It's initially distracting that, in the first twenty minutes of THE HEROIN BUSTERS, extremely handsome Italian actor Fabio Testi doesn't seem the part of a grungy, emaciated drug-dealer, busted at an airport before helping a junky escape from a dilapidated lockup... which is intentional because he's not what he seems...
Meanwhile the true junky, played by Wolfango Soldati, who, to further complicate matters, resembles Testi, merely seems like an important side-character, as does gorgeous TENTACLES starlet Sherry Buchanan as a bisexual model wielding much appreciated gratuitous nudity...
But soon enough this FRENCH CONNECTION inspired programmer narrows briskly into a simple and singular action/chase flick (undercover cop Testi being chased by a mob of spurned/betrayed dealers) ranging from a rural, broken-down-factory shootout; speeding cars getting rammed and smashed; motorbikes zipping down escalators then zooming through futuristic-looking subway tunnels...
And a zigzagging, nail-biting, bombastic airplane sequence that, before you know it, concludes this drug-bust exploitation that seemed like it was just getting started...
And a zigzagging, nail-biting, bombastic airplane sequence that, before you know it, concludes this drug-bust exploitation that seemed like it was just getting started...
Added to that a surprisingly upbeat, loose and funky Goblin score and English BLOW-UP actor David Hemmings providing random sideline lectures in what plays like director Enzo G. Castellari's 80-minute trailer...
And as these 1970's Italian crime flicks can often be overlong and plot-convoluted (like the director's prior THE BIG RACKET using many of the same cast), frugality's not such a bad thing. Although a second viewing is probably the best bet here: to figure out the first half's rambling exposition to then better appreciate and comprehend all of the last half's running around.
Meanwhile the true junky, played by Wolfango Soldati, who, to further complicate matters, resembles Testi, merely seems like an important side-character, as does gorgeous TENTACLES starlet Sherry Buchanan as a bisexual model wielding much appreciated gratuitous nudity...
But soon enough this FRENCH CONNECTION inspired programmer narrows briskly into a simple and singular action/chase flick (undercover cop Testi being chased by a mob of spurned/betrayed dealers) ranging from a rural, broken-down-factory shootout; speeding cars getting rammed and smashed; motorbikes zipping down escalators then zooming through futuristic-looking subway tunnels...
And a zigzagging, nail-biting, bombastic airplane sequence that, before you know it, concludes this drug-bust exploitation that seemed like it was just getting started...
And a zigzagging, nail-biting, bombastic airplane sequence that, before you know it, concludes this drug-bust exploitation that seemed like it was just getting started...
Added to that a surprisingly upbeat, loose and funky Goblin score and English BLOW-UP actor David Hemmings providing random sideline lectures in what plays like director Enzo G. Castellari's 80-minute trailer...
And as these 1970's Italian crime flicks can often be overlong and plot-convoluted (like the director's prior THE BIG RACKET using many of the same cast), frugality's not such a bad thing. Although a second viewing is probably the best bet here: to figure out the first half's rambling exposition to then better appreciate and comprehend all of the last half's running around.