My Many MiniReviews

[Lionclaw]

I have been extremely patient waiting for this to finally hit dvd. And now it has....right as my unemployment has run out.

MANDRILL (2010) Running time: 88 mins.

Stars: Marko Zaror, Celine Reymond, Alejandro Castillo, Luis Alarcon, Juan Pablo Aliaga, Miguel Angel De Luca, John Francis Meany

"Tres Hermanos" --- Victor Gonzalez, Francisco Castro, Danilo Castro

MA Choreographer: Marko Zaror

Stunt Coordinator: Victor Gonzalez

Dir.: Ernesto Diaz Espinoza

MZ is a hitman known as Mandrill. As a young boy, his mother and father were murdered by a man known as The Cyclops. Mandrill's handler learns that a hit has been issued for his family's killer. Mandrill goes in search of the man's daughter, Dominik (CR), with the intent of using her to find her father and exact revenge. His seduction play backfires and he falls in love with her. But when the opportunity finally arises, he takes revenge. Then he finds himself having made an enemy of the woman he loves who now seeks to exact her own vengeance on him.

Fight #1 --- Mandrill vs 2 bodyguards

This is the opening fight sequence and it's very, very short but it showcases what you're in store for. MZ pulls off a back flip kicking 1 guard on the ascension and the other while descending. Sweet!!!!!

Fight #2 --- Mandrill vs Wasco (MADL)

Takes place at Wasco's villa. Great fight! Very fast, very smooth choreography! MZ delivers a sweet spinning back fist to the back of his opponent's head at one point that sends the guy into a forward somersault. It's so cool!!!!

Fight #3 --- Mandrill vs security personnel

Takes place within the hotel and there are various numbers of guards and locales. There's a 3-on-1 fight in a hallway which has MZ executing a great kick combo. Best fight! A 1-on-1 in the parking garage. Fantastic hard-hitting choreography! Really good exchanges!

Fight #4 --- Mandrill vs more security personnel

This is a fight-on-the-run up and down a stairwell and it's full of great combo's.

Fight #5 --- Mandrill vs Colotho (JFM), Dominik's bodyguard

It's okay. More of a brawl actually. Still, MZ does work in some of his trademark moves. Could've been better.

Fight #6 --- Mandrill vs Tres Hermanos

Great fight!!! Good, intricate choreography delivered with great speed, timing, and execution! 1 foe sets MZ up for the 2nd to attack which sets him up for the 3rd to attack. Kicks are flying all over the place! I enjoyed it so much I wish it were longer.

This is a great action film and fun to watch! MZ is a great screen fighter but he's also a decent actor. There's good chemistry between he and CR which helps to keep the plot from lagging during the middle portion of the movie. But what really makes it fun is the fact that it is also an homage to B-movie/exploitation films and his character's flashbacks to watching scenes from his favorite action hero are good for an enjoyable laugh. (The end credits even contain a list of directors and actors whose films were an influence for the character.)

Marko Zaror is phenomenal to watch on screen. He performs back flips and barrel-rolls like he can't help himself; it's as though he has a physical form of Tourette's or something. For someone so tall he is amazingly agile. And he's as fantastic with his feet as he is with his fists.

GET THIS! GET THIS! GET THIS! And if you've not seen his other films, check out: Chinango; Kiltro; and Mirageman. I may have to watch those again now!

This helps a lot. I'm gonna go ahead and blind buy this, but if I don't like it I'm blaming you.

[ShaOW!linDude]

FIST 2 FIST (aka Hand 2 Hand) (2011) Running time: 93 mins.

Stars: Jino Kang, Bill Duff, Peter Rallojay Woodrow, James Hiser, John Carney, Melissa Tan

Dir.: Jino Kang

(I couldn't find any action/stunt choreographer/coordinator listed in either the opening or ending credits. I guess JK did that as well.)

Ken (JK) and Tokyo Joe (BD) were once partners in crime. But Ken turned in evidence against Tokyo Joe who was sent to prison for a 15 yr. stretch. However, Joe makes parole after only 5 yrs. served and now wants revenge against Ken who has changed into a man concerned with righting his wrongs by giving back to his community.

Fight #1 --- Ken vs chop shop gang

Takes place in a garage where a gang dissembles stolen cars. It's pretty good. The choreography has a good flow and JK's actions are smooth and fluid. There's some good talent on display among the stunt crew. No real standout moves to be found here though.

Fight #2 --- Ken vs various goons

JK makes his way through a building taking on Tokyo Joe's boys. The choreography is pretty good.....in places. There are some quick cuts that mar the action sometimes but it's not too bad. (During this there are also cage bouts going on at the same time hosted by Tokyo Joe. They're relatively short but okay as well.)

Fight #3 --- Ken vs hallway henchman

This fight is way too short! Good stuff! The choreography is fast with a good flow! Part of what makes this so sweet is that the henchman is none other than Ray Carbonel! He's been in 2 of the Stunt People's films: CONTOUR & DOGS OF CHINATOWN. The guy's talented and severely underused here.

Fight #4 --- Ken vs Speed (Lorinzo McCoy)

Speed is a black dude who is a JKD stylist and also uses a 3-bladed knife a la Wolverine's claws but a little shorter. This fight is okay. The finishing combo is pretty boss though.

Fight #5 --- Ken vs Tokyo Joe

This fight is meh. Really expected more out of this. Actually, it's probably the worst fight in the movie. And that's not good for an end fight. BD is a big guy but I know he's had exposure to various styles of MA as he was one of the hosts on the tv series Human Weapon. But none of that really gets put to use. Shame.

The movie is.......well, not as good as I'd hoped. It's alright but not much in it really stands out. The plot is stale and the acting is lame with the exception of Bill Duff but he has room to improve. He could make for a real intimidating villain with the right material. Action-wise, there are moments but they're few and far between and there are no real "rewind" moments to speak of. I've seen worse but not much worse. It had good potential and the action was on course to deliver but while it's overall good choreography....it just lacks that umph! that would've put it up there to be a great B-movie/MA actioner.

And the clincher was in the end credits which stated: Jino Kang will return (or something to effect) in......wait for it........Tenderloin! (Really? That sounds like a bad porn title. Let me guess, he's going to be a butcher seeking revenge for some lame reason like.....I don't know, someone stole his favorite meat cleaver or something. That effort better step up a whole lot better than this one 'cause based solely on the title, I'm already stepping back.)

I don't know what to tell you other than.....it's your call. I'll probably hang onto it for a little while simply because of Ray Carbonel's fight scene but I'll wind up getting rid of this.

[AlbertV]

FIST 2 FIST (aka Hand 2 Hand) (2011) Running time: 93 mins.

Stars: Jino Kang, Bill Duff, Peter Rallojay Woodrow, James Hiser, John Carney, Melissa Tan

Dir.: Jino Kang

(I couldn't find any action/stunt choreographer/coordinator listed in either the opening or ending credits. I guess JK did that as well.)

Ken (JK) and Tokyo Joe (BD) were once partners in crime. But Ken turned in evidence against Tokyo Joe who was sent to prison for a 15 yr. stretch. However, Joe makes parole after only 5 yrs. served and now wants revenge against Ken who has changed into a man concerned with righting his wrongs by giving back to his community.

Fight #1 --- Ken vs chop shop gang

Takes place in a garage where a gang dissembles stolen cars. It's pretty good. The choreography has a good flow and JK's actions are smooth and fluid. There's some good talent on display among the stunt crew. No real standout moves to be found here though.

Fight #2 --- Ken vs various goons

JK makes his way through a building taking on Tokyo Joe's boys. The choreography is pretty good.....in places. There are some quick cuts that mar the action sometimes but it's not too bad. (During this there are also cage bouts going on at the same time hosted by Tokyo Joe. They're relatively short but okay as well.)

Fight #3 --- Ken vs hallway henchman

This fight is way too short! Good stuff! The choreography is fast with a good flow! Part of what makes this so sweet is that the henchman is none other than Ray Carbonel! He's been in 2 of the Stunt People's films: CONTOUR & DOGS OF CHINATOWN. The guy's talented and severely underused here.

Fight #4 --- Ken vs Speed (Lorinzo McCoy)

Speed is a black dude who is a JKD stylist and also uses a 3-bladed knife a la Wolverine's claws but a little shorter. This fight is okay. The finishing combo is pretty boss though.

Fight #5 --- Ken vs Tokyo Joe

This fight is meh. Really expected more out of this. Actually, it's probably the worst fight in the movie. And that's not good for an end fight. BD is a big guy but I know he's had exposure to various styles of MA as he was one of the hosts on the tv series Human Weapon. But none of that really gets put to use. Shame.

The movie is.......well, not as good as I'd hoped. It's alright but not much in it really stands out. The plot is stale and the acting is lame with the exception of Bill Duff but he has room to improve. He could make for a real intimidating villain with the right material. Action-wise, there are moments but they're few and far between and there are no real "rewind" moments to speak of. I've seen worse but not much worse. It had good potential and the action was on course to deliver but while it's overall good choreography....it just lacks that umph! that would've put it up there to be a great B-movie/MA actioner.

And the clincher was in the end credits which stated: Jino Kang will return (or something to effect) in......wait for it........Tenderloin! (Really? That sounds like a bad porn title. Let me guess, he's going to be a butcher seeking revenge for some lame reason like.....I don't know, someone stole his favorite meat cleaver or something. That effort better step up a whole lot better than this one 'cause based solely on the title, I'm already stepping back.)

I don't know what to tell you other than.....it's your call. I'll probably hang onto it for a little while simply because of Ray Carbonel's fight scene but I'll wind up getting rid of this.

I agree, the finale between Kang and Duff was a let down. What I did like about the film is the cameos by Judo Gene LeBell, Charles Gracie, and Eddie Bravo as themselves as they train Kang's students.

I say it is worth at least a rental.

[One Armed Boxer]

I enjoyed this movie for 2 reasons: Andy On's fighting was very, very impressive and there's way more MA in this than I thought there would be. Bernice Liu plays her role well and it's interesting to watch the metamorphosis of her character. Plus, all the great actors/screen fighters in this. I do wish that KL had been given a little for time to showcase. His kicking ability leaves me wanting more and he and AO didn't really get to throwdown like I'd hoped.

There are really only 2 hindrances about this movie: The end fight was just not what it could've been and the unnecessary re-title. Bad Blood is definitely a more apt title than King Of Triads. There are no triads and none are ever mentioned. It's just a crime organization tailored more like the mob than the triads. Plus, the theme of the film doesn't just pertain to bad blood between the lieutenants and the family members but the family itself. There's a history there that is revealed in bits and pieces and the caring consideration for one another is really nothing more than a cover for spiteful insidiousness and the chance to seek opportunity to remove someone who is regarded as an obstacle to wealth and power.

There are lovers and haters of Dennis Law's films. I've only ever seen this and Fatal Contact (which I like) and this is nowhere near as depressing and surprising as that.

This movie is good strictly for Andy On's fighting performance and the quality of the fights in it. GET IT!!!!!

Nice to see this movie getting some love, it really split people down the middle, with I'd say the majority actually leaning towards hating it. For me it was a great throwback to the 80's kickboxing movies that I love, complete with crazy plot, and it's good to see we both noticed the painful falls on the top of the semi-trailer fight, you can check out my comments in post 43 of this thread - http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8859&page=5

[ShaOW!linDude]

I dvr'ed this last night.

BEATDOWN (2010) Running time: 90 mins.

Stars: Rudy Youngblood, Eric Balfour, Danny Trejo, Michael Bisping, Susie Abromeit, Bobby Lashley, Heath Herring, Kyle Woods, Michael Swick, Jeff Gibbs, Bryan Massey

Dir.: Mike Gunther

Fight Coordinator: Don L. Lee

Brandon (RY) is a young man who streetfights for money. His brother is his handler but is in debt to a bookie who has him murdered and makes Brandon responsible for a $60K owed. Brandon leaves and goes home to his dad (DT) who lives in a small town in the middle of nowhere. There Brandon gets into the local fight circuit and runs afoul of Victor (EB), the brother of the girl he falls for. He also meets Drake Colby (MB), a former fight legend who lives there after being relocated under a witness protection plan. Drake becomes Brandon's handler and starts booking his fights. Eventually, Brandon returns to deal with the bookie who had his brother killed.

Fight #1 --- Victor vs Kane (HH)

Meh. It's okay. Just a showcase for EB really. Lots of punches and knees. Looks to be Muay Thai based.

Fight #2 --- Drake Colby (MB) vs black MMA fighter

Good mix-up. Some hard takedowns. This is more MMA based but there's nothing really spectacular here.

Fight #3 --- Brandon vs Jason, Victor's friend

It's a fast, brutal, bloody beatdown (hence the title). Not a lot of style to it.

Fight #4 --- Brandon vs Lonnie, the bald redneck (Jace Jeanes)

More of the same. No style. This is just brawlin'. Oh, it's brutal but not really fun to watch.

Fight #5 --- Brandon vs Kyle, the black cowboy (Yves Edwards)

Starts okay. The black dude uses some Muay Thai but this soon devolves into just another brawl.

Fight #6 --- Brandon vs Victor

This is better.....sort of. It's a little more stylistic. EB is definitely using Muay Thai and he seems to dominate and deliver the bulk of the beating. But by luck or sheer force of will, Brandon triumphs. I really thought there would be more to this match as the animosity between these guys had been building up throughout the movie. Both RY and EB appear to do their own falls and they're pretty hard. But the fight overall is a letdown (par the course for the whole movie).

Fight #7 --- Brandon vs a MMA fighter

This is probably the best fight but that ain't saying much. It's very MMA based. It's a good mix-up and very grounded. RY even throws a good kick (his only one of the movie).

The plot is an often tried story-line. (I guess I should say it's a tired story-line instead.) The acting's not too bad. I liked RY's character but he displays not MA talent other than the ability to take and dish out punishment.

This is a TAPOUT film (known for showcasing MMA fighters). I've watched a couple of them before but after a while I've been skipping them. I just don't find them to be all that enjoyable. I'd heard/read good things about this one, was interested in seeing it, and had hopes for RY as a possible new and upcoming MA screen fighter. Maybe he still could be. But this effort just didn't do it for me. Oh, he sells his fights and I thought they were filmed pretty well though they're all really short. But this is really more of a "fight" film than a MA film. And I've seen better "fight" films.

I am so glad I didn't waste my money on this and was able to dvr it in order to see it. It should be titled "Letdown" rather than "Beatdown". Thankfully, this is one less movie cluttering up my dvd trade pile. AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!

[ShaOW!linDude]

Thought I'd take in an older film.

TO BE THE BEST (1993) Running time: 98 mins.

Stars: Michael Worth, Martin Kove, Phillip Troy, Brittany Powell, Alex Cord, Mike Toney, Ron Yuan, Vince Murdocco, Steven Vincent Leigh

Dir.: Joseph Merhi

Fight Choreographer: Art Camacho

Erick (MW) and Sam (PT) are 2 brothers on the US Kickboxing Team coached by their dad, Rick Kulhane (MK). They travel to Las Vegas for the World Championship where they will face teams from nations all over the world, especially the Thai team whose fighters, Hong Do (SVL) and Han (RY), are the greatest competitive challenge.

Fight #1 --- Erick vs Johnny (some streetfighter)

This is in a vacant parking lot. It's meh. Nothing special really. MW shows some good stuff but you've seen it before. He's got a nice jump-spinning back kick.

Fight #2 --- Sam vs a boxer

This takes place in a vacant lot. Another meh. It's slow. There's a good move or two. That ain't saying much.

Fight #3 --- Erick vs Hong Do

Brawl at the bowling alley! The US and Thai teams get into an all-out mix-up. Some good stuff here, mainly between MW and SVL.

Fight #4 --- Erick vs Han

Brawl at the wedding chapel! Well, not a brawl actually. It's not too bad, but it's short. Some good kicks here.

The tournament starts......

Fight #5 --- Duke (VM) vs UK fighter

Good match! Some nice exchanges here along with a great front leg sweep.

Fight #6 --- Han vs Nigerian fighter

Another good match full of nice exchanges! No real standout moves but lots of jumping front kicks.

Fight #7 --- Jun Lin (female Thai fighter) vs Argentinean fighter

Meh. It's pretty lackluster. She wins.

Fight #8 --- Sam vs Jamaican fighter

It's okay, has its moments. There's another cool leg sweep.

Fight #9 --- Erick vs Mars (?)

Good match! MW really gets to display his kicks and there's quite a variety.

Fight #10 --- Hong Do vs Spanish fighter

It's okay. Completely one-sided in SVL's favor. Nothing special.

Fight #11 --- Chun (Thai) vs Jamaican fighter

Lame. Lame, lame, lame. Just awful. 2 short bulky guys acting like they're giant powerhouses. Lots of posing. It's just lame.

Fight #12 --- Sam vs Han

Not a bad match. Some good exchanges. Lots of spinning back fists. It just could've been better.

Fight #13 --- Chun vs Johnson (US)

Lame...again. More like a professional wrestling bout than a MA one. Awful.

Fight #14 --- Duke vs Chin Lan (Thai)

Good match. Good hits and exchanges. Lots of elbows.

Fight #15 --- Erick vs Hong Do

It's a good match. The flow is decent. There's lots of power hits, especially from SVL. MW unloads lots of kicks and finishes it off with his signature jump-spinning back kick.

Fight #16 --- Erick vs the henchman (who I think is played by Tom Deters)

Good fight atop the casino. The exchanges are fast but the fighters themselves don't really cover much ground. It's too short and could've used more kicks. (TD is a good MA. I'm surprised he wasn't used in more films.)

Well, if you're familiar with my mini-reviews, you've no doubt noticed there isn't a single comment in bold type. That's because while the editing and choreography is solid and good for the most part, it's just average. It has that "hit me, okay, now I hit you" choreography. And it seemed as if Art Camacho (the fight choreographer) would focus on specific moves for fights. (Okay, this fight will show lots of front kicks; this fight will show lots of elbows; etc.) The acting is hammy and the premise nothing new, but the fighting is there (lots of it but very short bouts) and the film is what I'd consider to be a decent B-actioner.

One thing I picked up on, that I never really noticed almost 20 yrs ago when watching it, is this: none of the Thai team are.....wait for it.....Thai. In fact, one of them looks to be American. None of them use Muay Thai style fighting. But hey, it's an early 90's US-made MA film and there needed to be an Asian villain....or something, I guess. Oh, and the 80's sense of fashion was carrying over, so everyone was wearing big baggy pants in the ring. Gack!

I like Michael Worth and I've got a couple of other films of his I'll get around to doing. If memory serves me correctly (and I hope it does), this is his worst. Still, it's not too bad. It'll definitely make you chuckle in places. It's your call. I'm sure you can find it used or for dirt cheap, if you're interested.

[DarthKato]

Hey SD. I might check out "To be the Best", since I am into Martial arts movie that have tournaments in them. It doesn't sound lke it would be any comparison to something like Bloodsport or Enter the Dragon, but if I find it cheap it might be good to kill some time with.

Good review by the way.

[ShaOW!linDude]

FINAL IMPACT (1991) Running time: 101 mins.

Stars: Lorenzo Lamas, Michael Worth, Kathleen Kinmont, Kathrin Lautner, Jeff Langton, Mike Toney, Mimi Lesseos

Fight Choreographer: Eric Lee

Dir.: Joseph Merhi and Steven Smoke

Nick Taylor (no, not the guy from the band Duran Duran; it's LL) is a former world champion kickboxer whose career was ended by Jake Gerrard (JL). Now a bitter but successful club owner, Nick is approached by Danny Davis (MW), a state kickboxing champ, who idolizes him and hopes to train with him for a shot at the world championship held in Las Vegas. Nick sees Danny's potential and takes him on. Once in Las Vegas, Nick runs into his former rival and can't resist trying to reclaim his sense of worth as a fighter.

Fight #1 --- Danny (MW) vs Jimmy (Gary Daniels)

It's a decent opening bout. Both get to strut their stuff. MW pops off some jump-spinning roundhouse kicks with a nice snap. GD executes Jean Claude Van Damme's signature jump-spinning split kick.

Fight #2 --- Danny vs Jimmy...again

Danny gets taken to school. GD unloads some good combo's here. There's a nice leg toss and GD gets in some good kicks. (Sadly, this is all you get of him for the rest of the movie.)

At this point, there is a montage of training sequences between Nick and Danny. It's not bad. Kind of interesting to watch.

Fight #3 --- Danny vs Johnny Fareed

This is a good fight! Lots of takedowns and good exchanges. MW throws a nice combo of hook kicks.

Now comes the tournament bouts in Las Vegas, interestingly enough billed on a marquee as "Eric Lee's Kickboxing Championship".

Fight #4 --- Danny vs Jose Gonzalez (Art Camacho)

It's a decent match. It starts off slow but gradually intensifies. There's some good kicks and a sneaky back fist.

Fight #5 --- Jake (JL) vs a fighter

Boring. This is nothing more than an opportunity to show Jake as a viciously abusive fighter. Every strike is a power hit. There's no finesse or interesting choreography here. (This has one of the most comical uses of headbutts I've ever seen in a MA film.)

Fight #6 --- Danny vs Jacky

Great fight! Probably the best in the film! There's some really good boot-work from both guys. The choreography is full of good exchanges and it builds up to a great finish! (I've seen the guy playing Jacky in other MA films. He's usually a random unnamed fighter but he's always used quite well. Wish I could figure out his name. It may be Ian Jacklin but I'm not sure. Whoever he is, he deserves some recognition.)

Fight #7 --- Nick vs Jake

This takes place at the Neon Graveyard, a dump where old Vegas signs are stored. It's a good fight. I usually enjoy seeing LL in action and he throws a sweet 3 kick combo which ends in a leg sweep. The fight is pretty brutal and ends up being rather one-sided.

Fight #8 --- Danny vs Jake

It's good.....I guess. It's hard-hitting and MW takes a lot of punishment. He goes down and rallies at the end but it only takes a few kicks to win it. Still, there's some good hits and exchanges here, but nothing really stands out for this to be the end fight.

I like this movie. There's good chemistry between LL and MW and that helps it tremendously. The choreography is good for the most part, though marred by bad editing in some places.

My issue is with the casting of JL as the villain. He looks like a cross between JCVD and Larry Drake (the guy who played the mentally challenged fellow on the tv show "LA Law" and Durant in the movie "Darkman"). I get tickled every time he made an angry face and he acts as if he's in the constant throes of 'roid rage. As a MA, he just wasn't that impressive to me. I think this whole film would've played out better if his and Gary Daniels' roles had been reversed. That would've been an awesome end fight.

It's a good B-actioner for a MA flick. This is one of MW's better films and as I said previously, he and LL have good chemistry together. Get it. And I've no doubt you can find it cheap.

[ShaOW!linDude]

KICKBOXER 5: REDEMPTION (1995) Running time: 87 mins.

Stars: Mark Dacascos, James Ryan, Geoff Meed, Tony Caprari, Greg Latter, Denney Pierce, Duane Porter, George Moolman, Rulan Booth, Robert Whitehead

Fight Choreography: Burton Richardson and Mark Dacascos

Dir.: Kristine Peterson

Matt Reeves (MD) is a former world champion kickboxer and a friend of the Sloans (the characters from Kickboxer 1 - 4). On learning of their deaths and finding another friend and protege being harassed and murdered, he sets out for revenge against Mr. Negaal (JR), himself a former world champion kickboxer who was banned from the sport for using an illegal and lethal strike thus killing his opponent. Mr. Negaal is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and has started his own kickboxing federation using strong-arm tactics to force fighters to turn over their titles, belts, and representation exclusively to him. Matt travels to Africa to find Negaal with the help of Paul Croft (GM), an ex-con who was supposed to kill him in exchange for his freedom. Together they take on the ruthless and deadly egomaniac, Negaal.

Fight #1 --- Matt vs Pinto (the other GM) and Bull (DP)

Good opening fight! It's short but a nice showcase of MD's skills. Really good kicks and handwork.

Fight #2 --- Matt and Paul vs Negaal's thugs

This is at the airport. Good fight! It's mostly MD. He even uses a metal pole as a staff to dispatch them. He does so with a flourish and it's almost comical.

Fight #3 --- Matt and Paul vs Negaal's thugs again

This is at an abandoned foundry. Another good fight! Again, mostly MD. Lots of good kicks. Some of the choreography is a little off in places, as is the sound editing, but it's still enjoyable. It gets better when GM shows up. MD unloads multiple snapping side kicks on one guy, followed by a sweet spinning back kick.

Fight #4 --- Negaal vs German champion (Gavin Hood)

Not a bad fight. JR still has some moves. The choreography could've been a little better. He uses a "tiger claw" strike to end the bout quite sadistically.

There's a short training sequence that's kind of cool as it includes a bit of chi training by showing MD snapping an arrow braced against a post with the tip pressed into his throat.

Fight #5 --- Paul vs Bollen (GL)

Meh. Not a whole lot going on here. A few punches, a few throws. Kind of lame.

Fight #6 --- Matt and Paul vs Negaal's thugs yet again

It's pretty good but very short. MD unleashes some nice kicks here.

Fight #7 --- Matt vs Negaal

Good fight!!! Wish it could've been edited a little better and run little bit longer. There are no real standout moments until the end which has a nice ironic twist. (*Spoiler*: Negaal uses his "tiger claw" strike to Matt's throat whose chi training prevents its effect. Matt then uses the same strike on Negaal and follows it with a Dim Mak (death strike) touch to his heart. Gotta love it!)

This is the last installment of the KICKBOXER franchise which was started with Jean Claude Van Damme, who only starred in the 1st one. (I've always thought that KB 2-4, which starred Sasha Mitchell, sucked and I held off a long time on seeing this because of that.) Personally, I think this should've been a movie unto itself, but I guess the studio wanted name recognition.

I'm a fan of this film. MD demonstrates that he has both acting and MA talent. JR steals almost every scene he's in. He plays a great villain and really makes the movie. The story is serviceable and the choreography is solid. The editing and camera angles?....not so good in places. But it's not that detrimental.

This is the movie that turned me onto MD. I'd seen him in Double Dragon (the movie based on the video game where he costarred with Scott Wolf and Robert Patrick) but I just didn't remember him. However, this did the trick. He quickly became one of my favorite MA stars and he's done some of my favorites MA films. Even my wife loves this guy!

Get this!!! You can score it relatively cheap and it's a good B-action/MA movie to own!

[blue_skies]

It's a shame Mark Dacascos hasn't made more good martial art movies.

Is there any news on that song of the knife or whatever it was he was going to be starring in?

[KUNG FU BOB]

It's a shame Mark Dacascos hasn't made more good martial art movies.

Is there any news on that song of the knife or whatever it was he was going to be starring in?

Haven't heard of SONG OF THE KNIFE, but I know he just filmed a movie with Cynthia Rothrock (in Thailand I think) and I've heard some good things about it. Can't recall the title though.

[ShaOW!linDude]

It's a shame Mark Dacascos hasn't made more good martial art movies.

Is there any news on that song of the knife or whatever it was he was going to be starring in?

I'm not finding anything. Any info I run across is dated March 2010 and stating that filming had begun in Feb. 2010. You'd think that would've been out by now.

Not finding anything on his movie Man Of Action either, which was supposed to reteam him Steven Wang, the director of Drive.

Haven't heard about anything he's supposed to be doing that included Cynthia Rothrock either.

Maybe someone else knows something.

[ShaOW!linDude]

I AM OMEGA (2007) Running time: 91 mins.

Stars: Mark Dacascos, Geoff Meed, Jennifer Lee Wiggins, Ryan Lloyd

Stunt Coordinator: Tony Snegoff

Dir.: Griff Furst

(Screenplay by Geoff Meed, interestingly enough)

MD plays Renchard, a lonely survivor of a world infested with infected mutants (which are quite similar to zombies). Living an isolated life outside of Los Angeles on his property which he has transformed into a compound, he ventures out during the day, setting explosive charges along natural gas lines with the intent of blowing up the city which he has already mined. But when 2 strangers, Vincent (GM) and Mike (RL) stop by to "encourage" him to help them locate a girl (JLW) trapped in the city, he has no recourse but to help. Her blood, after all, may hold the key to the cure for the virus.

Fight #1 --- Renchard vs 4 mutants

Takes place at his compound. It's short, but kind of cool. MD uses a machete on one and knocks down a couple of others with kicks before gunning 'em down.

There's a short training sequence that's pretty sweet showing MD still has great MA ability and hasn't lost a step.

Fight #2 --- Renchard, Vincent, & Mike vs mutants

At Renchard's compound. Short but pretty gruesome. There's a little MA but it's GM showing his talent with a couple of nice kicks.

Fight #3 --- Renchard vs more mutants

Another short bit in a parking deck. MD whips out some nunchuks on 'em. Not a whole lot of style here, he just whales on 'em. When they get up, he does a neat little practice sequence and then........runs. (I don't blame him.)

Fight #4 --- Renchard & Vincent vs more mutants

Again, short, but there's some nice kicks here from both MD and GM. Then.....Vincent pulls the ol' double-cross.

Fight #5 --- Renchard vs Vincent

Good fight, but again it's short. Part of what makes it so fun to watch is GM talking smack. Still, it's hard-hitting and MD throws a powerful roundhouse kick and smooth leg sweep during the course of it. I really wish this would've been longer.

It's not a bad "zombie" movie, really. Just what happened to start all the mutants running around is never explained or even touched on, but who needs to know? Zombies? I'm in. Granted, it's a takeoff of The Omega Man and I Am Legend, but it works for me.

The make-up for the mutants is really good and there's lots of splatter (and it's not CGI though there's a bit at the end). MD plays Renchard as man tormented by the loss of his family and his solitary life. So, he self-medicates. It often makes him see things that aren't there. GM as Vincent is good. He's a redneck and he's devious. Right off the bat, you just know he's untrustworthy, but you want him to be because he's a hoot.

I like this movie, it's another good B-actioner. There's a few scary moments in it, too. Had me jumping. And there's a lot more action than what I've mentioned but it's mostly "run and gun". It is a bit of a tease though, what with MD doing his little MA showcase at the beginning. This would've been an excellent low budget picture to have a fave screenfighter of mine really throwdown on some mutants/zombies who are rather lively. A missed opportunity, truly. The little bit you get of such leaves you wanting more. The end fight between MD and GM makes up for it but that, too, could've been longer and a little more involved.

It's your call. Me? I think it's worth having simply 'cause it's Mark Dacascos fighting zombies. But that's me. If you're interested, I'm sure you could find it really cheap.

[ShaOW!linDude]

TRUE LEGEND (2010) Running time: 114 mins.

Stars: Vincent Zhao, Andy On, Zhou Xun, Guo Xiaodong, Michelle Yeoh, Jay Chou, Gordon Liu, David Carradine, Cung Le

Action Coordinators: Yuen Cheung Yan, Yuen Shun Yi, Ling Chi Wah

Dir.: Yuen Woo ping

Su Can (VZ) is a retired general enjoying life with his wife and son. His brother-in-law, Yuan (AO), succeeds to a governorship and enacts his life-long desire for revenge because Su's father killed his own and took he and his sister to raise. Yuan has mastered the 5 Venoms style and also had armor plating sewn onto his flesh. The loss of his wife drives Su to drink and he eventually develops the Drunken Fist style.

Fight #1 --- Su vs militia

Opening fight which takes place in a cavern. Meh. I don't know. There were a couple of sequences that have cool choreography, especially with VZ throwing kicks. But overall, there's waaaaay too much wire-work here. (Cung Le is credited as playing a nameless militia leader. It must be here and if so, he is wholly unrecognizable to me.)

Fight #2 --- Su vs 2 black-garbed assassins (1 female/1 male)

It's not too bad. There's some good kicks. Still, there's an overload of wire-work and wire-assists.

Fight #3 --- Su vs Yuan

Hmmmm. More crazy wire fu. Some of the action is kind of good, but it's marred by the reliance on wires.

Fight #4 --- Su vs the God of Wushu (Jay Chou...of all people)

There are a string of, like, 4-5 just 'over the top' duels. Some of them are hand-to-hand, some with weapons. But these are like fights between superheroes. I hate that in a MA film.

Fight #5 --- Su vs 2 black-garbed assassins (1 female/1 male)...again

This is pretty brutal, but again, it's heavy with wire-work. There is some cool weapons fighting here though.

Fight #6 --- Su vs Yuan...again

This is a pretty boss fight. It's light on the wire-work but heavy on the wire-assists. Still, this is a good fight (barring the insipid segment where they're going at it while sliding/climbing in a well that contains in a snake pit). The choreography is fast and smooth with good exchanges and there's some power hits and great kicks.

Fight #7 --- Su vs a wino

This is pretty sweet. A great display of 2 drunks fighting over a jug of wine. There's a nice showing of Drunken form, too (which unfortunately segues into something like Drunken break-dancing).

Fight #8 --- Su vs Killer Anton's wrestlers

This is really over the top! It's full of wire-assists but it's some hard-hitting fighting. There's a good bit of Drunken style but some of it seems soooooo unrealistic. Still, it's kind of good as it's bloody and brutal.

Wow. Where to begin? The story was good but seemed a bit disjointed. I think it would've made sense to me if Su had learned/developed his Drunken Fist style prior to his 2nd encounter with Yuan and that be the end fight. When the movie kept going after that, I was like "what....?"

I thought both VZ's and AO's performances were really good. And the f/x were cool, especially regarding AO's character, Yuan.

But what in the world was Yuen Woo Ping doing with this? The over-saturating abuse of wire-work ruined this film!!!!! It's atrocious, specially all the wasted nonsense with this God of Wushu tripe! This should've been a new film to revitalize interest in Drunken style kung fu and it could've easily done so with a showcase of classical forms and applications. What a waste. Makes me want to cry.

I loved Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and that had a lot of wire-work in it, but at least YWP showcased some classical kung fu which offset all the high-flying hokey-ness. Unfortunately, CTHD has ruined modern 'period piece' MA films. Every studio wants to try to recapture that magic and they fail miserably. It's like a case of kung fu cinema herpes that will never go away.

I've heard a lot of mixed opinions about this film, so I've held off on purchasing it. I'm sooo glad I did. I dvr'ed it to watch and it's already been erased. If you're curious to see it, do that or rent it. Otherwise, AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!

[Drunken Monk]

I admit to hating "True Legend" after seeing it for the first time but once I watched it again, I saw it for the schlocky, enjoyable mess that it was. My problem was that upon seeing Yuen Woo Ping's name as a director after all these years, my hopes were through the roof.

Yes, the wires are very annoying but, all in all, it's pretty enjoyable if you don't let it all get to you.

[massa_yoda]

If you're curious to see it, do that or rent it. Otherwise, AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!

Funny because I just posted my review on True Legend just yesterday. Unfortunately we disagree on this one. TL grew on me a lot after the 2nd viewing. Yeah, it could have been better, but I still enjoy it.

[DarthKato]

It is kind of cool hearing two seperate thoughts on the same film. While I can not stand poorly or over-done wire work, I am interested in films that pay homage or parody other films or genres, as this one seems to be doing. I would still like to give True Legend a chance and see how it stands up in my eyes. I may even do my own review of it, if it is okay with ShaOW!linDude and Yoda who have already done it already.

[massa_yoda]

if it is okay with ShaOW!linDude and Yoda who have already done it already.

No problems here. The more perspectives the merrier.

[ShaOW!linDude]

I may even do my own review of it, if it is okay with ShaOW!linDude and Yoda who have already done it already.

Hey, there's no monopoly here. Stick your spoon in and stir that pot.

[DarthKato]

No problems here. The more perspectives the merrier.

Hey, there's no monopoly here. Stick your spoon in and stir that pot.

Okay, thanks guys. I guess I will get to work on it.

[ShaOW!linDude]

THE LEGEND OF BRUCE LEE (2008) 182 mins.

(Compiled from the 50 episode tv series)

Stars: Kwok Kwan Chan, Michelle Lang.....and a bunch of guest stars

Dir.: Li Wen Qi

Action Director of Martial Arts: Mo Zhangxuan, Eric Chen, Guo Shaohong

A film about the life of Bruce Lee.....supposedly. (I'll leave it at that....for now.)

Fight #1 --- Bruce Lee vs Hoffman (Yannick Van Dam)

Not a bad fight. The camera hangs back for the most part, but then you get close ups and quick cuts when something cool happens. There's a little bit of wire-work, especially for 1 unrealistic maneuver, but otherwise it's very minimal.

Fight #2 --- Bruce Lee vs Yellowskin (Li Yuan)

Good fight.....in a sense. There's a good bit of wire-assisted moves, but there's also some very decent choreography with lots of good exchanges.

Fight #3 --- Bruce Lee vs Yellowskin (flashback to 1st encounter)

Short but shows that LY is a really good kicker.

Fight #4 --- Bruce Lee vs Yellowskin (flashback to 2nd encounter)

Short but again LY is off the chain with his kicks.

Fight #5 --- Bruce Lee vs Yellowskin (flashback to 3rd encounter)

Short but a bit more evenly matched as Bruce's Wing Chun training evens the odds to some degree. More good bootwork from LY.

Fight #6 --- Bruce Lee vs Yong Chun Quan

This is a sparring bout. Nothing special happens though Bruce 'accidentally' uses the 1 inch punch for the 1st time. Um, okay.

Fight #7 --- Bruce Lee vs Yamamoto

Meh. Could've been better. It's as though Bruce's strikes are completely ineffectual. Lame.

Fight #8 --- Bruce Lee vs Willy Jay (Tim Storms)

Good fight. There's some cool techniques here.

Fight #9 --- Bruce Lee vs Yamamoto rematch

This is a bit better than the 1st one. Some good power hits, but I hate the quick cuts at every stinking kick. That's getting old.

Fight #10 --- Bruce Lee vs Elliot, the 1-armed man (Gary Daniels)

Good fight. GD's a kicker and fast. There's good exchanges, but the editing mars it a bit. (And honestly, Daniels is a bit too brawny to pass himself off as a 1-armed man, but hey, you know, whatever works.)

Fight #11 --- Bruce Lee vs Piao Zhengyi (Ho Kuan)

This goes from a sparring match in a dojo to a tournament bout in mid-fight. It has its moments and a cool end.

Fight #12 --- Bruce Lee vs Rolex (Ray Park)

Really good fight! RP is fun to watch here. Some of the editing messes the choreography up and there's some cheesy wire-work near the end but it's got some great kicking courtesy of Darth Maul....I mean Ray Park. (And according to IMDb, he's portraying Chuck Norris here. Hmm. I could see that.)

Fight #13 --- Bruce Lee vs Charlie King (Mark Dacascos)

Best fight! There's some really good choreography here. MD is an absolute pleasure to watch. Again the editing gets a little choppy at times but it's a fast fight with good flow and nice exchanges.

Fight #14 --- Bruce Lee vs Yellowskin

This is the end fight and it is lame. Every blow by Bruce is wire-assisted to make them seem so powerful. It's completely one-sided and rather disappointing.

Wow. Where to even start? Okay, I confess that I did not watch this entire dvd. Now hold on, hold on, here's why. There were both Mandarin and English languages, so I watched a bit in both formats. They were both laughable. The Chinese language didn't even match up when they were speaking.

This "bio-pic" is absolute hokum. There is just so much wrong with it. I realize they wanted to dramatize it, and I guess I'm okay with that, but I don't think they did a very good job. It's just corny. Every opponent Bruce faces feels they must teach him a lesson to humble him or prove that their style is better or...well, you know the drill. Whenever he does something "great", there is always a blast of applause. 20 people sound like an audience of 2000. (Seriously.) Almost every opponent he faces beats him, so that he can learn something...well, until toward the end. And unrealistic instances such as Bruce taking a cheap shot from a beaten foe at the end of the bout but then "hey, we're good, we're buds"...yeah, I don't think so. Oh yeah, and just making up moments in his films....what the...? Shannon Lee was an executive producer on this? Really?

Kwok Kwan Chan is almost a dead ringer for Bruce Lee...in appearance. And he had Bruce's mannerisms down pat. And his fight work wasn't too bad. But this guy is no kicker. Most of his fights have him punching, which is fine, but you go watch a BL flick and you see that he really enjoyed showcasing his kicks. A good majority of KKC's kicks look to be the work of a double, and the ones he does perform are usually wire-assisted and fouled with close ups and whatnot.

The choreography....man...the choreography is great...in places. Unfortunately, for KKC who plays Bruce Lee, it is very repetitious. Lots of the same punches or combos and low kicks. Towards the end he does start using some of Bruce's upper body kicks but they're few and far between. I don't think the choreographers really knew how to showcase Bruce's fighting skills properly. But the talented MA's they got to play his opponents.....these guys were awesome! Now I want to go dig through my stash of Gary Daniels and Mark Dacascos dvds. And why isn't anybody doing something with Ray Park? If Don 'The Dragon' Wilson can have a career as a B-action movie star, why can't Ray Park? That guy should have, like, half a dozen dvd movies under his belt by now.

There's no way in the world I could sit through all 50 eps of the tv series after having watched this (which clocks in at 3 hrs). This is good, in that it is packed with fights and highlights. But the story line and acting are sooooo over the top, it's laughable. I'm not sure what to tell you. I guess it's your call. I may keep it, I may trade it. I don't know yet. But I will be watching the last few fights again (#10-13).

[So High]

The dubbing is so bad to the point that its hilarious. One part in particualr sticks out in my mind to this day where the old fella says," The concave......mirror." He pause mid-sentence.

[One Armed Boxer]

Fight #6 --- Su vs Yuan...again

This is a pretty boss fight. It's light on the wire-work but heavy on the wire-assists. Still, this is a good fight (barring the insipid segment where they're going at it while sliding/climbing in a well that contains in a snake pit). The choreography is fast and smooth with good exchanges and there's some power hits and great kicks.

Would it make the fight even more insipid if you knew that this scene in the well was specifically filmed in 3D? True Legend was a bit of a disaster in this regard, instead of filming the whole movie in 3D they just did certain parts, and apparently in the cinema it would indicate if a 3D part was coming on by an image of the glasses appearing in the corner of the screen, to notify the audience to put them on.

For me this is one of those could have been great movies, but it get's derailed in the final quarter, yes the end of the movie was the fight with Andy On....instead though it goes on and on with one of the most bizarre tacked on endings I've ever seen, even throwing in David Carradine in his last ever role.

[ShaOW!linDude]

BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF (2001) Running time: 143 mins.

Stars: Samuel Le Bihan, Vincent Cassel, Emilie Dequenne, Monica Bellucci, Jeremie Renier, and Mark Dacascos

Dir.: Christophe Gans

Combat Choreographer: Phillip Kwok

Set in the 18th Century. A ravenous beast is savaging the people of the province of Gevaudan in France.The French knight Gregoire de Fronsac (SLB), a naturalist and taxidermist, and his traveling companion Mani (MD), an Iroquois Indian of the Mohawk tribe, are sent by order of the king to determine the nature of the beast and capture or kill it. There they meet Jean Francois (VC) and his sister Marianne (ED) whose father is the Counte of Morangias. Fronsac finds help to his investigation from Sylvia (MB), a mysterious woman of prostitution with papal ties.

Fight #1 --- Mani vs 6 French soldiers garbed as peasants

Good fight with staves! There's nothing intricate here but it's hard-hitting. MD does perform a nice jumping split kick toward the end. (In the deleted scenes featurette, Gans actually filmed this to showcase first Mani, then Fronsac, then the 2 together in combat against the soldiers. However, for the sake of pacing and character development, he had the scene edited so that only Mani trounces them. It's a good fight and I wish he'd have left it uncut but it's understandable.)

Fight #2 --- Mani vs a # of wild hunters

Another good fight! Good choreography with hard hits. It gets a little more intricate as it goes and there's some really nice kicks here. It's a fun fight with 2 wire-assisted falls.

Fight #3 --- Mani vs wild hunters in a cavern

Best fight #1! MD goes off here while in warpaint and a loincloth with his native axe. He throws some great kicks here! He looks fearsome! I love this fight!

Fight #4 --- Fronsac vs wild hunters at a chalet

Good fight! Fronsac seems to channel Mani and is methodically brutal in dispatching his foes. SLB displays some good knife fighting and some cool kicks himself.

Fight #5 --- Fronsac vs wild hunters at a pagan service

Best fight #2! SLB uses 2 huge knives and unloads some great kicks. Really good choreography here.

Fight #6 --- Fronsac w/2 knives vs Jean Francois w/whip-sword of bone

Cool fight! Good choreography with some nice exchanges and a fitting end.

This move is fantastic! And it's over 10 years old. It's a French film with English subs (though you could watch it in English dub). I had the good fortune of taking this in at the theater during its limited run in the US. (I still remember my wife's reaction when she saw MD stripped down to a loincloth and warpaint. In a breathy whisper, she said, "Wow, he's lean." Well, you can't deny that.)

I loved the plot which is actually based on the legend of the Beast of Gevaudan (which was thought to be a wolf). It's a period piece and the sets and costumes are beautiful. The story and dialogue are great. The characters are interesting, especially MB's Sylvia. The action is top notch. (I mean, come on! 2 Best Fights?....from me?) There is some CGI used to depict the creature. At the time, it seemed superb. In retrospect, it doesn't hold up as well, almost looking like stop-motion at times. But it works.

If you've never seen this, you are missing out. GET IT! GET IT! GET IT!

[DarthKato]

I thought about getting "BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF" a number of times, but I figured it would be bad. I guess I will need to check this one out.

Since it is getting pretty old now, is it difficult to find a copy of this film?