Trained To Kill

Trained to Kill, the 1983 American crime thriller directed by Jim Wynorski, takes viewers on a perilous journey through the violent realms of Southeast Asia and the dark underbelly of Los Angeles. The movie is set against the backdrop of the 1970s, during the tumultuous period following the Vietnam War. The film begins in the midst of a chaotic Cambodian civil war, where an American soldier, Lieutenant Jim Chandler (played by Brian Thompson), is on a mission with his platoon to neutralize a North Vietnamese army outpost. However, during the heat of battle, Jim and his crew stumble upon a group of Cambodian peasants who are being brutally massacred. In a desperate bid to escape the killing field, Jim kills the perpetrators, an action that ultimately sets him on a path of vengeance. The scene shifts to Los Angeles in the late 1970s, where Jim, now retired from the military, attempts to start anew with his family. However, the past continues to haunt him as the demons of Cambodia begin to resurface, fueled by the traumatic memories of the slaughter he witnessed. As Jim struggles to cope with his post-traumatic stress disorder, a series of gruesome and seemingly unrelated murders takes place in the city. Jim is initially unaware of the connections between these murders until he discovers that they bear a striking resemblance to the atrocities he experienced on the killing fields of Cambodia. Furthermore, each murder seems to follow a specific pattern – the targets are always individuals involved in organized crime, and they are killed in a manner suggestive of a ritualistic and gruesome nature. As Jim delves deeper into the mystery, he becomes increasingly driven by his quest for retribution. With his background in military combat, Jim is no ordinary vigilante, and he employs his unique skillset to track down and eliminate the perpetrators. However, as the body count mounts, it becomes clear that there are more forces at play, and Jim must navigate the complex web of organized crime and corruption in order to uncover the truth behind the murders. In an interesting subtext, Jim's journey can be seen as a metaphor for the cyclical nature of violence. In the aftermath of Vietnam, Jim finds himself trapped in a cycle of vengeance, where the trauma he experienced during the war has rendered him unable to escape from the past. This theme adds a layer of depth to the typically fast-paced, action-driven narrative of a typical vigilante movie. One of the standout features of Trained to Kill is its portrayal of the darker aspects of Los Angeles in the late 1970s. The film's cinematography paints a gritty picture of the city's underbelly, from the poverty and desperation of its inner-city neighborhoods to the seedy nightclubs and backwoods bars that cater to the seediest elements of society. In terms of the supporting cast, Trained to Kill boasts an impressive ensemble, including John Laughlin as a corrupt L.A. detective, who struggles to keep up with Jim's unorthodox methods. Another key player in the movie is John Ireland, who plays a ruthless and cunning crime lord, whose operations are at the center of Jim's investigation. While not without its flaws, Trained to Kill remains a memorable entry in the vigilante genre. Jim Wynorski's direction and Brian Thompson's performance bring to life a harrowing and intense narrative that explores the complexities of revenge and the cyclical nature of violence. With its dark and gritty portrayal of the late 1970s Los Angeles, Trained to Kill stands as a compelling and intense watch for fans of the thriller genre.