This is sometimes silly but easy to take martial arts escapism that benefits from its spin on director Robert Clouses' genre formula. In this instance, the "hero" is a collection of five specialists (hence the title) who never have a hard time wading through many bad guys. Other than some interesting touches (the bull, the intense torture sequences) this isn't of any real distinction, it's just decent undemanding fun. The cast in this thing aren't great as actors - some of them, anyway - but when it comes to kicking ass, they accomplish their mission. The movie, a remake of the earlier feature "Hot Potato", has an acceptable pace to it and a moderately entertaining finale (although it really doesn't have much action in it).
A bunch of performers familiar to fans of B movies are featured in this straightforward story of Jim Martin (Joe Lewis) hired to retrieve a brainwashed rich girl from the clutches of religious cult leader Reverend Rhee (Bong Soo Han). For the mission, he assembles a team of four associates: Lockjaw (Sonny Barnes), Ezekiel (Richard Norton), Billy Ortega (Benny Urquidez), and Laurie (Pam Huntington), and also breaks Willard (Ron Hayden) out of prison so he can serve as their helicopter pilot.
One may have to suspend their disbelief with this, but it *is* amusing in any event. As was said, there's not a lot of action, and our heroes have such little trouble with the enemy that some viewers may feel underwhelmed. It's fairly violent at some points but isn't as gory as viewers might want it. Production design, photography, and music are all adequate, and you might derive some entertainment from seeing people such as Peter MacLean (the sheriff in "Squirm") as a drunken senator, Amanda Wyss ("A Nightmare on Elm Street") as Cindy, Tom Villard ("Popcorn") as one of Rhees' many disciples, and Mel Novak ("Game of Death") as an inept assassin.
Watchable enough for devotees of this genre.
Seven out of 10.
A bunch of performers familiar to fans of B movies are featured in this straightforward story of Jim Martin (Joe Lewis) hired to retrieve a brainwashed rich girl from the clutches of religious cult leader Reverend Rhee (Bong Soo Han). For the mission, he assembles a team of four associates: Lockjaw (Sonny Barnes), Ezekiel (Richard Norton), Billy Ortega (Benny Urquidez), and Laurie (Pam Huntington), and also breaks Willard (Ron Hayden) out of prison so he can serve as their helicopter pilot.
One may have to suspend their disbelief with this, but it *is* amusing in any event. As was said, there's not a lot of action, and our heroes have such little trouble with the enemy that some viewers may feel underwhelmed. It's fairly violent at some points but isn't as gory as viewers might want it. Production design, photography, and music are all adequate, and you might derive some entertainment from seeing people such as Peter MacLean (the sheriff in "Squirm") as a drunken senator, Amanda Wyss ("A Nightmare on Elm Street") as Cindy, Tom Villard ("Popcorn") as one of Rhees' many disciples, and Mel Novak ("Game of Death") as an inept assassin.
Watchable enough for devotees of this genre.
Seven out of 10.