Being a former Vietnam POW himself, Colonel James Braddock (Chuck Norris) was the natural choice to accompany an MIA investigation to Ho Chi Minh City. After turning up some questionable information, Braddock travels to Thailand to meet an old buddy (M. Emmet Walsh) who could help him launch a rescue mission. Just four months after the film's successful release, the prequel
Missing in Action 2 - The Beginning
followed and performed equally well at the box office. The third installment,
Braddock: Missing in Action 3
was released four years later.