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List Price: $24.98 | | Label: Live / Artisan
Salesrank: 109580
Released: January 15, 2002 |
| Our Price: $24.81 |
| Used Price: $3.85 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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| Features:
Closed-captioned Color Dolby DVD Widescreen NTSC | |
Editorial Review:
When a reality TV show set on a remote island is invaded by real-life criminals and hurricane Zed cuts off all means of escape, reality TV becomes deadly.
Gale Force Reviews:
The Satire of Reality Television 
2008-10-14 - In order to enjoy this flick, one must be able to realize this is a low budget/straight-to-video/B movie and lower their expectations a bit. "Gale Force" does something that can be considered quite despicable it recycles footage from other high budget films. For instance you will see stock footage from movies like "Predator" & "Last Action Hero" (personally I feel "Gale Force" is a much better movie than the latter). If a viewer can past this movie studio ruse, they might really enjoy this movie. I must admit, it is kind of funny to see this "chop editing" in action.
As for the actors or as I call them talent, there are quite a few of them in "Gale Force":
1)Treat Williams - The B Movie Prince is awesome as the Burn out Cop.
2)Michael Dudikoff - The American Ninja plays the bad guy wonderfully.
3)Tim Thomerson - Doll Man/Jack Deth delivers a stellar performance.
4)William Zabka - Johnny "Cobra Kai" Lawrence is a marvel as a villain.
5)Curtis Armstrong - Booger, we love you no matter what!
The plot is simple, there is a reality TV show called "Treasure Hunt". The premise of this show is putting a group of diverse people on an island to win 10 million dollars. Treat Williams sort of becomes the unofficial leader of the group. However, the contestants are getting more than they bargained for, a hurricane is coming towards the island and there is a group of mercenaries who want the money for themselves. As for the mercenaries, they are led by Michael Dudikoff and his right hand man is William "Johnny Cobra Kai Lawrence" Zabka, who will due anything for this 10 million dollars.
The DVD presents the film in letterbox has the preview/trailer, language options and talent biographies. Average features for a low budget/straight-to-video/B movie.
Again, I really enjoyed this movie, dumb fun. I felt the acting was quite good despite some of the budget issues; it appears everyone had a good time making this movie. I must reiterate "Gale Force" isn't "The Godfather", "Breakfast at Tiffany's", "Gone with the Wind" or "Saving Private Ryan" (all great movies), but it can be a real blast if you suspend your disbelief for 100 minutes. Oh and adding a pizza to the equation wouldn't hurt either.
Has some fun moments 
2004-07-01 - Gale force is not necessarily a great B flick, but it's entertaining, takes jabs at reality TV shows and their hosts), has recognizable actors in it that do a decent enough job, and is done well enough to be enjoyable (especially if you like the actors). Though a few scenes of footage are used from other movies (helicopters flying over jungle in Predator, some car stuff and opening concepts from Last Action Hero) such doesn't really bring the picture down. It's meant to be a fun romp, not a spectacular, or entirely original film. Special effects get the job done and aren't too hideous. The kind of movie you might see on a weekend on a miscellaneous cable channel. If you're a fellow Treat Williams fan, I strongly recommend DEEP RISING (a far better fantastic movie), but he's cool in Gale Force as has some fun moments. You might consider turning off Gale Force in the first ten minutes, but it picks up. All in all, a simple flick, with a simple `who lives and who dies' plot, with some fun moments. It's worth it for the actors, and the jab at reality shows. Good movie to rent on the cheap, or buy in a discount bin somewhere.
SLOW WINDS A BLOWIN
2004-02-07 - GALE FORCE is another straight to video that suffers from its lack of creative intelligence. Obviously scenes were stolen from previous movies (see other reviews), and the opening scene does little than to establish Treat Williams as a loose cannon. I will say for Treat that even though he can do much better than films like this, he manages to exude a quiet strength that helps elevate his films. Michael Dudikoff as a villain is novel; Susan Walters needs acting lessons; you never know when Cliff deYoung and Tim Thomerson are going to turn up. The effects are sub par, the pacing erratic, but overall it's an entertaining 90 minutes or so.
Comedy 'Force!'
2003-02-01 - ...Treat Williams sported a brown leather jacket, red shirt, blue jeans i.e. Jack Slater's wardrobe and his name was Jack, right? The first ten minutes of the movie will leave you disgusted and you'll probably shut it off immediately. But, the main reason to watch "Gale Force" is because of Michael Dudikoff. The American Ninja plays a bad guy for once and he takes care of business. Basically this movie makes fun of reality television shows especially "Survivor." "Treasure Hunt" has brought in a group of people to search for a pot full of ten million dollars. But, a group of pirates (ex-Navy Seals) are scavenging around the island taking down the contestants. That's enough plot. Too much thinking. Jerad (Dudikoff) asks the host, "You think we're ready for primetime?" and then surprises him with a blast! I was amazed to have seen clips of the helicopters flying around from "Predator" in this movie... This movie is horrible, but it can make anybody laugh. A lightning bolt struck two people at the same time, yes! Old Man Withers still has some fight in him. Way too windy for me, the winds looked pretty windy. Oh well, like I said comedy!
A horrible film that pokes fun at TV reality shows 
2002-07-18 - Treat Williams has made some bad films, and "Gale Force" is another stinker to add to his filmography. This direct-to-video garbage stars Williams as a LAPD detective who is asked to sign up for a new TV reality show, "Treasure Hunt", after he is suspended from the police force. The film's director (supposedly it's Jay Andrews, not Jim Wynorski) decided to steal some footage and action sequences from other films, such as "Last Action Hero" and "Die Hard". I wonder how the makers of "Last Action Hero" feel about having its car chase sequence being digitally inserted into this film! Anyway, avoid this one at all costs, and pray that Treat Williams' new TV series will be better than this [one].
