I admit to getting a kick out of MERCENARY, a straight-to-video enterprise for Van Dame rip-off actor Olivier Gruner. He plays the titular chareacter, who is employed by the bumbling John Ritter to tackle a team of kidnappers responsible for a woman's death. Along the way a conspiracy is uncovered and plenty of stuff blows up as the heroes take the fight straight to the bad guys. This is one of those over-the-top films that did good business in the 1990s; it's pretty dumb when it comes to script and dialogue, but the action is fast and frenetic and refreshingly violent. Gruner gets to shoot up the screen and deliver some of his athletic kicks and manoeuvres, and he's well-supported by a cast that includes such genre luminaries as Ed Lauter and Martin Kove. Robert Culp is even along for the ride, and he's always an asset.

Now, granted, "Mercenary" is ultimately on the routine side of B-movies, but it's got a decent story and enough action to ensure that some peoples' attention won't wander.

Olivier Gruner stars as "Hawk", an operative hired by a very successful, arrogant businessman named Jonas, played by none other than John Ritter. A Russian terrorist for hire, Phoenix (Martin Kove) stages a massacre at a party Jonas is throwing for an author, and Jonas's wife is killed. The businessman is then ripe for revenge; his initial attempt to win over Hawk doesn't work out (largely because Jonas insists on coming along for the mission) but when Hawks' good friend and colleague McClean (Robert Culp) is set up and sent to the slammer, Jonas realizes that he can manipulate Hawk into doing the job by securing McCleans' freedom.

As written, by Patrick Highsmith and Steven Hartov, and directed, by Avi Nesher, "Mercenary" is acceptable turn-your-brain-off entertainment, with a twist to the plot and some amusing characters. It's particularly interesting to see Ritter in this sort of action fare. He's good, and he and the stone faced Gruner do have some fine comedic moments. With a cast featuring Culp, the beefy Kove, and the kick ass character actor Ed Lauter as Jonas's head of security, you know you're in for a good time. Of course, the movie is not without problems; for one thing, the big confrontation between Gruner and Kove is pretty disappointing. But there's so much gunfire, so many explosions, and so many stunt people flying through the air that the movie should suffice for undemanding genre fans.

Look for Jaime Pressly as a foul mouthed kidnap victim, in what is really one of the movies' better scenes.

Seven out of 10.

Olivier Gruner stars as Hawk, a commando who is hired by John Ritter(!) to take on Phoenix (Martin Kove) the Russian terrorist who killed Ritter's wife and our band of mercenaries have their share of problems since there is sabotage on the inside and Ritter goes the one man army route to get vengeance for his disturbingly (much) younger wife. This is probably the only time you'll ever see John Ritter as a one man army teaming up with Olivier Gruner kickboxing various people and jumping behind explosions. Truly this novelty is enough to give one the giggles but the biggest shock is that Mercenary is surprisingly well made. It's no classic and none of it is worth watching unless you're a fan of straight to video schlock, however this is probably the best movie i've seen from Olivier Gruner and the action sequences deliver the sufficient crunch that you would expect. Plus it's an action flick with John Ritter getting the lion's share of the action and that alone is something you won't see ever again. So Mercenary isn't as bad as I thought it would be, on the other hand this is movie reserved only for those who are fans of the genre. Hence why it's a two star rating.

* * out of 4-(Fair)