Movie

P.O.W. the Escape

Name: P.O.W. the Escape
Released: 1986

1986 • Action, Adventure, Drama

Woke Score

1.2

out of 10

Plot

US Airborne colonel James Cooper accepts a daredevil mission to liberate just before the impending end of the Vietnamese war some POW's which the Vietcong refuses to exchange, from a camp that officially doesn't even exist. he alone survives the blowing up up his team's extraction helicopter and is captured himself. The Vietcong camp commander, captain Vinh, collected a small fortune in gold looted from POWs and wants to buy a new life in the US, so he offers Cooper freedom for help, but is turned down. Just before a convoy arrives to deport the prisoners to Hanoi, Cooper accepts if all Americans may come with them. An adventurous chase follows, fighting each-other as well as Vietcong, not to mention selfish rogue Sparks's tendency to mess everything up. Near the border, Cooper insists to come to the rescue of a trapped US unit's survivors.

Overall Series Review

P.O.W. the Escape is a 1986 Cannon Films action feature in the 'Namsploitation' subgenre, focused on an American colonel's unwavering moral duty to rescue all prisoners of war before the Vietnam ceasefire. The narrative is driven by the hyper-masculine, patriotic creed that 'Everybody goes home,' positioning the protagonist as a heroic figure of transcendent duty and sacrifice. The core conflict is a simple, high-stakes military action against a hostile enemy, uncomplicated by moral relativism or systemic critiques of the West. The film features intense, jingoistic action and portrays its heroes, both white and black, as competent and morally committed, while the primary villain is defined by personal greed rather than a political ideology. The film's entire focus is on escape, military loyalty, and the virtue of American perseverance.

Categorical Breakdown

Identity Politics1/10

The narrative operates entirely on meritocracy and duty. The white male hero, Colonel Cooper, is portrayed as universally competent and highly moral. The positive co-star, Sgt. Johnston, is a Black male soldier defined by his strength and competence, reflecting a colorblind casting approach. The villain is a Vietnamese Captain whose motivation is personal greed, not the vilification of whiteness.

Oikophobia1/10

The film explicitly demonstrates the opposite of civilizational self-hatred. It is a work of blatant 'America! Fuck yeah!' jingoism. The entire plot is predicated on the heroic defense of the American soldier and the national commitment to rescue those left behind, treating the military creed 'Everybody goes home' as a sacred duty.

Feminism2/10

The movie is an all-male war picture with no significant female characters to influence the plot or themes. The central male characters embody protective and self-sacrificial masculinity, which runs counter to the emasculation trope. The absence of female leads means there is no 'Girl Boss' or anti-natalist messaging to analyze.

LGBTQ+1/10

No elements of alternative sexualities, gender ideology, or deconstruction of the nuclear family are present in the narrative. The focus is entirely on combat, survival, and the fraternal bonds of soldiers.

Anti-Theism1/10

Morality is portrayed as transcendent, rooted in a higher moral law of duty and self-sacrifice. The protagonist's code is repeatedly referred to as a 'religion.' While one minor character who relies on a cross is killed, the central hero's conviction and morality are unwavering and provide a source of strength, firmly rejecting moral relativism.