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| As Gorbachov's market reforms swept across Eastern Europe, and grew capitalist restorationist forces back by imperialism; Hollywood decided to get its several last anti-Communist movies out to the public. Red Scorpion released on April 19, 1989 (only a month before Rambo III) takes into Africa, adding the Africans (who have been oppressed by the Western imperialists for four centuries) to the anti-Communist struggle and embracing their former colonizers. And like political action plots Red Scorpion is facts put together with fiction, and blended together to make a fictitious war in a ficticious African nation. As this movie was made in the 80's, it holds Reaganite American view on the Russians and their allies with pointless violence. This film is another depiction of the obsession corporate Hollywood had with the image of the imperialist-backed Mujahideen butchers in Afghanistan fighting the Soviet and Afghan armies. Red Scorpion was produced and written by jailed Republican activist Jack Abramoff and his brother Robert. It was also financed by the Apartheid South African government to discredit not only the Angolan MPLA but the ANC as well. This caused a major controversy since it contradicted the fake internationalist boycott against South Africa at the time. It was also shot in South African-occupied Nambia. The movie begins in Moscow 1989. We are introduced to an active conflict in the fictional African country of "Mombaka" (portraying Angola with Afghanistan squeezed in). The movie stars Swedish actor Dolph Lundgren (played Ivan Drago, the Soviet boxer in Rocky IV) as the deadly and indestructible Spetsnaz Nikolai Rachenko of the Soviet Army. In Moscow he is briefed poorly by his superior officer General Vortek (played by Irish actor Thomas Patrick McKenna) on the intense situation. In 1978 the Soviets come to the aid of Marxist African revolutionaries called the "Soldat Rouge" meaning "Red Soldier" (portraying the Angolan Marxist guerillas, the MPLA). A year later the Soviets leave "Mombaka", leaving the Cuban and Czechoslovak armies in control of the situation, who crush the feudal regime's army, with the aid of Soviet advisers. "Mombaka" was stable until 1985, when a reactionary rebel element (portraying the Angolan UNITA pro-imperialist/pro-apartheid rebels) which quickly grows into an effective guerilla forces backed by the United States and causes problems for the "Soldat Rouge" regime. Soviet, Cuban, and Czechoslovak troops intervene in "Mombaka" to crush the anti-Communist rebellion. Vortek describes these rebels as being ruthless butchers, but admits that the rebels are growing popular. Nikolai's assignment is to go to "Mombaka" and assassinate the rebel leader before the reactionaries become too much to handle. Rachenko is flown to the Soviet base in "Kwamo", capital of "Mombaka" where he is greeted by Col. Zayas (played by Latino-American actor Carmen Argenziano), the ruthless commander of the Cuban forces in "Mombaka". By night time Nikolai goes out walking and getting drunk off of vodka. When he finally goes to the pub where there are Russian, Cuban, Czechoslovak, and African soldiers drinking he picks a fight with a Czech soldier. He then assaults several other soldiers, picks up AK and shoots wildly. Zayas and a Russian Sergeant Krasnov (played by American actor Brion James) manage to stop him, and lock him in a cell for disorderly conduct. However, the cell is already occupied by a rebel warlord Kallunda Kintash (played by African-American actor Al White) and his another rebel whom he watches die after being tortured. Now, what good is an anti-Communist movie without a character from the good ol' USA? A few minutes later the Russians bring in an American republican journalist Dewey Ferguson (played by M. Emmett Walsh), who also happens to be an anti-Russian bigot. He repeatedly insults Rachenko with anti-Communist and anti-Russian slanders, even after Rachenko helps Dewey and Kallunda escape by knocking out Krasnov, and helps them shooting their way through the Communist forces in a road chase to the tune of Little Richard. Dewey's role is just being an irritating smart-ass and foul-mouthed redneck. Eventually Kallunda and Dewey along with Nikolai find the rebels, where Nikolai first sees fact to face the man he was sent to kill: the rebel reactionary leader Ango Sundatta (played by African actor Ruben Nthodi) who later has Rachenko imprisoned, and then orders him to be left out in the desert for the Soviets to find him. He is greeted by Vortek, who allows the Cubans to torture Rachenko. Nikolai is tortured by a Cuban Sergeant Mendez (played by Puerto Rican actor Alex Colon). He escapes the Soviet base, and flees to the desert where he is befriended by a Bushman. They later part, and Rachenko rejoins the rebel forces, to lead a successful take over of the Communist base in a Rambo style assault. Naturally Red Scorpion was more fiction based, than fact. In 1979 it was Afghanistan that was occupied by the Soviets who responded to the request of their Afghan comrades, which neither Czechoslovakia nor Cuba took part in other than supporting the Soviet Union. The Cubans took part in the Angolan civil war. They occupied Angola after the Communist MPLA (Movimiento Popular da Libertacao de Angola) requested Soviet and Cuban aid. While the Cubans responded with occupation, the Russian responded with advisers. In Red Scorpion there is no portrayal of the Angolan anti-Communist force, the FNLA (Frente Nacional da Libertacao de Angola). The reactionary rebels in Red Scorpion are supposed to be the other Angolan anti-Communist force UNITA (Uniao Nacional para a Independencia Total de Angola). The character Ango Sundatta is an exact image of Jonas Savimbi, the leader of UNITA. UNITA was not only backed by the USA, but also by racist South Africa, who invaded Angola on behalf of UNITA and was defeated by Cuban and MPLA forces. Sundatta's rebels are obviously based on the Afghan Mujahideen. Czechoslovakia neither occupied nor sent advisers to Angola, their only role was supplying arms the MPLA as were the other East Bloc nations. Red Scorpion contained very bad acting, and a plot which virtually made no scense. Why Rachenko decided to switch sides was unexplained. As a Spetsnaz he must have seen a lot of action fighting for the USSR, yet he barely saw any in "Mombaka" and defected. Nikolai was betrayed by the rebels, and why he decided to rejoin them is unclear. It was amusing to see Dolph Lundgren play a Russian after Rocky IV. As Ivan Drago he is 100% loyal to the Soviet Union. As Nikolai Rachenko he is a Russian who mysteriously turns against the USSR. Nikolai Rachenko is nothing more than a Russian Rambo as there is virtually little difference between their personalities, deep low voices, flexing muscles, and shooting in all directions killing 30 soldiers in a matter of seconds. Rachenko's voice sounded like Rambo faking a Russian accent. General Vortek sounded like a westerner trying to be Russian with his nose plugged. The Cubans appeared to have the personalities of Latino-Americans that grew up in East L.A, as opposed to Cuban soldiers. The dialogue was just intended to promote anti-Communism rather than attempt to make a good movie. Red Scorpion should be available at any video store for sale or rent, and in any country should you have a desire to see it. |