My Many MiniReviews

[robbie]

5 hours ago, DrNgor said:

You gotta be [flippin'] kidding me.

I  think I will be sticking to proper action films  films with proper martial artists like chuck Norris in future . No point discussing with the childish people on here . 

Edited June 26, 2018 by robbie

[Drunken Monk]

On 6/23/2018 at 3:37 PM, ShaOW!linDude said:

The Debt Collector   (2018)   Running time: 96 mins.
Stars: Scott Adkins, Louis Mandylor, Vladimir Kulich, Michael Paré, Rachel Brann, Selina Lo, Tony Todd 

Fight Choreographer: Luke Lafontaine
Dir.: Jesse V. Johnson 

I'm still on the fence with this one. I'm an Adkins fans but it just doesn't seem like a film I'll love. I mean, I didn't even love "Accident Man" though I did enjoy it and feel as though it will grow on me over time.

[DragonClaws]

Saving @ShaOW!linDude review, for when I've watched this movie. Always enjoy reading your comments, but I'd dont want to read any fight related spoilers.

 

Is there still no U.K release date for this one?.

[ShaOW!linDude]

13 hours ago, robbie said:

Its very  anonifficuly to take your revie dns seriously as you  base them on action yet when you see  silly things that totally spoil the action like  over the top sped up action in legend of wolf and  over the top wirefu  in 21 red list were they jump about like jack rabbits you say get this!!!.

 

Then don't read them. I expressly asked you not to. I would appreciate you doing that. You're no one I care to engage with.

[TibetanWhiteCrane]

Just like to say I'm also   anonifficuly upset about your revie, @ShaOW!linDude.

[robbie]

7 hours ago, TibetanWhiteCrane said:

Just like to say I'm also   anonifficuly upset about your revie, @ShaOW!linDude.

No idea  where  he got  quote with  mispelling "anonifficulty"  from so you can thank  him  for scrambling  my quote up  . He said earlier that he dislikes wirefu and sped up action.  It really should be reflected in his  reviews.   Original quote was   " It' s very difficuly to take your reviews seriously as you  base them on action, yet when you see  silly things that totally spoil the action like  over the top sped up action in legend of wolf and  over the top wirefu  in 21 red list were they jump about like jack rabbits you say get this!!!."

 

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2018 by robbie

[DrNgor]

3 hours ago, robbie said:

He said earlier that he dislikes wirefu and sped up action.  It really should be reflected in his  reviews.

Reviews are ultimately subjective. They reflect the quality of the film being reviewed, but can be easily influenced by other, often external factors. A reviewer can hold a general dislike for wires and undercranking, but there are occasional films that fit either of those molds that just click with the reviewer. There can be enough genuine technique on display that the wire stunts become less of a distraction, or even irrelevant. A person can generally dislike romantic comedies, and be vocal about it, and then watching, say, Notting Hill and love it. That says more about the quality of the movie, than the quality of the reviewer..

[SamSeed]

Precisely. I mean I dislike wire fu immensely but Iron Monkey, and Crouching Tiger are masterpieces. If the film is that good, I find I forget about wire fu etc because I'll be swept up in the story.

On 6/27/2018 at 5:05 AM, DragonClaws said:

Is there still no U.K release date for this one?.

Oh, and yes it turns out there is. 6th August: https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Debt-Collector-DVD/dp/B07DGP12W6/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1530203034&sr=1-1&keywords=debt+collector

[ShaOW!linDude]

Red Canvas (aka Art of Submission aka Money Fight)   (2008)    Running time: 100 mins.
Stars: Ernie Reyes Jr., Maria Conchita Alonso, Sara Downing, Fernanda Romero, Ernie Reyes Sr., Ken Takemoto, Lee Reyes, Frank Shamrock, Fray Maynard, John Savage, George Takei 

Figth Choreography: Ernie Reyes Sr.
Dir.: Kenneth Chamitoff & Adam Boster 

Synopsis
Johnny Sanchez (ER Jr) is a man trying to make his own way as a fighter, which puts him at odds with his father Diego (ER Sr). It also lands him in jail. But the warden, a man named Rask (JS), sees the potential in Johnny. He arranges Johnny’s release on the condition that he subject himself to training in order to fight in the Red Canvas tournament, which is hosted by Krang (GT). Actually, the Red Canvas was an event that Krang developed during the Vietnam War, in which he subjected POWs to chemical concoctions to boost their rage and then forced them to fight in death matches. It’s a legitimate tournament now, and Krang is a “legitimate” businessman owning a company called Bio-Beast that he uses to continue his experimental endeavors to enhance his stable of fighters. With his family’s welfare at stake, Johnny has to win the tournament, but can he defeat a fighter suffering a form of ‘roid rage in the cage? 

Fight #1 --- Johnny (ER Jr) vs Bolo
Short prison cage match in the yard: convict vs guard. The editing is very clipped and fast. It’s a brutal brawl with no real flow to the fight. ER Jr does get off a kick or two, but a flying elbow ends it. 

Fight #2 --- Torch (GM) vs Griffin
Very short MMA match. A couple of takedowns, then it’s all “ground & pound”. 

Fight #3 --- Torch vs Andre
Another short MMA match. The exchanges are better here. It’s filler to make Torch seem like an out of control, animalistic fighter. 

Fight #4 --- Johnny, Diego (ER Sr) & Bang (KT) vs thugs
It’s a brawl at Diego’s garage. Everybody gets in on the action. There are some good kicks from ER Jr, and ER Sr gets some really good fight sequences, even delving into some Escrima. KT’s fight segments have a very Tai Chi quality to them. I want to like this set piece, and I think it’s meant to be a highlight. Unfortunately the cropping and rambunctious editing turns portions of it into a hot mess. It has its moments, but this could have been handled so much better. 

Fight #5 --- Stevens vs Perrera
Short MMA match. Lots of “ground & pound” with lots of reversals between opponents. 

Fight #6 --- Crazy Bob vs Santini
Fast, furious, brutal MMA match. Nothing special of note. 

Fight #7 --- Navara vs Lim
Very short MMA bout, but full of some real nice bootwork. 

Fight #8 --- Johnny vs Omega
MMA match with good exchanges. ER Jr does a nice little fake out and then delivers a kick to put his foe down for a chokehold. 

Fight #9 --- Crazy Bob vs Perrera
MMA match with good exchanges and some brutal low kicks that ultimately ends with a front guillotine chokehold. 

Fight #10 --- Johnny vs Lung
Good MMA match. Full of straight rights and right crosses. A flying knee and roundhouse kick end it. 

Fight #11 --- Johnny vs Lim
Another good MMA match. Lots of bootwork here. ER Jr applies some nice defensive counters with an offensive flair. A flying elbow drop finishes it. 

Fight #12 --- Johnny vs Torch
Best fight! It’s a grueling 3 round match that’s a fairly good mix of MMA techniques while also allowing ER Jr to unload some nice kicks. There are quite a few neat moments during the bout with a lot of give and take between opponents throughout. And while the end consists of 3 finishing moves, my only qualm is that one of them isn’t a trademark ER Jr flying kick of some sort. 

I happened to come across this title years ago on Amazon and when I went back to order it…gone! Couldn’t find it anywhere. I’ve looked for it a couple of times since then and it was a ghost. Of course, I didn’t know that it also had 2 other titles, and on IMDB it’s listed as Money Fight. My thanks to @DrNgor for sending this to me. 

The film has a copyright of 2008, but I don’t believe it was released until 2013 as Art of Submission and then again in 2015 as Money Fight. However, it did win a number of awards at the Action on Film International Film Festival in 2008 for Best Soundtrack (more on that in a moment), Best Supporting Actor, Best Film, and Best Action Sequence Martial Arts Feature. That’s pretty impressive considering that it was primarily funded by a bunch of martial arts school owners and their students. (Making this an indie film, I reckon.) Another interesting tidbit is that it’s the first film to premiere on the International Space Station by director Chamitoff’s brother, who is/was an astronaut. 

Regarding the film itself, the story is serviceable, as is the acting. As for the soundtrack? Okay, I’m sorry but it just struck me as “movie of the week” obnoxiousness, especially in moments where the film is going for a feeling of tension. It just blared its way in, overshadowing the mood rather than enhancing it. It got so annoying at times I eventually got tickled whenever it would kick in. 

I’ve always found both ER Jr & Sr to be impressive screen fighters who know how to showcase themselves. They are both decent enough as actors, though I do find it odd Jr’s voice hasn’t changed all that much from the days of Surf Ninjas (1993). He still has that California surfer ring when he speaks. Visually he has presence onscreen, he just needs a little rougher voice to really sell his character. GM as Torch makes for a fairly decent foe, though seeing George Takei playing the heavy was sort of odd. I actually kind of wish he’d had more scenes to chew the scenery a little bit. Fernanda Romero, who plays ER Jr’s sister Natania, looks as if she could be Jessica Alba’s clone, and that’s not a bad thing in my book. 

As far as the fight choreography goes, the film was very hit and miss for me at first, and a lot of that has to do with the editing. There’s no shaky cam or hyper quick cuts, but initially it’s just put together really haphazardly. Fortunately that does change for the better as the movie progresses. Again, the big garage fight should have been done differently. That really hurt. And in the 2000’s it seemed like there was an attempt to make MMA films all the B action movie rage. I’ve just never been that big into MMA, especially any of those Tapout movies. (After watching about 3 of those, I quickly learned to save my money.) As you can see, there are quite a number of MMA bouts in the movie. They’re kept relatively short so as not to wear out their welcome, and they’re choreographed quite nicely, showcasing techniques and exchanges, so I didn’t get too bored. And thankfully the end fight was worth the wait.  

I’ve always wished ER Jr had more starring roles that allowed him to display his skills. Something along the lines of his movie The Ultimate Fight (aka The Process, 1998). And if you’ve not seen that, I encourage you to hunt it down. It is a mondo bizarre movie plot-wise but has some absolutely phenomenal MA action. 

Overall, I’m glad I got to finally see this. Depending on your preferences, I’m going to say it’s your call, but I think it’s certainly worth a one time viewing, though I’m not sure how you’d go about that without running it down and buying it.

Edited July 24, 2018 by ShaOW!linDude

[DrNgor]

3 hours ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

I’ve always wished ER Jr had more starring roles that allowed him to display his skills. Something along the lines of his movie The Ultimate Fight (aka The Process, 1998). And if you’ve not seen that, I encourage you to hunt it down. It is a mondo bizarre movie plot-wise but has some absolutely phenomenal MA action. 

Overall, I’m glad I got to finally see this. Depending on your preferences, I’m going to say it’s your call, but I think it’s certainly worth a one time viewing, though I’m sure how you’d go about that without running it down and buying it.

Glad this wasn't a waste of time for you. It was my pleasure sending it your way.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Wow. Has it really been 5 months since I posted a mini-review? Man, I'm slacking. Well, I know it's a little early, but Happy New Year to everyone of you!

ONE MILLION K(L)ICKS (2014)      Run time: 102 mins.
Stars: Mike Möller, Martin Baden, Bartholomaus Kowalski, Volkram Zschiesche, Sabine Bine Steinbach, Yanlong Li

Dir.: Alex (The Z) Padrutt
Stunt & Fight Choreography: Psycho Dog Brothers, Reel Deal 

Synopsis
Michael Schnieder (MM) seems to be a “happy go lucky” kind of guy that likes to frequent pubs and bars, hoping to get lucky with the girls, who always turn him down. Frank (MB) and Salva (BK) are recent club owners looking for the next big thing. When Michael gets in a fight outside the club, they film it with their phone, then create a website called One Million Kicks, and upload it to the internet. The video garners a lot of attention via clicks. So they approach Mike with their plan to film him fighting various people. Initially reluctant, Mike is a man with a chip on his shoulder and eventually agrees. Soon he’s picking fights, and the footage is uploaded, gaining him more attention. He even fights a retired Kung Fu expert name Li Song (YL). Before long he’s being harassed by a crooked cop named Ritter (VZ). Karma comes back on Mike, and he winds up in the hospital. Li, holding no animosity, visits him, and Mike even manages to get his nurse Lili (SBS) to warm up to him. Under Li’s influence, Mike decides to quit the fight game. Frank especially is not happy about that, and soon events are put into play to force Mike back in front of the camera for One Million Clicks.                                  

Fight #1 --- Bar fights
It’s a hodgepodge of different guys going at it. The fights are brief little mix-ups, but have some nice hits and falls. For MM’s bits, you get some agility thrown in. He pulls off a triple kick (a la Hwang Jang Lee) on one guy and follows it with a flying scissor leg move that has him twirling around the guy’s head. The maneuver segues into an arm bar takedown. It’s an insane move and performed with a practiced flourish. Digging it! 

Fight #2 --- Mike vs Mark (Andre Thaldorf)
Street fight. Some nice combos here. The editing gets a little quick at times, though not often. MM pulls off a mid-body scissor leg takedown, and finishes the fight with a butterfly kick. Sweet! 

Fight #3 --- Mike vs 2 Tae Kwon Do fighters (Cha-Lee Yoon, Phong Giang)
Best fight #1! The setting is a dojo where Mike initially participates in a class. While practicing drills, he and one instructor start contacting with their punches and kicks. Then the senior instructor dismisses the class to deal with Mike himself. Oh, this is sweet! There is a lot of astounding bootwork here with some nice kicking combos from both MM and his opponent. The fight is full of good impacts throughout as well as lots of rewatchable moments. 

Fight #4 --- Mike vs soccer hooligans
Rainy parking lot. It’s a nice 1-vs-many brawl. It’s fairly short, but it has a good bit of flashy kicks from MM. 

Fight #5 --- Mike vs Li Song (YL)
Chinese kitchen battle. There is some really nice choreography here, and you even get a little “shapes” work from YL. Not a lot of bootwork in this one. The exchanges are fairly even, though at one point YL wields a wooden spoon which makes for a small comedic moment.  

Fight #6 --- Mike vs bar patrons
Best fight #2! There are a ton of vicious takedowns and hard falls to be had here. MM pulls off some really nice acrobatic kicks, which I found reminiscent of Tony Jaa in Ong Bak. There are 2 outstanding triple kick sets in this one. 

Fight #7 --- Try-outs
Frank and Salva try out some different fighters. These are short bouts, but they have some nice mix-ups in them. 

Fight #8 --- Masked man vs fighter
It’s a pretty standard fight. Solid choreography, but nothing special of note. 

Fight #9 --- Mike vs Ritter (VZ) aka the masked man
Good fight! Very hard hitting finale! I do wish it had run longer though. There is an absolutely brutal takedown performed by MM I’m not even sure how to describe. It’s like a scissor leg lock to one arm and an arm bar to the other used to snatch his foe off his feet into a back flip onto his neck and shoulders. It really has to be seen to understand the dynamics of it. MM also pulls of his patented “double leg jump-spinning hook kick”, a maneuver of his own invention. The finishing move is pretty sweet, too. 

Plot-wise, the story is serviceable, nothing really new here. Acting-wise? Well, my copy is dubbed, so I can’t really speak to that. As far as being physically emotive, MM comes across well. (I’ll say this about the dubbing. It sounded like the same 3 or 4 guys handled the whole movie. It was kind of funny.) 

The action is plentiful and paced quite well except in the latter half of movie. There is a lag in the action while MM’s character has a period of recovery and soul-searching. That aspect could have been speeded up a bit for me as a viewer, and probably cut the movie’s run time by about 10 minutes. That’s probably the only negative thing I can say about it. However, it is pertinent to the story seeing as MM’s character at the onset only cares about fighting guys who would pose a challenge for him. It’s an interesting turn that one of them (Li) ends up actually befriending him and gives him some direction. 

From a choreography standpoint, this movie kept me entertained. I love watching Möller’s training and choreography clips, usually filmed at a gym where he’s hashing out ideas and action segments. Like Eric Jacobus of the Stunt People, Möller knows his capabilities and stages himself well. That being the case, he engages in some very challenging fight segments. And he’s not averse to taking falls and spills. The guy is phenomenal. He and the stunt personnel he worked with sell their fights really well.  

The movie ends with a set-up teasing “Two Million K(l)icks: HK”, but unfortunately, that project never panned out. 

So, it’s a fairly fight-heavy flick with some very dynamic choreography. For me, it was a blast watching this spry German guy deliver amazing martial arts action upside people’s heads. I say GET THIS!!!!

[ShaOW!linDude]

EXTRACTION    (2013)     Run time: 106 mins.
Stars: Jon Foo, Falk Hentschel, Vinnie Jones, Joanne Kelly, Sean Astin, Danny Glover 

Fight Choreographers: James Lew, Lin Oeding
Dir.: Tony Giglio 

Synopsis
Mercy Callo (JF) is a member of an elite 6 man CIA Black Ops team, which is headed by Agent Black (SA) who works in association with Col. Harding (DG). Terrorism expert Natalie Meyers (JK) is brought in when it is learned that terrorist Rudolph Martine (FH) has been captured, and is being held in a Czechoslovakian prison run by a dastardly warden named Ivan Rudolphski (VJ). The prison is known as “Inferno” because it has a number of levels underground, with solitary confinement being at the very bottom, where, odds are, Martine is being held. When Mercy’s team infiltrates the prison, things go awry very quickly, meaning that the warden knew they were coming, which also means that there’s a mole at the mission’s HQ. Now Mercy has no choice but to perform the extraction on his own.

Fight #1 --- Mercy vs Russian thug
Alley fight. Good impacts and some nice solid bootwork from JF, though nothing flashy of note. 

Fight #2 --- Mercy vs Czech guards
Prison gym. Good fight! Good takedowns and some nice kicks from JF here.  The flow from opponent to opponent is a little hampered with pauses at times (something that should have been fixed in editing). But the choreography itself is pretty good, and there are some nice combos. 

Fight #3 --- Martine vs Guards
Short and vicious hallway fight. FH takes them out with a baton, using some nice flourishes. 

Fight #4 --- Mercy vs Martine
Another fairly short fight. Good impacts with a kick-boxing feel to it. But it quickly turns one-sided as JF dominates and subdues his prisoner. This had potential to be a lot better. 

Fight #5 --- Mercy & Martine vs Big Prisoner #1
It’s a tag team event in handcuffs. Very brisk and very brutal. 

Fight #6 --- Mercy & Martine vs 6 prisoners
Ramped corridor fight. A brawl really. It’s good but short, and there’s really nothing special choreography-wise. 

Fight #7 --- Mercy vs Big Prisoner #2
Cafeteria fight. Good fight. Some nice bootwork here and lots of good impacts. JF leads off with a high kick to the back of his foe’s head. The fight concludes with a brutal ending. 

I’ve always had a soft spot for Jon Foo. I don’t why. I guess because after seeing him take on Tony Jaa in Tom Yum Goong aka The Protector, he struck me as a young man who was a good screen fighter and had a lot of potential as a possible action star. 

I remember seeing a trailer for this, and thought it looked fairly good. But for whatever reason, interest in it just didn’t seem to generate, and it seemed to slip through the cracks. Still, it always cropped up in my mind from time to time to run it down. So I finally did. 

As a whole, it’s a good action flick, and it helps that it has some A list actors in it. The story is fairly feasible, and not burdened with overly wrought plot twists. The acting is good. Foo, as Mercy, has good screen presence, and his lines were kept to a moderate amount. Hentschel, as the terrorist Martine, was quite enjoyable. He seemed very natural and had a great delivery with his lines. Jones, as the warden, was Jones as he is in any of his tough guy roles: mean mugging everyone around him and delivering his lines with a raspy razor-sharp British accent. Glover and Astin served their roles well. If they were phoning it in, they’re good enough that you don’t know it. And Kelly, as Natalie, was nobody’s Girl Friday. Her character is smart and takes initiative. There’s some chemistry between her and Foo, though the romantic angle is never pursued. It’s just not that kind of movie.

From an action standpoint, I don’t think anyone would be disappointed. There’s a good mix of gunplay and physical action, probably with more emphasis placed on the latter. Which brings up the topic of the film’s fight choreography. Lew and Oeding do a good job, but really nothing stands out. I’ve always liked Lew in films, but the movies I’ve watched where he served as the choreographer weren’t really anything special when it came to their fight scenes. Some of the choreography seems very standard stuff and doesn’t showcase the talent of the cast and its screen fighters. Sadly that seems to be the case here.

This is the third lead-starring vehicle for Foo that I’ve seen. I liked him in both Bangkok Revenge and Tekken. The problem I find is that he never seems to have a good opponent that’s pitted against him in this. (He really didn’t have that either in BR.) Also, it appears that the choreography set pieces were done in obvious segments, and the flow is hampered as there is a little lag in moving from one to the other (something I pointed out earlier that could have been addressed in editing). And in this movie, Foo just never gets the chance to cut loose and showcase his Kung Fu/Wushu skills. There are moments, specifically in Fights 1, 2 & 7, but they are few and far between. Still, it’s disappointing that there isn’t a boss end fight for a finale. 

This guy needs a choreographer that understands his skill set and can utilize it onscreen. (Hello? Tim Man? Are you there?) It may be that he needs to go back and reestablish himself in some better supporting roles. I’d love to see him pitted against Scott Adkins or someone of that caliber.

So, if you want a Foo movie that’s a good Fu movie…well, this ain’t it. But if you want a good action movie with some solid gunplay and fairly decent MA action, this is certainly worth tracking down. Trust me, you’ve sat through way worse. It’s your call.

[DrNgor]

I liked Foo in Tekken, even if some of the story structure in the fights was repetitive and the tournament as a whole was a letdown. He seemed capable in Bangkok Revenge, but I also felt letdown by the script. This one looks interesting, and that's a good cast right there. Thanks for reviewing it!

[ShaOW!linDude]

TERMINATOR WOMAN   (1993)    Run time: 91 mins.
Stars: Jerry Trimble, Karen Sheperd, Michel Qissi, Ashley Hayden, Siphiwe Mlangeni 

Dir.: Michel Qissi
Fight Choreographer: Michel Qissi 

Synopsis
Jay Handlin (JT) and Julie Parish (KS) are U.S. police officers escorting a prisoner to South Africa. The man is privy to the location of #100 million in gold bars stolen from a crime lord named Alex Gatelee (MQ). In an effort to get to the prisoner, Gatelee has Julie kidnapped. Jay is desperate to find her. Eventually, she manages to escape on her own and arrives at the meeting Jay has set up with Gatelee for a final showdown. 

Fight #1 --- Jay & Julie vs 4 thugs
Opening fight. It’s decent enough though pretty brief. Both JT and KS get to showcase a little. Very energetic bootwork. It’s obvious the strikes don’t connect sometimes. KS performs a leg sweep that is a little off in execution, but then she’s fighting outdoors and in heels. It’s a forgivable gaffe. 

Fight #2 --- Julie vs 3 thugs
Very stylized choreography. Too many pauses, but decent impacts. KS has nice form and throws a sweet hook kick at one point. 

Fight #3 --- Jay vs 2 goons
Brief fight, but good choreography with nice flow and impacts. JT is fluid and sells his fight. He performs a nice roundhouse kick taking out a motorcycle rider. 

Fight #4 --- Julie vs 3 goons
Better choreography here though the delivery is still a little stilted at times. There’s a little staff work, but it’s fairly basic, and there are a couple of nice kicks. 

Fight #5 --- Jay vs 3 goons
Corridor fight. Nothing special. It’s fairly short. When JT strikes, he takes them out quick. 

Fight #6 --- Jay vs Gatelee’s goons
Oh, good stuff here. JT cuts loose with some great bootwork. Good flow, nice exchanges. JT pulls off a really nice double jump kick. 

Fight #7 --- Jay vs Julie imposter
Lame. This was disappointing. It’s over way too soon. Starts off good, but she gets taken out in 2 blows.

Fight #8 --- Jay vs Gatelee & Julie vs Myra
The KS finale happens on a boat. It’s pretty meh. A little back and forth, a kick or two, and the end is unsatisfying. 

The JT vs MQ happens in a cave. It’s is quite good. The exchanges are even. The impacts are good. There are some nice combos with some standout moments. MQ pulls a sweet 1-2 double knee strike. At one point, JT literally unloads a barrage of kicks. It’s got a relatively satisfying finish as MQ dies on a stalagmite (though I’ve never seen one that moves while it protrudes from a man’s chest as he’s taking his last breath). 

Story-wise, the plot is nothing new, and it is wisely tailored so that the 2 leads get in a fair amount of action to coax the film along to its inevitable end. The acting? Oh, man. It gets a bit hammy in places. Okay, a lot of places. The romantic subplot between the characters Jay and Julie should have been axed. 

The action was…well, action. There were never really any moments that just made me sit up and take notice. More often, it generated a sort of “Oh, that was kinda neat” reaction. I’m thinking at this point in his career, Trimble has banked more screen fights than Sheperd. He looks good here, and knows how to sell his fights. His end fight with Qissi is the highlight of the movie, and I’d say it has a few a rewatchable moments. The problem is that his finale is intercut with Sheperd’s finale, which takes the viewer from a good screen fight to a rather lackluster one. While Trimble gets star billing, she probably banks a little more screen time, though not by much. Unfortunately, her fights have a lot of lag in them, which can get to be quite irksome when you’re used to the flow of HK choreography. But hers aren’t what I’d even consider to be good American B grade MA choreography. I hate saying that because she is a capable screen fighter with lots of talent and can perform better. 

It’s a decent enough MA film, I guess. If you’re solely interested in seeing Terminator Woman, be forewarned that about the only thing she’ll terminate is your interest. Honestly, the only redeeming thing choreography-wise is the end fight between Trimble and Qissi. You’ve seen better, but odds are you’ve seen way worse. It’s your call.

[DrNgor]

Good review. Too bad it didn't reach the level of their fights in The Master and Righting Wrongs. I used to see Trimble's Live by the Fist at the Hollywood Video next to my junior college, but never rented it.

The idea of a pretty good end fight being interrupted by fights of a lesser quality reminds me of...*sigh*...Cradle 2 the Grave.

[ShaOW!linDude]

Think I remember seeing his movies One Man Army and Live by the Fist, but it was a really long time ago. I know I saw Stranglehold. For some reason he just never really clicked with me. Those movies are 25 years old now. I don't know. I may try to track them down at some point for another watch.

[DragonClaws]

On 2/2/2019 at 10:05 PM, ShaOW!linDude said:

TERMINATOR WOMAN   (1993)    Run time: 91 mins.
Stars: Jerry Trimble, Karen Sheperd, Michel Qissi, Ashley Hayden, Siphiwe Mlangeni 

 

While I wasnt overly impressed by this one, it seems I enjoyed it more than you dude.

Enjoyed reading your thoughts on this one @ShaOW!linDude, the film was made in 93, but has a very late 80's feel to it. The sensationalistic title was clearly there to get peope to pick it up in the rental shop, and take a gamble on it. Just like the Cyborg Cop series, with the first movie, made the same year as TW(1993). in the same country, it never featured any actual Cyborg Cop.

[ShaOW!linDude]

KILL OR BE KILLED (1977)   Running time: 90 mins.
Stars: James Ryan, Charlotte Michelle, Danie Du Plessis, Raymond Ho Tung, Ed Kannemeyer, Douglas Baggott, Norman Coombes 

Karate Sequences: Stan Schmidt, Norman Robinson

Dir.: Ivan Hall 

Synopsis
Steve Hunt (JR) is a martial artist who has been recruited by Baron/General Von Rudloff (NC), an expatriate former Nazi officer who has built himself a compound in the South African desert. Hunt is anxious because Rudloff won’t reveal why he’s gather other martial artists. The fact is that a former Japanese officer named Hiro Miyagi (RHT) had disgraced him in the Olympic games that Hitler held, causing Rudloff to lose his commission as an officer and retire in disgrace. In an attempt to regard his honor, Rudloff entices to Miyagi to assemble 20 karate fighters to face his own stable of 20 fighters. During all this, Hunt and his girlfriend Olga (CM) escape the general’s compound. To get him back, Rudloff has Olga kidnapped. Regardless, Hunt joins Miyagi’s team to face the former Nazi’s fighters, one of which is a muscular brute named Luke, and rescue his woman. 

Fight #1 --- Steve vs Ruell (Ed Kannemeyer)
Opening fight on the grounds of the general’s compound. Lots of slo-mo; lots of flips; lots of close-ups; lots of impact. It gets a bit monotonous. Still, there’s some decent technique on display. JR has a nice side kick. 

Fight #2 --- Steve vs 4 karateka
Good fight! JR’s moves are very methodical. He has good delivery. He gets some nice air during a flip to give a guy a double hand strike while vertically upside down. I love that move. 

Fight #3 --- Olga & Lorraine (Lorraine Robinson) vs Ruell
Meh. The girls are no march for him really, but he gets thrown around a bit, and then he smashes stuff trying to be all tough. Eventually he gets his man…er, woman. 

At this point, the tournament between Rudloff and Miyagi’s men has started. There are a lot of good martial artists on display here, and quite a few short skirmishes or snippets of different techniques. 

Fight #4 --- Steve vs Luke (Douglas Baggott)
Meh. Not a lot of soul in this one. The exchanges aren’t all that interesting, and it gets interrupted. 

Fight #5 --- Steve vs Ruell
This is short, but has some decent exchanges. Sadly, it gets interrupted, too. 

Fight #6 --- Steve vs Ruell
Tournament match. Short, but good exchanges. Ends with a very sweet jump-spinning reverse crescent kick by JR. 

Fight #7 --- Steve vs Luke
A very so-so finale. Luke is just a brute in Karate pants. I think he throws maybe one kick. Everything else he does is a “grab-and-choke” or a “pick the guy up/throw the guy down”. JR throws some nice kicks here and there. The best thing about the end fight is the finishing move: a well shot classic flying side kick by JR. 

Okay, look. Honestly, this is not a real good MA film. It just hasn’t stood the test of time. However, at the time of its release (the 70’s), it went over fairly well, garnering a cult following and a sequel. 

The plot is lame, but the acting isn’t really all that bad. James Ryan does a good job as the leading man. He has a certain amount of charisma on camera; he looks good with Bruce Lee-esque build; and he’s a fairly capable screen fighter. Really the only bad thing is that you don’t want his character in this driving any cars. He tends to wreck them. 

Well, that’s not the only bad thing, I guess. For all the talent that is showcased in the film (which according to its credits are a long list of South African martial artists), Ryan is never really pitted against anyone that proves to be a worthy antagonist. In fact, some of the best moments in the movie are when Rudloff’s right hand man, a dwarf named Chico (DDP), travels about seeking MAs to become his boss’ fighters. There are a couple of guys who would have made a fitting challenger for JR in the finale.  

Regarding Charlotte Michelle, who played the love interest, she seemed to have no formal MA training, but handled her very few fight segments well. She is a fairly decent actress and a raven-haired beauty, but this is the only film she ever appeared in. Shame. 

Is this a classic MA film? Nope. Is it a cult classic? Yep, and understandably so to a certain extent. In the US, this was drive-in movie fare. It’s a very mixed bag. Some of the choreography is good, and some is not. The story is trite and nothing new. It kind of has that exploitative movie feel, but isn’t. I don’t know. It’s weird. I don’t love the movie, and I don’t hate the movie, yet it has a certain appeal. Strange. Look, if you never see it, you ain’t missing nothing. You don’t have to run out and buy it. If you have seen it, but it’s been a while; well, it might be a fun one to revisit sometime…if you have a copy handy. Ultimately, it’s your call.

[saltysam]

i've got both on blu ray. I consider the second film to be the superior movie but both have their moments.

[DragonClaws]

1 hour ago, saltysam said:

i've got both on blu ray. I consider the second film to be the superior movie but both have their moments.

 

Certainly a case of the sequel being much superior, I always recommend people watch them the other way round.

 

17 hours ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

KILL OR BE KILLED (1977)   Running time: 90 mins.
Stars: James Ryan, Charlotte Michelle, Danie Du Plessis, Raymond Ho Tung, Ed Kannemeyer, Douglas Baggott, Norman Coombes 

Karate Sequences: Stan Schmidt, Norman Robinson

Dir.: Ivan Hall 

 

Solid review @ShaOW!linDude, I got a hold this via a full screen bootleg DVD copy, a gift from a family friend. At the time I was going through my big Jackie Chan/BL phase, and this one didnt impress me too much. I was holding out for some nunchakuk duels too, but the wepaons only briefly used in some of the tournament dust-up's. That said, I did go back to it, and the sequel year's later, and enjoyed them both a lot. The fight scene's, looked much weaker in the cropped print.

[ShaOW!linDude]

4 hours ago, saltysam said:

i've got both on blu ray. I consider the second film to be the superior movie but both have their moments.

I"m debating getting Kill And Kill Again. I remember that as being a very bizarre and much weaker film. It's been decades since I saw it, and only the once, but the lasting impression I have is that I had no intention of ever watching it again. I know it got the spoof treatment on Mystery Science Theater 3000. I'd love to watch that episode.

[ShaOW!linDude]

ULTERIOR MOTIVES   (1990)      Running time: 91 mins.
Stars: Thomas Ian Griffith, Mary Page Keller, Joe Yamanaka, Ellen Crawford, Tyra Ferrell, M.C. Gainey, Ken Howard 

Fight Choreographer: Rick Avery
Dir: James Becket 

Synopsis
Erica Boswell (MPK) is a journalist on the trail of a big story. She has an inside source who has clued her into a Japanese business selling U.S. military secrets to Japan. Learning about a potential meet between the spy and his contact, she enlists the help of Jack Blaylock, a private investigator who actually grew in Japan and spent time in other overseas countries. Her uncle Malcolm Carter (KH) is a former agent for the U.S. who dealt in propaganda and public relationships. Retired now, he has a consulting business with ties to Japanese companies. As Erica strives to follow the story to determine just who is behind it all, she finds herself thrust into the dangerous world of Yakuza, an organization that Jack knows about. But is it all just one deception to hide another? Or are there multiple deceptions at work here? If Erica and Jack aren’t careful, her story could cost them their lives. 

Fight #1 --- Jack vs 2 security guards
Opening fight. It’s a short skirmish, mainly a lot of fisticuffs really. Still, TIG throws a few kicks, particularly a nice side kick and a smooth-looking axe kick. 

Fight #2 --- Jack vs 2 Yakuza men
This is a decent mix-up in a hotel room. The editing is little quick in a couple of places. TIG gets off a few kicks again, but nothing special of note. (One of the Yakuza men is played by Yoshishiro Obata, who played the bald henchmen that faced off with Brandon Lee in Showdown in Little Tokyo.) 

Fight #3 --- Jack vs 4 Yakuza men
Good fight! The Yakuza men are played by a number screen fighters that fans will recognize from back in the day: James Lew, Ray Sua, Jeff Imada, & Roger Yuan. TIG literally leaps into action with a flying side kick. James Lew pulls off a nice jump-spinning roundhouse kick of the top of a car, and later on a jump-spinning reverse crescent kick as well. The fight has a really good flow and good impacts. TIG finishes the thugs off with a roundhouse kick and front kick. 

The movie is very dramatic and plot driven, though I feel like some things weren’t as properly explained as they should have been. Still, it’s a good plot. Mary Page Keller and Thomas Ian Griffith are really good in their roles, their characters having a nice chemistry. (That chemistry carried on after the film seeing as they’ve been married ever since.) The back story of Jack is gradually revealed though there still aren’t a lot of specifics given. I wish a sequel to this had been done that delved more into his past. The end has a nice reveal and a twist that’s a bit surprising. 

The main action sequences are few, but they build in intensity, which is always good. And there are some smatterings in places where TIG might punch or kick someone, but that’s all it is. Really this is the only qualm I have with the movie. It could have done with a couple of more fight sequences. They could have been a little longer, too. TIG is a good screen fighter. 

If you’ve not seen this, I think it’s worth viewing. However, the dvd is hard to track down at a reasonable price. I’ve been trying to for years, and finally got lucky. It’s a nice plot-driven 90’s action movie with solid acting performances. Granted, it’s something is laced with a lot of action sequences, so it probably wouldn’t garner a lot of multiple viewings from that standpoint. Good movie nonetheless. It’s your call, but I say everyone should see it at least once.

[DragonClaws]

37 minutes ago, ShaOW!linDude said:

ULTERIOR MOTIVES   (1990)      Running time: 91 mins.
Stars: Thomas Ian Griffith, Mary Page Keller, Joe Yamanaka, Ellen Crawford, Tyra Ferrell, M.C. Gainey, Ken Howard 

 

I picked this up on a budget R2 disc for next to nothing, how come these older films are so rare/pricey in the States?. I dont recollect much from this one, my memory of it, was being very action light. With more emphasis on swordplay?,

[ShaOW!linDude]

35 minutes ago, DragonClaws said:

With more emphasis on swordplay?,

No, the main emphasis action-wise if hand-to-hand. There is a very short kendo scene. 

If you ever funnel movies to @DrNgor and you decide you don't want that one, send it to him. I think he'd dig it.

A lot of my favorite American B grade MA movies have never gotten a proper dvd release in the States. It's aggravating to me. But you guys over in England and Europe got releases of them, though they may be bootlegs. I don't know. My copy of this was an import. So was my copy of Mission of Justice (which I'll mini-review at some point.) And I'm waiting on a import of Martial Law 2: Undercover. 

Now I just need to run down Martial Outlaw and Crackerjack (if that exists on dvd).

[ShaOW!linDude]

MISSION OF JUSTICE   (1992)     Run time: 91 mins.
Stars: Jeff Wincott, Brigitte Nielsen, Luca Bercovici, Matthias Hues, Karen Sheperd, Billy Sly Williams, Christopher Kriesa, Cyndi Pass, Tom Wood, James Lew, Jeff Pruitt, Adrian Ricard, Tony Burton 

Stunt Coordinators: Jeff Pruitt, Koichi Sakamoto
Dir.: Steve Barnett 

Synopsis
Kurt Harris (JW) is a beat cop who has had enough of his power-tripping commanding officer and the failed justice system. This results in his leaving the force much to the chagrin of his partner Lynn Steele (KS). When his friend and local gym owner, a former heavyweight boxing champ named Cedric (TB) is found dead, Kurt is determined to find out what happened on his own. That means infiltrating the Mission of Justice, an institution run by Dr. Rachel Larkin (BN), whose personal assistants are Akiro (JL), Erin (CP), and the doctor’s brother Titus (MH). The Mission trains members in martial arts and sends them out as Peacemakers, and they seem to be doing a better job than the police at stopping crime. However, Dr. Larkin’s aspirations aren’t entirely altruistic. While using the Mission to gain political clout among community members to make an election run at the mayor’s office, she’s also taking advantage of their trust to gain control of their property. Only Kurt is willing to take the risk to learn what Larkin means to do as well as avenge the death of his friend, putting him on his own mission of justice. 

Fight #1 --- Kurt (JW) & Lynn (KS) vs 4 thugs
Opening fight is a liquor store robbery. It’s a decent short mix-up. JW doesn’t strut his stuff too much here. KS has some good bits though. She nails one guy with a side kick from a crouched position. A few licks with a police baton and a roundhouse kick subdues him. 

Fight #2 --- Titus (MH) vs Cedric (TB)
Cedric’s Gym. MH gets to show off his physique and skills a bit. It’s a short brutal fight. MH is light on his feet for such a big man, and his kicks have the impact of getting hit by a swinging log. 

Fight #3 --- Kurt vs liquor store thugs
Another short fight at a Mission satellite office. JW makes short work of these guys this time with a baseball bat and a couple of kicks.

Fight #4 --- Kurt vs the Gauntlet
Best fight 1!!! JW must make his way through a gauntlet of men wielding Escrima sticks. There is some great choreography & stunt work here. Details can’t really do it justice, but it’s a scene that is fun to watch over and over again. And a number of the gauntlet members are played by screen fighters you’ve seen in many B Grade MA movies such as Koichi Sakamoto, Chad Stahelski, Damon Caro, and Leo Lee. 

Fight #5 --- Kurt, Lynn & Sal (JP) vs drug dealers
It’s short but has some nice impacts. It’s a beatdown really. KS takes out Philip Tan playing one of the drug dealers. 

Fight #6 --- Kurt, Sal & Jimmy (BSW) vs chop shop gang
Best fight 2!!! Takes place in a big garage, so there are lots of tools to use and stuff to fall into. Again, details can’t do this sequence justice. Most of the fighting is handled by JW and JP. Both get to showcase their skills, and there are some really cool hand & feet combos on display. The impacts are good, and there are a number of wire-assisted falls. JP is blindingly fast and versatile. JW unloads a really nice kicking combo at the end. 

Fight #7 --- Kurt vs Akiro (JL)/Lynn vs 2 Mission henchmen
Good fight! These are short but fairly involved. KS looks great here. She’s fast and fluid, and nails one guy (KS) with a scorpion kick. The JW/JL fight has a lot of bootwork, and is a really good mix-up. JW (or JP doubling for him) performs a nice scissor-leg takedown as a finishing move.  

Fight #8 --- Kurt vs Titus/Lynn vs Erin (CP)
This is an odd mix. The JW/MH fight is really more of a slugfest down a stairwell until they get into a room. It gets better then, but it’s brief. Still, JW unleashes a couple of really nice kicks at the finale of that fight. The KS/CP takes place in an office. To me, the choreography is better but CP doesn’t strike me as having had any formal MA training. She still sells her end of the fight pretty well. It’s KS that really shines though, and she finishes with a strong kicking combo. 

The plot for this is good though nothing new. The acting is serviceable. BN plays her role well as the manipulative villainess deceiving the public as a political do-gooder. JW’s acting gets a little hammy at times, but when he goes into a rage, you sort of buy it. He can come across as a little scary. 

It’s the action that carries the movie, as well it should. All the fight scenes have good energy to them. I’ve always liked Hues as a villain, but he really doesn’t get much to do in this save for a couple of fights. Still, to be so massive with muscle, the guy is light on his feet like a dancer. I do wish his end fight with Wincott had been staged a little better. It doesn’t quite have the payoff it should. 

To me, this is probably Sheperd’s best supporting role in an MA movie. She looks really good and handles her fight choreography great. Pruitt and Sakamoto really make good use of her skill set in this. I wish she had gotten a couple more of solo fight scenes. 

This is the first movie I ever saw Wincott in, and his talent and skills blew me away. He was already gaining his acting chops through film and television work, and by this time, this was his third role starring in an MA movie. He’s got confidence and charisma as a screen fighter, and it shows.  

The “Guantlet” fight scene is a favorite of mine. Why, I’d even go so far as to say I consider it a classic in the American B Grade MA genre.  

Sadly, this film, along with some of Wincott’s other MA movies, have never gotten a proper US dvd release. And that’s a shame. Oh, you can run some of them down because they got released in other countries, but then you run the risk of getting a movie that’s not in its original language. (Like I did with Wincott & Rothrock’s Martial Law 2: Undercover. I watched that in Italian with not option for English dub or sub.) I wish someone like Shout! Factory would do a dvd collection of Mission of Justice, Martial Law 2: Undercover, and Martial Outlaw. That would be sweet, and to me those 3 titles really encapsulates Wincott’s best work in the MA genre.) 

So, if you’re in the mood for some really good American B Grade MA action, then look no further. I’d encourage anyone to run this one down and GET THIS!!!!