.gif)
The Rescue (1988 film)
Encyclopedia
The Rescue is a 1988 adventure film about a group of teenagers who infiltrate a North Korean prison to rescue their Navy SEAL fathers. It was written by Michael J. Henderson, Jim Thomas, and John Thomas, produced by Laura Ziskin
, and directed by Ferdinand Fairfax. The film stars Kevin Dillon
, Ned Vaughn
, Marc Price
, Charles Haid
, Christine Harnos
, Ian Giatti, and James Cromwell
.
Max (Marc Price
), the son of Admiral Rothman (James Cromwell
), is an electronics whiz. By planting homemade bugs, he learns that a rescue mission is being planned. He shares this information with his friends, Shawn Howard (Ned Vaughn
) and Adrian Phillips (Christine Harnos
), whose fathers were among the captured SEALS. An official meeting is scheduled to take place on the base. Max plants a listening bug in the conference room so that he, Shawn, and Adrian can listen in via radio. In the meeting, a rescue mission is proposed, code-named "Operation Phoenix," involving infiltration of the North Korean base to rescue the SEALS. However, unwilling to risk aggravation of North Korea and its allies, the Secretary of the State insists that the operation is out of the question. Shawn Howard gives a tape of the meeting to J.J. Merrill (Kevin Dillon
), a rebellious teenager whose father was also on the captured SEAL team. J.J. proposes that they carry out the mission themselves. Shawn and Max secretly copy the operation plans, and J.J. says he can get a boat from someone in the city.
Dressed in drag, Max drives Adrian's mother's car off the base past curfew, smuggling the three others in the back. At the harbor, J.J. learns that he's been ripped off, and they have no boat. He suggests they steal a motorboat docked next to a bar where its owners are busy getting drunk. Max bids the three farewell. The stealing of the boat goes sour, so Max creates a diversion by rigging the car to crash, but not before discovering that Shawn's little brother, Bobby (Ian Giatti), was hiding in the trunk. Fearing for their safety, Max and Bobby get into the boat, and all five speed away under gunfire. The next morning, the five argue over whether or not to continue with their plan with Bobby and Max aboard, seeing as how Bobby is a liability, and Max's father wasn't among the captured. Max convinces the group to continue onward and carry out the plan, him and Bobby included.
Shortly after, the group evades a patrol boat and enters North Korean waters. In the village of Sang-Ri, near the fortress where the SEALS are held, the teens locate the hideout of Col. Kim Song (Melvin Wong) of South Korean Intelligence, who was intended to assist with Operation Phoenix. He is impressed with their bravery, but says that they have no chance without American Special Forces. He plans to escort them back home to safety. That night, the teens sneak out and continue on foot to the fortress. Travelling through a well and sewer system, they find a stash of smoke canisters and grenades. Going up through another well, they enter the base.
The group rigs fireworks on the base, originally intended for a "Workers' Day" celebration, in order to create a diversion. J.J. steals a North Korean military uniform and enters the building where the SEALS are held. He gets into a brawl with the guard, but J.J.'s father (Edward Albert
) reaches through his cell bars and breaks the guard's neck. J.J. sends a signal and Shawn and Max light the fireworks, now aimed downward at the North Korean base. J.J. frees the SEALS. Kim Song and his men show up at the base in disguise and aid the group in fighting its way out and back down the well. They slide down a long drain pipe and end up back in the village. They drive via truck to an airfield and secure a twin-engine cargo plane, which Adrian's father (Timothy Carhart
) pilots. Kim Song stays behind to hold off the North Koreans and give them time to take off. The aircraft is fired upon from North Korean anti-air guns, disabling one of its engines and causing a fuel leak. The plane crosses the border back into South Korea. The South Korean base scrambles fighter jets to intercept, fearing the plane is an intruder from the North. Bobby sticks out of the top hatch of the plane and flashes his Bruce Springsteen T-Shirt, identifying the passengers as American to the fighter jets. Approaching the runway at the base, the plane runs out of fuel, but Lt. Phillips is still able to make a safe landing. Triumphant, the group exits the plane and reunites with their families.
. However, it has received mixed to positive reviews from Audiences.
Laura Ziskin
Laura Ellen Ziskin was an American film producer. In 1990, Ziskin was the sole executive producer of the hit comedy Pretty Woman...
, and directed by Ferdinand Fairfax. The film stars Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon is an American actor.Kevin Dillon is also the name of:*Kevin Dillon , character from Rodman Philbrick's young adult novel Freak the Mighty and the film based on it, The Mighty...
, Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn is an American actor known for his television work. He attended Lee High School in Huntsville, AL and Birmingham-Southern College.-Filmography:*The Rescue, 1988 - Shawn Howard...
, Marc Price
Marc Price
Marc Price is a television actor primarily known for his role as Erwin "Skippy" Handelman on Family Ties.-Biography:Price also hosted the children's game show Teen Win, Lose or Draw on The Disney Channel from 1989 to 1992....
, Charles Haid
Charles Haid
Charles Maurice Haid III is an American actor and director, with notable work in both movies and television. He is known for his portrayal of Officer Andy Renko in Hill Street Blues....
, Christine Harnos
Christine Harnos
Christine Harnos is a Canadian film and television actress. Harnos is known for portraying Jennifer, the wife of main character Mark Greene on ER , Rimmer in the Action/Horror film Hellraiser: Bloodline , Dotty from The Girl Gets Moe film, Sarah Hughes in Cold Dog Soup film, Linda Wyatt in...
, Ian Giatti, and James Cromwell
James Cromwell
James Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A...
.
Plot
The film opens on a U.S. military base in South Korea. Personnel receives word that a U.S. submarine has become disabled in international waters near North Korea. A team of four Navy SEALS travels to the underwater site of the sub, rescues the captain, and lays explosives. The captain is airlifted from the SEALS' raft and taken to safety. Shortly after, the SEALS' raft is intercepted by a North Korean helicopter just as the explosives detonate, destroying the submarine. The SEALS are captured and placed in prison cells in a North Korean fortress. Back home on the base, the SEALS' children watch news of their fathers' trial. The North Korean government alleges that the SEALS were engaged in espionage. Under North Korean law, if they are found guilty, they could be executed.Max (Marc Price
Marc Price
Marc Price is a television actor primarily known for his role as Erwin "Skippy" Handelman on Family Ties.-Biography:Price also hosted the children's game show Teen Win, Lose or Draw on The Disney Channel from 1989 to 1992....
), the son of Admiral Rothman (James Cromwell
James Cromwell
James Oliver Cromwell is an American film and television actor. Some of his more notable roles are in Babe , for which he earned Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, Star Trek: First Contact , L.A...
), is an electronics whiz. By planting homemade bugs, he learns that a rescue mission is being planned. He shares this information with his friends, Shawn Howard (Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn
Ned Vaughn is an American actor known for his television work. He attended Lee High School in Huntsville, AL and Birmingham-Southern College.-Filmography:*The Rescue, 1988 - Shawn Howard...
) and Adrian Phillips (Christine Harnos
Christine Harnos
Christine Harnos is a Canadian film and television actress. Harnos is known for portraying Jennifer, the wife of main character Mark Greene on ER , Rimmer in the Action/Horror film Hellraiser: Bloodline , Dotty from The Girl Gets Moe film, Sarah Hughes in Cold Dog Soup film, Linda Wyatt in...
), whose fathers were among the captured SEALS. An official meeting is scheduled to take place on the base. Max plants a listening bug in the conference room so that he, Shawn, and Adrian can listen in via radio. In the meeting, a rescue mission is proposed, code-named "Operation Phoenix," involving infiltration of the North Korean base to rescue the SEALS. However, unwilling to risk aggravation of North Korea and its allies, the Secretary of the State insists that the operation is out of the question. Shawn Howard gives a tape of the meeting to J.J. Merrill (Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon is an American actor.Kevin Dillon is also the name of:*Kevin Dillon , character from Rodman Philbrick's young adult novel Freak the Mighty and the film based on it, The Mighty...
), a rebellious teenager whose father was also on the captured SEAL team. J.J. proposes that they carry out the mission themselves. Shawn and Max secretly copy the operation plans, and J.J. says he can get a boat from someone in the city.
Dressed in drag, Max drives Adrian's mother's car off the base past curfew, smuggling the three others in the back. At the harbor, J.J. learns that he's been ripped off, and they have no boat. He suggests they steal a motorboat docked next to a bar where its owners are busy getting drunk. Max bids the three farewell. The stealing of the boat goes sour, so Max creates a diversion by rigging the car to crash, but not before discovering that Shawn's little brother, Bobby (Ian Giatti), was hiding in the trunk. Fearing for their safety, Max and Bobby get into the boat, and all five speed away under gunfire. The next morning, the five argue over whether or not to continue with their plan with Bobby and Max aboard, seeing as how Bobby is a liability, and Max's father wasn't among the captured. Max convinces the group to continue onward and carry out the plan, him and Bobby included.
Shortly after, the group evades a patrol boat and enters North Korean waters. In the village of Sang-Ri, near the fortress where the SEALS are held, the teens locate the hideout of Col. Kim Song (Melvin Wong) of South Korean Intelligence, who was intended to assist with Operation Phoenix. He is impressed with their bravery, but says that they have no chance without American Special Forces. He plans to escort them back home to safety. That night, the teens sneak out and continue on foot to the fortress. Travelling through a well and sewer system, they find a stash of smoke canisters and grenades. Going up through another well, they enter the base.
The group rigs fireworks on the base, originally intended for a "Workers' Day" celebration, in order to create a diversion. J.J. steals a North Korean military uniform and enters the building where the SEALS are held. He gets into a brawl with the guard, but J.J.'s father (Edward Albert
Edward Albert
Edward Albert was an American film and television actor. He was also known as Edward Laurence Albert, Laurence Edward Albert and occasionally Eddie Albert, Jr.-Early life:Albert was born Edward Laurence Heimberger in Los Angeles, California, to actor Eddie...
) reaches through his cell bars and breaks the guard's neck. J.J. sends a signal and Shawn and Max light the fireworks, now aimed downward at the North Korean base. J.J. frees the SEALS. Kim Song and his men show up at the base in disguise and aid the group in fighting its way out and back down the well. They slide down a long drain pipe and end up back in the village. They drive via truck to an airfield and secure a twin-engine cargo plane, which Adrian's father (Timothy Carhart
Timothy Carhart
Timothy Carhart is an American actor. Carhart was born in Washington, DC. and travelled to Izmir and Ankara in Turkey and Verdun in France before returning to the US and studying theater, where he has been acting since at least the late 1970s...
) pilots. Kim Song stays behind to hold off the North Koreans and give them time to take off. The aircraft is fired upon from North Korean anti-air guns, disabling one of its engines and causing a fuel leak. The plane crosses the border back into South Korea. The South Korean base scrambles fighter jets to intercept, fearing the plane is an intruder from the North. Bobby sticks out of the top hatch of the plane and flashes his Bruce Springsteen T-Shirt, identifying the passengers as American to the fighter jets. Approaching the runway at the base, the plane runs out of fuel, but Lt. Phillips is still able to make a safe landing. Triumphant, the group exits the plane and reunites with their families.
Reception
Due to not being a widely known film, has no critic reviews on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. However, it has received mixed to positive reviews from Audiences.