Rolling Thunder

1 rating: 4.0

A movie

Several of the film's characters names were used in the faux Acuna Boys advert in the film Grindhouse. The name of the villianous gang was the Acuna Boys. Quentin Tarantino named is now defunct production company after … see full wiki

Tags: Movies, Drama Movies, Action Movies, Action

Cast: Paul A. Partain, Dabney Coleman, William Devane, Tommy Lee Jones, James Best, Luke Askew, see all

Director: John Flynn

Genre: Action, Adventure

Release Date: October 14, 1977

MPAA Rating: R

1 review about Rolling Thunder

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Classic old school action/revenge film.

Aug 8, 2010

by Captain_Couth
posted in Welcome to the Grindhouse

Rating:

Rolling Thunder is an old fashion revenge film starring William Devane as Major Charles Rane, a former POW who has a problem adjusting to life after his lenghty and brutal impriosonment after his capture during Operation: Rolling Thunder. He has bonded with a former vet Johnny Vohden (Tommy Lee Jones) who is also experiencing his own difficulties with civil life. One day after his home town celebrates his return home and gives him a present of silver dollars, his wife informs him about leaving him for another man. The news does little for Charles because of his PTD and his nasty flashbacks have made him a stranger to himself and his family. A couple of days later, some mean hombres known as the Acuna Boys rob the Rane household looking for the silver dollars. Texan, T-Bird, Tex-Mex and Automatic Slim brutally beat Charles but his PTD flashbacks make the abuse seem like child's play. Feed up, Texan orders the boys to stick Charles' hand in the garbage disposal but even that doesn't make him say a word. His wife and son have bad timing because they soon arrive afterward and are quickly dispatched when his son gives the Acuna Boys the coins. Charles, now alone and in a foul mood learns to use his now missing hand as a dangerous weapon and plots a dark and brutal revenge against the Acuna Boys aided by his only friend fellow soldier Johnny.

a hardcore, old fashion revenge film that will definitely entertain fans of the genre. William Devane gives a remarkable performance as Major Charles Rane, a John McCain POW war hero type of character who's been pushed too far and exact a cold and calculating revenge against those that done him, wrong. In the end, it's not about what the Acuna Boys did to his family, but the plot of planing the revenge gives him a reason to continue on living. The hell he went through during his incarceration and the loss of his family during that time took away his zest for life. The hunt for his family's killers gave him the motivation to live even if for a few more months. Death is all he knows now and he uses his knowledge of it to pay back those who done him wrong. Watch for James Best ("Dukes of Hazard" Rosco P. Coltrane) as the creepy, sweaty and evil Texan and Luke Askew as Automatic Slim, Acuna Boy and a former Vietnam veteran who despises officers like Major Rane.

Highly recommended.