Going It A ... Sloane

Sloane

(1984/USA)

‘‘This is getting good. Just like a Humphrey Bogart movie’’

When a business mans daughter is kidnapped, and her husband is killed in Manila, who do you call to bring daddy’s little girl home safely ?. Sloane !.

Robert Resnik is the one man militia Sloane, a Tae Kwon Do expert who knows how to take out the trash, and not just once a week for collection like regular folk. Mr. Thursby sends for Sloane and offers him a blank cheque to rescue his daughter Janice. One time love and prospective wife, Janice and Sloane were split apart by Thursby in the past. Thursby knows that for this engagement Sloane is definitely the best man to win back his daughter !. With a steely answer Sloane agrees to accept and do it for Janice, but for Thursby it will cost him plenty !.

Sloane hooks up with an old buddy named Pete, a guy always down on his luck but someone Sloane can still call upon for local insight. Feet and fists introduce themselves to three thugs about to put a beat down on Pete at the back of a club. Sloane tips the outcome in favour of his friend as once again his ability to take opponents out with quick reflexes proves superior. To repay his friend, and not for the first time, Pete is only too willing to be put to good use and is soon out using his local knowledge with an ear to the ground for information.

With a venomous cobra now as a back seat passenger to also contend with, whilst being hotly pursued, Sloane has to act fast !. The snake gets a unique cobra clutch from a voracious Sloane, who in quick turn pulls a manoeuvre that sends the chasing lackeys snaking off the highway like extras from ‘Mad Max’.

A garage fight scene delivers some fine fighting Action and more than a dose of violence as one unfortunate gets his face introduced to the fan belt of a cars open boot running engine. Filipino face fricassee !. Sending a body filled garage to hell in an explosive inferno the intensity of the situation leaves a pumped up Sloane delivering the line, ‘‘They finally pissed me off !’’.

Sloane comes well and truly into his own when he kits up in combat fatigues, muscles up with a mighty machine gun, and stomps a mud hole in Manila big enough to mess with the main man holding his objective captive. Give him a big gun and he makes a big difference !.

It’s a mishmash of mayhem that’s infectious enough to warrant your time, and most enjoyable when its star turns into the ‘Sloane’ ranger.

Review Paul Cooke / Source Japanese NTSC VHS

Sloane (1984)

Director Daniel Rosenthal

With Robert Resnik, Debra Blee, Paul Aragon,

Ann Milhench, Carissa Carlos & George Mahlberg

There’s just about enough Action to keep this one watch able, including many a quotable line in witty dialogue, along with the bizarre appearance of marauding midgets with seemingly cannibalistic overtures !?.

Richard’s sister Cynthia, a pesky writer too inquisitive for her own good, is immediately situating herself around Sloane wanting to know about her brothers death, and sister in laws abduction. Sloane has always found her irritating and no more so when she reintroduces herself into his life. It is not long though before Sloane and those around him, including Cynthia, attract attention of the unwanted type. The returning problem solver is soon putting his martial arts skills to good use however. Saving Cynthia from two locals who invade her home and try to rape her. Sloane learns that the man who he needs to seek out is an Asian crime boss named Chan Se. Richard double crossed Chan Se in an underhand deal and kept the money for himself. Money sizeable enough that Chan Se wants, and intends using Cynthia as collateral to get it !.

The hero for hire flies immediately out to the Philippines. Having lived in Manila for seventeen years he has connections and a great bearing for the region. A long way from his new life in California, but back in Manila he is still remembered. An old police friend shows him the body of Janice’s deceased husband Richard, and Sloane calls in a favour to look over recent case files of criminal activity in the area. He believes Richard has been caught up in under hand deals for quite a while and figures this time it has cost him his life.