Raw Force (1982)

Why so much hype?

Perfectly adorable

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Raw Force (1982) ** (out of 4)A group of martial arts students are on a boat where the owner is allowing them to stop by a legendary island that is supposed to be haunted by the ghosts. Once on the island they run into a man who looks like Hitler, some strange monks and some cannibal zombies.Edward D. Murphy's RAW FORCE isn't your typical horror film. It's actually a pretty wild movie that seems to have had the director just throwing anything into it hoping something would stick. It's certainly not what you'd consider a "good" movie but at the same time if you like low-budget non-sense then there's plenty of that here. What little gore the film might have is made up by the non-stop gratuitous nudity.The film is really a madcap of non-sense as there are wild parties on the boat, plenty of martial arts action and then we even get some pretty wild stripper scenes. The Philippines locations are put to good use as several young ladies get nude on the screen as the American actors run around either screaming or kicking. Cameron Mitchell gets the top-billing as he plays the Captain of the boat and you can't help but feel that he's having a good time being on location, making a few bucks and not having a care in the world. Fans of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE will spot an unbilled Camille Keaton during a scene where she's in the bathroom with a guy trying to get her pants off. And yes, she's nude.RAW FORCE needed a bit more gore to keep it more entertaining but at the same time it's nutty enough to make it worth viewing if you like these types of movies.

When Vietnam Vets and Martial Artists Gary Schwartz (Locke), and Mike O'Malley (Binney, not the guy who demanded to know if you had GUTS and went to Mo for the official standings) decide to go on a pleasure cruise captained by Harry Dodds (Cam), they can't possibly know they would accidentally end up on a godforsaken place called Warriors' Island, a tropical locale where "Martial Arts outcasts" haunt the place. Led by Monk (Diaz), the island is now the hub of a female white slavery ring/jade mine controlled by Speer (Lombardi) and his minions. The only problem for our stranded heroes (which also includes Jillian Kesner of Firecracker fame) is that the island also contains zombie-like Kung Fu cannibals who are thirsty for their blood. What a predicament. It's not exactly a Carnival cruise...or is it? Our heroes will have to use all their wits and fighting abilities to get out of this jam...can they do it? You might as well just project this movie on the side of your house and sit in your car and watch it, because this is perhaps the ultimate example of Drive-In exploitation from the early 80's. It has elements from just about every genre of 42nd street-style filmmaking: Action, Martial Arts, exploitation, comedy, horror, and just plain old fashioned adventure. This nutty melange throws a lot at the viewer in its brief running time, and it never gets boring and always stays entertaining and fun. From the time-honored barfight (complete with disco soundtrack), to the Romp-style elements, to the nudity, to the "Fan Favorite Deaths", Raw Force is the complete package.Led by fan favorite Cam Mitchell, the cast of B-movie regulars like Vic Diaz, Jillian Kesner, Camille Keaton, Jewel Shepard and others turn this oddball outing into a gem. Director Edward Murphy, not to be confused with a certain comedic actor who has made certain gender-based misjudgments in his offscreen time, seems to have stumbled into a minor classic here. He later became an actor, and his only writing/directing/producing credits remain this, and the lackluster Heated Vengeance (1985). After that turkey, it's easy to see why he turned to a different side of the entertainment business. Especially compared with Raw Force, which is a far more satisfying effort.Released on VHS in the U.S. by Media (and this is truly a standout in their already-impressive catalog), Raw Force can't fail to entertain. To be continued...

This late-comer into the multitude of American/Fillipino range of exploitation actioners falls into a category of the horror/kung- fu/adventure sub-genres prevalent at the time. It tells the story of a group of passengers on a ship heading to Warriors Island. A place where ancient, disgraced Asian martial artists have gone to meet their makers. An island where the ornamental stone, Jade is mined and sold onto Western interests. The majority of the film consists of various boat- party scenes, where 'weird' people inhabit, and the breast quoter is met easily, with the plenitude of naked, gyrating females paraded in front of camera for no apparent reason. These are intercut with random 'man- fights'; also filling a quoter for 'kung-fu' action. Two of the pre- requisites for exploitationers world-wide.One of the boat parties is interrupted by a band of all-killing village people-a-likes; pirate and guerrilla in their approach. They invade the ship and kill anyone that gets in their way. This happens why? Well, we will never know. Eventually the ship catches fire, and the survivors set off in a dingy. They do reach their ultimate destination of Warrior Island, but want to leave immediately. Did they want to go there in the first place? And if so, what for? They certainly have no interest whilst they are there!Well, once they have been given the option for escape from the island, they are given the chance, with a proposition of battle. The dead warriors are risen from eternal sleep. These beautifully blue-faced zombie Ninja/Samurai Warrior/Shaolin Monk forgotten combatants are set on the marooned gang. Not 100% sure what this film is trying to be. It is at once an Indiana jones-like adventure picture; a zombie infested nightmare; a kung-fu actioner. Well, it fails in being either an adventure, or a martial arts 'effort'. It even fails to create any scares in the horror department; the only frightening element being the ending threat title of: 'To be continued'. It does however, contain some brief moments of verbal joy. There are moments of dialogue that simply gives giggly pleasure. Momentary, forgettable, but a little bit of frivolous nonsense.

Yup, it played on the big screen with on a double bill with "Cannibal Ferox". There were some special guests who worked on this obscure film and they did not have much good to say about it. I guess the director was a big time sleaze and was also inexperienced. There is lots of nudity in this one. All the elements of exploitation are covered, including female slavery. It's actually a really hilarious movie which is probably partly intentional. The crowd loved it.