THE OCTAGON
US, 1980, 103 minutes, Colour.
Chuck Norris, Karen Carlson, Lee Van Cleef, Art Hindle
Directed by Eric Karson.
A fairly conventional action film. It is a vehicle for Chuck Norris, a martial arts expert, with a genial screen personality. lie choreographs the karate fights and acts as the lead. However. he is not seen to such advantage in this film as he was in A Force Of One and Good Guys Wear Black. Norris's action films present quite a number of martial arts fights. However, they present them in social contexts. The Good Guys Wear Black has overtones of the Vietnam war, military and political cover-ups. A Force Of One in about drug peddling in Los Angeles. This one has overtones of international terrorism and pressures on newspaper editors. Probably satisfying enough for martial arts fans ? of films done in the American style.
1. An entertaining action adventure? The presentation of martial arts fights? The American background? The background of the martial art of Ninja? International terrorists?
2. The conventions of the genre: the retired hero, his relationships and gradual involvement, his training along with the villain? The build-up to the confrontation? The background of the international newspaper heiress and her pressures on the hero? Friendships and dangers? The build-up to the final confrontation?
3. Colour photography, American locations, Mexican? Musical score? The special effects for the fights? The special effects for the voiceover of the hero's conscience and his questioning?
4. The plausibility of the plot: such training camps in Central America as The Octagon? Outlawed martial arts being used for terrorists and mercenaries? The recruiting of mercenaries and their training? The importance of martial arts heroes and their being used by police and government? The international pressures by terrorists? Big business, newspapers? The characters, action situations? The finale?
5. Chuck Norris and his martial arts skills? Screen presence? His role as Scott James - his conscience and the continued voice-over questioning? The flashbacks of his boyhood and training with Seikura? The realisation that Ninja was being used for terrorism? The friendship with Nancy and the attack and death? Scott Jamen and his working with his friend A.J. and wanting to penetrate the Ninja? his following him to Mexico, A.J's capture and death? The friendship with McCann? and his tough attitudes, mercenary approach? The encounters with Justine - by chance, by calculation? Friendship? Jobs? The pressure on James by attacks from Seikura, from Doggo? The friendship with Aura after Justine's death? The move to Central America, infiltration of the fort, the final combat?
6. A.J. and his friendship with James? With Justine? Need to prove himself? Torture and death? McCann? and his henchmen ? the aging mercenary and his support, rescuing A.J., killing Doggo's henchmen?
7. Nancy and her martial arts ballet, her death? Justine and her stalled car, luring James to her home, trying to employ him? Their on and off friendship? Justine and A.J.? The sudden violence of her death? Aura among the recruits at the Octagon, her training, her defection, friendship with James, helping in the final siege?
8. The opening sequences of terrorist attacks? Nancy’s attack and death? The exercise of international terrorism? Doggo and his recruiting and James's going? The transfer of clients to Central America? Seikura and his rivalry with his brother? Renegade? His colleagues and the training in the Octagon? The build-up to the confrontation with James?
9. The picturing of the recruits, the harshness of their training, treatment in the camp? The build-up to the final siege? The tests of James's skill? The final fight? The mercenaries turning against their trainers?
10. Audience involvement at the level of goodies and baddies, justice and right, international crime? Mercenaries? Violent battles on the side of right? Death? International contemporary political and social themes? A satisfying blend of action and social comment?
