Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster (1989)

The second in the Snake Eater trilogy, Lorenzo Lamas returns as Soldier - a Vietnam Vet now cop and special forces expert. Whereas in the first film Soldier seemed to spend most of the film getting his ass kicked, in this second instalment he is a much more authentic warrior although this isn't a straightforward action movie. 

With drugs wrecking havoc and putting his friend Speedboat's (Larry B Scott) sister in hospital, Soldier begins a one man war against the drug lords. However, he is immediately shut down by the police. Pleading insanity, he is sent to a mental institution...

But getting out of the place is pretty easy for Soldier (and anyone else) and he leaves as he pleases to continue the fight, without normal weapons he improvises including making his own bombs. Soldier and Speedboat decide to go after the drugs kingpin Franco (Al Vandycruys)...

At times a brutal film, but tempered with various attempts at humour in the institution with psychiatrist Dr Pierce (Michele Scarabelli) and inmates including Harvey Atkin and Jack Blum. Most of the time the humour falls fairly flat but at least it does give the film a lighter feel and helps punctuate the violence. An enjoyable watch, quirky and ridiculous.