You can not expect HERE the kind of film that OPERATION DRAGON director gave us one decade earlier. Bob Clouse who, after Bruce Lee death, lost the main element who could have pulled his talent. ULTIMATE WARRIOR and THE PACK were excellent action packed films, but that's all. I prefered Rowdy Herrington's ROAD HOUSE - which could also have been made by Clouse too - than this though bearable junk, and agreeable time waster. But so lousy. It seemed to me that the billionaire's daughter scheme, spoiled child abducted refusing to be saved by her dad's goons - the heroes of the film - reminded me a little Dick Brook's THE PROFESSIONNALS.

This is sometimes silly but easy to take martial arts escapism that benefits from its spin on director Robert Clouses' genre formula. In this instance, the "hero" is a collection of five specialists (hence the title) who never have a hard time wading through many bad guys. Other than some interesting touches (the bull, the intense torture sequences) this isn't of any real distinction, it's just decent undemanding fun. The cast in this thing aren't great as actors - some of them, anyway - but when it comes to kicking ass, they accomplish their mission. The movie, a remake of the earlier feature "Hot Potato", has an acceptable pace to it and a moderately entertaining finale (although it really doesn't have much action in it).

A bunch of performers familiar to fans of B movies are featured in this straightforward story of Jim Martin (Joe Lewis) hired to retrieve a brainwashed rich girl from the clutches of religious cult leader Reverend Rhee (Bong Soo Han). For the mission, he assembles a team of four associates: Lockjaw (Sonny Barnes),Ezekiel (Richard Norton),Billy Ortega (Benny Urquidez),and Laurie (Pam Huntington),and also breaks Willard (Ron Hayden) out of prison so he can serve as their helicopter pilot.

One may have to suspend their disbelief with this, but it *is* amusing in any event. As was said, there's not a lot of action, and our heroes have such little trouble with the enemy that some viewers may feel underwhelmed. It's fairly violent at some points but isn't as gory as viewers might want it. Production design, photography, and music are all adequate, and you might derive some entertainment from seeing people such as Peter MacLean (the sheriff in "Squirm") as a drunken senator, Amanda Wyss ("A Nightmare on Elm Street") as Cindy, Tom Villard ("Popcorn") as one of Rhees' many disciples, and Mel Novak ("Game of Death") as an inept assassin.

Watchable enough for devotees of this genre.

Seven out of 10.

forget about acting,plot or dialogue.they are all bad.this is pure martial arts movie and not much else.most of the fight scenes are pretty good,though a few are also pretty lame.there are lots of plot holes and inconsistencies in this one.if these kind of thing bother you,forget this movie.you will be very disappointed.if you enjoy pure action,this may be your movie.many of the people in the movie are martial arts champions of the day and that doesn't usually mean good acting(except for Chuck Norris).the sound effects are of course,horrible,which is not at all surprising,since the budget was probably non existent.this movie is hard to find and like many films of that era and genre,is now considered a classic.i found the movie entertaining,due to the bad acting,bad sound effects and plot holes.you can have a lot of fun picking apart the movie(and i mean,a lot of fun)or you can just sit back,shut your brain of and be entertained.either way,(if this is your kind of film)i think you will have fun for about 90 minutes. "Force Five"is a 8/10* for me