War Dog (sometimes called War Dog - the Assassination Team) is a 1987 Swedish action movie.
Charles Stewart is a Vietnam vet who just got back from the wake for his brother, Ricky. The Army claims that Ricky was KIA, even though nobody found his body. Charles enlists the help of his computer-savvy friend Frank, and informant Dean Daniels to learn the truth.
Turns out Ricky was conscripted by Charles old commanding officer, Col.Spacek, for the "War Dog" program. An attempt to create an army of chemically enhanced super soldiers. With matching shades.
More Dakka ensues.
When it first came out, it was obviously inspired by The Terminator. Nowadays it's interesting to note that the plot resembles that of Universal Soldier to a T. And that movie would be released 5 years later.
It's also infamous for a scene where the War Dogs assault a gas station and absolutely annihilate everyone there, including the children. They die graphically with bloody squib effects.
Tropes:
- Badass Army: The War Dogs are this.
- Beard of Evil: Colonel Spacek has a creepy one.
- Big Badass Rig: Colonel Spacek brings out three M35 Trucks
filled with armed Mooks, in a chase against Charles and Rickys station wagon, near then end. - Bittersweet Ending: Spacek is dead and the War Dog program has been deemed a failure, but Ricky is unable to evade his conditioning, slitting the throat of a family friend and almost killing his sister-in-law before being gunned down by the police.
-
California Doubling: A lot of effort is put into making Sweden look like Eagle Land, including using advertising for American products that didn't even exist in Sweden at the time, like Quaker State motor oil. - *Click* Hello: When the War Dog Assassin gets the drop on Dean Daniels in his hotel room.
- Colonel Badass: Spacek. He's even got the Carpet of Virility going on.
- Curbstomp Battle: The gas station assault. The War Dogs cut down everyone (and we mean everyone) with Assault Rifle and Submachine Gun fire. Then they blow it up.
- Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping: The English is heavily accented to say the least. Also, one hilarious moment is when a politician is chewing out Colonel Spacek for his so-called "half-assed" massacre. Perhaps he meant "needless" because that massacre was anything but "half-assed".
- Razor Wire: A War Dog uses this to take out a snitch.
The "death spasms" of the victim are hilarious.
