Voxitype
Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.
AshUnow
This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
Quiet Muffin
This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
kapelusznik18
***SPOILERS**** The film has the distinction of being the first movie made since Gulf War I that in fact takes place before it actually happened when the USA was on good terms with the Iraqi Saddam Hussein regime; Remember that famous video of US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfield shaking hand with Saddem after having the US deliver him the very WMD, Weapons of Mass Destruction,that it accused him of having, which in fact he didn't, that started Guf War II in 2003! In here we have former US Special Forces man Doug Matthews, Michael Dudifoff, going to what was then at peace with the US Iraq to get his brother out of one of Saddam's prison who's being held against his will by the Saddam-lookalike Iraqi Gen. Ali Dallal, Steve Inwood.It's been five years when Matthews slashed Dallal's face in trying to prevent him form wiping out a Kurdish Village in Northen Iraq. Now with Matthews' brother Ben, Tommy Hinkley, a diabetic switching planes at the Baghdad Airport Dallal has him arrested on trumped up charges in order to get at his brother Dugh for what he did to him. This sets up things for Doug to secretly travel to Iraq to rescue Ben and at the same time start up a relationship with Gen. Dallal's wife refugee worker Lila Haddin, Hanna Azoulay Hasfari. We soon learn that Lila only married Dallai to keep him from having Doug, whom she was in love with, killed if she didn't? That's some arrangement isn't it!****SPOILERS*** Only worth watching for the action scenes where Doug ends up doing far more damage to the Iraqi Army then what the entire US coalition did to it back in both the first & second Gulf Wars. We even have Doug do what the US was unable to do in destroying Iraq's elusive WMD's at the end of the movie along with Gen Dallal, who got a really hot send off, who's evil plans to murder Dough only ended backfiring on him. As for Doug together with Ben Lila and her 4 year old son Ali Jr they had no trouble at all checking out of Iraq with the Iraqi military and secret police totally hapless to stop them.
bouzoukiplayer
This is one of those rare movies I can watch over and over again without getting bored. It was a well written story and the acting was surprisingly good for a "low budget" film. Steve Inwood as general Dalal was amazing and anyone who has seen this movie can attest to that...he steals the show (Pardon the pun). I'm not of middle eastern descent, but the directors did a fine job of portraying the culture. From the music, settings, food, lifestyle and nature of the people---and anyone who thinks culture isn't important in a film, it is said that Godfather was so successful because it portrayed the Italian culture to a tee.Nonetheless, it was a good plot with decent sup-plots such as the romance between dudikoff and laila, his brother being kidnapped and the whole revenge factor.The movie also has some memorable lines such as: "Insults here can only be washed away in blood" "I like your scar because it reminds me of the man who gave it to you" "Things done in a hurry are done in the ways of Satan. While things done with patience are done in the way of god" "A son should always be by his father's side during his proudest moments" Dalal talking about his 4 year old kid as he's about to go kill dudikoff "Should I wait?" "Not unless your wife has a sense of humour" Dudikoff to cab driver after being dropped off at the Iraqi border "American...what is it you want? Hash? Coca Cola? A woman? And anyone who has seen this movie or is thinking of seeing it should pay particular attention towards the end of the movie when Dalal is being driven to the chemical plant. The car phone rings and he picks up this HUGE MUTHER****IN phone that must have been state of the art at the time but DAMN! The thing easily could have been 5 pounds.Also Hana Azoulay Hasfari was good as Laila. I say there should be a rule where if you're doing a film that revolves around a certain culture you should get actors from THAT culture to portray characters. It makes things more believable and credible. Even if they aren't known you'll be surprised at how good some "unknown actors" can be. The biggest flaw I can think of was Hollywood using Penelope Cruz to play a Greek girl in Captain Corelli's Mandolin. I love Penelope but that was a joke.
bronsonskull72
Michael Dudikoff stars as Doug Matthews a soldier who returns to Iraq to save his brother Ben (Tommy Hinkley) from a sadistic Saddam Hussein look alike who is using him as bait to get revenge on Doug in this mildly diverting Dudikoff actioner which starts off slow but provides a few good twists and is less racist then most. Steve Inwood is especially good here.
Crullo-2
I have to admit that i was pleasantly surprised upon renting this movie. It seemed like just another crappy b-action that Dudikoff usually stars in. Exept from some small mistakes such as the title The Human Shield, which was totally wrong for the movie it was a good action movie. Dudikoff goes to Iraq to rescue his brother who has been taken hostage by a crazy general as payback against Dudikoff for an earlier altercation. See this if you are able to find it.
