Independence Die!: Killing American Style (1988)

Nothing quite says 'American Independence Day' like 'A Film by an Iranian Director!'  

Today's Film is Killing American Style, the 1988 opus of Amir Shervan.  

If you don't know the name, you do know his last Film- Samurai Cop.  

What may surprise many people is that it was not the only Film he ever made.  Despite how shoddily the thing was put together, that was actually a Film that followed many others!  

It is like how Plan 9 From Outer Space is somehow much, much worse than Bride of the Monster.  

In this case, I'm talking about a Film he made a few years earlier.  It doesn't quite have the inherent hilarity of Cop- since nobody changes to a wig halfway through the Film-, but it does have quite a bit of it.  

The Plot involves some escaped criminals- led by Robert Z'Dar- who take a family hostage while they are hiding out.  Naturally, the Father is a Kickboxer (and former Andy Sidaris Actor)!  The Plot gets complicated as Cops get involved, they get distracted by a Whore House briefly and it all ends in a big shoot-out.  

If you have seen Samurai Cop, you will recognize many Actors and, well, all of the Action Music.  For fans of that Film, this one is extra fun.  

If you don't know it, well, here's a slightly better Version of the Movie (quality-wise, that is)...

A bunch of Criminals (led by Z'Dar) rob some place...but then get caught.  

His Brother breaks him out (dressing like a lady) though.

They end up at a Ranch.  

Since this is a Shevran Film, the only people home at the time are 2 Ladies in bikinis.   It doesn't end well.

The Husband and Son eventually come home.  He's a Kickboxer aka 'That Mullet Guy From Picasso Trigger.'

While they try to make the Story feel serious, he dresses like this and has hair like that.

While they send him out to get the money, one of the men rapes his wife.  USA!  USA?

Since the Brother was wounded, they bring in a Doctor and it's...Costa-Rican Waiter!

As a bonus, he has a License Plate that lists him as a Doctor...but under the Actor's real first name.

As tensions rise and escape attempts happen, things get bad.  

See Old Man Cop as a criminal...

...with color-changing hair.

He's the most hilarious Actor in the Film though, so I love him!

To fill out the Third Act, the bad guy below calls in some guys.  

They die.

Enjoy this shot that reveals the squib vest, as well as this hilariously great Stuntman selling death.

It all comes down to a fight between Z'Dar and our Hero...but ultimately ends in him being shot.  Hey look, Jim Brown is here.  Why wasn't he in Samurai Cop?!?

Our Hero gives the stolen money to the Wife of his Gardener.  

Morals?  

The End.

America- the land of opportunity.  In this case, we let an Iranian man make a bunch of schlocky Action Films.  

Between him and Andy Sidaris, the 80s and 90s had their fill!  

All the hilarious beats from Samurai Cop are here, save one- the wig.  As a reminder/explanation, they filmed Samurai Cop and then its Lead cut his hair.  A few months later, they needed Reshoots...and give him a wig.  He wears it for a good 50% of the final product.  

None of that happens, although our Lead's frizzy hair is funny enough on its own.  Clearly Shervan had a type!  

Aside from that hilarity, we get awkward Dialog, generally-hammy Acting, silly Action and the same Music for *every* Action Scene.  I'll be hearing that Music Sting in my sleep for weeks!  This one kind of works better as a Bad Movie in certain regards.  It tries to be super-dramatic...but doesn't have great Actors and does have dated fashion.  It tries to be deep and impactful...but always resorts to Action Film Clichés.  

By trying to seem like it is much more than it is, the Film is almost more hilarious.  If they had just added a random Lion Head in 2 Scenes, it would be an even match.  

At least they still have the piss poor mix of real color and Color Correction...

Next time, fun time from Japan.  They continue to be insane, so why not?  Stay tuned...