Where to watch McBain
1 1/2 Stars
Santos attempts to lead a people’s revolt in Colombia to overthrow the oppressive El Presidente. When his revolt fails and he is killed, his sister Christina goes to New York to find McBain, a lieutenant Santos rescued during the Vietnam War. McBain agrees to avenge Santos’ death, calls up his old war buddies, raises the necessary funds by killing a few drug dealers and threatening the mafia, then leads an attack to topple the corrupt government.
McBain is an oddly structured revenge tale that features Christopher Walken as the lead of a group of ‘Nam buddies who’ve regrouped to take on a fictional dictator and his powerful army. A surprisingly effective opening act gives way to increasingly outlandish plot developments until the whole story becomes a cartoon in the film’s second half. Decent performances abound, especially considering the thin material the actors are working with. A collection of action sequences ranges from impressive—the opening Vietnam sequence in particular—to a laughable aerial dogfight that seems to go on forever. Predictable and crude scripting cripple any excitement or interest the film manages to occasionally exhibit.
Directed by: James Glickenhaus
Written by: James Glickenhaus
Starring: Christopher Walken, Maria Conchita Alonso, Michael Joseph DeSare