Sabotage (1978)

Original title: Last Target

AKA: Geheimcode Death-Force

Director: Efren C. Pinon

Writers: Efren C. Pinon, Jerry O. Tirazona

Composer: Tito Sotto

Starring: Tony Ferrer, Susan Henson, Charlie Davao, Alex Bolado, Mike Cohen, Romy Diaz, Jim Gaines, Val Iglesias, Ramon Revilla, Nick Romano, Rey Sagum

More info: IMDb


Plot:  Super spy, Agent X-44, must stop the evil Doctor Ivskovsky from launching nuclear missiles against the Philippines. 

My rating:

Will I watch it again?  No.

I learned something today.  In the mid-60s, at the height of the James Bond craze, a Filipino actor, Tony Ferrer, began starring in the long running series of spy pictures as Tony Falcon Agent X-44, the Bond of the Philippines.  LAST TARGET is one the last (if not the last?) in the series and it's the only one I could find.  It definitely feels like some of the other Philippine movies I've seen from the late 70s but it's also got something the others didn't have and that's some tight, well-edited fight scenes.  As a spy movie, it's OK.  It's got that overall Bond villain thing going on (except for the part where the villain in this one is literally sitting in the same chair for almost the entire movie AND he's almost always on the phone with the good guys) but it's the action that kicks it up a notch.  It's over the top but Ferrer brings a physicality to it and when you add the quick editing, it makes for some great action sequences - over the top but fun.  There's one scene where X-44 and three other agents fire their pistols, each agent alternating shots, and blow up a helicopter.  It's dumb as fuck but that's the charm and that's why this goofy movie shouldn't go un-seen.  I sure would like to see the films in this series from the 60s.  Anyone know where to find them? Oh, and fans of FOR Y'UR HEIGHT ONLY (1979) will recognize this guy...