The Messenger (1986) | Region-Free (DVD) | Starring Fred Williamson

Title: The Messenger (1986)

Alternate Title: Messenger of Death

Genre: Action, Drama

Plot Synopsis:
A former Green Beret seeks vengeance against the drug gangs responsible for his girlfriend’s death from a drug overdose.

Cast and Crew:

• Director: Fred Williamson
• Writers: Fred Williamson, Brian Johnson, Conchita Lee, Anthony Wisdom
• Cast:
  • Fred Williamson as Jake Sebastian Turner
  • Christopher Connelly as Lt. Dickson
  • Cameron Mitchell as Captain Matthews
  • Joe Spinell as Rico
  • Val Avery as Tony

YouTube Trailer:
The Messenger (1986) | Trailer

IMDb Link:
The Messenger (1986)

Reviews from Letterboxd:

1. Kevin Majestyck – ★★★☆☆
   “How can I ever thank you?” “Just put flowers on my grave.” There it is: the best line in the film and it’s stolen from Raymond Chandler. You know THE MESSENGER isn’t memorable because A. It (currently) doesn’t have a Wikipedia page, and B. The synopsis found on most places online is incorrect, and no one’s bothered fixing it: “When his girlfriend dies of a drug overdose, a former Green Beret decides to take vengeance on the drug gangs responsible for her death.” That’s half right: we are told Jake (Williamson) is a Green Beret, but hitmen shoot his girlfriend after she tells him she’s involved with a drug gang. Maybe they meant she suffered a fatal lead injection? The rest of the film is a standard revenge plot, with Jake tracking down the men responsible and taking them out one by one. It’s not particularly original, but it’s competently made and has a few standout moments.”
2. Justin LaLiberty – ★★½☆
   “This might appear to be Fred Williamson’s show but Joe Spinell wears a bolo tie and immediately steals it.”
3. Warren Gilbert – ★★★½☆
   “Story by, directed by, and starring Fred Williamson, his girlfriend tries to kick her drug habit, but ends up getting murdered by her drug dealers so this being an 80’s action flick he’s gotta hunt every single one of them down to show them the error of their ways. The Messenger is a pretty fun and super cheesy movie that is similar to some of Charles Bronson’s Death Wish sequels. It’s pretty sleazy and then Joe Spinell shows up to confirm that.”

Meta Description:
“The Messenger” (1986), directed by Fred Williamson, follows a former Green Beret as he seeks vengeance against the drug gangs responsible for his girlfriend’s death.