Jet For The Defense!

BORN TO DEFENSE-1986-Star/director Jet Li plays a Chinese soldier turned rickshaw driver at the end of WW2. It’s kind of a throw back to the Shaw Bros. of the ’70’s with dumb dubbed dialogue and Li’s persistent fights with snotty abusive foreigners (mostly American sailors). A battle between Jet and a much bigger “no good Yankee” eventually turns into something resembling a hardcore wrestling match. When the evil racist Americans kill his best friend and would be girlfriend he’s arrested and beaten up by the police. He vows revenge and gets it.

Thanks for reading!

They Definately Live Up To Their Name!

THE EXPENDABLES-2010-Director and star Sylvester Stallone is Barney Ross who leads a mercenary group which includes Jet Li, Jason Stratham, Randy Couture and Terry Crews. Dolph Lundgren is also part of the team but gets kicked out. Ross wants Tool (Mickey Rourke) to take his place.

Despite the odd ball cast promotion most of the film is Stallone and Stratham trying to save the daughter (Giselle Itie’) of a dictator (David Zayas) who’s teamed with an ex-CIA agent (Eric Roberts, the only real actor in the group and he wasn't even featured in the ads!) who’s bodyguard is played by pro wrestler Steve Austin. Li gets to do some martial arts toward the end and the climax is an all out violent gun and hand to hand battle. The best fight occurs during this sequence. But Stallone isn’t a great director and there’s too much CGI effects. This was a real hyped up movie that fails to deliver anything that hasn’t been done already in countless direct to video movies!

As of this writing a sequel is planned to include Jean Claude Van Damme...

Thanks for reading!

He Shouldn't Have Been Born In The First Place...

ROMEO MUST DIE-Warner Bros.-2000-This Jet Li vehicle (his first starring role in a US release) isn’t very good. There’s a lot of talk and the story line isn’t very original. And what is it with Hollywood and gangsters? I guess they’re called “crime lords” today. I mean guys who deal drugs and murder people aren’t very virtuous yet at least one “gang” is always better than the other.



Hell, thugs are thugs and whether they are White, Chinese, Afro-American or whatever they are still criminals, scum if you will and yet there’s always one “good” gang with an “honorable” leader. Hey this was ok in the 1930’s when Bogart or Cagney or Eddie G. was at the helm but times change! THERE IS NO HONOR AMONG THIEVES!



(Rant over...sorry)


So anyway, as a former cop named Han Sing, Li escapes from a Chinese prison after learning of his brother’s death. He comes to America and finds his dad (who he helped escape from China) is a powerful crime lord. Through a mix-up he becomes involved with Trish (rapper Aaliyah in her acting debut) the daughter of another mobster (Delroy Lindo from Spike Lee movies). He’s the kind of “good gangster” who loves his kids and wants to make a clean break after his business with Han’s dad (Henry O, who had a small role in SHANGHAI NOON with Jackie Chan the same year) and a wimpy white guy is finished.

The martial arts fight scenes seem more like a Li audition for MATRIX 2 (at the time it was rumored Keanu Reeves didn’t want to do the sequel and that Li might replace him). The director, Polish born Andrzei Bartkowiak was the cinematographer on LETHAL WEAPON 4 (where Li made his American debut). Also with Isaiah Washington (TRUE CRIME), Russell Wong, DMX and Matthew Harrison (pretty funny as a trash talking, muscle bound bodyguard). The annoying hip-hop soundtrack doesn’t help either. Aaliyah was killed in a 2001 plane crash after completing her only other film QUEEN OF THE DAMNED.


Thanks 4 reading!!

3

I've heard bad things about THE MEDALLION (2003) with Jackie Chan but I kind of enjoyed it. It's much better than the Hollywood lensed THE TUXEDO and in some ways rather similar. Chan is a detective who has to protect a young boy dubbed "The Chosen One". While doing this he's killed but the title object that the boy possesses brings him back to life and as a invulerable superman to boot! Some of the SFX do leave a bit to be desired but Jackie gets to actually kiss his girl (Claire Forlani) a couple of times. The biggest disapointment for me was the boring Julian Sands as the main villian and the great Anthony Wong wasted in a "lackey" role. English comedian Lee Evans is also around to act stupid and Gimli himself John Rhys-Davies appears too...



DRAGONS OF THE ORIENT (actually made in 1988) is really more like a travelogue than a documentary. It's mostly footage of temples, movies clips, segments of Jet Li as a kid and some nice martial arts style demonstrations (the "duck style" is the most unusual). For some reason two fictional characters are also present. A guy who claims to be Li's sparring partner and a woman claiming to be a reporter. They challenge each other then provide some narrration of their own but the voices are of the ridiculous dubbed '70's variety providing some unintenional chuckles.



FAST WORKERS from 1933 is interesting for a number of reasons. It's based on a play (called "Rivets") and much of it takes place on the frame of a soon to be skyscraper. Two riveters (Robert Armstrong & John Gilbert) have problems with a woman (Mae Clarke, Elizabeth in the original FRANKENSTEIN). Jealously threatens their friendship in this drama directed by the once great Tod Browning. Both he and Gilbert were at the end of their long careers. 

Browning who had made FREAKS the previous year and DRACULA 2 years before would make only three more movies: the disappointing MARK OF THE VAMPIRE, the clever DEVIL DOLL and the uninspired MIRACLES FOR SALE in 1939. He never made another film and died in 1962 poverty stricken and forgotten. 




John Gilbert was actually in "comeback mode" while making FAST WORKERS after several years of alcoholism and vicious rumors related to his "high feminine" voice. However he died of a heart attack in 1936 having made only one more film. Of course Robert Armstrong played Carl Denham in KING KONG (and SON OF KONG) the same year. FW also features the unique talents of Sterling Holloway...

Thanks for reading!

From The Cradle To The Video Bin

CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE-2003-A jewel thief (Rapper DMX) steals some black diamonds from some international gangsters (Mark Dacascos and Kelly Hu). His daughter winds up being kidnapped by them and Tiawanese government agent Jet Li comes to the rescue. There's a lot of gun battles and car chases. The best part for me is when Li gets locked in a cage and has to fight a bunch of UFC fighters (including Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture) and a 'Mini-Me" like anouncer.

The finale fight between Li and Dacascos is pretty good too. Tom Arnold provides the comic (?) relief.


This movie would have been much better if they'd eliminated DMX's character and plotline and concentrated on Li. Polish born cinematographer Andrzeji Bartkowiak (SPEED, LETHAL WEAPON 4, DANTE'S PEAK) had previously directed ROMEO MUST DIE with Li and EXIT WOUNDS with Steven Seagal and DMX (and Tom Arnold). I think he's in a rut. He later directed DOOM starring pro wrestler The Rock.


Thanks for reading!