PHENOMENALITY: *marvelous*
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *adventure*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *psychological, sociological* YPOTRON-- FINAL COUNTDOWN is only one of several titles for this multi-country production, but I might as well use the one appearing on my YouTube copy. The nonsense-word "ypotron" is tossed around several times in the film before the audience finds out what it connotes, and an English-language song even asks what the word means. I'll give it away here because it has consequences for the movie's phenomenality: Ypotron is an antiballistic weapon aimed at destroying America's Gemini space program, and it's the only marvelous item in the story, since the Bond-like hero only utilizes minor uncanny weapons like a lighter than dispenses tear gas. 
Argentinian star Luis Davila (billed here as "Luis Devil") had the misfortune to headline the dismal ESPIONAGE IN TANGIER, but his second and last time venture into the Eurospy genre was a charmer by comparison. We first see him in his character of tuxedo-clad Robbie Logan, getting shot several times by a rifle. But it's just a test of the bulletproof vest beneath his clothes, administered by his colleagues in the agency Kosmos, which is supposedly focused only on affairs related to space defense. Logan then departs for a vacation from spying in Acapulco, where he shows off his ability to charm assorted gorgeous women. 
However, another agent brings Logan news that three of his colleagues were mysteriously slain while working security for the European missile-factory "Indra." In addition, Logan's informed that there's a possible threat to an old friend of his, Professor Morrow. Logan reminisces about how he was a captive in wartime, possibly by the Nazis since he mentions being tortured by an overseer named Leichman. Morrow somehow saved Logan's life but then disappeared from public sight for roughly twenty years. To repay his old debt, Logan drops his vacation and journeys to Morrow's home in Europe. There he has a meet-cute with Morrow's grown daughter Jeanne (Gaia "AVENGER X" Germani), whom Logan never met except for seeing a photo of her as a naked baby (which of course he tells her about to intrigue her). Jeanne calls her father to come meet Logan, but it just so happens Professor Morrow is kidnapped by hostile parties unknown.
Thus far, everything in YPOTRON sounds like a regular old spy-flick. However, for once I won't go over the plot in detail, because director/co-writer works in a twist rare in the Eurospy world. Jeanne of course gets mixed up in Logan's attempts to find her father, and to sort out the villains behind the mysterious Ypotron project. A lot of Eurospy flicks barely establish the nature of the main villain, but in this movie, the Big Bad is, shall we say, "hiding in plain sight," and the twist actually has a little emotional resonance for both Logan and Jeanne. The script also works in a lady spy played by Janine "KISS ME MONSTER" Reynaud, but she turns out to be Logan's ally, so no bad girls here.
There are a number of clever lines in the script and production values are pretty good, so director Giorgio Stegani did pretty well with what seems to be his only spy-film. In fact, whereas a lot of these cheap thrillers fall apart in the final act, Stegani provides audiences with a well-choreographed fight between Logan and a Big Brute henchman (Fernando Bilbao, who played a version of the Frankenstein Monster in a couple of Jess Franco flicks). But the aforementioned plot twist is the big distinction of YPOTRON.
However, another agent brings Logan news that three of his colleagues were mysteriously slain while working security for the European missile-factory "Indra." In addition, Logan's informed that there's a possible threat to an old friend of his, Professor Morrow. Logan reminisces about how he was a captive in wartime, possibly by the Nazis since he mentions being tortured by an overseer named Leichman. Morrow somehow saved Logan's life but then disappeared from public sight for roughly twenty years. To repay his old debt, Logan drops his vacation and journeys to Morrow's home in Europe. There he has a meet-cute with Morrow's grown daughter Jeanne (Gaia "AVENGER X" Germani), whom Logan never met except for seeing a photo of her as a naked baby (which of course he tells her about to intrigue her). Jeanne calls her father to come meet Logan, but it just so happens Professor Morrow is kidnapped by hostile parties unknown.
Thus far, everything in YPOTRON sounds like a regular old spy-flick. However, for once I won't go over the plot in detail, because director/co-writer works in a twist rare in the Eurospy world. Jeanne of course gets mixed up in Logan's attempts to find her father, and to sort out the villains behind the mysterious Ypotron project. A lot of Eurospy flicks barely establish the nature of the main villain, but in this movie, the Big Bad is, shall we say, "hiding in plain sight," and the twist actually has a little emotional resonance for both Logan and Jeanne. The script also works in a lady spy played by Janine "KISS ME MONSTER" Reynaud, but she turns out to be Logan's ally, so no bad girls here.
There are a number of clever lines in the script and production values are pretty good, so director Giorgio Stegani did pretty well with what seems to be his only spy-film. In fact, whereas a lot of these cheap thrillers fall apart in the final act, Stegani provides audiences with a well-choreographed fight between Logan and a Big Brute henchman (Fernando Bilbao, who played a version of the Frankenstein Monster in a couple of Jess Franco flicks). But the aforementioned plot twist is the big distinction of YPOTRON.
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