Movie sequels come in various forms. Some continue with elements of the original story, often with the same characters and settings.
They are attractive to film-makers because there is less risk involved in returning to a story with known popularity rather than developing new and untested characters and plots. If the main character dies at the end of the first work, a new character (perhaps a son or daughter, or a supporting character) may take up the role in the sequel.
In other cases, often referred to in the business as “parallels”, the producers and their team create like characters and situations to revamp a successful formula, because they sense that audiences are eager for more of the same kind of story revolving around the same set of popular actors.
Lyona Xuereb and Alan Cassar, the mentors behind Square Wheel Entertainment, have opted for the latter formula in presenting their second full-feature film following their hugely successful release of last year’s Maltageddon.
I am informed that in terms of tickets sold at the box office, Square Wheel Entertainment’s first release became the most successful Maltese movie ever, beating all foreign movies that were released last year. Suffice it to say that Maltageddon’s run at the Eden Century cinemas lasted from December 2009 until February 2010 without a break. It was then re-released at the tal-Lira cinemas in Fgura from March until the end of May.
According to the producers, with Maltageddon having exceeded all box-office expectations, it was obvious that their follow-up project would have to retain most of the ingredients that worked so well in their initial foray on the big screen.
Malta Force will therefore feature another stellar cast which will include more familiar faces from the local entertainment scene while concentrating on fast action sequences portrayed in a comical vein. The original script by Alan Cassar and Keith Gatt, as designed by Roderick Galea, also makes use of some of the island’s off the beaten track locations.
With tongue set firmly in her cheek Ms Xuereb explains how the script will follow a James Bond, or a Rambo movie, but with plenty of comic interventions that a Maltese audience is bound to find hilarious. The opening sequence involves the aircraft carrying the Maltese contingent to the Eurovision Song Contest.
Malta’s aspirations for winning the coveted trophy have never been higher, with an in-peak Renato, playing his singing-self, representing the island’s hopes, aided and abetted by his songwriter and sidekick, played by Hector Bruno.
The aeroplane is hijacked by terrorists and transported to the island of Tamonzolia, the terrorists’ stronghold, where the evil Dr Middle Finger, the world’s second most-wanted terrorist, after Osama Bin Laden, and a Goldfinger spoof, reigns supreme.
Dr Middle Finger makes his demands known to the whole world while expecting the Maltese to bow to his blackmail. But he reckons without the heroes of Malta Force who launch a lightning assault that threatens to crush the terrorists’ plans of world domination.
The formidable cast that has been put together consists of familiar Maltageddon faces such as Joe Demicoli, who plays Joe Bambo, super soldier and commanding officer of Malta Force, Moira Delia as Agent Puss, female operative and femme fatale, Eric Grech as the notorious terrorist Dr Middle Finger, Xandru Grech as Agent Spike, the Force’s hero and the film’s romantic interest, Bryn Manning as Agent Bryn, whose speed is the Force’s greatest asset and liability, depending on his mood at any given time, Gianni Zammit as Johnny Kiss, the Force’s sniper, Ludwig Farrugia as Panzer, the Force’s tough guy and most gung-ho member, Carlos Farrugia as Daga, the Force’s Hispanic knife wielding expert, Audrey Harrison as Eva, Bambo’s student and Malta Force’s greatest future prospect, Manolita Ellul as Zora, leader of the Tamonzolian Resistance, Samson Leguesse as Butcher, Trevor Mizzi as Agent Whimfel, Domnic Aquilina as the team’s family man and undoubtedly, not the Force’s brightest member, Thalita, as Spike’s bossy girlfriend, DJ Banana, Ivan Grech and Kevin Decesare.
• Malta Force debuts at the Eden Century on December 3 as part of the complex’s Yuletide offerings.