Megaforce (1982)

User Rating:

2.4/10   

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

Bob Kachler (story)
James Whittaker (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi | Action

Tagline:

When the force was with them, NO-ONE stood a chance!

Plot:

Story about a rapid deployment defence unit that is called into action whenever freedom is threatened.

Plot Keywords:

Dictator | Dune Buggy | Hologram | Combat | Laser

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Barry Bostwick	...	Cmdr. Ace Hunter
Michael Beck	...	Dallas
Persis Khambatta	...	Major Zara
Edward Mulhare	...	Gen. Edward Byrne-White
George Furth	...	Prof. Eggstrum
Henry Silva	...	Duke Guerera
Mike Kulcsar	...	Ivan (as Michael Kulcsar)
Ralph Wilcox	...	Zachary Taylor
Evan C. Kim	...	Suki (as Evan Kim)
Anthony Pena	...	Sixkiller (as Anthony Penya)
J. Víctor López	...	Lopez
Michael Carven	...	Anton
Bobby Bass	...	Motorcycle Driver
Samir Kamoun	...	Aide
Youssef Merhi	...	Radio Operator

Also Known As:

Mega Force (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA | Hong Kong

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Iceland:L | Australia:G | Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Actually filmed in Southern Nevada using M48A5 tanks of 1/221 Armor Battalion of the Nevada National Guard

Goofs:

Continuity: Byrne-White's arm is/isn't resting on the top of the car door as he waits in the desert.

Quotes:

Ace Hunter: It's all on the wheel, it all comes around.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ultraforce (2003)

Soundtrack:

Megaforce

What I remember about the eighties - Band Aid, Thatcher, the Cold War, Megaforce.

The eighties. Band Aid, Thatcher, the Cold War, Megaforce. Why? Cos the good guys always win - from the Miners' Strike to Ronald Reagan. (Note - the winners always rewrite history, so the good guys always win.) Anyway, the film. I am fortunate to say that I have a copy, albeit a betamax to vhs copy. But that only seems to enhance the qualities of the film. Let's take a closer look. The president of the USA (Barry Bostwick, Spin City) a former Miss India (Persis Khambata) the director of Canonball Run (Hal Needham) a mafia boss (Henry Silva, Ghost Dog) in the kids action film to end all. Not to mention amazing special effects - the victory roll on the motorbike (remember 1-2), bombs that miss their designated targets but still destroy them, and a shrinking ray? (both the nighttime raid).

Oh, and then theirs the classy dialogue and the 'we can do it just as well as you egalitarianism' where Persis wins Barry's heart (Meet you at the Lion's Head Hotel, London). However, this all pales into insignificance in the character development of the two stars. Ace & Duke. Seperated at a young age where they took seperate paths, because Duke is betrayed by his superiors, but are bonded together by friendship. (When all looks lost for, lets face it the fascist Megaforce. "We don't have rank except for the commander Hunter"...compared with the revolutionary forces led by Duke. Emblematic of US foriegn policy?) And a lighter. In arguably the best scene where Duke flies in to tell Ace the bad news and rattle the CEO of Knight Corporation. A metaphor perhaps of the shared times together. Of course there are there are shortcomings. No planes bar two transports, and a bike, even though they have silent running engines and light sensitive material. How many kids must have used those tricks playing with GI Joe and the like.

So where was I? Oh, the best film of the eighties, better than the Empire Strikes Back? Probably.