Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		2.0

Strike Commando 2 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman June 24, 2021

In interviews included on both this disc and its sibling, Strike Commando, as supplemental features, co-writer and assistant director Claudio Fragasso details how both films were shot in the Philippines, and that the crew was in fact using locations that had been utilized by Francis Ford Coppola during the tortuous production of Apocalypse Now. That little piece of moviemaking trivia might help explain why some viewers could come to the first film in this series and see top billed Christopher Connelly’s performance as an addled army type and think that the actor had been taking a few hyperbolic cues from one Marlon Brando. (That first film also includes a bunch of "natives" in white faced tribal makeup, as if to emphasize the connection.) While it’s at least a bit debatable as to Richard Harris' classification as this film’s main villain, something Fragasso mentions in his interview, there’s no debating his superior marquee value when compared to the likes of Connelly, and Harris is considerably more nuanced in his performance than Connelly as an addled army type named Vic Jenkins, who of course has a history with Mr. Strike Commando himself, Mike Ransom (played by Brett Huff in this film, replacing Reb Brown). That history is kind of alluded to during the film's opening credits sequence as Mike seems to be having a post traumatic stress disorder induced nightmare about some skirmish in Vietnam where Vic saved him from certain death.

There is overt admission by both Fragasso and Strike Commando's co-writer Rosella Drudi that Bruno Mattei basically wanted to make his own Rambo with that film, and similarly there are some passing mentions in Fragasso's interview included on this disc to Raiders of the Lost Ark, though the connections may be more relevant with regard to certain characters like this film's main female component, the somewhat hilariously named Rosanna Boom (Mary Stavin), who is positively Marion Ravenwood-esque, especially with regard to her introduction. Though actress Stavin is a blonde, she is later adorned with a black wig and makeup that makes her rather similar in appearance to Karen Allen (see screenshot 19).

If Jenkins may ultimately seem to be a less than honorable sort, there's another villain in the tale named Kramet (Mel Davidson), who does seem a bit, well, Nazi-esque, even if this is another story supposedly dealing with Vietnam. Kind of amazingly, everything from drug running to caches of diamonds to ninjas is worked into the proceedings, with Mike supposedly having to rescue Jenkins after Jenkins is supposedly kidnapped, but with a few twists and turns along the way, none of which is going to be very surprising.

This is another entry that doesn't always meet baselines expectations of logic or narrative flow, and whose cinematic antecedents are almost willfully on display, but which provides a couple of "must haves" for serious adrenaline junkies: lots of people getting mowed down by bullets, and lots of explosions decimating various things like jungle huts. The film does aim for a bit of humor, or at least passing whimsy, but it's probably the action elements which will spark the most interest.

Strike Commando 2 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Strike Commando 2 is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. As was the case with Strike Commando, the back cover of this release also states that the film features "a 2K scan from the original negative for the first time ever". This is another strong looking presentation, though I'd probably rate it just a tad less consistent looking than the first film, though that said, I didn't really notice the same level of variance between the theatrical and extended versions presented on this disc that I did with the first film. The palette here is mostly well suffused, offering nice, lush accountings of the Philippines settings, though as can probably be gleaned from some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, a lot of the jungle material seems to have been shot with diffusion filters, giving a kind of hazy, misty quality to the visuals. Other sequences shot more "normally" exhibit generally nice levels of fine detail and a natural looking palette. Grain resolves rather nicely throughout, with an organic and tight appearance for the most part that can only look just a tad splotchy in some of the soft focus jungle scenes.

Strike Commando 2 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Strike Commando 2 features LPCM 2.0 Mono tracks in either English or Italian, but with most of the focal characters native English speakers, my hunch is most will want to opt for the English track. The film has a really unintentionally funny score by Stefano Mainetti that just seems completely at odds with what it's supposedly supporting, but it sounds decently full bodied throughout. A few passing effects like some explosions may lack significant reverberant power, but other effects including a bunch of outdoor ambient environmental sounds are more natural seeming. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, and there's little to none of the almost distortion prone boxiness that afflicted the English language track in particular on the first film's audio. Optional English subtitles are available.

Strike Commando 2 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Guerrilla Zone (HD; 16:42) continues the interview with Claudio Fragasso that began as a supplement on Strike Commando, with Fragasso once again identified as co-director (he actually assistant directed, though he once again states overtly that he had directorial duties, including being the English speaking intermediary between Bruno Mattei and various cast members). In Italian with English subtitles.


• Michael Ransom Strikes Back (HD; 14:29) is an interview with an affable Brent Huff, who seems to have a sense of humor about some of the films he appeared in, especially since they gave him an all expenses paid vacation to various exotic locations.


• Trailer (HD; 2:40)


• Either an Extended Cut (HD; 1:36:08) or the Theatrical Cut (HD; 1:30:18) is available under the Play Menu.

Strike Commando 2 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's some above average stunt work and a ton of things that go "boom" (including Rosanna, but I digress) in this film, though it is unabashedly lo-fi fare that doesn't have any outsized ambition, other than to perhaps have given Richard Harris an all expense paid vacation to the Philippines. This release sports generally solid technical merits, and the interviews included as bonus features are very enjoyable (Harris fans in particular will probably get a kick out of Fragasso's anecdotes about the actor), for those who are considering a purchase.