NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL (PART 3): LASER MISSION (1989)
While we await the reopening of all our favorite film houses, we’re presenting an ongoing online film festival of a genre (of sorts) of B grade Sci-Fi, Action and Martial Arts, ‘so-bad-they’re-good’ faves and some truly unintentionally funny bottom-of-the-video-store-shelf gems! All those cinematic misfires and titles that may serve as a great hangover film, movie comfort food or a perplexing head scratch as to how a film like this got made in the first place.
Our procedure will include a pre-show warm up of classic relevant trailers, clips and commercials, then a link to stream either through official channels or via YouTube (multiple options will be presented if possible).
Played in sequence, it’s just like being at the cinema!
Welcome back for tonight’s screening. Allow us to tear your ticket and show you to your seat for the third installment of the NEON MARQUEE FILM FESTIVAL with an obscure entry in the late great Brandon Lee’s filmography.
TONIGHT’S FEATURE:
LASER MISSION (1989) is the second film starring Brandon Lee, and although it’s all kinds of cheese, there’s a ridiculous air of fun to it. It almost feels in poor taste to have a laugh at Lee’s expense, but he’s acting the hell out of this one, placed among multiple characters who aren’t too sure which accent they want to use.
The odd thing is that Laser Mission doesn’t feature much in the way of lasers, but thankfully contains the most 80s power ballad title track this side of a David Hasselhoff feature film. Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine co-stars, with aforementioned dubious accent, but the work for the paycheck factor is high.
After a diamond heist at a gallery (shot on a set that looks about as convincing as a 1980s telethon) by way of excessive green gas, Lee’s Michael Gold (of course) breezes into Cuba on a mission and through customs via a cocky attitude, before being tranquilized by a trio of low rent villains. Waking up in a prison, he learns he is now waiting execution by guillotine (naturally) for being an American Spy. Lee busts out, and exudes some of the most energetic use of a firearm seen on film, before embarking on his ‘laser mission’, whatever that is.
From there it’s a vast assortment of over acting, token blonde action film female role, inept car chases, various levels of peril, more overacting, a lack of lasers and plenty of Lee’s charm. It may be ‘Direct to Video’ but it’s a hearty recipe for bad movie comfort food
TRAILER:
PRE-SHOW REEL
Our warm up pre-show is a tribute to Brandon Lee and his father Bruce with some kick ass trailers, clips and that legendary Nunchaku fight scene from Enter The Dragon.
MAIN ATTRACTION
Also available to stream free on Amazon Prime.