Action-Views

Bruce Against the Iron Hand

2006-09-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Distributed by Xenon (studio data missing)
Date:1976
Catch Phrase:none

What the box says:Martial arts legend Bruce Li sets off on the trail of the killer of two kung fu masters in this thrill-a-minute action extravaganza. His only clue is a mysterious pendant of the Buddha discovered at the scene of the crime and the fact that the two were killed by the deadly Fatal Finger technique. Will Bruce's super kicks be powerful enough to vanquish this mighty foe?

What I say about the box:Ahh yes, the Fatal Finger technique. Sure it doesn't sound too exciting, but connoisseurs of cheesy martial arts movies would pick up on that right away. On the other hand, Bruce's super kicks don't sound too interesting. Once you've seen one super kick, you've seen them all.

My review:I will start off by explaining why this movie is rated z (worse than a B movie). First of all, the movie stars a Bruce Lee impersonator. So main character originality is minus one point. Next the film was made in the 1970's and is dubbed in terribly goofy voices. Add a poor quality extended play VHS tape to the mix and it becomes totally RATED Z. The story line is somewhat interesting and the action sequences are good. Many of the characters have their own technique for fighting, which keeps things interesting. Such as a friend of Bruce who is trained in pressure points on the human body. What is funny is that his attacks don't seem to work so well and he is basically poking his opponents with his fingers all of the time.

In Summary, Probably good for a laugh and to see some interesting martial arts.

The Ultimate Ninja

2006-09-16T21:40:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Trans World Entertainment
Date:1986
Catch Phrase:"NOTHING would stop him even if it could!"

What the box says:Evil ninja leader Victor steals the coveted black ninja warrior from Charles (Stuart Smith), but gets wounded in the process. Taking refuge at his friends house, his authority is challenged by a young man named Jimmy (Bruce Baron) who has come to avenge his father's murder. Victor sends his henchmen after jimmy, however Charles comes to his aid. Together the two team up in order to retrieve the black ninja warrior and achieve the ultimate revenge.

What I say about the box:Is it just me or is there something wrong with ninjas having names like Charles and Victor? Oh well, who cares as long as the movie has ninjas in it... As for the catch phrase, it has got to be one of the funniest I have ever seen!

My review:There are basically two movies in one here. The first one is about Caucasian ninjas, which are fighting each other so that they can possess some little action figure and a golden Buddha. It's extremely comical and doesn't account for much of the movie's screen time. The second story is about a young man who must save his old village from a group of thugs. This is a much better story than the first, but I am left to wonder why... My guess is that Ninjas were popular at the time and the producers thought they could do a few ninja scenes and attach it to an old kung fu martial arts movie to make big bucks. Well I paid $5 for this used, so I may have over paid a little, but it was worth it to see what the movie was about.

In Summary, an odd merging of two movies that can't be missed for the laugh factor and decent action.

The Strike

2006-09-16T21:28:00.000-05:00

Format:DVD
Studio:Star Quest Entertainment
Date:1998
Catch Phrase:"One hit is all it takes."

What the box says:It's a martial arts showdown in an action packed tale of two brothers striving for the ultimate honor - The title of U.S. Kickboxing Champion. Older brother Damon, is a tough ex-cop who is battling his own demons and trying to keep his brother Joe on the road to the championship. Joe, tired of walking in his brother's shadow joins the dangerous underground fight circuit in search of money, a reputation and a shot at the title. He gets in over his head when he joins a team backed by one of the most notorious crime families to fight in a no rules, no holds barred competition. Now, two ruthless crime lords are determined to do whatever it takes to win and there's no telling how far they will go.

What I say about the box:Action packed? More like yawn inducing. It's too bad they didn't have the person who wrote this summary write the movie script. Maybe it would not have been as much of a joke. Just remember "one hit is all it takes", but I have no idea what that has to do with this movie.

My review:The dvd case seemed cool, so I took a change and bought it (thankfully at a used dvd price). Little did I know that the acting is so poor It's hard to believe. Not to mention its filled with poor dialog and scenes that are pointless to the movie. The main characters can't act much, but there is some hope. There are a few people in the movie with a natural acting style, such as "Pops". His first, and only, scene is when he is training Joe. He has a southern accent and loves to say goofy lines such as: *after Joe does a jump kick into the punching bag* "hold it, hold it Joe" "None of that kicking around here", "Joe any more of that kicking here and I'll kick that *** back to Birmingham", and "Joe your brother is the one with the fans, he won the national championship, what the hell did you ever do." As for the story, it's basically what they said on the box, so I won't bother writing about it. The fighting scenes are not half bad, but they are somewhat slow paced.

In summary, decent fighting scenes encapsulated in garbage.

The New Barbarians

2006-09-16T21:14:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Gemstone Entertainment
Date:1982
Catch Phrase:"It's the end of the world as we know it!"

What the box says:It's 2019 A.D. The nuclear holocaust is over. Now only small bands of humans and mutants live in scattered clans and barely scrape out an existence. No one is blameless in this disgraceful demolition of the earth, but the futuristic tribe of the Templates vow to purify the land with blood of their enemies. Follow the explosive action and nonstop warfare as the end of the earth seems inevitable unless someone can stop The New Barbarians.

What I say about the box:Everything about the box says low budget and it's kind of odd how the main character is not pictured anywhere on the box. Based on that description the movie is just another cheesy post-apocalyptic movie. For that fact, I could not wait to watch it.

My review:On the contrary this movie has a unique feel of its own. Sure it follows all of the basics like sand-wasteland-getto with people in strange cars and odd clothing, but it adds its own feel to those elements. The main character isn't exactly a "good guy" because at first he is just trying to stay alive. A group called the Templates try their best to kill him a number of times and do capture him once. The hero's friend helps him get away and they plot their revenge on the Templates. It's almost like an old western movie and he even has the poncho and everything, well until he takes it off and displays his bullet proof clear plexiglass armor. Extremely stylish and oh-so-protective, it allows him to triumph over the evil Templates.

In Summary, surprisingly well done for what it is. If you want some action and comedy (not intentional most likely) this may be something to look into.

Steel Dawn

2006-09-16T21:06:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Vestron Pictures
Date:1987
Catch Phrase:"He is the desert warrior, carving the future with his sword."

What the box says:PATRICK SWAYZE, the sizzling hot star of the smash hit DIRTY DANCING, stars for the first time with his wife LISA NIEMI (SLAMDANCE) and Emmy Award-winner ANTHONY ZERBE (TV's HARRY-O) in this post-apocalyptic action-adventure. They call him Nomad. A man without a home, without a past. A new breed of warrior trained in the arts of swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat, roaming the vast desert wastelands in a post-nuclear age...in a time when laws are useless and water is more precious than blood. When Nomad's old friend and mentor is brutally slain by the notorious swordsman Sho, Nomad heads for the desolate valley of Meridian to avenge his death. There he meets the beautiful Kasha, one of the many farmers being terrorized by the sinister warlord Damnil. The desperate farmers appoint Nomad their PeaceMaker, charged with protecting them against Damnil's carefully laid plans, he becomes the target of Damnil's savage army, face-to-face with the bloodthirsty Sho, fighting for revenge, honor...and love.

What I say about the box:Overall, it is a good description of the movie. Following the common story of a friend that gets killed and must be avenged, but hero gets sidetracked by a beautiful woman in need. Then eventually fights the bad guys and saves the day. The box includes important key words to capture its target audience like "post-apocalyptic", "hand-to-hand combat", and "DIRTY DANCING"... no wait that last one would have the opposite effect!

My review:This movie really surprised me. Patrick Swayze really did a good job acting in this movie. He puts out this rebel warrior without a cause aura and does and excellent job in the hand to hand fighting scenes. As the box said he is an expert in martial arts, but one thing they didn't mention is that he meditates while doing a headstand! That's some focusing technique he has there... The main goal of the bad guys in this movie is to take over the lands and find the hidden water. They go to extreme lengths and end up clashing with Swayze. The bad guys can't handle him, so they hire a crazy "honor" driven hitman to take care of him. Their fights are together are impressive, with the use of swords at the end to top it off.

In Summary, who knew Patrick Swayze could handle the role of a nomad so well? I was really impressed.

Under Siege

2006-09-16T20:58:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Warner Brothers
Date:1992
Catch Phrase:"Die Hard on a battleship."

What the box says: It's not a job. It's an adventure! Steven Segal comes aboard and comes on strong, combining humor and heroics in a fireball of a movie. The excitement starts when the USS Missouri welcomes aboard the musicians and caterers set to provide entertainment during the famed battleship's last voyage. The visitors throw a party, all right. A war party. Led by a rogue CIA operative (JFK's Tommy Lee Jones) and a turncoat officer (Lethal Weapon's Gary Busey), they're really killer-elite commandos out to hijack the ship's nuclear arsenal. They overpower the crew. Except for one man. "I'm just a cook," that man says. But he's a cook with a recipe for action. He's ex-Navy SEAL and highly decorated combat operative Casey Ryback (Seagal). Relying on his slambang martial-arts skills and equipped with enough hardware to single handedly wage World War III, Ryback turns the Missouri's deck and below-deck areas into guerrilla combat zones. All hands ready, action fans!

What I say about the box: It says pretty much everything necessary.

My review:This is probably one of Segal's best movies. It is suspenseful and has a MacGyver improvisation feel to it. Sure it is a lot more violent than a MacGyver episode, but it has Segal being creative in dealing with his situation, which is fun to watch. Segal has a really amusing personality in this movie. He has a trouble maker attitude, loves to cook, and has a southern accent. On the other hand, he is really proficient at "self defense" and that is what we see him do for most of the movie. Overall the story is pretty strong and the "bad guy" has reasons for what he does in the movie. It doesn't justify the takeover of a ship, so Segal does what he does best to retake it.

In Summary, good action movie with a creative aspect. Athough, it does have some unnecessary scenes in the movie and can be graphic at times.

Rush Hour 2

2006-09-15T22:08:00.000-05:00

Format:DVD
Studio:New Line Cinema
Date:2001
Catch Phrase:"Hilarious! Better than the first!"

What the box says:Last time they nearly destroyed L.A., now they're about to break China! Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker reprise their roles as mismatched detectives in this smash-hit follow-up that's even "faster and funnier than the first!" Reunited in Hong Kong, the two cops look forward to a much-needed vacation. But their plans go up in smoke when a bomb explodes in the American Embassy. Suddenly, they're tracking a group of slippery suspects, including a beautiful assasin (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon's Zhang Ziyi) and a mysterious mobster (John Lone, The Last Rmperor). With their irresistible mix of head spinning action and gut-busting comedy, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan prove they're the team to beat in this can't-miss movie that delivers the entertainment rush of the year!

What I say about the box:I have the widescreen infinifilm version. The case is red, which cought my eye at the store. The back gives the standard description of the movie and also shows what extras are on the disk (which are many in this case). As for the discription itself, it is pretty good and mentions important aspects of the film.

My review:I think this movie is much better than the first. Chan and Tucker really worked together well to get a good mix of action and comedy. The main story consists of a Chinese triad working with an old American business man to launder counterfeit money through a casino in Las Vegas. Chan and Tucker usually blunder through their investigation thanks to Tucker's brash boldness. So they end up getting attacked by legions of Triad members a number of times. The fighting scenes are very well done with Tucker doing a fine job given his costar. The outtakes at the end of the movie are extremely funny as usual. Such as when Chris Tucker gets a cellphone call when he is doing a scene with Jackie Chan.

In Summary, A fun movie with loads of action and comedy. The story isn't half bad either. There are rumors of a "Rush Hour 3" which I am looking forward to and hope that it will be as good or better than this movie.

G.I. Samurai

2006-09-13T01:37:00.000-05:00

Format:VHS
Studio:Toei
Date:1979
Catch Phrase:none

What the box says:A Japanese army unit out on maneuvers gets caught in a force-field and is "time-slipped" back 400 years to feudal Japan. The unit finds itself facing an army of Samurai warriors, whose 16th century arms would seem no match for high-tech 20th century firepower. But the modern G.I.s soon discover that the supreme loyality and discipline of their ancient counterparts are weapons not to be be (not my typo) underestimated. With their lives and the future of their own civilization hinging in the balance, the G.I.s are forced to muster every trace of their courage and strength as they face one of the greatest fighting forces of all time.

What I say about the box:The description sounded really interesting and it was ony around $3, so I bought it. Plus it has Sonny Chiba who is the star of many Japanese martial arts films in the 70s and 80s. I'm not sure why they chose to make the box hot pink though...

My review:Sure time travel movies like this have been done before, but modern day army versus the armies of feudal Japan sounded really interesting. The story also included some side elements like when the modern day army guys interact with villagers and become friends with them. They also talk about issues of changing the future, but that doesn't stop them from defending themselves when they are attacked by the feudal armies and clans. Sonny even has to deal with some treachery from within. They get mixed up in the affairs of the feudal armies and end up in a number of battles. All I will say is that they don't fare so well in the end. A classic Japanese movie ending.

In Summary, a unique movie with an exciting setting, staring the actor Sonny Chiba. It can be graphic at times due the the constant wars and hand to hand combat of the samurai. An interesting mixture of modern day and historic Japanese warfare.

Extreme Challenge

2006-09-13T01:24:00.000-05:00

Format:DVD
Studio: Golden Harvest
Date:2001
Catch Phrase:"Thousands will fight. One will survive."

What the box says:In the tradition of MORTAL KOMBAT, Extreme Challenge is the largest martial arts competition in history. Hundreds of fighters from all over the world, including, champion Ian Maxfield (Paul Rapovski of MUTANT X and RELIC HUNTER), female competitor Tang Ning, and two classmates Fang Jin and Kuang Kin, will compete for the five million dollar prize.

What I say about the box:I'm glad I didn't go by that description when looking to buy the movie. It does not go into any interesting details about the movie. The two main factors that persuaded me to buy the movie were the pictures on the package and it says on the front: "From the producer of TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES"! Seeing as that movie is one of my all-time favorites, I could not resist buying this one.

My review:As the box said, this is about an extreme fighting contest. Sure most of the fighters are looking to win the money, but the main characters (Tang Ning, and Kuang Kin) are different. Tang Ning is looking to prove herself and use the competition as a springboard to open a chain of martial arts schools. As for Kuang Kin, he wants to show his training colleague from the past that he is the better fighter. Ian Maxfield seems to be interested in only money, but as the movie goes on we see a whole different side to him. What I like most about this movie is that it is free of garbage (guns, sexuality, etc) and focuses on martial arts action with a bit of story to back it up. The fighting scenes are great with a mixture of close ups, wide angle shots, and a few special effects. The scenes are also fast paced with the fighters doing quick and spectacular moves. In my opinion, the story had some good elements to it with a number of surprises and emotional aspects. Sure it is on the "martial arts story" level, but that doesn't mean it is bad to action fans. At the end of the movie it said "To most, the tournament was a test of strategy and technique. But to a few, it was a confirmation of personal honor.

In summary, a good movie with excellent fighting scenes. Some may say the story is bad, but I think the opposite is true.

Legend of The Drunken Master

2006-09-13T01:13:00.000-05:00

Format:DVD
Studio:Golden Harvest
Date:1994
Catch Phrase:"He's got a secret weapon with a lot of kick."

What the box says:The action legend himself - Jackie Chan (Shanghai Noon, Rush Hour) - Explodes across the screen in a power-packed adventure that critics agree captures some of the most incredible action stunts ever! When the British government is discovered smuggling precious Chinese artifacts out of the country, folklore hero Wong Fei Hong (Chan) uses his uniquely outlandish style of martial arts...Drunken Boxing...to fight the conspirators and salvage the valuables before it's too late! And the more Hong drinks, the more agile he becomes - able to fend off numerous attacks with unbelievable moves! With chinese treasures and family pride on the line, Hong steps up to every challenge in this fun and unstoppably entertaining hit!

What I say about the box:A "fun and unstoppably entertaining hit" sure is a mouthful to say but it fits the content of the movie. It definitely power-packed and exploding across the screen at times too! They forgot to mention the slapstick comedy aspects though, but seeing as this is a Jackie Chan movie most people would come to expect that.

My review:This movie has scene after scene of awesome martial arts action! Such as when Chan and a comrade are attacked by legions of the "axe gang". It is basically two guys verses 50 guys with weapons. Jackie uses just about everything laying around to fend off the gang. Even the classic stepstool that he has used in previous movies makes an appearance. There are other memorable scenes like when we first see Jackie perform drunken boxing while really drunk. He moves very fluidly and does some spectacular moves to fend off a group of thugs. Not to mention the final fight of the movie is great as well... He is like the terminator of martial arts fighting in this movie by winning against guy after guy. The story holds up as well with a number of dramatic moments and a strong overall plot. They even have a lot of slapstick comedy thrown into the mix, which can be good or bad at times.

In summary, this is an excellent example of a true no nonsense action movie. The movie has everything like a good story, laughs, and of course martial arts. Oh and don't forget the out-takes at the end of the movie which are as fun as the movie itself.

Return of the Dragon

2006-09-07T17:26:00.000-05:00

Format:DVD
Studio: Golden Harvest
Date: 1973
Catch Phrase: NONE

What the box says:In this high-kicking martial arts thriller, a young man (BRUCE LEE) is called to Rome to help a family friend whose restaurant is being targeted by local gangsters. Used to getting their own way, these ruthless men make the mistake of underestimating the young man's ingenuity. When they are unable to get rid of him, they call in an international martial arts champion (CHUCK NORRIS), creating the ultimate clash of kung fu masters in the ancient city's majestic coliseum.

What I say about the box:Sums up the movie well. Just stating the fight between Lee and Norris will persuade someone at a store to buy the movie. I missed out on Bruce Lee because I wasn't even born when he was alive, so when I was at Best Buy and saw this movie I had to pick it up and I am not sorry that I did.

My review:This movie was made in the classic method of writing the story around the fighting scenes, which Bruce Lee coined. Seeing as the movie was produced in the 1970s it has a very "hippy" look to it. The bell bottoms, hats, haircuts, music, and language slang all fit in a very groovy package. As the box stated, the movie is about a hero who comes from China to help out his family in distress. The family restaurant is being bullied by some random thugs because they want to redevelop the area and need their property. Bruce says no to that by repetitively beating up the thugs with his many skills in that area. My favorite scene in the whole movie is when he uses nun-chucks. The skill at which he wields them is amazing. It's also funny how he easily handles each thug with a smack or two of the nun-chucks and proceeds to show off to them with flashy nun-chucking moves. As I said earilier, the story takes a back seat as it is only used to piece the action scenes together. Although they do throw in an interesting plot twist towards the end, which I don't want to spoil, so I won't say. As the story goes on and the thugs can't seem to beat Bruce, they decide to hire outside help to finish him off. This is where Chuck Norris comes in. So Bruce and Chuck end up fighting each other in a great battle at the ruins of the Roman Coliseum. You can guess who wins the battle...

In summary, The movie has great action scenes which highlight Bruce Lee's abilities. There isn't much story to enjoy, but it supports the movie enough not to bore action movie fans.

Blood Sport

2006-09-07T01:03:00.000-05:00

Name: Bloodsport
Format: DVD
Studio: Cannon International
Date: 1987
Catch Phrase: "A Rocking, Socking Martial-Arts Saga."
Buy Blood Sport at Amazon.com

What the box says: Bloodsport takes you where few have ever gone - inside the hidden Hong Kong arena where elite combatants clash in the Kumite, the little known but hotly contested world championship of full-contact fighting. No Westerner had ever won this titanic tournament until iron-willed American Frank Dux. Bloodsport is his story, a true-life triumph of bedrock courage, uncanny skill and steadfast loyalty. As Dux, Jean-Claude Van Damme also enjoyed a true-life triumph. This role kickboxed his career as a box-office favorite into overdrive. Van Damme has dazzeled audiences ever since, playing heroes who simply refuse to lose. And when Van Damme steps onto the mat, Bloodsport isn't just a sport. It's a war!

What I say about the box: The summary is decent and goes over the basic points of the movie. Although they take the description to an unnecessary extreme by using phrases like "titanic tournament", "bedrock courage", "elite combatants", and "dazzeled audiences". Well let me just say that Van Damme shouldn't be dazzeling anyone. He should be beating people up! And believe me that is what he does in this movie. For the greater good of course...and that's how I like it.

My review: Possibly my favorite action movie of all time. Bloodsport has all of the elements that I enjoy. The martial arts sequences are fantastic and include various styles from around the world. The story, as said on the box, is based on a true story, but recently Frank Dux's records have been put into question. All of that doesn't make any difference though because the movie is fun to watch.
In the beginning of the movie, Frank Dux has flashbacks of his youth when he trained in the Japanese martial arts with his master's son Shingo. Although Frank was only seen as nothing more than a training dummy for the master's son. One day Shingo was killed and that seemed to the be the end of Frank's training. He managed to persuade his Master to continue with much classic Van Damme enthusiasm. The Master's anger was channeled into Frank's training, which made it even more intense and brutal then before. Frank was determined to succeed and finally became worthy of the Tanaka name. These training sequences where really impressive to watch. I really felt the emotion that Dux had to honor his master and friend.
Once Frank gets to Hong Kong he meets his future "side kick" named Ray Jackson. They met first on a train as Jackson was hitting on a local woman and a second meeting at at the East Lake Hotel as they played a karate arcade game together. Once Dux and Jackson found out that they were both there for the Kumite, Jackson said sarcastically to Dux "Aren't you a little young for full contact?" and Dux replied "Aren't you a little old for video games?". That, my friends, is just one of many comic relief sequences in the movie that Jackson initiates. Some people may think that it detracts from the movie, but I think it adds some much needed comedy to the movie. It kind of levels out the content so it doesn't get too monotonous.
As the kumite starts we meet the villain Chung Li. He is the winner from last year that never lost a fight and even killed someone in the last Kumite. Dux and Jackson have a few confrontations with Li as the movie progresses, but it starts off as nothing more than a few choice words between them. What great action movie wouldn't be complete without a villain? The more evil he is, the better it is in the end when the hero wins. Chung Li decimates every opponent and seems to enjoy doing it. He starts getting jealous of Dux after his K.O. record was defeated on Dux's first match.
The fights are what make this movie stand out. They show fighting styles from around the world. There are no flashy special effects, but the use of truly well done choreography and excellent camera angles. I love the stylized and acrobatic style that Van Damme uses throughout the movie. Not to mention his facial expressions while fighting are so extreme, yet so funny in a good way. The final fight is obviously between Chung Li and Frank Dux. It started off pretty good when Li says "You break my record, now I break you like I break your friend." After that, my first thought would be that Dux is going to be beat up pretty bad, but Li seems to wimp out to the extreme. Such as using the referee as a shield and temporarily blinding Dux with some type of powder. This doesn't fit with the Li character at all. In previous fights he usually won easily and should not have to use tactics like that so soon or at all. The second half of the fight was well done though. It shows Dux remembering his training with his Master and utilizing those techniques to defeat Li.
In summary, The movie is great and I recommend it to all action fans. The fighting sequences are top notch and the story isn't half bad either.

A few amusing quotes from the movie:
*Army guy says to his supervisor after losing Dux: "I waited, he disappeared...one minute he was in it, next he wasn't"
*Flash back to Dux and Shingo training: "That's all for today (master), not yet (Dux)..., why don't you quit round eye? (Shingo) ...not yet (Dux)"
*Jackson on the train talking to a random girl: "Hey babe want to go out with a big man? No, too handsome for you huh hunny?"
Mr Lynn (watches after Dux and Jackson): "Once you step out of the suburbs into the narrow corridors, it's time to protect your nuts guys."
*Dux has to perform the Dim Mak brick breaking technique, he does it then they say "we honor you invitation", jackson says "no shit you honor his invitation..."
*Dux has a run-in with middle eastern fighters: "He is the american shit head who makes tricks with bricks!" My favorite quote referring to the dim mak technique

Disk Extras and features:
*English and French audio
*English, French, and Japanese subtitles.
*Cast and crew information
*Theatrical Trailer
*Scene selection