Bullet Points: Omega Syndrome
Even if I didn’t already have a great track record with lesser known Ken Wahl action movies, I likely would have checked out 1986’s Omega Syndrome based on the cover art alone…
- Don’t Play With My Yo-Yo: The villains in Omega Syndrome are a group of white supremacists with omega symbol tattoos on their forearms. The Omega gang does what white supremacists love to do… target those who don’t look like them. This is established in the opening scene where Yo-Yo (Xander Berkeley, The Lawless Land) and Saxon (Robert Gray, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai) gun down a couple walking down the street… Their villainy is further established when we learn that one of their own, Robert Dunlap, has been arrested and has agreed to testify against his fanatical brethren and then go into witness protection. Yo-Yo, Saxon and some other members of the Omega gang ambush the prison van that is transporting Dunlap and leave Dunlap for dead… but they foolishly didn’t get the job done and that mistake will set in motion the events that follow.
- A Bottle of Jack: With the antagonists now established it is time to meet our protagonist, Jack Corbett (Ken Wahl, The Taking of Beverly Hills). Corbett was at one time a big time international correspondent for major news outlets… now he is a drunk at a bar, shooting pool, telling jokes and picking up women. But there’s more to Jack Corbett than just being a barfly, he’s also a dad… at least he is one weekend a month. After Jack’s wife died, his in-laws got primary custody of his daughter Jessie (Nicole Eggert, Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects). Jack wakes up after his latest one night stand and realizes it is his weekend with Jessie, so he cleans up and races over to pick her up… but first he has to deal with his condescending ex-father-in-law, Dr. Lloyd Pearson (Bill Morey, Ghost Warrior)… but its worth the aggravation to get some time with his daughter, who he takes out for lunch, but then on the way back to his place makes a pitstop at the liquor store.
- Hi, I’m Doug McClure: And it is at the liquor store where the guys that had been following Jack and Jessie (unbeknownst to them) struck.. those guys were the Omega gang including the chief creeps, Yo-Yo and Saxon, wearing masks acting as if though they are about to rob the place, but they don’t want the cash in the register, they want Jessie. Jack jumps into dad mode and tries to save his daughter, but the numbers game catches up with him and he’s half conscious on the floor while Jessie is being whisked away. The next time we see Jack he is down at the police station answering some questions from Detective Milnor. Detective Milnor was played by Doug McClure, who you may remember from such movies as Humanoids from the Deep and The House Where Evil Dwells. Milnor has some pretty crappy instincts for a detective, including assuming that since Jack Corbett is a writer, he must be a wimp. Which couldn’t be further from the truth, we learn that Jack did a tour of duty in Vietnam where he was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. Worse Milnor dismisses Jack’s theory about an extremist group being responsible.
- Motown Philly: Realizing the cops aren’t going to be much help, Jack visits an old Army buddy of his, Philadelphia Horton (George DiCenzo) or Philly for those in the know. Philly is a bit insulted that he hasn’t heard from his friend Jack in six years, but when he finds out that Jack’s daughter has been kidnapped, he changes his tune and the two Vietnam vets start their own investigation. Using some info obtained from one of Jack’s journalist friends who did a story on right wing extremists, they begin to go down the list of possible leads that can tell them where Jessie is being held. None of the names on the list are exactly forthcoming, one guy even takes off which leads to the only high speed action movie car chase I can recall that ever involved a four door Chevette.
- Doctor Death: You may be asking yourself why Jessie was the target of Omega? Her grandfather, Dr. Pearson blames Jessie’s abduction on her alcoholic father, but in an ironic twist… Dr. Pearson was the reason Jessie was targeted. Dr. Pearson volunteers at the hospital where Robert Dunlap has been sent to recuperate following the Omega ambush. Yo-Yo pays Dr. Pearson a visit and gives him some poison to administer to Dunlap, if he doesn’t Jessie is dead… Dr. Pearson can’t go through with it, but fortunately Jack and Philly have “convinced” one of the Omega members they tracked down to reveal Jessie’s whereabouts and there’s still hope to save Jessie!
Omega Syndrome is another unique entry in Ken Wahl’s short lived action career… . George DiCenzo was a quality sidekick for the always dependable Wahl. The chemistry between the two was there and the movie kept things believable and avoided turning one or both of the Vietnam veterans into super soldiers… Nicole Eggert channeled her inner Alyssa Milano making her one of the least annoying child actors in action movie history… and Xander Berkeley’s character Yo-Yo was already going to be easy to hate due to Yo-Yo’s beliefs, but Xander’s performance poured gasoline on that fire.
Now let me fire up some Bonus Bullet Points…
- Penal Quote: “New house, new life, a new name. We’ll even give you a new dick if you want one.” – FBI Guy to Robert Dunlap
- Familiar Faces: Colm Meaney of Con Air and Under Siege fame played Sean the bombmaker, while he doesn’t share Omega’s beliefs, Sean doesn’t mind their money… Al White of Red Scorpion fame played Sgt. Carlyle, the man who took great delight sharing Jack Corbett’s military background with Detective Milnor.
- Meta Quote: “Don’t be a wiseguy!” – Jack Corbett to Jessie Corbett
- If You Ever: …wanted to see Doug McClure not enjoy healthy snacks, then Omega Syndrome is the movie for you.
