This war film is included on this website is cheesy, Italian, and there's a plentiful amount of gore on offer. Don't expect anything original to be on offer here, as parts are copied from APOCALYPSE NOW and THE DEER HUNTER, but if you are looking for a juicy slice of Italian exploitation then you've come to the right place. I thought that only horror films were gory, but this war film has enough blood and guts to satisfy even the most hardened viewer. Made in the wake of numerous Italian gut churners such as ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS, you can hardly expect it to be anything else and you won't be disappointed. However apart from the gore there are some fun action sequences, the best being where Warbeck lets loose with a flamethrower, an attack on a boat or a scene where a man tries to get a coconut while bullets fly around him.David Warbeck is the all-round hero in this film. Obviously not the man you immediately think of when it comes to war (let's face it, he was no Sylvestor Stallone), Warbeck acquits himself in the role well, and his gruff officer is both masculine and charismatic. He's one of those guys who you just know will survive until the final credits. Along with battle-scarred Warbeck is Tisa Farrow as the obligatory love interest. Farrow looks a lot different here and while she's not much of an actress - bless her - she's still fun to watch in an enjoyably bad way. Two tough black guys provide the muscle, one of them being Bobby Rhodes (DEMONS), who once again is a macho guy who is killed quickly and violently, much like in all his films. The other black guy has his leg shot off (shown in explicit detail) and is burnt alive while going crazy. I guess it's pretty lousy being the black guy in horror films, because they always end up dying violently. Even Blade took a beating before the final reel.Lots of slaughter and explosions help to move things along quickly, as well as a decayed corpse hanging from a tree (with the guts hanging out, lovely) and a dangerous tree trap so beloved of the Italian cannibal genre which impales a man in a bloody fashion. However the most memorable moment involves Warbeck being immersed in a half-filled cage in a river, and then attacked by dozens of hungry rats while his cellmate, grey-skinned and covered in bites, sinks beneath the depths. It's a riot if you like Italian cinema.

Director Antonio Margherti who has also co-created the classic flick, Flesh for Frankenstein 1973 and was assistant director on the classic flick, Blood for Dracula 1974 has created another gem in The Last Hunter.Starring David Warbeck who was also in another classic flick, The Beyond 1981.Also starring Tisa Farrow.Also starring Tony King.I enjoyed the violent scenes.If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic Vietnam war flicks, Battle Rats 1990, Phantom Soldiers 1987, Siege of Firebase Gloria 1989, Not Another Mistake 1988, Bullet in the Head 1990, Apocalypse Now 1979, The Deer Hunter 1978, Full Metal Jacket 1987, Hamburger Hill 1987, Platoon 1986, Platoon Leader 1988, First Blood 1982, Rambo 2008, Rambo: First Blood II 1985, Warbus 1986, Eastern Condors 1987, Heroes Shed No Tears 1986 and We Were Soldiers 2002.

Mr. Antonio Margheriti, the uncrowned KING of Italian rip-offs, and his dynamic duo of charismatic actors David Steiner and John Steiner (though the latter only in a small role this time) strike again with this raw and excessively violent war-exploitation flick. Clearly inspired by the success of "The Deer Hunter" and a variety of other Hollywood films about the Vietnam War, but "The Last Hunter" goes straight for shocks, fast-paced and explosive action sequences and macho behavior instead of focusing on story-building, character drawings or – God forbid - underlying messages about the insanity of warfare. This film just loves the war in 'Nam and all dialogs like "Damn this country" or "I hate this awful war" are obviously insincere. Margheriti also couldn't resist providing his film with genuine horror aspect! The make-up effects are extremely gore (gorier than the ones in my horror movies for sure), with images of a soldier missing an eyeball, disembowelment after bombings and the severely decomposing bodies from dead parachutists falling from treetops. The battle sequences are long and exhilarating whilst the actual plot is thin and clichéd. In other words, just the way we like our Italian exploitation dish served! Captain Henry Morris (Warbeck) is assigned with the important mission of blowing up a Vietcong radio transmitter, located far behind enemy lines, which broadcasts demoralizing reports and encourages the American soldiers to throw away their guns and go back home. Morris' squad, which also includes a female report, gets killed and he's taken to a prisoner's camp for some inhumanly cruel torture. And yet, even whilst enduring the most excruciating pains, Morris intends to complete his mission, if it were only as a last tribute to all the friends and loyal soldiers he lost. Admittedly the script features every single Vietnam feature in the book, but hey, at least "The Last Hunter" is never boring and actually one of the most thrilling war movies ever made. You don't look for deep dialogs or complex characterizations here, just a lot of blood and delightful stereotypes. The "twist" at the end is extremely implausible and suddenly gives a somewhat stupid feeling to the whole movie. Truly ironic how the only remotely original twist in the entire script is also the most ludicrous one. Personally, I still like Margheriti's Indiana Jones rip offs better ("Hunters of the Golden Cobra", "Ark of the Sun God") and his ultimate masterpiece remains "Cannibal Apocalypse", but "The Last Hunter" is undoubtedly great low-brain entertainment and comes highly recommended!

Director Antonio Margheriti's Vietnam piece is bound to be loved by some audiences and hated by others. This is simply not a film for all tastes. On the surface, it looks like cruel exploitation of a controversial war; exploiting Vietnam was certainly a risky move in 1980. Dig a little deeper, though, and "The Last Hunter" becomes a brutal allegory on the futility of warfare.Margheriti tells a straightforward tale: Captain Morris (David Warbeck) heads into Cambodia with a small band of soldiers on a mission to find and destroy an enemy radio station which is broadcasting disgusting anti-American propaganda. Along the way, he encounters many people and situations which point to the ultimate insanity of warfare.Margheriti begins his tale with one of the best opening sequences ever put to film. Morris tries to relax in a Saigon bar, making conversation with another GI whom he's never met. Soft music plays in the background, providing a perfect tempo for the dialog. It's not long, however, before Morris realizes that he escape the realities of the war outside. The music stops abruptly as the tone changes from quiet to tense: Steve has been aggravated by the aforementioned GI. He shoots him in the head, and then turns the gun on himself. As if on key, enemy sappers attack the city, and the bar is destroyed; only Morris escapes. A first-time viewer may see this scene as unnecessary, but the characters and themes will become crucial to the plot as Morris moves closer and closer to his objective.With the mood established and the audience glued to the screen, Margheriti shifts his focus to the Cambodian jungle. Morris is escorted to the drop-off point by helicopter in yet another excellently shot sequence: Franco Micalazzi's score comes out full force for just a few moments as the action builds, and then dies. Margheriti lets some great hand-held camera action and excellent, fast-paced editing do the work. This scene will be followed by a number of quick, brutal action sequences: the discovery a rotting corpse, an ambush by a band of Viet Cong in a burned-out village; and a great sequence in which Massimo Vanni's character is forced to run into the jungle under enemy fire to retrieve cocoanuts for the unhinged Major Cash (John Steiner). The high point of the action is definitely a Viet Cong raid on an underground American bunker complex, in which hordes of black-pajama-clad guerrillas emerge and a firefight ensues. For the most part, the American characters are drunk or stoned and don't seem to know what's going on. This long sequence is shot in the dark with hand-held cameras, features lots of cutting from action to reaction – all while a radio plays happy tunes in the background.All of this builds to a pulsating surprise ending. Morris does find his radio station – the audience knows he will from the start; it's no surprise in a film like this – but the voice of propaganda will come as a shock as all of the pieces laid out in the opening scenes and flashbacks come together. We've had some subtle hints and little suggestions as to who Morris is going to encounter, but nobody will come to the conclusion until the character steps into frame. The result is a jaw-dropping scene with an outcome that goes completely against the norm. The final shot of the piece is one of confusion, awe and surprise – we never do get to find out what happens to an essential character. If the violence and pure insanity of most of the movie don't shock you, the last two few minutes surely will.Admittedly, "The Last Hunter" is not a perfect film: basic plot aspects are lifted directly from "Apocalypse Now" – Morris' character is a take on Martin Sheen, while Major Cash and his bunch seem to be loosely based on Marlon Brando's guerrilla force. Instead of a trek upriver in a small boat, we follow a mixed group of soldiers through the sweltering jungles. (Only here, they're too busy dodging booby traps to discuss heavy issues of morality). More blatantly, a sequence depicting Morris' imprisonment in an underwater bamboo cage reeks of "The Deer Hunter". Some of the special effects scenes come up a bit below par for a 1980s film: watch for a dummy which gets flamed during the village skirmish; superimposed rocket bursts around a helicopter; and there are a few cheesy miniatures.These are only minor flaws. "The Last Hunter" is an anti-war gem which can be enjoyed by fans of Italian exploitation (Margheriti said that he wanted to shoot the film seriously; the producers forced him to throw in exploitative content to draw in fans of his successful horror works). Any serious war film fans that can make it through the opening without dismissing this as graphic trash will not be disappointed. It's not often that a director can make a great action picture that's still considered an anti-war piece.