Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE, Free on Hulu

Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE, Free to watch on Hulu

USA Network has quickly added Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE to Hulu for free, so if you missed it or would just like to watch it again, here is the link:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/233198/burn-notice-the-fall-of-sam-axe

The prequel film to USA’s smash hit series Burn Notice and takes place in Colombia 2005 when Lieutenant Commander Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) is sent to advise a local military platoon. It’s there he discovers deep layers of deception and ultimately realizes he may be allied with the wrong side. Shot on location in Bogota, Colombia, the two hour movie is directed by Burn Notice star Jeffrey Donovan.

Sam Axe is a former Navy Seal, Military Intel Operative, and all-around Cold Warrior. In his prime he was point man on an array of armed conflicts the world over. He worked with Michael Westin many times during those heady days. When Michael reconnects with him in Miami, Sam has embraced his post-espionage days by letting loose. Once, he loved the threadbare world of secret surveillance in the communist bloc, or forward recon in the touch-and-go Middle East.

Now, he has moved on to mojitos, Sugar Mommas and bikini watching in the bars and on the sands of South Beach. He’s reliable and consistent, in the way that you can count on a former spy to dig up solid intel and execute missions with stealthy aplomb. Despite his predilection for rich divorcees and cocktails, he is an asset to Michael, even when he becomes an informant for the FBI. Though the Feds have Sam keeping an eye on Michael, he needs Sam’s friendship, partnership, and expertise, now more than ever.

Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE also stars RonReaco Lee (“The Good Guys,” “Madea Goes to Jail”), Kiele Sanchez (“Lost,” “The Glades”), John Diehl (“Miami Vice,” “Stargate”) and Chandra West (“John From Cincinnati,” “The Gates”).

The prequel is written and executive produced by Burn Notice creator Matt Nix. Jeffrey Donovan and Bruce Campbell also serve as executive producers on the Fox Television Studios project alongside Burn Notice Mikkel Bondesen.

Burn Notice: The RISE of Sam Axe, Winner for USA Network

Burn Notice: The RISE of Sam Axe!

The “The Fall of Sam Axe, begins with a rather enjoyable bait and switch. You think that it is going to be that dark, brooding back story that gets real annoying, real fast. But then Sam has trouble with a front gate and all becomes right with the world of Burn Notice once again. Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) is at his best when is just being accidentally funny or intentionally cool, and there’s plenty of that in The Fall of Sam Axe.

Take the scene in which Sam is leading a convoy through the dirt roads when he’s stopped by a fallen tree. Now, the shit-gets-real Sam Axe would say “It’s trap! Everyone fall back!” But good ol’ Sam Axe is of the mind set “weeellll, maybe, maybe not.” Which then leads to a wonderful bit involving a chain saw that all Bruce Campbell fans should love.

What also really works in the film’s favor is the lack of an overbearing love interest. Yes, there ‘s a love interest, I’m not denying that. But she’s dismissive towards Sam’s far from subtle advances till the very end, and even then it’s not like her and Sam get it on. They kiss, hug and then go there separate ways. It wouldn’t be surprising to learn that Sam was watching the 1945 version of Mildred Pierce right before heading to Columbia, and was channeling a bit of Wally Fay throughout the mission.

The point I’m trying to get across is that Matt Nix knew exactly what story he was telling, and there was plenty of Burn Notice, USA Network cheese to go around. He even managed to sneak in a tiny Michael Weston cameo from Burn Notice, which Jeffrey Donovan, (who also serves as the film’s director) delivered perfectly and without hesitation. “It had to be a General’s wife?” Yes Michael, because when Sam Axe does something, he goes in balls deep.

The only real downside is there isn’t much to say story-wise, because we all know how this story ends up. Sam Axe chills in Miami for a year or two and then has Weston dropped back into his lap, thus bringing us back to present day. Of course, it was also confirmed by Bruce Campbell himself that some of the characters from the film will be appearing in the upcoming season, so keep your eyes open for that.

Best final thoughts: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is one of those few TV movies that totally gets the audience it’s playing to. If you love Burn Notice, than Sam Axe fall from the ranks of military, is probably exactly what you were hoping for!

By Merrill Barr

Bruce Campbell co-stars: Kiele Sanchez (“The Glades”), RonReaco Lee (“The Good Guys,” “Madea Goes to Jail”), John Diehl (“Miami Vice,” “Stargate”) and Chandra West (“John From Cincinnati,” “The Gates”).

“The Fall Of Same Axe” Video on YouTube

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Review: Bruce Campbell performs in USA's 'Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe'

Kiele Sanchez, "Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe"

Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE is funny at first, but not so funny later tryst with a woman lands Sam in hot water. That was the beginning of the The Fall of Sam Axe, a fan-favorite supporting character from the hit USA spy game, Burn Notice. Due to popular demand, the producers of Burn Notice decided to give Sam (Bruce Campbell) his own spotlight, a prequel of sorts to learn the story of how he came to Michael Westen’s (Jeffrey Donovan) aid and how he became unemployed by the US Government. Burn Notice creator Matt Nix wrote the film and executive produced with Donovan (who also directed The Fall) and Bruce Campbell.

It turns out the woman Sam was sleeping is Admiral Gregory Maitland’s (Alex Fernandez) wife, Donna (Chandra West, The Gates). In a case of out of sight, out of mind, Sam is jettisoned to Columbia assign to a piss stain assignment helping the local platoon clean out the jungle of an uprising terrorist group that call themselves El Espada Ardiente or “The Flaming Sword.” As usual Sam comes unprepared, unexpected of the scale of trouble he’s about to start.

Sam Axe is debriefed that the Flaming Sword is planning to take over a free clinic called “Doctor For All” set near a rural town based on suspicions that a takeover of said civilian site would help control that area. Colonel Veracruz (Pedro Pascal, Lights Out) takes Sam out through the rural areas of Bogota to see first hand what the Flaming Sword is capable of. Veracruz and Sam meet with the Food Aid rep at the clinic, Amanda (Kiele Sanchez, The Glades, LOST) and a bushman doctor, Ben Delaney (RonReaco Lee, The Good Guys) who refuse their help and deny any potential danger with the Flaming Sword.

As we’ve come to know about Sam it’s that he discovers more when he conducts his own investigation and it appears that Veracruz is not at all what he appears to be and hopes to use Sam’s corpse as a way to get more military aid from the United States. That’s right, I said corpse. Sam is unwanted from every angle. The Flaming Sword? Well, let’s just say they’re definitely not what anyone is expecting.

I’m a big fan of Sam Axe and Sam Axe-heavy episodes of Burn Notice, but The Fall of Sam Axe is just too much of The Chin without the rest of the Burn Notice gang. I need Fiona building a bomb. I need Madeline filling the screen with her smoke. I need… yogurt, dammit! Sam toys with Amanda, and the leader of the Flaming Sword, Beatrice (Ilza Rosario) but it’s not the same as Michael or Fi. However, Michael does make a cameo but about two thirds of the way in, you’ll wish he’d appear again for no reason. “Yogurt! Get your ice cold yogurt!” No? Trust me.

Something missing is the change of venue. In one episode of Burn Notice, the scenery changes from a club, to Madeline’s house, to Michael’s loft (Jeffrey Donovan), to a bar and then to a rendezvous point for gangsters. Here it’s Sam in a jungle camp, which cuts to a clinic in the jungle; the group moves to a small town… in the middle of the jungle. Get the picture? The story is broken up with Sam to narrate his story to the American Embassy, like what Michael does in Burn Notice. It just falls flat as compared to Michael’s terse narration.

Fans of Burn Notice won’t miss Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE, but it’s hard not to miss the rest of the cast. Perhaps Bruce Campbell diehards will realize afterwards that in the world of Burn Notice, it’s all about Michael Westen and his friends and not the other way around. But no one character can carry at movie all by their lonesome, even Michael, but especially Sam Axe.

By Ernie Estrella

Photo Credit: John Ales

“Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE” PREMIERES TONIGHT SUNDAY, APRIL 17 AT 9/8C ON USA NETWORK

Burn Notice: THE FALL OF SAM AXE also stars RonReaco Lee (“The Good Guys,” “Madea Goes to Jail”), Kiele Sanchez (“Lost,” “The Glades”), John Diehl (“Miami Vice,” “Stargate”) and Chandra West (“John From Cincinnati,” “The Gates”).

'The Fall of Sam Axe' Schedule on USA Network

The Fall of Sam Axe on USA Network

The Fall of Sam Axe tells the story of how Sam Axe went from respected Naval Commander to the man of mystery we’ve come to know on Burn Notice. On what will turn out to be Sam’s last military mission, he is sent to the jungles of Colombia to investigate claims of a vicious terrorist organization known only as the “Espada Ariente” (Flaming Sword). His mission: to determine whether U.S. military aid is necessary to deal with the threat. But when he arrives, things are more complicated than he’d imagined. He receives word that the rebels have targeted a small civilian clinic deep in the jungle. Sam must now save the clinic’s doctors and patients from certain death. However, nothing is as it seems and the Espada Ardiente may not be the biggest threat Sam Axe faces.

The Fall of Sam Axe on USA Network stars Bruce Campbell, Kiele Sanchez, Chandra West.

"Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe" Production Completed in Bogota

Bruce Campbell "The Fall of Sam Axe"

The anticipated “Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe” movie will premiere Sunday, April 17 at 9PM on USA Network. The script was written by “Burn Notice” creator Matt Nix and directed by Jefferey Donovan, the star of the series which just wrapped on location in Bogota, Columbia.

“The Fall of Sam Axe” is set back in 2005, before Sam Axe partnered up with Donovan’s Michael Westen in Miami. In the film, Sam is still a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy and he is sent to Columbia to advise the local military platoon after a string of rebel attacks. He also makes discoveries that force him to question his loyalties and help shape him into the man we see on the regular series.

Chandra West (“The Gates”) will play Sam’s girlfriend, Donna, RonReaco Lee (“The Good Guys”) will portray Ben Delaney, a young doctor running a non-profit clinic in Columbia who comes under assault by terrorists and John Diehl (“Stargate”) will be Sam’s superior officer, Rear Admiral Lawrence. Kiele Sanchez (“Lost”) also has a pivotal part in the film as a humanitarian aid worker who has distrusts Sam and his fellow soldiers.

Now that production of “The Fall of Sam Axe” is completed, the fifth season of “Burn Notice” will begin filming shortly, being The fifth season is expected to debut later this summer.