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KJ
★ Acting

Karl Johnson

· Active 1978–2003

Karl Johnson is known for Up in Smoke (1978), Rising Storm (1989) and Saint-Ex (1996).

▶ Watch on SassyFlix 3 films available
Avenging Force

Avenging Force

1986 ★ 5.9
as Cmdr. Jeb Wallace

In the swamps of the Louisiana bayou, two men are hunted and killed by four costumed, well-armed adversaries. A retired US Secret Service agent, Captain Matt Hunter (Dudikoff), has retired to his family's cattle ranch in Louisiana and Texas, with his sister Sarah (Gereighty) and grandfather. They drive to New Orleans and meet Matt's old military comrade and local politician Larry Richards (James), who is now running for US Senate. At dinner, Larry hesitantly mentions threats made against his life during the election cycle, which he dismisses as harmless. Later that day, Larry, Matt and their families ride in Larry's float in the Mardi Gras parade. Disguised as revelers, assassins open fire on Larry's float, accidentally killing his eldest son. Matt and Larry take down the attackers, but Matt loses the last assassin in charge in the crowd. Matt calls in a favor to his old boss, Admiral Brown (Booth), and learns the perpetrators are members of an organization known to US intelligence only as the Pentangle. Taking the name of the five-pointed star, the Pentangle is a far-right group promoting extreme views on gun rights, immigration, and security whose leadership is suspected of operating a hunting club targeting people. The Secret Service suspects the cult to be composed of businessmen and authority figures with connections to Washington and to be run by five members, each represented by a point on the star, but it lacks further knowledge and asks Matt to infiltrate the organization to gain further intelligence. Matt declines because of his family, and but he sends his and Larry's family to hide out at his ranch. Meanwhile, Matt and Larry intentionally foil a second trap set by the Pentangle, which eliminates several more assassins in a dockyard confrontation. Professor Elliott Glastenbury (John P. Ryan) is the head of Glastenbury Industries and the leader of the Pentangle. Having rallied his cult's support by eschewing his far-right views, he takes personal interest in Matt after he reviews surveillance of the botched Richards hit, Pentangle's first failure. The members Wade Delaney (Bill Wallace), Jeb Wallace (Karl Johnson), and Charles Lavall (Alaimo) condiders asking Matt to join. Learning that the families are hiding out at Matt's ranch, Glastenbury orders Delaney, Wallace, and Lavall to attack the ranch, kill the Secret Service agents and Matt's grandfather, and set the ranch ablaze. Matt, Sarah, and Larry's wife all escape, and Larry goes back to rescue his youngest son but is shot in the process. As Matt saves them both, Larry asks Matt to protect his son and dies. Meanwhile, Pentangle finds Sarah and Larry's wife hiding outside, takes Sarah hostage, and executes Larry's wife. Matt attempts to escape via the roof with Larry's son but is shot in the leg while he falls to the ground. The Pentangle gives Matt two weeks to agree to be hunted, or it will kill Sarah. Before leaving, it executes Larry's youngest son in front of an injured Matt. Two weeks later, Matt shows up to a Cajun bayou party at which the Pentangle members are guests. Matt finds Sarah about to be auctioned off by the brothel as a sex slave. He rescues her, which attracts the Pentangle's attention, but escapes into the swamps on foot. The Pentangle hunts him throughout the night, but one by one, Matt eliminates Lavall, Wallace, and Delaney until only Glastenbury remains. Ambushed by Glastenbury, Matt stabs him, which allows both men time to escape, with Matt taking Sarah to Brown for treatment and protection. Matt then confronts Glastenbury at his mansion. Declining his offer to join the Pentangle, both duel with Glastenbury's collection of antique weaponry around them. Glastenbury appears to have the upper hand, but Matt impales him on one of his own statues and kills him. Matt goes to the hospital to see Sarah, where Brown congratulates him on a job well done. Matt confronts him that only the Secret Service knew that the families were hiding out on Matt's ranch and so someone in the Service is connected to the Pentangle, which strongly implying that Brown is the unnamed fifth member of the Pentangle's membership. Matt vows to continue fighting the Pentangle and leaves.

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Career Highlights Top 6 by popularity · TMDB

Filmography

23 credits
2000s 1 credit
2003
Black Cadillac as Fightin' Bar Guy
Movie ★ 5.7
1990s 8 credits
1995
Automatic as Gamma 1
Movie ★ 4.9
1994
Sugar Hill as Bouncer
Movie ★ 5.6
1994
Stickfighter as Dirk Riley
Movie ★ 5.4
1993
Movie ★ 4.3
1993
Yankee Zulu as Chief Warder
Movie ★ 6.2
1990
Movie ★ 6.0
1990
Movie ★ 6.3
1990
TV ★ 7.6
1980s 13 credits
1989
Laser Mission as Prentiss
Movie ★ 3.9
1988
Quiet Thunder as Paul Hensley
Movie ★ 6.0
1988
White Ghost as Brownie
Movie ★ 4.8
1986
Jake Speed as Charles
Movie ★ 4.6
1986
Avenging Force as Cmdr. Jeb Wallace
Movie ★ 5.7
1984
Hunter as Prisoner
TV ★ 7.1
1983
Valley Girl as Club Bouncer
Movie ★ 6.0
1983
The A-Team as Ryack
TV ★ 7.5
1982
Knight Rider as Julius Korso
TV ★ 7.5
1982
T. J. Hooker as Greek / Harry Sefaris
TV ★ 6.5
1982
TV ★ 6.3
1981
TV ★ 5.7
1980
The Last Song as Policeman #2
Movie ★ 8.0
1970s 1 credit
1978
Up in Smoke as Clyde
Movie ★ 6.7