Late 80s Panama is loaded with narcotics, sex, and rock ‘n roll. Cole Hauser and Mel Gibson play the parts of CIA agents negotiating an arms deal in the narco-state before US invaded the country to capture Manuel Noriega. It can only be described as an entire film that looks like a steroids-fueled episode of Miami Vice. There are half-naked ladies with permed bangs and drug kingpins dressed in pastel trousers open up to killing for money. The gunplay is bad but I enjoyed the dirty and bloody story.
In 1989 Texas, we find Stark (Gibson) recruiting a drunk James Becker (Hauser) who has recently lost his wife for a black ops mission. This grieving navy seal has super instincts about danger. Meanwhile, he gets briefed by another spy Hank Burns (Charlie Weber), who is also undercover in this Central American nation. Corrupt officials want to sell Soviet helicopter secretly to the CIA while U.S was funneling illegal weapons down into Nicaragua for Contras.
Becker flies to Panama posing as casino floor boss. He is introduced to coke-snorting Enrique Rodriguez (Mauricio Hénao). Already paid handsomely for it by Col Justines’ subordinate underling Rodríguez (Néstor Rodulfo). However, Becker begins on a very wrong footing when he embeds with the Contras led by their hardcore leader Julio Ramos Velez. Matters get worse when Becker falls in love with Camila who is beautiful but dangerous too (Kiara Liz). As United States invades Panama City where betrayal and greed lead to murder.
Panama opens with elaborate credits scene interjected intermittently by voice over from Mel Gibson’s character Stark. On-screen titles introducing each cast member appears at intervals throughout the show as things heat up Watch out! This film is full of many things happening simultaneously here.” Becker could give lessons about horizontal tango. This is done by cutting straight from softcore porn to something much more harsh. Rape and all-family murders are used as tools of intimidation. The CIA plays both sides against the middle along with a double dealing DEA agent.
The film has two glaring problems. First is how women are treated. Basically, the female characters only play sex objects roles that are one dimensional and easily disposed off by evil men in power for pleasure or barter purposes. Camila spends most of her screen time naked on-screen movies. Female parts needed better writing with more depth I mean would 80s drug lords and corrupt Panamanian officials be pushing for equal gender rights; Panama actually represents them as extremely despicable people because that’s what they were, but then again it could have had a twenty first century perspective where even the female supporting cast has got at least some kind of complexity.
There are some strange editing choices in various key scenes. For instance, Gamer director Mark Neveldine (Crank franchise) makes some odd gunfighting and chase scene decisions in this movie here. There is uneven violence seen in the rest of the film which makes it stand out as being choppy throughout its course of action whereas Neveldine’s cinematography and editing are top-notch I don’t get this part well, but the action seems bumpy.
Panama slightly gets my recommendation purely based on entertainment value alone. However, there are many problems with the film But these elements kept me entertained throughout: its story line, time period depicted therein coupled up with dirty politics Miami Vice enthusiasts should feel at home here.
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