Main Cast: Tom Arnold, Tim Curry, Dean Stockwell, David Alan Grier, Debra Messing
Release Year: 1997
Country: US
Run Time: 108 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
The most disorganized crew in the Navy returns in this updated adaptation of the once-popular TV sitcom. Lt. Cmdr. Quinton McHale (Tom Arnold) has retired from the U.S. Navy and is living on the old PT boat he used to command. He spends his days making the rounds of the Caribbean Island of San Moreno, where he was stationed at the end of his career and now peddles pin-up calendars and booze to sailors. However, McHale's idyllic surroundings are soon spoiled when Vladikov (Tim Curry), tired of being known as the "second-best terrorist in the world," decides to stage a bid for world domination and targets San Moreno first. Desperate to fend off Vladikov, Capt. Binghampton (Dean Stockwell) calls McHale back to active duty. McHale is once again saddled with a crew of misfits and losers, including the easily frightened Ensign Parker (David Alan Grier), straight-laced Lt. Carpenter (Debra Messing), good-natured Happy (French Stewart), and Virgil (Bruce Campbell). Ernest Borgnine, star of the original TV series, appears in a small role as a high-ranking Pentagon official who turns out to be McHale's father. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Ernest Borgnine - Cobra; Bruce Campbell - Virgil; Brian Haley - Christy; Danton Stone - Gruber; Tommy Chong - Armando/Ernesto; French Stewart - Happy; Henry Cho - Willie; Scott Cleverdon - David; Anthony Jesse Cruz - Roberto
Credit
Kim Hix - Art Director, Fernando Ramirez - Art Director, Catherine Stroud - Casting, Ransom Walrod - Coordinator, Tom Arnold - Co-producer, Conrad Hool - Co-producer, Michael T. Boyd - Costume Designer, Lisa London - First Assistant Director, Steve Love - First Assistant Director, Miguel Lima - First Assistant Director, Bryan Spicer - Director, Russell Denove - Editor, Lance Hool - Executive Producer, Perry Katz - Executive Producer, Dennis McCarthy - Composer (Music Score), Gene Rudolf - Production Designer, Buzz Feitshans IV - Cinematographer, Jonathan Sheinberg - Producer, Bill Sheinberg - Producer, Sid Sheinberg - Producer, Patrice Laure - Set Designer, Fernando Camara - Sound/Sound Designer, Peter Crabbe - Screen Story, Andy Rose - Screen Story, Peter Crabbe - Screenwriter, Norval D. Crutcher III - ADR Editor
In the film, the former Lt. Commander McHale has been promoted to Admiral and now works in The Pentagon. His son, also retired from the Navy, is called back to duty after the (fictional) Caribbean island of San Marino becomes headquarters for the international terrorist, Major Vladikov.
Synopsis
Major Vladikov wants to build and launch a gigantic missile to supposedly destroy the Pentagon, where the President of the United States and twenty-seven other heads of state will be meeting on the island of San Moreno, assisted by the Governor and several other bad leaders. Meanwhile, Captain Binghamton takes control of the island's US Navy base to put it into shape again, regularly visited by the retired McHale delivering ale and ice cream. Vladikov finds out McHale, his enemy is on the island, and destroys his house and almost his boat, but McHale holds him off. Binghamton and Lt. Penelope Carpenter decide to bring McHale back, at the orders of Admiral Cobra. McHale reorganizes his crew and the San Moreno civilians, who lost their homes to Vladikov. One of his officers on a mission at Vladikov's base ruins the detonator, and McHale decides to buy supplies in Cuba to take down Vladikov, and several officers are arrested at a bar. McHale and his crew escape disguised as Castro and his group, only for the presidente to arrive. McHale holds a TV show to hold Vladikov from launching the missile, and Binghamton decides to assault the base, and accidentally destroys it with a flare. McHale and his crew arrive and learn Vladikov knew about the plan and escaped, planning to shoot down Cobra's plane. McHale attacks Vladikov and is able to free Reynaldo, a friend on his baseball team, destroying Vladikov with a torpedo as Cobra lands safely, despite being blasted at by Vladikov. The crew receives awards for their duty, and Cobra is revealed to be McHale's father and the original Lt. Commander McHale. Carpenter gets promoted to Lt. Commander and Binghamton becomes umpire at the San Moreno baseball field.
