However, it was determined that the commercial prospects were stronger with the film directed by Zito involving the POW rescue.

Wieland, a private in the 101st Airborne Division, had been killed in June 1970 in Vietnam while on patrol in the defense of Firebase Ripcord.

Braddock obtains the evidence then travels to Thailand, where he meets Jack "Tuck" Tucker, an old Army friend turned black market kingpin.

Representatives from Cannon Group said Cameron's script served as inspiration to the film and subsequently produced and released the first two Missing in Action films two months before the release of Rambo: First Blood Part II,[10][11] in order to avoid copyright violation lawsuits.

Norris says he was approached to make the film by Lance Hool, who had a script about American POWs in Vietnam.

[14] He commented on own political direction: "I am a conservative, a real flag waver, a big Ronald Reagan fan.

When the helicopter comes to rescue Rambo and the American MIA (missing in action), and then leaves them stranded, I found that unrealistic.

[18] Norris said: "One of the biggest thrills of my life came when I went to a theatre to see Missing in Action, and all the people stood up and applauded at the end.

[19] Variety noted: "With the Philippines filling in for Vietnam jungles, with Norris kicking and firing away, with a likable sidekick in the black marketeering figure of M. Emmet Walsh, and with a touch of nudity in sordid Bangkok bars; writer James Bruner and director Joseph Zito have marshalled a formula pic with a particularly jingoistic slant; the Commies in Vietnam still deserve the smack of the bullet".

[20] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Missing in Action (citywide) is so shrewdly tailored to Norris' stoic persona and physical skills that it's one of his best films to date ...

"[21] Richard Christiansen of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 2 stars out of 4 and wrote that "Norris stolidly delivers as the strong, silent loner who cuts through government red tape to nail the villains and rescue the oppressed, and the fact that any American soldier beats the Vietnamese (shown to be slimy, sadistic brutes) may bring cheer to many people.

[22] Paul Attanasio of The Washington Post wrote: "Chuck Norris fans will not be disappointed by Missing in Action, a bang-bang you're dead exploitation flick from the Cannon Group in which the action is rarely missing ... Norris doesn't do much acting—he's the poor man's Clint Eastwood—but his karate is crackerjack.

[23] Scott Weinberg of eFilmCritic.com gave the film 2 stars out of 5, writing that "Norris does Stallone... badly" in his review.

", gave the film a rating of "C", stating "Vietnam vet Norris returns to Southeast Asia to rescue American POWs in this Rambo rip-off, with one-note villains, a politically misguided theme, and second-rate action sequences".

[27] On AMC's movie guide, Jeremy Beday of Rovi described the film as a "crass, dopey Rambo-esque film that ultimately fails to connect with anything interesting in the realm of fact or fiction" and that its "chop-socky, shoot-em-up, explosion-a-minute action quickly wears thin".