Great Film overall

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Films of the Filipino Z-Movie genre are always tricky to rate, I mean they aren't just bad, they are REALLY BAD! However, they have plenty of mindless violence to keep you on your seat for 90 minutes, and the plots are so basic that a 4 year old can keep up with the proceedings! This obvious 'Death Wish' rip-off is no exception. When you mix Silver Star productions with director, Teddy Page, you know you're gonna get value for the $1 you spent on the video! Enough background already, let's get to the plot (if you can call it that!). So, we see a couple of love birds having a picnic in the park, when they are attacked by a gang of local thugs, who want to do sex with the girl, the boyfriend gets killed and the girl escapes to her house (probably 2 feet from the park), where she runs screaming towards her dad, the gang in hot pursuit, kill the girl as well as wounding her dad. BIG MISTAKE!... Her pop is Silver Star's own Terminator.... Richard Harrison! (this time playing Mark Collins, ex Vietnam vet). At this point you know there ain't gonna be no survivors, and to make his point Harrison dons his trademark, red Steve Austin tracksuit, and sets out on a one man Crusade! After wiping out the gang responsible for killing his daughter, Collins decides to kill anyone he perceives as scum! He kills drug dealers, he kills muggers and he kills rapists (who seem to be round every corner in the Philippines). Unknown to Collins, he has been watched by a powerful drug baron, Bill (Mike Monty), who has decided to kidnap Collins's wife, to get our hero to bump off his rivals. When Collins returns home he finds his wife gone and a list of demands from the anonymous abductor, strangely enough, he will also be paid for his services! Enter Silver Star's favourite leading lady... Ann Milhench, who plays Liza, a sexy, but unconvincing, ex hit woman. She has been sent by the kidnappers to help Collins on his mission of murder! (we eventually find out that her son is being held by the kidnappers, so she is in the same predicament as Collins). Together they destroy just about everyone in the city. Liza is killed on one of the missions, but before she expires, gives Collins information about the kidnappers. Collins learns that Bill is behind the kidnap and has used him and Liza (with a Zee) to clean out the competition! Now exposed, Bill calls Collins to inform him his wife will be freed and he will also get paid. But as his wife shows up (in a rust- bucket car), a bomb in the vehicle explodes, killing her! (this doesn't make much sense, but what the Hell!). Collins cranks up the body count in his vengeful fury, eventually fighting his way into Bill's stockade (or golf course by the look of it!), and in the final (blink and you will miss it!) battle, blows him up with the help a mini rocket launcher strapped to his wrist! As in 'Fireback's' end credits, we get a pointless screen shot epilogue about Collins handing himself in to the authorities, and serving a life sentence! This film stars all the usual crowd from the U.S. ex-pat, cocaine snorting community, and the dialogue and random plot are as diabolically hilarious as always! Mike Monty has some of the best lines (all unintentionally side-splitting!), such as, "I need you to recruit more pimps, and pushers"! Blood Debts, should be released on DVD, the film is appallingly bad in every way imaginable, the script could have been written on the back on a Coco Pops packet and the location doesn't look anything like the USA (where it is supposed to be set). But when all is said and done, the action starts in the first minute and finishes at literally the last second, with no letting up in-between. It's a film that doesn't need a strong plot, we want shooting and killing.. and that's what we get! One minor complaint are the name's, I mean Collins's wife is credited as 'Mark's Wife' and calling the chief villain 'Bill' is not very sinister, perhaps 'Bill Zager' or 'Bill Fortuna' but not just 'Bill'.....please!Anyhow that aside, it's a very easy and ultimately rewarding film to watch. You will never forget it, that's for sure! What about the cast? The question is, are they ashamed of themselves for appearing in this crap? Let's hope so!

Back in the magical 1980s the Filipino Silver Star Company had one big dream: making authentic American action flicks in their own neighbourhood. I mean, who's going to know? Just fly in some token American actors who peaked at least two decades ago, have them say any old action cliché that you can come up with in an afternoon and give it a violent title, it'll work. Unfortunately, the dirt cheap production values and clearly Asian surroundings can occasionally hurt the illusion. Silver Star's favorite token American was without a doubt Richard Harrison, this was the fifth movie he did for the company. By now unfortunately he has tremendous trouble hiding the boredom and disgust he feels for projects like these, which is sad because "Blood Debts" is by far the best Filipino movie he did (whatever that means).What I love most about "Blood Debts" is that it doesn't take time explaining anything, because there's nothing to explain. You know from the first minute on that it's going to be a "Death Wish" rip-off, you know it will just be Harrison randomly blowing away scum for ninety minutes. Who cares where he went to high school or whether he likes long walks on the beach, it would just eat up murder time. His wife doesn't even have a name and she's in like six scenes. That's basically the main (only?) value these movies have. The makers know they don't have much skill in writing, directing or virtually any aspect of filmmaking, so they go for broke and give the audience exactly what it wants. I can respect that kind of attitude, it makes "Blood Debts" highly enjoyable. Bonus points for the "huh?" of an ending, it's less dumb than the ending to "Fireback" (another Silver Star production with Harrison in the lead) but definitely not by much.

Mark Collins (Harrison) is a Vietnam vet whose daughter, Sarah (Catherine Miles), and her fiancé, are both shot dead by thugs. Taking matters into his own hands, he searches all over the Philippines to find and execute the culprits. But while he was carrying out his revenge missions, he was being watched by two mysterious figures, Peter (Gaines) and Bill (Monty). They like his style so much, they hire him to kill some more criminals. They even team him up with a former mob hitwoman named Liza (Milhench). You'd think Collins would be in hog heaven, now being paid to do what he loves best. But all is not as it seems, and after some twists and turns, we truly see who has to pay up on the BLOOD DEBTS...This movie kicks off with what might be one of the best openings ever. We certainly won't spoil it for you, but it sets the scene perfectly. But then, why wouldn't it - this is a gem from fan-favorite director Teddy Page, a man known for killer openings. He directed Phantom Soldiers (1987) after all. But here he reunites with his Fireback (1983) stars Harrison and Milhench and the results are silly fun at its best. His use of slow motion, seemingly one of his trademarks, is on full display here.Funny dubbing, classic clothing, funky music, and that timeless Filipino sense of incoherence reign, and these are all the things that make a great time in front of the old VCR. The movie is clearly inspired by Death Wish (1974) but it takes the formula in some interesting directions. Plus, Harrison's wardrobe, the staple of which seems to be "track suit with no shirt", can best be described as the "Casual Bronson". After all, you want to be flexible and comfortable if you're tracking down and killing large numbers of people. Harrison is credited with being a co-writer of the movie, I wonder if any of that was in the script? And did we mention the dubbing? It was nice seeing Harrison in a non-ninja role, and there's even a scene at a liquor store called "Harrison house of wine". Is that just a coincidence? His foil, Ann Milhench, is beautiful as Liza, pronounced "Leeza", apparently pre-dating the meteoric rise of talk show host Leeza Gibbons. Milhench has only been in six movies, and we've seen four of them (this and the aforementioned Fireback, plus Nine Deaths of the Ninja (1985) and the awful Sloane (1986). ) 1985 was a great year for her, as she did half her career in that golden year. It should also be mentioned that Willie Williams has a small role as Julius, Collins' informant and confidante.You've just got to love Continental Video for releasing this. Just for the two wacky on-screen title cards seen in the movie, it's worth seeing. For the sillier side of the revenge drama, do check out Blood Debts.For more action insanity, drop by: www.comeuppancereviews.com

another silver star production from the Philippines, with Richard Harrison who have no time to act(admitting he can) in this short (less than 80 min)and pitifully "Death Wish" Rip-off,where He must avenge a rape/murder attack on his son and his girlfriend by a bunch of armed thugs.So he put his best red jogging suit(from Lee major bionic time)and kill a lot of people.Simple story with really nothing new in sight.Made by Terry Page and starring also the usual Mike Monty, James Gaines and Ann Milhench. Only Doris Wishman fans could appreciate this one, I'm one of them but it's not funny enough to have great redeeming value.Not worth seeking, but watchable in the good state of mind with few friends if you find it cheap.