SNAKE EATER III: HIS LAW is the final part of the B-movie trilogy and the good news is that it's the same quality as the second instalment rather than the awful first. The focus here is on fight action, with Lorenzo Lamas returning as the renegade cop, this time hunting down the members of a biker gang responsible for brutalising a young woman. The dialogue is ripe and the performances riper, with larger-than-life characters like Goose commanding the viewer's attention. Thankfully, to take our minds off the inanity of it all, there's a wealth of fun action sequences to enjoy that increase in ferocity as the running time progresses. Cheap but fun fare.

This review was written in 1992, when this movie was a new release on home video, and was published in a Canadian daily newspaper. And yes, I consciously copied Joe Bob Briggs in my final paragraph back in those days.

SNAKEEATER III: HIS LAW (Rated R) - Cineglobe Video: Bikers, broads, breasts, and blown-up buildings - what B-movies are all about!

While I can't compare this killer sequel to its predecessors since I never saw them, I can say that is one of the best B action comedies of the year.

Lorenzo Lamas returns as Jack "Soldier" Kelly, an irreverent crimefighter with a twisted modus operandi. After getting suspended from the police force for "unethically" blowing the brains out of a would-be robber, Kelly is hired "under the table" by a wealthy couple whose daughter (Tracy Hway) was kidnapped, raped and severely traumatized by the local biker gang.

The subject matter may sound serious, it it's used pretty much to give Kelly someone to rescue when he runs out of ammo. This is the kind of guy who barters with a crazed druggie for "the rights to kill the hostage" and stabs another dude's feet to the floor.

When the bikers, led by the disgustingly fun Goose (Bam Bam Bigelow) abduct the girl again, Kelly teams up with Cowboy (Minor Mustain), a pistol-packin' wiseacre who's never at a loss for profane insults. Move over Murtaugh and Riggs, it's time for some new blood with better gags.

The final score: Sixteen body count, dispatched in inventive ways; five popped tops; two supreme naughty bits; wowie fight scenes; a great opening gag in a diner (Goose and his boys are so bad, they have reserved parking at the local choke 'n puke); Mustain gets all the best lines; Holly Chester becomes hollow chested when her boyfriend (Goose) finds out where Kelly hid her.

Three-time Snakeeater director George Erschbamer could head for the big leagues after a couple more flicks like this one.

(2023: well, we know that didn't really happen, but he still made some solid DTV action pictures during this era).

Snake Eater III (1992) was the third in the film series featuring former heart throb Lorenzo Lamas. In this third installment, The Snake Eater is trying to find a missing woman. Along with his sidekick, The Snake Eater stumbles across a mean and nasty biker (pro-wrestler Scott "Bam-Bam" Bigelow). For a novice, Bam-Bam is quite good in his role (he seems to be a ease playing the evil biker). As usual you get to see The Snake Eater in action, busting heads and taking names. The best of the bunch (that's not saying much however). A fun film that the actors don't take very seriously.

Recommended for a casual view or two, not a keeper.

C

B (for wrestling fans)

xx