Year: 1985
Runtime: 100 mins
Language: English
Director: Lance Hool
Chuck Norris returns as Colonel Braddock, a relentless soldier whose capture during the Vietnam War in the 1970s anchors this prequel to the original Missing in Action. The film follows his brutal imprisonment with other American POWs in a harsh camp and his daring plan to break free, highlighting his determination to escape.
Warning: spoilers below!
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Ten years before Braddock would free the U.S. POWs, Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) is held in a brutal North Vietnamese POW camp run by the sadistic Soon-Tek Oh as Colonel Yin, who forces the prisoners to grow opium for a French drug runner named François (Pierre Issot). In the camp, Braddock’s fellow soldier Captain David Nester (Steven Williams) has been convinced that their country has abandoned them and has become Yin’s henchman, a detestable role that earns him scorching words from their fellow captives. The men endure brutal tortures: Sergeant Opelka (Joe Michael Terry) suffers as an unloaded pistol is fired into his head; Braddock and Nester are forced into a violent fist fight; Braddock is hung by his feet and a bag with a rat is placed over his head, while Yin taunts him about his wife.
Franklin, another US POW, falls ill with malaria, and Braddock trades an admission of guilt for medicine. Yin breaks the deal, administers an overdose of opium, and later burns Braddock to death right in front of the others. Enraged, Braddock escapes and resolves to free the prisoners and wreck the camp. Yin betrays François by taking his helicopter and seizing control of the drug operation.
Braddock mounts a counterattack, inflicting losses on Yin’s men. Yin’s second-in-command stages a ruse, dressing a Vietnamese soldier as Yin, shooting him, and taking hostage Anthony Mazilli (Cosie Costa) to draw Braddock into the open. Braddock notices the decoy’s boots are not Yin’s, and he cuts down Yin’s guards while Nester sacrifices himself in a gunfight to enable Mazilli to escape. The climactic hand-to-hand clash with Yin follows, and Braddock emerges victorious in Yin’s quarters, guiding the prisoners to a waiting helicopter as explosive charges around Yin’s lair are set off to seal the camp’s downfall.
Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:47
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories of endurance and violent rebellion against brutal captors.Find movies like Missing in Action 2: The Beginning where characters endure brutal imprisonment and plot a violent escape. This thread groups similar war stories and survival thrillers focused on overcoming oppressive captors through sheer determination and explosive action.
The narrative follows a clear, tense structure: introduction to the oppressive environment, the formation of an escape plan amidst suffering, and the high-stakes execution of the breakout. The focus is on the hero's resilience and the climactic, violent triumph over their captors.
Movies are grouped here based on their shared setting of captivity, the central theme of survival against overwhelming odds, and the cathartic, action-heavy climax of a prison break. They deliver a specific experience of claustrophobic dread followed by triumphant liberation.
A lone hero unleashes violent retribution against a corrupt system.If you liked Chuck Norris's solo mission in Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, explore more movies featuring a one-man army seeking vengeance. These action-packed stories focus on a lone hero overcoming a villainous organization through explosive combat and sheer force of will.
The narrative is a direct path of escalation. After a grave injustice is committed against the hero or those they protect, the protagonist methodically and violently dismantles the antagonistic force. The story is linear, focusing on set-piece confrontations that showcase the hero's superior combat skills leading to a decisive victory.
These movies are grouped by their archetypal lone-wolf hero, a clear good-versus-evil dynamic, and a narrative driven by sequential action sequences. They share a high-intensity, fast-paced vibe that prioritizes thrilling action and cathartic payoff over complex plotting.
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Track the full timeline of Missing in Action 2: The Beginning with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
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