Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins

Plot

Sam Makin is a tough Brooklyn, New York City street cop and Vietnam-era Marine Corps veteran. He is unwillingly recruited as an assassin for a secret United States organization, CURE. The recruitment is through a bizarre method: his death is faked and he is given a new face and a new name. Rechristened "Remo Williams" (after the name and location of the manufacturer of the bedpan in Makin's hospital room), his face is surgically altered and he is trained to be a human killing machine by his aged, derisive and impassive Korean martial arts master Chiun.

Though Remo's training is extremely rushed by Chiun's standards, Remo learns such skills as dodging bullets, running on water and wet cement. Chiun teaches Remo the Korean martial art named "Sinanju". Remo's instruction is interrupted when he is sent by CURE to investigate a corrupt weapons procurement program within the US Army.

Production

Ward claimed in the news magazines that he performed most of the stunts himself including the scene on the giant Ferris Wheel shot on Deno's Wonder Wheel located at Deno's Wonder Wheel Amusement Park at Coney Island, in Brooklyn. Screenwriter Wood claimed he wrote a climax with more action that was discarded for budgetary reasons.

Filming

For the Statue of Liberty scenes, a replica of the Statue's torso, head and arm was built in Mexico. The shots of the replica were intercut with footage shot at the real Statue of Liberty.

Music

The soundtrack features an instrumental score written by composer Craig Safan, released by Perseverance Records on CD on August 7, 2006 and later reissued by Intrada Records. However, the title song, Remo's Theme (What If), written and sung by Styx member Tommy Shaw, is not included on that album. Shaw released the song as a solo artist on his 1985 album What If.

Box office

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins... opened on October 11, 1985 and earned $3,376,971 in its opening weekend, ranking #4 at the United States box office. By the end of its run, the film grossed $14,393,902 in the domestic box office.

Critical reception

The film received mixed responses from critics.

Accolades

The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Makeup at the 58th Academy Awards but lost to Mask.