ivo-cobra8 Uncommon Valor (1983) is a underrated Vietnam war flick that I have grown up with it, it is one of the best classic Vietnam films from Patrick Swayze, alongside with Gene Hackman! I really love this film to death. I grew up watching this movie it was all time my favorite war film. This movie was made before Missing in Action and Rambo: First Blood Part II was released. This film shows a great courage and heroism to US soldiers who served in Vietnam who were missing in action and were held captive in Vietnam camps. This movie is about a U.S. Marine officer who puts together a team of Vietnam vets who served in Vietnam and he try's to rescue his son, who he believes is among those still held in Laos after the Vietnam War. Directed by Ted Kotcheff who previously directed First Blood (1982). I used to had this movie on VHS but I don't have it anymore and I can't get the Blu-ray because it is not released yet. This is my first number 1 Patrick Swayze movie he ever made. It is his best work from the 80's, even tough he had a small role. I really had a blast and fun watching him in this movie, playing a Marine Kevin Scott."Boy, you just bought the whole can of whup-ass!" "Boy, you usin' that oriental martial bulls**t on me's gonna get real expensive." Plot: Ten years after his son went MIA in Vietnam, U.S.Marine retired Colonel Jason Rhodes assembles a private rescue team to find Americans held in POW camps in Laos.What I love about this movie is: you have a solid excellent cast: Gene Hackman, Patrick Swayze, Fred Ward, Reb Brown, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Harold Sylvester, Tim Thomerson and Robert Stack. This is a fantastic war movie, it has drama, action and humor. This film has it all and it done so well with it is heart sleeve. I don't understand why this movie is so underrated and forgotten, like no one mentions this movie today. This was Randall "Tex" Cobb's second film later he played another Vietnam vet in MacGyver (1985) Season 3 Episode 16 (1987), I love the fight scene between Sailor (Randall "Tex" Cobb) and Kevin Scott (Patrick Swayze), Swayze using his martial arts on Sailor was epic, fantastic. This is my favorite best scene in the film ever, and I love Sailor's dialogue I absolutely love everything about this movie!You have a training sequences, you have a real mission with a real Viet Congs. You have a beautiful music theme song from James Horner which I love it and I love the song Brothers in the Night by Ray Kennedy. This film was filmed and released in the year 1983, that year when I was born. This film is the first and the best 'Vietnam rescue mission' movie. I have the film in my top list for a long time. Sad that out of the cast, the youngest, Patrick Sawyze, is the only one of the team who is dead in real life. Its a great movie, good script, well directed action and nicely rounded characters that live with you well after the movie is over.I really love Patrick Swayze, who was US marine in this movie and he was kicked out of the unit for striking a radio operator who fall a sleep. I love Patrick's character Kevin Scott, I love Reb Brown in this movie as Blaster. But I love to death Randall "Tex" Cobb as Sailor, I love this character to death! I love Fred Ward as Wilkes, he was a Tunnel rat, he doesn't like close spaces, after the fight with Kevin and Sailor we found Kevin's story, why he want's to be In this mission, it is because his father was shot down in Vietnam and he is missing in action. I love how Patrick kills one of the Viet Congs, he saves on the end Charts (Tim Thomerson). He cared about Sailor when he was killed.In this movie we also have Kwan Hi Lim from Magnum P.I. who played Lieutenant Yoshi Tanaka the actor is also dead from this movie who sadly passed away in 2008. This movie has beautiful acting, it is more smarter Vietnam war film. I think it is very underrated and unappreciated.Again it is my favorite fourth Vietnam film, the first three will always be Platoon, Full Metal Jacket and we Were Soldiers. Uncommon Valor is my fourth favorite Vietnam War film. R.I.P. - Patrick Swayze (1952 - 2009) I really miss you so much and I wish you could do more bad ass action movies, I am your biggest fan and so was my mom we all miss you and we all love you, I love you to death! Uncommon Valor (why doesn't THAT film get the cult/appreciation/notice of this POS), Steel Dawn (underrated), Road House and Black Dog are my top 4 favorite Patrick Swayze movies he ever did! This movie get's 10 out 10 the best underrated Vietnam movie ever made! Uncommon Valor is a 1983 war film written by Joe Gayton and directed by Ted Kotcheff, about a U.S. Marine officer who puts together a team to try to rescue his son, who he believes is among those still held in Laos after the Vietnam War.10/10 Score: Bad Ass Seal Of Approval Studio: Paramount Pictures Starring: Gene Hackman, Patrick Swayze, Fred Ward, Reb Brown, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Harold Sylvester, Tim Thomerson, Robert Stack, Kwan Hi Lim, Lau Nga Lai Director: Ted Kotcheff Producers: David Brown, Michael Tolkin, Nick Wechsler, Buzz Feitshans, John Milius Screenplay: Joe Gayton Story by Wings Hauser Rated: R Running Time: 1 Hr. 45 Mins. Box Office: $30,503,151

Scott LeBrun Colonel Jason Rhodes (Gene Hackman) is one of many worried Americans who've received notice that a loved one of theirs is listed as still Missing in Action after the Vietnam War. In Jasons' case, it's his brave son Frank (Todd Allen), who wouldn't leave a wounded comrade behind. Many years later, Jason is determined to find out the fate of his son, and other American soldiers. So he gathers together the rather motley crew that were his sons' comrades: Wilkes (Fred Ward), Blaster (Reb Brown), Sailor (Randall "Tex" Cobb), Johnson (Harold Sylvester), and Charts (Tim Thomerson). Funding their recon and rescue mission is oil man MacGregor (Robert Stack), and joining them will be young Kevin Scott (Patrick Swayze), a soldier as yet untested in combat.Some people may see this as being manipulative, but this viewer saw it as an appealing, well meaning fantasy-action picture. It's all too easy to sympathize with people like Jason, and to want this offbeat team to succeed. A fair amount of the running time is devoted to their preparation in America, where a reproduction of the prison camp (where Frank is supposedly being held) has been built. The veterans don't have to worry about not getting along, because they've been through this all before, but they have to learn to put their faith in Kevin, just as he needs to learn that, for any expertise he may have, they have the experience that he doesn't.Technically well made, with fine location work throughout and generally competent set pieces. Lots of things blow up good; while there is a fair amount of violence, there's not enough gore to turn off more squeamish members of the audience. The climactic raid on the prison camp in Laos is reasonably exciting, with a pleasingly high body count.The performances are the main attraction of the movie. Hackman is under-stated and excellent, and gets fine chemistry going with his co-stars, who are pretty convincing as old war buddies. Cobb has the most colourful role in the picture as a man who was a trouble making brawler as a civilian, but who is loyal to the core. Viewers are sure to dig his "dance moves". In addition to those actors mentioned, there's a number of familiar names in the supporting cast: Gail Strickland, Jane Kaczmarek, Constance Forslund, Charles Aidman, Jeremy Kemp, Michael Dudikoff, Barret Oliver, and Juan Fernandez."Uncommon Valor" is directed and executive produced by Ted Kotcheff, who of course had previously done "First Blood". The stirring music score is by James Horner, John Milius was one of the producers, and actor Wings Hauser was one of the associate producers.Seven out of 10.

dighambara Comments:In my opinion, this is an excellent movie, primarily because it shows the camaraderie and exactly why such teams are so close knit. The scenes in Thailand (Laos) are excellent. Very reminiscent of the back country anywhere in South East Asia. The cast was well selected and worked very well together. I particularly enjoy the part where Sailor is asked about his money, as there are many, manydistractions in places like Saigon, Phnom Penh and Bangkok, as any veteran can tell you...LOLCorrections: Gene Hackman plays the part of a Marine Colonel, not an Army Colonel.In many Armies, a Full Colonel is considered equivalent to a General. Meaning that a civilian calling a Colonel a General may be a mistake and may not.For example, in the Thai Army & Air Force, there are Colonels and there are Senior Colonels. The Senior Colonel is considered the equivalent of a General 'select', but may hold that position for years until there is an opening. To treat him as less than a General would be an affront of great magnitude...

bkoganbing Uncommon Valor stars Gene Hackman as a retired US Army Colonel who still wants an accounting of his son who was listed as Missing In Action when the Vietnam War ended in 1973. Rumors on rumors pile up as to whether we still have men kept as prisoners of war from the late conflict in Southeast Asia. Hackman thinks he has a lead and he goes to multi-millionaire Robert Stack who also has an MIA son with a plan of action that involves leading some veterans as a volunteer mercenary force to get their comrades out.I'll say the same thing I said about Rambo II which touched on the same subject. Does it make any kind of rational sense that the Vietnamese or in this case the men are being held in Laos would keep prisoners of war after the conflict has ended? My guess is, sad to say that prisoners that we could not account for being held by the enemy at the conclusion of the war would probably have been just simply murdered. But the idea that we could go back and win one in the extra innings of war certainly had appeal which accounts for the popularity of Uncommon Valor and Rambo II. At least Gene Hackman was not going to do it singlehanded the way Sly Stallone did.Bearing all that in mind, Uncommon Valor is a nice action war film if taken on its own terms. The men that Hackman selects, all veterans from the conflict, Randall Cobb, Fred Ward, Tim Thomerson, Reb Brown, and Harold Sylvester are all professionals. The film never goes down to the rollicking and somewhat dopey hijinks of the A-Team. They have one youngster on the mission, a young Patrick Swayze on the cusp of stardom. He's there to rescue his father if possible.The cast has a nice chemical camaraderie to it. Uncommon Valor is a decent enough action film, not to be taken too terribly serious.