Bullet Points: Extreme Force
A Michael Qissi Film.
Those four words were enough for me to check out 2001’s Extreme Force… despite the fact that I was not overly familiar with the star of the movie, martial arts champion Hector Echavarria. Or the fact that I didn’t hear glowing reviews about Echavarria from those who were familiar with his work. Or the fact that Extreme Force had a 3.7 rating when I checked IMDb.
- Robbing Hoods: We are introduced to a trio of professional thieves who have infiltrated an underworld establishment, complete with coke snorting and gambling, looking to rob the place. There’s Marcos DeSantos (Hector Echavarria), Cole (Youssef Qissi) and Bianca (Nikki Lemke). The threesome prove to work like a well oiled machine, but when the job is over Marcos decides he wants out and he tries to convince his accomplices to do the same… pointing out that they all have enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Cole feels much differently and guilts Marcos into doing one last job.
- Geopolitical: No movie that I have ever seen has put the spotlight on United States/Mongolia relations quite like Extreme Force. In fact, it is the only movie I have ever seen that put the spotlight on United States/Mongolia relations with the state of Florida being the epicenter for these relations. But Cole is looking to spoil things between the two nations, because the “one last job” will be to steal the priceless Sacred Seal of Mongolia that belongs to President Khun.
- Double Cross: Marcos, Cole and Bianca finagle their way into a dinner party hosted by the Governor of Florida in honor of President Khun. We meet the President and his inner circle that includes his cousin Sharka, his head of security Kong Li (Michel Qissi, Kickboxer) and military adviser General Vat Kallac. Once again our trio of thieves prove to be most effective at their job… but then it happens, Marcos is shot and left for dead by Cole, who apparently wanted Marcos’ help but didn’t want to share the spoils with him or was just pissed that he wanted to break up the team.
- Redemption Story: The near fatally wounded Marcos becomes a political prisoner of Mongolia and receives personal around the clock care at President Khun’s Florida estate. When he is well enough he is given an ultimatum by Sharka, team up with Kong Li, retrieve the Sacred Seal and get his freedom back OR refuse and be thrown in a Mongolian prison for the rest of his life. The choice is pretty easy… it doesn’t hurt that Marcos is looking to get his revenge on his former friend Cole too. This decision sets the course for the rest of the movie with Marcos and Kong Li being the odd couple battling Marcos’ former associates as well as an unexpected traitor on the Mongolian side of things.
After watching Extreme Force, I had a couple of thoughts… one, I don’t see myself seeking out any more Hector Echavarria movies, unless of course they are directed by another one of Jean-Claude Van Damme’s greatest villains… Two, why wasn’t Youseff Qissi in more movies? Much like his older brothers Michel and Abdel, Youseff had a great look and screen presence and he really should have been making life a living hell for action movie heroes for years.
I have been making Bonus Bullet Points for action movie fans for years…
- Training Montage: You don’t just go from nearly dying after being shot to going after the Sacred Seal of Mongolia without a training montage in between. And Extreme Force has a training montage that features Marcos being put through the ringer by Kong Li with activities that ranged from cracking coconuts to swimming, to running on the beach and playing tug of war with some horses.
- If You Ever: …wanted to see Michel Qissi and/or Hector Echavarria have a backwoods brawl with a clan of inbreds, then Extreme Force is the movie for you.
- AKA: Sacred Seal was the alternate title for Extreme Force in the United States.
- Sophomore Effort: Extreme Force was Michel Qissi’s second directorial effort, his first was 1993’s Terminator Woman.
