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Picasso Trigger

Picasso Trigger

They take their art seriously. They kill.

198899 minRMidcredits score: 10th percentile of all films
Director
Andy Sidaris
Starring
Steve Bond, Dona Speir, Hope Marie Carlton, Harold Diamond

Double agent Picasso Trigger is assassinated in Paris by double-crossing bad guy Miguel Ortiz. Then Ortiz begins eliminating agents of The Agency who were involved in his brother's death. The Agency (belatedly) springs into action to stop Ortiz' heinous activities. The usual gunplay, romance, and nifty toys with bombs ensue.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Picasso Trigger?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Picasso Trigger streaming on Midnight Pulp via The Roku Channel, Pluto TV (free) and Tubi (free).

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Picasso Trigger?

Picasso Trigger earns 1 badge: Fun.

Reception

Is Picasso Trigger worth watching?

Picasso Trigger's Midcredits score is the 10th percentile of all films, from 5.1K ratings across 4 sources. 20% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

10th percentile

Better received than 10% of films

18th percentile among Action10th percentile among 1980s
Acclaim (how much people like it)14th
Approval (how many liked it)9th

48 /100

14th percentile of all films

24th percentile among Action12th percentile among 1980s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

20% liked it

9th percentile of all films

16th percentile among Action9th percentile among 1980s
20% rated it 7–1080% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

63rd percentile

5.1K ratings across platforms

48th percentile among Action59th percentile among 1980s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

It's a cheesy, formulaic B-movie with softcore T&A, silly gadgets, and low-rent spectacle—fun if you turn your brain off.

Fans praised

  • globe-trotting locations and Bond-style gadgets
  • energetic mix of explosions, tongue-in-cheek humor, and Playboy models
  • quick pace and polished cinematography

Detractors panned

  • mechanical plot and weak acting
  • unconvincing fight scenes and cheap effects
  • dated, campy, and derivative of Bond

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive60

sun-drenched, softcore spy-fantasy tone

Effects and spectacleDivisive50

entertaining explosions and wacky gadgets, but cheap dummies

HumorDivisive50

goofy and tongue-in-cheek, unintentionally funny at times

PacingDivisive45

quick but episodic, drags in places

Plot and storyDivisive30

convoluted and episodic, with a twist some found clever

ActingDivisive25

passable at best; John Aprea stands out as smooth villain

Originality20

derivative Bond rip-off with stock Sidaris formula

CharactersDivisive20

one-dimensional Playboy models and hunks

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is Picasso Trigger like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is gentle, has a few laughs and leaves you entertained. Skip it when you want something with weight.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Very little.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingJoyful
Heaviest: late
Raunchy humor
Register
Campy · 4% of filmsPlayfulAdventurous · 11% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film plays its sexploitation-and-explosions formula with a knowing, tongue-in-cheek wink, never taking itself seriously.
The rideAction-packed but lighthearted, with bursts of excitement and humor throughout; the climax carries the most tension.
StructurePlays out linearly from an assassination trigger through pursuit to a climactic confrontation, with no narrative tricks.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayA light, forgettable action flick that leaves you amused by its cheesiness and glad for the diversion.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows agency operatives hunting a crime lord who is eliminating them for revenge, fitting the tyrant subtype of overcoming the monster.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsSurvival
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe film centers on agents stopping a vengeful crime lord, but it's a lightweight actioner that doesn't deeply explore its themes.
StanceThe film treats its revenge plot and action as straightforward entertainment without moral commentary.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernForeground music · original score · Gary Stockdale
SettingGlobal locales from Paris to Hawaii in a globe-trotting agent chase
MusicSynth-heavy 80s action score that underscores the cheesy tone.

Content guide

Is Picasso Trigger okay for kids?

R

Picasso Trigger is rated R. As of October 2, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (76/100), sexual content at moderate (58/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (44/100). Its violence, language, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 70%
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (6 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (50 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Picasso Trigger have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Picasso Trigger?

Cast

Steve Bond
as Travis Abilene
Dona Speir
as Donna
Hope Marie Carlton
as Taryn
Harold Diamond
as Jade
John Aprea
as Salazar
Roberta Vasquez
as Pantera
Guich Koock
as L. G. Abilene
Rodrigo Obregón
as Miguel Ortiz
Bruce Penhall
as Hondo
Cynthia Brimhall
as Edy

Crew

Directed by

Andy Sidaris

Written by

Andy Sidaris

Cinematography

Howard Wexler

Edited by

Michael Haight

Music by

Gary Stockdale

Produced by

Michael DonohewArlene Sidaris

More like this

What are movies like Picasso Trigger?

Movies like Picasso Trigger include Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987), Condorman (1981) and Moonraker (1979). Of the 12 closest matches, all are spy films and action comedies.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

9 of these 12 share its story type: espionage. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Picasso Trigger?

832 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: spy. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.