My review was written in March 1987 after watching the movie on MGM/UA video cassette.
"Hour of the Assassin", originally titled "License to Kill", is an unusual thriller from Roger Corman, filmed in Peru and dealing with a plot to cancel out dramatic reforms in the mythical South American country of San Pedro. Producer-director Luis Llosa starts out like a housafire, with the opening reel playing like "Z", but pic falls back on standard ploys including the numberous car chases (so beloved by executive producer Corman) and peters out with an inconclusive ending. Pic opened in Pittsburgh in January and is a May home video release.
Erik Estrada portrays a guy whose dad was a San Pedro communist killed by the group whose leader, Roberto Villaverde (Francisco Giraldo)has just won the election and promises democratic reform. Playing on this history, Estrada Estraa is recruited in Los Angeles where he currently resides and brought home to assassinate Villavrde to settle the score. Unbeknownst to Estrada, the people hiring him are not leftists but in fact another key faction, the right-wing generals who oppose both left and Villavrde's democratic party.
Robert Vaughn has a large role here, as the CIA man from the U. S. Embassy who is trying to head off any assassination at all costs. He ultimately goes to the leftists, led by Casals (Oswaldo Fernandez) for help, and though they don't like the CIA, they unite with him against a common enemy, pinpointing Estrada as the likely hitman. Finale unconvincingly has Vaughn saving Estrada's life, with none of the issues at stake resolved.
Up until the finish, pic works well enough, with both Estrada and Vaughn performing adequately and providing lure to tv fans. Leading lady Lourdes Berninzon, as well as other supporting players, is uncomfortable with the English language dialog. Pic benefits from an excellent musical score by Fred Myrow, whose infrequent film assignments include "Leo the Last" (by John Boorman), "Soylent Green" and the plaintive "Lolly-Madonna XXX" music.
"Hour of the Assassin", originally titled "License to Kill", is an unusual thriller from Roger Corman, filmed in Peru and dealing with a plot to cancel out dramatic reforms in the mythical South American country of San Pedro. Producer-director Luis Llosa starts out like a housafire, with the opening reel playing like "Z", but pic falls back on standard ploys including the numberous car chases (so beloved by executive producer Corman) and peters out with an inconclusive ending. Pic opened in Pittsburgh in January and is a May home video release.
Erik Estrada portrays a guy whose dad was a San Pedro communist killed by the group whose leader, Roberto Villaverde (Francisco Giraldo)has just won the election and promises democratic reform. Playing on this history, Estrada Estraa is recruited in Los Angeles where he currently resides and brought home to assassinate Villavrde to settle the score. Unbeknownst to Estrada, the people hiring him are not leftists but in fact another key faction, the right-wing generals who oppose both left and Villavrde's democratic party.
Robert Vaughn has a large role here, as the CIA man from the U. S. Embassy who is trying to head off any assassination at all costs. He ultimately goes to the leftists, led by Casals (Oswaldo Fernandez) for help, and though they don't like the CIA, they unite with him against a common enemy, pinpointing Estrada as the likely hitman. Finale unconvincingly has Vaughn saving Estrada's life, with none of the issues at stake resolved.
Up until the finish, pic works well enough, with both Estrada and Vaughn performing adequately and providing lure to tv fans. Leading lady Lourdes Berninzon, as well as other supporting players, is uncomfortable with the English language dialog. Pic benefits from an excellent musical score by Fred Myrow, whose infrequent film assignments include "Leo the Last" (by John Boorman), "Soylent Green" and the plaintive "Lolly-Madonna XXX" music.