Top, and oozing 80's for better or for worse. The pacing and editing aren't tha good mainly towards the latter half because this devolves into a Chuck Norris Action movie more than a war thriller or any substantive political commentary promised in the first. This actually starts out half decent with really the only problem tha Chuck Norris basically has next to no character or dialouge throughout. Everything else is just ok enough. The soundtrack is super dated 80's tracks that sound almost like Sega Genesis music on loop at times. The action is so over the top, how enemies miss them out in the open multiple times is beyond me, and just the whole premiste the second half devolves into is disappointing but mindless at the same time. The fact he infilitrates single handedly a prison base and kills all soldiers in the transport by himself is so ridiculous that its kind of enjoyable and your brain turns off. This should be remade like The 2020 Invisible Man into a more substantive polticial thriller like how it promises to be in the first half. Also the actual POWs we don't even get to see them until 10 minutes to go and they have no character either. There isn't much dialouge in this which helps make up for lack of characters somewhat. I can't really recommend this to anyone unless you grew up with this and understand its mindless. But even than I feel like you could do much better.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

09/28/23

Full Review

Elvis D

De muchas películas que Chuck Norris ha protagonizado, esta es quizás su película más notoria. Con un cierto parecido a Rambo y siendo indiferente a otras películas sobre la guerra de Vietnam, Missing In Action es una película que también dejo una marca en la carrera de Chuck Norris. Al principio es una historia sencilla de un soldado que es acusado de terrorismo y espionaje, pero luego debe rescatar prisioneros de guerra para refutar dichas acusaciones. Esto luego conduce a que la acción de la película vaya creciendo. Chuck Norris demuestra ser una gran estrella de acción en esta película, llegando casi a la altura otras grandes estrellas como Stallone o Van Damme. No es una película muy original, pero es bastante disfrutable. Mi calificación final para esta película es un 8/10.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/29/23

Full Review

DanTheMan 2

Born out of the James Cameron screenplay that would eventually evolve into Rambo: First Blood Part II, Missing in Action is often accused of being nothing short of a cheap cash-in, not helping matters is due in part to Sylvester Stallone having approached Cannon Films to help make the sequel initially. That being said, Missing in Action is far from the Rambo clone it's often claimed to be, there are similar ideas as with most Vietnam war movies but explored in a different way. It's so shrewdly tailored to Norris' stoic persona and physical skills, he barely has any dialogue and just lets his actions speak for him, James Hong gets a noteworthy role during the first half before swiftly being dispatched by Norris while Ernie Ortega makes for a fun if one-note villain. There's even a pre-fame Jean-Claude Van Damme as one of the US soldiers Norris rescues, which did make me chuckle quite a bit. Joseph Zito's direction despite it lacking any form of suspense is well-versed for the action set pieces which rarely miss and come in big, loud, explosive chunks. As politically misguided as it may be, Missing in Action is a certified crowd-pleaser in many other regards leaving you cheering as Braddock brings the boys home.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/06/23

Full Review

David W

Unlike most reviewers I very much enjoyed this movie, as I did the entire MIA trilogy. The script is very good guys vs bad guys with little to no nuance but reflective shading isn't what this movie genre is about. Chuck proved he could act in a major movie role as well as just kick ass. It's not going to change your life and it is admittedly very jingoistic in it's outlook and character portrayals but it's a hell of a lot of fun with some great set pieces. Still, despite the black and white nature of the politics its long been a guilty pleasure of mine. M Emmet Walsh provides an excellent supporting character performance and overall this is one of Chucks best acting roles. A patriotic, hugely enjoyable, 80's action classic - with all that entails.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/18/23

Full Review

Josh W

It is insane this has such a low rating on this website. I am guessing the people who gave it such a low rating are at best Not American's, and if they are I'm assuming they are either teenagers or people who just arrived and weren't born here... sad!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/24/22

Full Review

Audience Member

This was the first one of thes one man army vietnam movies and I have to say Chuck puts his heart and soul into this role and film.This made alot of moneyon such a small budget.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

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Joseph Zito

Director

Chuck Norris

Col. James Braddock

M. Emmet Walsh

Tuck

Lenore Kasdorf

Ann

David Tress

Sen. Porter

James Hong

Gen. Trau

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Missing in Action: Official Clip - Chopper to Saigon

2:12

Missing in Action: Official Clip - If You Move, I'll Kill You

1:47

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Watery Vengeance

2:33

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Wardrobe Attack

2:49

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Fortunes of War

2:00

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Braddock Bombs the Camp

1:40

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Destruction Derby

3:43

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Double Grenade Jump

2:19

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Bulletproof Raft

2:07

Missing in Action: Official Clip - Braddock Kills a TV

1:21

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Paul Attanasio

Washington Post

Director Joseph Zito tips his hand; he simply doesn't know how to build suspense, and no amount of cello-sawing and cross-cutting can change that.

Jan 4, 2018

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Norris devotees rank this one highly; others might not be as charitable.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 14, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Destruction and shootouts occur at regular intervals, leaving few moments of calm as Braddock tears through the locales and combats new enemies at every turn.

Rated: 5/10

Sep 6, 2020

Full Review

Rob Vaux

Mania.com

CHUCK NORRIS WILL KILL YOU WITH HIS GIANT MECHANICAL DEATH PENIS!!!

Rated: D

Nov 17, 2014

Full Review

Steve Crum

Video-Reviewmaster.com

The best of Chuck Norris in film, and that isn't saying much.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 22, 2008

Full Review

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

One of those ultra-rare cases where the prequel (1985) and the sequel (1988) are better than the original.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 1, 2005

Full Review

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Synopsis

Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) survives a brutal stint in a Vietnamese POW camp, but he believes that even after the war ends enemy forces are still secretly holding American men captive. Eventually, he is tapped by the president to go overseas and search for U.S. soldiers who went missing years ago. Once in Saigon, Braddock learns that his suspicions are correct, so he teams up with reckless fellow veteran Tuck (M. Emmet Walsh) and stages a violent rescue mission in the jungle.

Director: Joseph Zito
Screenwriter: Steve Bing, James Bruner, John Crowther, Lance Hool, Larry Levinson, Arthur Silver
Distributor: MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Production Co: Cannon Group
Rating: R
Genre: War
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 16, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 28, 2017

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