Bullet Points: To the Limit
If there was ever a movie in the PM Entertainment library that took the sexual content almost to the limit of where it would have to be classified as a soft core porno instead of an action thriller, 1995’s To the Limit starring Anna Nicole Smith may be that movie…
- The First Twelve Minutes: The first twelve minutes of To the Limit are quite eventful. We are introduced to the movie’s antagonist, Arthur Jameson (Jack Bannon, Death Warrant) as he hoodwinks a guy into delivering a top secret file. That same delivery guy is then thrown out of a helicopter after it has taken off. Then that same helicopter is blown out of the sky by Jameson and we learn that Jameson’s next target is a guy named Frank DaVinci (Joey Travolta, No Escape No Return). We are then introduced DaVinci, the movie’s protagonist, at his surprise bachelor party, complete with strippers! But if the strippers didn’t provide enough nudity, we meet another major character, Colette DuBois (Anna Nicole Smith, Skyscraper), as she is taking a bath and REALLY enjoying it. Colette’s finger blasting is interrupted by a voice on the other side of the door, telling her they were going to be late. Colette responds the only way one could respond in that situation by simply saying, “I’m coming.” The FIRST. TWELVE. MINUTES.
- DaVinci’s Wedding: The function that Colette and her significant other, Thomas “China” Smith (Michael Nouri, Captain America) are going to be late for is the wedding of China’s old buddy Frank DaVinci. Colette and China’s lateness is guaranteed when the two get caught up in the moment and partake in some afternoon delight. We cut to the church where Frank and his beautiful bride Lupe (Rebecca Ferratti, Gor) are exchanging their vows. With this being a PM Entertainment movie, I was half expecting a car to come crashing through the church doors as part of an over the top chase scene, but that does not happen. Instead, Frank and Lupe are pronounced man and wife but when they get outside the church doors, they are gunned down by three assassins working for Arthur Jameson. Lupe dies instantly, while Frank is rushed to the hospital. At the same time, Colette and China are finally making their way to Frank and Lupe’s wedding, but Colette realizes that she forgot the gifts, so she heads back inside while China starts the car and the car blows up! Colette freaks and is soon on the run, so she does not meet a similar fate.
- Marked for Death: Frank is rushed to the hospital, by his side is his friend Don (Branscombe Richmond, The Taking of Beverly Hills) and it isn’t long before Frank’s connected friends from Las Vegas, Philly and Joey Bambino (played by John Aprea and David Proval respectively) make their way to Los Angeles to ensure their friend Frank is receiving the best care that money can buy and round the clock protection… but Arthur Jameson is a resourceful man and gets one of his assassins in the hospital posing as a nurse to finish the job on Frank… Frank survives once again (Don isn’t so lucky) and at that point, Philly Bambino arranges for Frank to be transported to Las Vegas where they can better protect him and hopefully figure out who wants Frank dead.
- What Happens In Vegas: The trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas must have been some sort of miracle drug, because Frank is now up and around and the guest of honor at a dinner party at a club owned by the Bambinos where yarns about the old neighborhood are being spun and the drinks are flowing. Frank calls it a night early… after all the guy was just clinging to life days ago, it is understandable he may be a little tired… but when he gets to his room he finds that someone is waiting for him (so much for the added security of moving him to Vegas), that someone is Colette! At this point we learn that Colette is a former CIA Agent who worked for Arthur Jameson. But that’s not the only reveal, Colette also tells Frank about evidence of some shady shit that went down with Jameson, Frank and her now dead lover China when all three were in Vietnam. This evidence will put Jameson away forever and Jameson is the one trying to erase it and anyone involved from existence. But can Colette be trusted!?!? Philly Bambino sure doesn’t think so…
- The Last Thirty Minutes: I must admit, To the Limit felt like it was losing some steam around the one hour mark. That’s probably why they had Colette take a shower. And thanks to a removable shower head, she REALLY enjoyed it. Afterwards Colette and Frank knock boots to help them forget about the loss of their significant others earlier in the movie. A word to the wise… if you decide to watch To the Limit and start feeling like it is pushing you to your limit, stick with it because the end of the movie when we get Frank, Colette and Arthur Jameson all in the same place, really needs to be seen to be believed.
Some would say that To the Limit was another example of PM Entertainment taking a chance on an unlikely star and plugging them into the PM Entertainment machine. But I don’t know how much of a chance they were taking hiring Anna Nicole Smith fresh off her coronation as 1993’s Playmate of the Year, especially since the movie gave her plenty of opportunities to give her fan base exactly what they wanted. It’s not like she was hired to play Ted Jan Roberts’ mom in one of PM’s PG-13 offerings… now that would be taking a chance.
Not including some Bonus Bullet Points is a chance I am not willing to take…
- Who Knew?!?!: I did not realize that To the Limit was a sequel to 1992’s DaVinci’s War until after I finished the movie and started doing some research for this post. Joey Travolta, Michael Nouri, Branscombe Richmond and Jack Bannon all appeared in DaVinci’s War and reprised their roles for the sequel. However, Vanity of Action Jackson fame did not reprise her role of Lupe for To the Limit.
- If You Ever: …wanted to see Anna Nicole Smith drive through a helicopter, then To the Limit is the movie for you.
- Familiar Faces: The Bambino Brothers’ significant others were played by actresses that should be familiar to hardcore action fanatics. Philly’s lady was played by Lydie Denier of Acapulco H.E.A.T. and Guardian Angel fame… And Joey’s lady was played by Kathy Shower of Wild Cactus and The Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck fame.
