Title: F/X

Director: Robert Mandel

Released: February 7, 1986

Runtime: 1 hour 49 minutes

Available to stream on: Prime Video

IMDb synopsis: A movie special effects man is hired to fake a real-life mob killing for a witness protection plan but finds his own life in danger.

Roland (Rollie) Tyler has built a name for himself as a top special effect man. While on the set of his latest movie, Roland is visited by a man who says he’s a producer and has a job for him. Agreeing to meet the next day, Roland is quick to realize that this man is not a producer. In fact, he’s Agent Lipton of the Department of Justice.

Lipton explains to Roland that he was selected because he’s the best at his craft. The Department of Justice would like Roland to assist in faking the public murder of mob boss Nick DeFranco. It just so happens that DeFranco has agreed to testify, and the DOJ wants DeFranco to be believed dead until he’s set to appear in court.

Roland agrees to meet with Lipton’s boss, Mason, and it’s Mason who gets Roland to agree to the assignment. Roland was walking out the door after declining to participate when Mason said they’ll just get Roland’s biggest rival to do it instead. Unable to put his ego aside, Roland is on board and the plan is set in motion.

DeFranco meets with Rollie so that Rollie can obtain the molds necessary to pull off this illusion. In the process of obtaining the facial mold, Rollie catches Lipton messing with the gun to be used in the “murder” and snaps at him to put it down. When it comes time to test the trigger box for the squibs in the van, DeFranco becomes hesitant due to his pacemaker. Rollie shows him that there will be no harm to his pacemaker and with that DeFranco is off to the restaurant.

While still inside the van, Rollie applies a Tom Selleck style mustache as part of his disguise. When he’s all set, Rollie enters the restaurant and carries out the plan. He approaches DeFranco at his table and shoots him five times in the chest and once in the head before turning and fleeing the restaurant.

As he’s picked up by Lipton and they drive off, Rollie informs him that it went off just like they planned it. It’s at this moment he realizes something is off. He notices plastic on the back seat and asks Lipton why it’s there. Lipton turns and pulls a gun on Rollie informing him there can be no loose ends. Rollie fights off Lipton as they inadvertently shoot the driver in the process. After the vehicle crashes Rollie gets himself out of the vehicle and runs off into the night.

Armed with only his special effects expertise, Roland Tyler must now survive a cat and mouse game against the Department of Justice to prove his innocence.

I was excited to watch this after reading the synopsis. Special effects guru helps fake the murder of a mob boss? Sounds like a perfect recipe for an action flick, right? Well, kind of.

If I am being completely honest, about fifteen minutes into this there was a brief moment where I considered finding a different movie. However, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Once I start a movie, I’m going to finish it no matter how good or bad it is.

Now what’s weird is that between minutes 15 and 30, so much happens that you almost forget that you considered bailing on it. By no means am I saying this becomes a masterpiece, simply that you can wind up having fun with it.

While the dialogue is laughably bad throughout, once things pick up, you’re willing to look past it. The cat and mouse aspect is cleverly written and ultimately what keeps you engaged for the remainder of the film. As the title implies, the special effects here are also impressive.

If I were to try and suggest when and/or how to watch F/X, I’d start by saying it’s definitely a weekend watch. Make it a Friday or Saturday night, order a pizza or some Chinese or whatever your movie comfort food is, and turn off your brain. No, it’s not going to catapult into any “Best of” lists. But it winds up being fun for what it is. If you have the ability to stream it for free, I’d say it’s worth watching at least once.

So, what say you? Have you seen F/X? If so, what are your thoughts on it? Leave a comment and let me know or reach out to me on social media!

You know what to do next. If you have a suggestion for what the letter “G” movie should be, get it in by Wednesday morning. Wednesday evening the movie will be announced on social media.

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