Cannibal Mercenary

Cannibal Mercenary

AKA The Jungle Killers

Directed By Hong Lu Wong

Starring: Lek Songphon

Review by "Machine Gun" Kristin

 The opening credits to "Cannibal Mercenary" show us an alternate title and a mixed bag or real and fake sounding names (Alan English?!). This film is a frightening vision on what seemed like a Thai war against the Viet Cong, filled with sad flashbacks and horrible present images. Each step main character, Sgt. Wilson takes in the very beginning has this massive delay sound. It's a wonder how these guy's asses he's kicking can't prepare for this guy coming around the concrete corner.

I had a hard time watching this movie, trying to piece everything together. I probably thought about it too hard. Many visuals torment Wilson as he fights his way across Thailand (or Vietnam?) with his gang of comrades trailing behind. He constantly thinks about his daughter who has Polio and her doctors voicing their bleak diagnosis. At one point his daughter exclaims in an overdubbed middle aged woman's voice, "Pa, why can't I walk like other kids?" Ah man, cue the water works!

The pacing on this film is a little slow (maybe it's more fun watching with friends), but the final half of the film makes up for it with its gritty harrowing scenes of gore. I wonder how close this film is to any war related situation in real life, past or present. Certain scenes of this movie are filmed at seemingly different times of day. One moment, we see Wilson walking with his buddy on his back in broad daylight and then all of sudden he's in this blueish tint of evening sky. I don't know if this is a simple continuity problem, or it's some sort of intentional hiccup to further prove the mental instability of Wilson and the rest of the cast.

This movie has an eerie score which from what I read, was mostly lifted from "Dawn Of The Dead" (which I haven't seen in awhile). Some music portions actually reminded me more of the opening from "Last House On Dead End Street", where its lead character Terry talks about "lousy drugs". Incidentally, Wilson is offered $500,000 (by a grunting old man who sounds like he's chowing down on a delicious cheeseburger) to fight through the jungle to kill off a drug lord and his flesh eating cronies. Then he's supposed to meet someone named Jumpa who'll tell him exactly where to go from that point. Throughout his journey, Wilson kills a man with a boot to his throat, pressing as hard as he can so his eyes start bulging out. The first lady he picks up in the jungle isn't Jumpa, but a pregnant spy (?) who sexually teases one guy and then cuts his wienie off. This is the first of many penis related annihilations. Another happens with a swollen faced gang whizzing on the poor soldiers. I guess don't tell a stranger you're thirsty next time. This is when the movie just gets weirder and it finally earns it's title as things start to escalate. A particularly realistic, gruesome sight is a knife being hammered into one's head then being devoured.

I couldn't really find much information about the director or cast online. Maybe one of you TOG-devotees knows? There's apparently a few different versions of this movie, cut and uncut otherwise. One review I read stated that a cut version of the film had different scenes and was somehow totally rewritten. I wonder if it was anything like the TV version of "Cheech And Chong's Next Movie" where the entire film is completely different from it's original version. Planet Ass anyone? 

You can watch "Cannibal Mercenary" HERE

You can purchase it HERE

I have no button made for this film at this time, but please feel free to check out what I've got in stock at the moment. As always, lots of random weird movies and more!

UPDATED!

I now have a "Cannibal Mercenary" button you can purchase HERE!