Avenging Force

The first time I glimpsed this movie was about 12-13 years ago. It was late, i could not sleep, so I was flipping through the channels. I had never heard of Michael Dudikoff, American Ninja, or this movie, but I had nothing else to do. (Keep in mind i was about 12 at the time.) I am glad that I did stumble upon this. The plot is creative and sturdy. Dudikoff and James, having been real life friends, possessed a great chemistry on screen. John P. Ryan gives a great performance, even if at times he comes across as too arrogant and sometimes effeminate. The actress who portrays the little sister can be annoying, but, her performance doesn't hamper the progress of the movie. She is easy to look past. Since having watched this for the first time all those years ago, I have seen many more of Dudikoff's films. This one is still the one i consider the best. (Soldier Boyz runs a close second.) If you like action movies that actually contain a plot, give this one a try.

A recently retired secret service agent finds himself the prey of a group called pentangle, a white supremacy organization who look to do in a black senator who is also the best friend of said ex-secret service agent, after numerous attacks, the secret service agent finds himself forced to survive a deadly hunt in which he's the hunted. Michael Dudikoff movies often times are inferior products that Chuck Norris passed on or Dolph Lundgren turned down, however Avenging Force was made at the height of Dudikoff's popular American Ninja (Which made him a star) and this is a vehicle which clearly has more punch than usual. Not to break up a winning formula of the American Ninja series, Dudikoff is aided by Steve James who gives a good performance and does some good martial arts routines. Also John P. Ryan's performance is a definite plus to an already superior action product from Cannon films. * * * out of 4-(Good)

Michael Dudikoff stars as Matt Hunter who comes to the aid of an old friend Larry Richards a Black senator who is being threatened by "Pentangle" a group of white supremists who are planning an assassination on Richards, in this strong action outing from Michael Dudikoff and Steve James. Indeed, the duo's American Ninja movies maybe mediocre, but the bottomline is that Avenging Force is a swiftly paced, superior genre outing.

For Cannon films - and Michael Dudikoff - this is definitely above average. There's Steve James (who leaves the movie much too early, sadly. He didn't like being in this film, by the way, and you'll see why), good action scenes (brutal fights!), and scummy and hateful bad guys who get what's coming to them. What more could you ask for?

Matt Hunter (Michael Dudikoff) is off to New Orleans to see his pal Larry Richards (Steve James) Richards is running for US Senate and the race seems to be going too well for him. The Pentangle, a hunting fraternity (hunter of men) and business front threatens the life of Richards for having stopped opening of a factory in a predominantly black neighborhood When the Pentangle strike at Mardi Gras, it is non stop action from there. Setting u the antagonists is done adeptly and while it's somewhat ham fisted (for the 80s) it is nothing black nor brown people haven't heard before. The action, the music, the plot, everything is tied together well. I wish Dudikoff and James were able to make more pictures before James' death is 1993

Michael Dudikoff and Steve James finally find the movie of their standards in this deadly chase thriller set in the deep South. Dudikoff plays Hunter, an aptly named ex-secret service agent who goes to the aid of his buddy Larry (James). The latter is a black politician who is the target of, what else, slimeball white supremacists. Definitely way better than the rotten "American Ninja" films, "Avenging Force" is a great suspense flick that consists of great fight scenes. My personal fave fight part is when Hunter fights Glastenbury, played by big, bald John P. Ryan.

While Michael Dudikoff is serviceable as the hero of "Avenging Force", it is John P. Ryan and his right-wing, lunatic-fringe henchmen that make the movie memorable. The film is part hunted in the wild, part car chases, and part martial arts. The assassination attempt at Mardi Gras is quite effective, and the attack on Dudikoff's farm quite brutal. Our hero takes some real punishment in this one, and that definitely adds realism to what could have been nothing more than cartoon violence. If you enjoy hunted in the woods films like "Hunter's Blood", or "Rituals", then "Avenging Force" is something you'll want to check out. - MERK

The first hour is a build up for the hate and revenge of Michael Dudikoff's character. Actual themes like white supremacy are ever present and the corrupt villains have no mercy for no one. Even for today's standards, it's pretty violent although not graphic. The flow of the story is rather clumsy and in many ways inconsistent. It has a lot of plot holes but hey, it was the 80s. The movie was clearly designed as a starring vehicle for then B-Movie poster boy Dudikoff. Although in several european markets marketed as such, the movie has no connection to the American Ninja series. Overall it's good 80s action entertainment but thats about it.