Shoot the Night with Jean-Paul Ly in the Action Packed NIGHTSHOOTERS

March 1, 2019

‘Die Hard’ Meets ‘Shaun of the Dead’ in This Fun, Fast-Paced Action Thriller.

The perils of low-budget filmmaking are given a fresh and frenetic twist in this inspired action thriller from writer-director Marc Price.

Nightshooters centres on a group of budding horror movie makers who, during a night of filming at a soon-to-be-demolished high-rise, end up witnessing a brutal gangland execution. Trapped inside the derelict building with a group of armed gangsters closing in and the deadline for demolition looming, they’re forced to use every tool at their disposal in order to fight their way out.

Fortunately, those tools include stunt man/martial arts master Donnie (Jean-Paul Ly), special effects guru/explosives expert Ellie (Rosanna Hoult) and skilled sound man Oddbod (Nicky Evans) who is able to keep tabs on their armed pursuers.

NIGHTSHOOTERS brings the Action!

A distinctly British production, Nightshooters succeeds in blending comedy and action to fine effect, bringing to mind the humour of films like Shaun of the Dead fused with The Raid and just a dash of Die Hard for good measure.

The real standout is Ly, who shines in a series of exciting hand-to-hand combat scenes that give the stunt-man-turned-movie-star the chance to flex his considerable action movie chops in a series of breathless running battles that punctuate Nightshooters’ more dramatic moments.

It brings to mind the frenetic fun of Asian action cinema and recent Hollywood effects like John Wick and the Bourne films.

Taking Cues from the Action Greats

Price too deserves plenty of credit too for fashioning a well-paced action thriller on a budget, without restricting the ingenious action set-pieces and visceral gore need to separate the film from the rest.

As a filmmaker, Price wears his heart on his sleeve with knowing nods to everything from Ridley Scott and John McTiernan to Jackie Chan and even The Goonies, giving the film a sense of quality and class that defies its low budget origins.

Much like The Raid, Nightshooters is a bloody affair and it’s all the better for it, with the film’s various bad guys dispatched in a series of inventively gruesome ways, each more surprising and inventive than the last. The only thing missing is an Arnold Schwarzenegger one-liner or two.

Worth a Saturday Night UAMC Screening!

But while Ly provides the necessary eye-candy when it comes to the film’s striking action, the central group of filmmaking heroes also excel in giving the film some much-needed heart, pathos and humour – meaning you actually care about their plight.

Their gun-toting adversaries prove similarly effective and enjoy some of the film’s best lines – though that won’t stop you cheering as they meet their maker one by one.

A creative, well cast and surprisingly slick action comedy thriller, Nightshooters is perfect Saturday night viewing with friends and few cold ones. Seek it out.

Are you excited to check out NIGHTSHOOTERS with Jean-Paul Ly? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

11 Ultimate Facts About Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Bloodsport

Jack Beresford

February 28, 2019

Just the ultimate facts about Van Damme’s action classic – Bloodsport (1988)!

Back in 1988 a budding martial artist from Belgium was searching for his big break having been unceremoniously dumped from his previous movie, Predator (which is a story unto itself). His name was Jean-Claude Van Damme and, as fate would have it, he was about to be cast in one of the biggest underground successes to ever emerge out of Hollywood.

Screenwriter Sheldon Lettich had known Frank Dux for several months before he came up with the idea for Bloodsport. A martial arts instructor who claimed to have been enlisted as a black Ops specialist by the CIA, Dux had told Lettich tales of a secret underground fighting competition called the Kumite.

Dux’s story was quickly turned into script, co-written by Lettich, but something was missing – they needed a star to play the fictionalised version of Frank. Step forward Van Damme who, according to producer Mark Di Salle, had the necessary appeal to both men and women.

The rest, as they say, is history, with Bloodsport making $65 million off a budget of $2.3 million. Now more than 30 years old, here are 11 things you didn’t know about the Van Damme classic.

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11) It’s Based A True Story

The film is based on the experiences of Dux, though an LA Times investigation cast doubt on his claims about the underground fighting tournament suggesting it may have been fictional. “We have no recollection of such a tournament,” one expert told the paper. “We would know. No, never. It can’t happen.” Dux has always insisted it is 100% fact though.

UAMC Exclusive: Frank Dux Talks Bloodsport and the Real Kumite

10) Dux Wasn’t Convinced By Van Damme

When Van Damme was first cast in the film, Dux was unimpressed. He decided the Belgian wasn’t nearly in good enough shape to play a fictionalised version of himself and set him on an intense three-month training program. Van Damme, who was already a world-championship martial artist, described it as “the hardest training of his life”.

The 10 Best Jean-Claude Van Damme Action Movies Of All Time

9) JCVD Landed The Role in Bizarre Circumstances

According to Lettich, Van Damme only landed the role after a chance encounter with Menahem Golan, the head of Cannon Films, the infamous studio behind the production. The story goes that JCVD saw him in the street, did a U-turn and said “Hey Menahem, remember me? Jean-Claude Van Damme.” He then unleashed a kick that missed Menahem’s face by a couple of inches. He was cast on the spot.

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8) No Stuntmen Were Used In Filming

Watch more ultimate action movie clips on our UAMC Youtube page here!

Cannon Films had a reputation for cutting costs when it came to their movies in the 1980s. For Bloodsport, that meant things like stuntmen were deemed surplus to requirements. Producers worked round this by ensuring everyone was able to take a punch, while many of the actors cast came from professional dance backgrounds.

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7) Van Damme Wasn’t Paid Much

Despite three months of training and the physical demands of the role, Van Damme earned a paltry paycheck of just $25,000 for the film.

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6) Bloodsport Villain Chong Li Was Friends With Bruce Lee

A one-time body-builder in his native Hong Kong, actor Bolo Yeung befriended Bruce Lee in the 1970s, with the two becoming good friends. Their relationship helped Yeung land the role of Yang Sze in Enter the Dragon, allowing him to establish a reputation for playing villains in Hong Kong. Bloodsport then opened the door to a career in the US, with Yeung later reunited with Van Damme on Double Impact.

COPYCATS! Double Impact (1991) vs. Twin Dragons (1992/1999 U.S.)

5) The Dim Mak Myth

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The Dim Mak or “death touch” move that features in the film is purely fictional and the stuff of Chinese Martial Arts folklore. The idea is that you can launch an acupressure attack with the opponent struck in several key places, resulting in instant death, was popularised in the 1960’s and 70’s by “Count Dante” who ran ads in several magazines claiming to be able to teach the move for a small fee.

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4) Mortal Kombat Took Inspiration From Bloodsport

The hugely popular beat-em-up franchise took inspiration from Bloodsport’s secret underground tournament, while the character of Johnny Cage was actually inspired by Van Damme, right down to his costume, back story, signature split punch and initials. Van Damme would eventually be offered the role of Cage in the Mortal Kombat movie but turned it down to play Guile in the Street Fighter film – another character supposedly based on Dux.

How Jean-Claude Van Damme Kickstarted the Mortal Kombat Franchise

3) Van Damme Does The Splits…A Lot

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Something of a trademark move for the Muscles from Brussels, Van Damme does the splits a total of seven times in Bloodsport – that’s more than in any JCVD movie before or since.

The Top 100 Ultimate Action Movies of All Time

2) It’s One Of Donald Trump’s Favorite Movies

Though President Trump ranks Air Force One as his favourite Harrison Ford movie, he’s also got a soft spot for Bloodsport, which was revealed during a 1997 profile with The New Yorker. The story goes that Trump brought a VCR tape of the movie on his private jet whee he described it as “an incredible, fantastic movie”.

Well, at least that was what he said. He actually had his son fast forward much of the movie, mid-air, cutting out all the exposition and trimming the viewing time down to 45 minutes of almost wall-to-wall fighting.

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1) Sequels, Reboots And Remakes

A further three Bloodsport sequels have followed since the original: Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999). All were released straight to video and none featured Van Damme with Daniel Bernhardt stepping in in his place. There was a happy ending of sorts though – Bernhardt met his wife, Lisa Stothard, on the set of Bloodsport 4. A remake has been in development since 2011.

The Top 10 Reasons Why Bloodsport is Van Damme’s Magnum Opus

What are your favorite ultimate moments from Van Damme’s Bloodsport? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

In Hell: Celebrating the ‘Shawshank Redemption’ of Van Damme Movies

Jack Beresford

February 27, 2019

It doesn’t get any more ultimate than Van Damme’s prison action classic ‘In Hell’ (2003).

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman combined to great effect in 1994’s The Shawshank Redemption but, nine years later, Jean-Claude Van Damme would get the chance to flex his own acting chops in another prison drama boasting one key difference – high kicks. Lots of high kicks.

In Hell arrived to little fanfare in 2003, coming during the Muscles from Brussels’ mid-career malaise in the world of direct-to-video releases usually dominated by Steven Seagal. The production had one ace up its sleeve though in the form of legendary action director Ringo Lam.

The late, great Lam had previously worked with JCVD on Maximum Risk and the criminally underrated Replicant and knew how to get the best out of the martial arts master – mainly by challenging him at every turn.

Though he took a while to warm up to it, by this point Van Damme had shown himself to be a more than capable actor – he just needed the right director to help coax it out of him. Lam was that director.

Ringo Lam’s Classic In Hell

A critically-lauded filmmaker thanks to movies like the Hong Kong action classic City on Fire – which Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs owes a considerable debt to – Lam knew that the story of In Hell would require Van Damme to deliver his most human performance yet.

It’s a story that centres of Kyle LeBlanc, who finds himself behind bars in deepest, darkest Russia after killing the man who murdered his wife. Forced to share a cell with a violent and mysterious inmate known only as 451, LeBlanc suffers through the degradation and torment of prison life. It’s not long before the warden and guards enlist him to compete in a series of violent fights to the death against his fellow inmates.

Like Robbins’ Andy Dufresne, LeBlanc’s journey was essentially a descent into madness, going from a happy, family man to an animalistic fighting machine, swapping punches for gnawing at the throat of his chosen opponent. It was grim, gross and kind of powerful. For Van Damme, at least.

Granted, LeBlanc’s story is a little more extreme and required a lot of flying fists and high kicks, but Lam knew he needed more from JCVD.

JCVD at his Ultimate Best

During pre-production, Lam had approached Van Damme with a challenge, telling the Belgian he wanted him to adopt the persona of a “more truthful” person [via Vanity Fair], someone who is “nicer to people, more polite.” Harsh.

It served as the perfect wake-up call and challenge to the Belgian, too often pampered beyond belief. Now challenged to take on a new persona, Van Damme would later admit In Hell was the moment where he finally “became a truthful actor.”

JCVD immersed himself in the role, adopting a different posture, gait and set of mannerisms that transformed as LeBlanc descended into madness. He even grew his hair long and sported a crazed looking beard – though both look decidedly strange, suggesting prosthetics may have been at play. That, or he genuinely went a little mad.

Van Damme’s Own Personal Hell

The experience of In Hell was one that Van Damme struggled to shake off in the months after filming wrapped, with Van Damme later admitting to feel stuck in the headspace of LeBlanc, unable to move on from the pain and torment of his entirely fictional life. That’s intense.

It was an experience that has influenced much of what has followed since in his career, with Van Damme describing to Vanity Fair how “it’s almost like a therapy [now], for me to act.”

The result is one of Van Damme’s most complete performances to date, with the Belgian perfectly conveying the pain and shock of LeBlanc’s personal loss alongside the evolving animalistic physicality required to help him reach the top of the food chain in the prison’s underground fighting world.

An Ultimate Action Shawshank Redemption

One-part JCVD action flick and another part anti-authority redemption tale, In Hell also shares plenty of similarities with The Shawshank Redemption – not least in LeBlanc’s running battle with the prison guards and shady prison cliques. Obviously, there’s a lot of fighting and general muscle-flexing to go along with that, but the general feel is the same.

The similarities don’t end there though. While not quite occupying the same space as Freeman’s character of Red in Shawshank, ex-NFL star and notorious troublemaker Lawrence Taylor does ultimately serve a similar purpose in In Hell.

A lifelong inmate in the brutal Russian prison, Taylor’s 451 starts out as an adversary of LeBlanc’s, enlisted to kill his new cell mate as part of a grim ongoing agreement with the powers-that-be that’s never entirely explained.

But after a brief tussle, a bond of mutual respect emerges – mainly because the two men can’t kick each other’s asses – with 451 ultimately helping Van Damme’s character fight back against the demons, inmates and prison authorities making his life hell.

He forms bonds with a couple of other inmates but they both meet a grim end because, hey, that’s what life in a corrupt Russian prison is like, apparently.

Lawrence Taylor Brings the Hits

A former American Football favourite who embarked on an all-too-brief acting career, Taylor delivers a surprisingly impressive performance here, with the part of 451 split between snarling physical attacks on pretty much everyone around him and dramatic monologues dubbed over scenes depicting Van Damme’s LeBlanc at his lowest ebb.

He’s perfectly cast for both with Lam showing his skill again to draw out a surprisingly powerful turn from a sports-star-turned-actor – something he would later struggle to get from Dennis Rodman on the ill-fated Simon Sez.

Despite obvious budgetary limitations, Lam delivering an effective depiction of life in a grim Russian prison, even if it does ultimately serve as the setting for a Bloodsport-style Kumite fighting tournament of sorts.

In Hell’s Ultimate Legacy

Overlooked on initial release direct to video, In Hell hasn’t aged quite as well as The Shawshank Redemption – it’s got a decidedly lo-fi feel while some of the supporting performances are wooden/borderline offensive to say the least.

But it proved to be a wake-up call for Van Damme, who suddenly realised himself a more-than-capable actor and went on to enjoy a career renaissance of sorts with films like JCVD.

Combining a distinctly human performance with the usual action-led entertainment and occasional moments of unintentional hilarity, when it comes to Ultimate Action Movies In Hell kicks The Shawshank Redemption’s ass.

What are your favorite memories from Van Damme’s ‘In Hell’? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

How ‘The Blues Brothers’ Blends Comedy, Music and Ultimate Action

Emily Stephan

February 25, 2019

Let us examine the timeless comedy, musical, actioner ‘The Blues Brothers’ (1980) upon its ultimateness.

In his 2000 review of The Blues Brothers, author Kim Newman gives his reasoning as to why this now-revered cult classic underperformed upon first release in 1980: “One of the reasons The Blues Brothers didn’t immediately click is that it’s hard to work out what it’s supposed to be — a comedy, an action movie, a musical?”

The question still rings true. About the only thing people seem to agree on is that the movie is a comedic gem bound to get your feet tapping. I’ve seen some call The Blues Brothers a slapstick musical, chase movie, or even a fantasy film, given is casual attitude towards the laws of physics.

Today, I want to ask whether or not we should consider The Blues Brothers an ultimate action classic. It seems to have everything that would make it a qualifier, since one of the things it’s most renowned for are its legendary car chases. But does it really fit the bill? Let’s find out.

The Blues Brothers Origins

The story of The Blues Brothers is simple: Jake and Elwood Blues (John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd) are commissioned by the mother superior of the Catholic orphanage where they grew up to help raise money to save it from being closed down. Motivated by their “mission from God,” they decide to get their old band back together, running all over Chicago to get everyone to do one last show as a fundraiser.

Unfortunately, they manage to anger the “Illinois Nazis,” a trigger-happy mystery woman (Carrie Fisher), a country band, and the entire Illinois police force in the process, resulting in a series of wild car chases, explosions, and near-escapes.

Is Blues Brothers an Action Movie?

First, we must ask ourselves what makes a movie qualify as ultimate action? Obviously, this website mainly focuses on 1980s and 1990s action movies. As a 1980 release, The Blues Brothers definitely checks off that box. Ultimate action movies tend to have badass heroes and I don’t know what else you could call the lovable Jake and Elwood, who are resourceful and quick on their feet.

And yes, there are action scenes—some of the best action scenes ever put on film, in fact. The scene where Jake and Elwood evade the cops by driving through a mall is a masterpiece of car choreography and gleefully gratuitous destruction. The deadpan commentary by the brothers as to how awesome the mall is perfectly offsets the demolition.

The climactic ending where Jake and Elwood race against time and an actual army of police men is both hilarious and thrilling. The editing, timing, and comic escalation are perfection. The sheer scale of this sequence is breathtaking to watch. The first time I saw the part where one police car piles atop another, I asked myself just how many cars the filmmakers totally wrecked for the sake of this movie! (The answer is apparently 103.)

A Symphony of Explosions

The movie sprinkles some action between the famous musical numbers too. For example, we get plenty of explosions: apartment buildings, gas stations, and cars a plenty go up in flames. Carrie Fisher’s mystery woman packs serious heat, pulling out everything from rocket-launchers to flamethrowers in her quest to render the Blues Brothers naught but ashes on the sidewalk.

Now, some might argue that the action is too cartoony to be true ultimate action material. Ultimate action movies can push credibility at times, true, but there are still generally stakes. Even if the bad guys all seem to have attended the Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy, even if the hero can walk off a crowbar beating or gunshot wound to the arm, death is still often on the line.

Not so here. Jake and Elwood survive more explosions and crashes than if they were related to Wile E. Coyote himself. They generally bound about with the energy of Bugs Bunny on coke (apparently not too far from the truth: according to Dan Aykroyd, the film’s budget included cocaine for everyone during nighttime shoots), a vibe I wouldn’t necessarily lend to action heroes played by Stallone or Schwarzenegger.

A Comedy Musical Actioner?

Now, you might say: “Well, action-comedy is a thing.” And this is so. However, even an action-comedy must have physical stakes and physical danger. Big Trouble in Little China has this, for instance, despite being comedic.

One never gets the sense that Jake and Elwood are in danger. The stakes are always squarely the orphanage. Even the threat that the brothers will end up imprisoned is accepted as inevitable by the both of them early in the movie.

Another thing: the majority of the movie is about the music, not so much the action. It’s a giant love letter to the blues and soul, featuring some of the genre’s biggest icons. Like the action, these musical numbers are absolutely brilliant, from the singing to the music arrangement to the dancing. But for me, because the music is the lion’s share of the film, with long stretches between the thrills, I can’t call the film action proper.

The Ultimate Action Blues

What would one have to change to make this count as ultimate action? For one, more action scenes between the musical numbers.

Another would be that Jake and Elwood would, at some point, have to fight the villainous hordes pursuing them. Action movie protagonists, even ones in action-comedies, generally have to have a point where they fight, even if they possess a mild-mannered nature. These guys use trickery or their wits to avoid violent confrontations—both classic ways to get out of a fight for comedy heroes, but not so much ultimate action heroes.

Still, The Blues Brothers is definitely awesome, no doubting that, a two and a half hour all singing, all dancing, all exploding spectacle that is never, ever boring. I wouldn’t change a frame of it.

What are your thoughts on The Blues Brothers and if it’s an ultimate action movie or not? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

The Hulk Hogan Biopic to Star Chris Hemsworth, Brother!

Jourdan Aldredge

February 21, 2019

Let us tell you something, dudes about this new Hulk Hogan biopic starring Chris Hemsworth.

While not every ultimate action movie fan is a classic pro-wrestling fan, the two definitely share quite a bit of crossover. Most notably is the direct line many pro-wrestlers take from the squared ring to the silver screen. Hulk Hogan is definitely one of those best examples. And if you’re curious, here are our other Top 10 Classic Pro-Wrestlers Turned Action Movie Stars!

Now, to honor the legendary career (and at times, odd and sensational), we’re going to see The Hulkster’s biopic starring Chris Hemsworth. Here’s everything we know so far.

The Ultimate Hulk Hogan Movie

According to news from The Hollywood Reporter, this yet-to-be-named biopic will be directed by Todd Phillips and written by Scott Silver (who are both working together on The Joker). The project is being funded by and set to be released on Netflix, so possibly not even mainstream theaters.

Chris Hemsworth as The Hulkster

Hemsworth, an Australian actor, has been a modern action movie revelation both in the more classic action roles like the Red Dawn reboot and Blackhat, as well as the more fantastical as his multiple iterations in the Marvel movies as Thor.

At press time, we have not yet seen Hemsworth’s Hulk Hogan impression, but judging from his acting chops, he’s probably got a pretty good one. However, this biopic promises to be anything but a sendup, so he’ll probably need to bring some heavy hits and emotional trauma too.

Hulk Hogan or Terry Bollea

The Hulkster (born Terry Gene Bollea) experienced his heyday in the 1980s as part of the World Wrestling Federation. His first notable action movie breakout role was in Rocky III up against Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky (here’s our full review on that ultimate classic, btw).

From there, as Hogan experienced quite a lengthy and impressive (although somewhat comical, for sure) action movie career in many ultimate classics like No Holds Barred, Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny.

Yet, as his wrestling and action careers winded down, he’s had quite a downfall in recent years with some scandalous lawsuits and personal conflicts.

However, as THR reports: “The biopic will not delve into those years or attempt to encompass Hogan’s entire life. Instead, sources say it will focus on his rise and is described as an origin story of the Hulkster and Hulkamania.”

Hopefully the biopic will be an ultimate revelation of the Hulkster’s career and bring some of his action movie exploits back to the front.

Are you pumped for this Hulk Hogan biopic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page!

How to Shape a Modern Kung Fu Actioner with ‘Lady Detective Shadow’

Ultimate Action Movies

February 20, 2019

UAMC reviews ‘Lady Detective Shadow’ (2018) and its classic kung fu origins.

Here’s our Ultimate Action Movie Club review of Lady Detective Shadow directed by Si Shu-bu and starring Shang Rong, Zhang Pei-yue and Qi Jing-bin.

It’s been nearly 20 years since The Matrix hit theatres, and it was a strange time for us action aficionados. Our beloved action genre (big guys with big guns) was in a death spiral. Don’t get me wrong, The Matrix was awesome (bonus: here are our list of the 5 MOST ULTIMATE SCENES from The Matrix). It ushered in a new action template filled with black leather/rubber outfits, guns and kung fu, and spawned imitators both decent (Underworld) and god awful (Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever).

And while it was killing off the kickboxing future cops,The Matrix introduced action audiences to long forgotten kung fu movies – thanks specifically to action sequences choreographed by the great Yuen Wo Ping (Woo-Ping Yuen). Soon, audiences were discovering classic martial arts films like Wo Ping’s Magnificent Butcher (1979) and demanding new martial arts films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

I bring this up because Lady Detective Shadow owes a lot to this movement that began nearly two decades ago, and while it doesn’t improve upon the genre that inspired it, it’s a worthy entry.

Sherlock Holmes, but More Badass

Set in the 16^th Century Ming Dynasty, Lady Detective Shadow chronicles the journey of Olivia Benson-esque Sima Feiyan (Shang Rong – Note: A lot of the promotional materials and reviews describe Feiyan as Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew, but to me those descriptions don’t work because neither really kick ass, especially Holmes.

Maybe Nancy Drew, I could see Nancy Drew beating down the Hardy Boys, but definitely not Holmes. Carrying on.) as she travels with her young apprentice, Ye Zi (Zhang Pei-yue) to Shacheng in mainland China where rumors of treasure have attracted a rowdy bunch of thugs bent on destruction, thievery and murder. Shrouded in mystery, Feiyan must use all of her natural detective skills to solve the town’s mystery and protect its people.

Classic Kung Fu Roots

Like an amalgamation of House of Flying Daggers, Murder She Wrote and Xena Warrior Princess, Lady Detective Shadow plays like a greatest hits record. There’s lots of amazing stuff here – the fight sequences are top notch, the plot is decent and Rong, who is equal parts Zhang Ziyi and Shawn from Psych without the ‘80s references, is an absolute joy to watch. At the same time, a lot of it feels like it’s borrowing plot points, characters and sets from other movies.

Still, Lady Detective Shadow is worth checking out when it hits VOD screens on Feb. 26. As far as kung fu movies go, we’ve progressed along way from their ultimate action movie roots, but it’s still a damn enjoyable ride.

Article by Eric LaRose – a Wisconsin-based connoisseur of action, horror and sci-fi movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s. A former journalist and podcaster, Eric wrote the ending to the Toxic Avenger Part 4, but the only person who will back up that claim is his wife.

What are some of your favorite classic Kung Fu actioners? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

James Cameron Has Revealed Working Title of New Terminator Movie

Jack Beresford

February 19, 2019

James Cameron has revealed the working title of the new Terminator movie.

The film will see original stars Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton reunited for the first time since 1991’s epic sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

It also marks James Cameron’s first involvement in a Terminator movie since that legendary sequel in move most fans are hoping will mark a return to form for the much-loved Arnie action sci-fi saga.

Deadpool director Tim Miller is helming the project and speaking in an interview with Yahoo for his latest film Alita: Battle Angel, Cameron confirmed the new film’s working title.

Introducing “Terminator: Dark Fate”

“We’re calling it ‘Terminator: Dark Fate. That’s our working title right now,” Cameron confirmed.

The Titanic filmmaker also opened up about working with Miller on the project.

“Tim’s a very willful and opinionated director, and he’s got his own ideas for the film. I’m kind of like the Pips — he’s Gladys.”

Diego Boneta has joined the cast in an unspecified role while Blade Runner 2049 actress Mackenzie Davis is set to play the part of Grace.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Will Be Back

Schwarzenegger previously revealed the new Terminator film will mark a return to the storytelling of the 1984 original.

The 71-year-old actor said fans of the sci-fi franchise can expect a return to the stripped-back story of the cult classic.

“I think James Cameron and Tim Miller came up with a concept where they can continue on with the T-800 but make a whole new movie,” he said.

“What they are doing now with this one is basically to just take a few very basic characters, like Linda Hamilton’s character and my character, and dismiss everything else.

“Just move away from all these rules of the timeline and other characters.”

What are your thoughts on this new Terminator: Dark Fate? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!

How Samurai Cop Became ‘The Room’ of Ultimate Action Movies

Emily Stephan

February 18, 2019

UAMC honors the ultimate incompetent police-thriller Samurai Cop (1991).

Some bad action films gain infamy upon the moment they see the light of day. Other bad action films take time to find their audience, gaining traction through internet reviews and private screenings where the laughter (and probably beer) flow freely.

Amir Shervan’s 1991 classic Samurai Cop belongs among the latter. This incompetent police-thriller is the ultimate “so bad, it’s good” movie, even more-so than the more well-known The Room in my opinion. I cannot think of a single competent thing about it.

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Samurai Cop and the Katana Gang

A Japanese crime syndicate known as the Katana Gang is causing mayhem in the LA area. Led by the ruthless, mullet-haired Fujiyama (Cranston Kumoro) and his number-one samurai henchman Yamashita (cult favorite Robert Z’Dar – also of Fugitive X fame), they take down anyone who stands between them and the drug megabucks to be found on the west coast.

Time to call out the only man on the LA police force that can stop them: Joe “Samurai” Marshall (Matt Hannon), man of ample hair (true) and great samurai skills (debatable). He and his partner, the perpetually bemused Frank Washington (Mark Frazer), take the case, though their investigation generally just takes the form of yelling at Fujiyama and co. in public, claiming they have a lot of evidence of their evildoing while never pressing actual charges.

Things get complicated when Joe falls for Jennifer (Janis Farley), a restaurant-owning hottie whose family was bailed out of debt by Fujiyama. Fujiyama clearly wants to get into Jennifer’s pants, but Joe plans to beat him to the punch by stalking—I mean, by being attentive to Jennifer’s weekend activities, allegedly as part of his investigation due to her connections with Fujiyama.

As the two of them get it on in Joe’s beach house (which he is able to pay for on a first-time cop’s salary), Yamashita tracks down Joe’s coworkers and slowly tortures them one by one, trying to track down the Katana’s number one adversary.

Will Joe save the day before all his coworkers are toast? Between he and Yamashita, whose subpar swordsmanship will prevail? Watch Samurai Cop to find out!

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How Bad is Samurai Cop Really?

Where to begin? The inconsistent color correction? The way the dozens of henchmen are represented by the same handful of actors? The bizarre dubbed voices? The parade of ethnic stereotypes and bad 1980s haircuts? The sloppy sex scenes?

Let’s start with our hero, Joe. Joe comes off as a total goof. We are told he was “trained by masters in Japan” and that “he speaks fluent Japanese,” yet he struggles to pronounce Japanese names and only uses a sword twice. Only twice in a ninety-minute schlock movie called Samurai Cop! I do feel a little cheated, I admit… but this film has other treasures, as we shall see—like the “romantic” elements.

You see, Joe’s also supposed to be a successful skirt-chaser, but this is more challenging to buy than his alleged samurai skills. It’s hard to believe any woman would consider this long-haired meathead sexual catnip, but his creepy come-ons and stilted flirting get him laid every other scene, so what do I know?

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I cannot decide if Samurai Cop is the worst edited movie I’ve ever seen, or a surrealist deconstruction of the concept of time and place in cinema. From the first car chase, the editing is choppy and makes following what’s going on a futile task. The editing tour-de-force has to be the fight between Joe and Katana henchman Okamura (Gerald Okamura). As the two men flail and grapple about, the location changes a whopping four times.

The editing almost makes one overlook how terrible the action is. The punch sound effects are much louder than the weak-sauce punches and kicks warrant. Instead of using blood squibs when someone is shot, they’re clearly pummeling the extras with paintball guns. At one point, Yamashita throws a grenade in a parking lot, and you can hear it explode twice.

Don’t expect ultimate samurai action either. As I mentioned before, we only get one real sword fight (I’m not counting that part in the parking lot where Joe steals a katana and lops a guy’s arm off). It is handled even worse than the gunplay and hand-to-hand combat. You know that one light-saber fight between Obi-wan and Darth Vader in the original Star Wars that everyone mocks for its poor, stiff choreography? That was masterful compared to the way Joe and Yamashita flail their katanas around, sometimes spinning in place with them for good measure.

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The performances are a sample platter of how to act badly. Matt Hannon has two moods: dead-eyed stoner glowering or bulge-eyed fury in which his face turns tomato red. Fujiyama shouts all his lines like he’s doing his best Rip Torn impression. Many of the women actors seem to have been cast based on how well they could rock a thong bikini than deliver lines.

While I can’t say anyone gives a good performance, but the two most entertaining are from Z’Dar and Frazer. Z’Dar manages some small level of dignity—well, sometimes— even as he’s doing silly things, like sawing a guy’s head off with a katana rather than just hacking it off in one stroke or using frying pan oil to torture a cop in her kitchen.

Frazer’s character is relegated to sidekick duty, but his goofy reaction shots and line deliveries are so hilarious that he is a joy to watch. My favorite moment in the film might be when Frank crawls under a wire fence and Joe asks him why he doesn’t just bother climbing over it. Frank smiles and responds, “Because I’m an undercover cop,” in this voice strained with the effort not to laugh. It’s amazing.

Most bad movies are dominated by dull scenes and plodding pacing, making them hardly worth the watch. Samurai Cop is one of those holy few which will keep you laughing throughout. I myself will treasure it for years to come!

What are your favorite Samurai Cop moments? Let us know in the comments!

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