| Counter Measures (1999) Cast:Michael Dudikoff,James Horan, Robert F. Lyons,Robert Donovan Michael Dudikoff once again is the only one who can stop terrorists from launching some destructive element at the U.S of A, of course Dudikoff slips through the cracks while terrorists shoot, of course they hold his lover hostage and last but not least Dudikoff saves the day, but what this Die Hard clone lacks is excitement and well the rest of it is just a yawner. Michael Dudikoff is one of the more tolerable actionstars out there, he actually has a screen presence and we like him mainly due to our fond memories of American Ninja and Avenging Force but Counter Measures is really pushing it, so far that even Dudikoff fans may tear off their Ninja pajamas in protest. Counter Measures is a movie so ineptly written and directed that actors explain the effects over and over again until your eyes glaze over, indeed watching this lazy actioner I kept thinking about why Dudikoff would do something like this? This kind of dungheap we expect from Jerry Trimble but from Michael Dudikoff? This is the "American Ninja" for goodness sake! Stop talking and start karate chopping, yet nothing happens in Counter Measures that can be considered remotely exciting. It's like eating paper, there's no flavor, no substance and no enjoyment to be had. Counter Measures is certainly terrible, but what's shocking is that it inspired Dolph Lundgren's worst movie Agent Red, which Counter Measures at least manages to be better than but only slightly. D.Fred Olen Ray* |