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2008’s Rambo was arguably the bloodiest film in the franchise yet, with Stallone’s all-action hero racking up 83 kills across the film’s 91-minute running time. This new effort could go one better, with Rambo enlisted to help rescue a friend’s daughter from the clutches of some vicious Mexican drug lords.
Rambo appears to have put his bloodletting days behind him, if the images Stallone has shared online are anything to go by.
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In fact, the Ultimate Action Movie Club legend appears a changed man, hanging up his headband and bow and arrow to live out his days as a ranch hand. Fans will recall that, by the end of the fourth Rambo movie, our hero had decided to return home from Burma. He was bound for Arizona, with the plan being to reunited with his estranged father.
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That evidently doesn’t last, of course, and Rambo is ready to take up the cause again when his friend comes calling, returning to his armoury/man cave to tool up for the battle ahead.
The heartstopper knife is likely to play a big role in the carnage and, judging from the size and ferocious design, it’s going to be doing a lot of damage.
Filming on Rambo 5: Last Blood has already started, with the film set to be released in 2019.
Let us know your thoughts on the Rambo “Heartstopper” Knife in the comments or on our Facebook page!
And he’s been busy warming up with Munteanu, who will be playing Lundgren’s on-screen son, Viktor Drago in this much-anticipated follow-up to the Michael B. Jordan spin-off.
Creed II sees Jordan’s character, Adonis Creed, out for vengeance against Ivan for the role he played in his father’s death.
He’ll be facing off against an altogether different Drago though, with Munteanu’s mean and lean looking Viktor set to rival Ivan as a menacing on-screen adversary.
Further proof of this was provided by Lundgren on Instagram, in a post that sees Lundgren and Munteanu trading blows. The Big Swede is looking in great shape and we wouldn’t rule out a return to the ring for Ivan in this latest entry in the Rocky saga.
Lundgren is a former mixed martial arts champion and more than holds his own against his younger rival and “son”.
“The Drago family’s idea of having fun,” Lundgren wrote alongside the pos. “I must break you, Dad!” The punch-laden workout suggests some very bad things could be on the horizon for Adonis and Rocky.
The kind of things that may require another intensive Rocky and Adonis to embark on another epic training montage ideally one set in a snowy mountain ski lodge and soundtracked by John Cafferty’s Hearts on Fire.
Creed IIarrives on November 21st, 2018. Stay tuned for all our UAMC coverage!
How you all feeling about Dolph’s return for Creed II? Let us know here in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Eric Roberts Delivers the ultimate fencing goods in By the Sword (1991).
Every sport needs its Rocky movie. In 1991, it was fencing’s turn and we got By The Sword, a movie about a mater fender running a successful fencing school preparing his students for nationals before the arrival of a mysterious individual from his past. Here’s our review of this ultimate fencing actioner!
Eric Roberts aka Master Fencer Villard
Before he was the Best of the Best, Eric Roberts portrayed Master Fencer Villard, arguably the greatest fencer in the world, with two gold medals to prove it.He was driven to greatness after watching his father die in a fencing duel.Now retired from competition, he runs a fencing school like a military academy and prepares the next generation of competitors for the Olympics with his unforgiving and often times cruel coaching style.
The Most Ultimate Fencing Movie Ever!
Into his world walks Max Suba. He is new to the city and seeks out a job at Villard’s Consortum as a fencing instructor.He obviously has some skills but has a bad knee and is woefully out of shape. Vuillard hires him as a janitor and so begins his apprenticeship back into the world of fencing.Imitating the lessons before him followed by some private lessons as the other instructors take a liking to him,a middle age training montage sees it all start to comeback to him.As hemakes suggestions to the other students on form and technique, it is clear that there is more to this man than meets the eye.Eventually, he is given the beginners fencing class to coach.
Against the backdrop of preparing for the nationals, Villard learns the true identity of Suba as the man who murdered his father in the duel and has spent the last twenty years in prison for it.Villard banishes Suba from his world, but Suba shows up at the school one final time during an inner school tournament under the pretext of coaching his students. Suba then challenges the master to a duel after being requested to leave repeatedly.Turns out he was there all along to reclaim his good name and give a lesson in humility.
So if you ever wondered what a sword fight with sabres and foils would actually look like, this movie is for you.Thrust. Perry. Advance. Riposte -it’s all on display here.Bruce Lee credits fencing as a major influence on his development as a martial artist. For a brief few moments, this movie travels back to a bygone era where honor was defended or earned by the sword.
By the Sword Stacks Up
Now I am a lover of all things martial. Outside of the Japanese cinema, there just aren’t that manygood movies that involve sword play.Sorry Highlander, but your just not it.The Last Samurai, The Challenge (which you can read our UAMC review on here), Rob Roy, Count of Monte Cristo,Princess Bride. Hell, I’ll throw in The Hunted for its knife work. This movie earns its place among those greats.Find this movie on VHS or late night TV.You too will get the point why I consider it a minor classic.
This author wishes to maintain his secret identity goes by the name of his favorite comic book hero Iron Fist. When he’s not collecting comics from his childhood, watching action movies or raising his three kids, he works a a police officer, trains Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, Kali and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Needless to say, he takes poor martial arts or sloppy gun handling skills personally. And he lives and trains in Chicago.
Marcin Olpiński first made his name as the self-proclaimed “Polish Chuck Norris”, attending various conventions under the guise of the Ultimate Action Movie Club legend.
An all-round action man who has met many of his heroes down the years and has forged a career as a Chuck Norris lookalike, with a professional looking website, is now facing his toughest mission.
The Chuck Norris of Poland
Having stood for election in the local elections for the Otwock District Council in Poland, it would appear that Olpiński’s good looks and ability to pull off a masterful high kick – as he mentions on his own website – was enough.
The Polish Chuck Norris proved a hit with the public amassing 806 votes, which equates to 1.15 per cent of the votes for the entire county, Wiadomosci reports. That’s enough to see him earn a seat on the council.
Chuck Norris-related Policies
Now the talking stops and the action begins for Olpiński, who could be about to introduce any number of Chuck Norris-related policies. Cowboy hats could become mandatory while swift fist-based justice is likely to be dished anyone breaking the law in Otwock during his tenure.
It’s a remarkable achievement and one that could inspire action movie lookalikes all over the world to strive for more than just being remarkably similar looking to a legendary film star.
Which Action Movie Star is Next?
Alternatively, more action movie legends could be convinced to take a stab at a career in politics. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura are the obvious success stories, having both served as governors in the US.
And fans may yet see Steven Seagal move into government, albeit over in Russia, where he’s being talked up as a potential candidate to run for office.
Could Jean-Claude Van Damme or Sylvester Stallone follow suit? One thing is for sure: they’d get our vote.
If enough people let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page, we’ll fly out to Poland to give the Polish Chuck Norris the official UAMC stamp of approval!
Thank the UAMC gods that we got the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator!
The Terminator is a bona fide 1980s classic and one of the films that helped make Arnold Schwarzenegger the action movie legend he is today. But it all could have been very different for Arnie and Co. if the studio bosses behind the project had had their way.
Producer and co-writer Gale Anne Hurd recently revealed to fans at Screamfast that they originally wanted the film’s downbeat ending, which teased a possible sequel, scrapped.
The Terminator We Almost Knew
In quotes published by Slash Film, Hurd explained how the bittersweet ending, where Michael Biehn’s resistance fighter Kyle Reese sacrifices himself to destroy Schwarzenegger’s T-800 nearly didn’t make the cut.
Not only that, but studio bosses were against setting up the idea Reese was future Resistance leader John Connor’s dad and even wanted to do away with the sequence where part of the T-800’s exo-skeleton survives the robot’s demise.
“We got notes to end the film before the end of the film,” she explained. “Not even have The Terminator rise out as the endoskeleton, but just end with Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor hugging.”
Roger Corman to the Rescue
THE TERMINATOR (1984) LINDA HAMILTON
Ultimately it took the intervention of independent film legend Roger Corman to prevent the film from being given a vanilla happy ending as Hurd and co-writer and director James Cameron were too new to the business to cause a fuss.
“I mean, your first movie and you’re telling people, ‘No, you’re wrong’. It’s not an easy thing to do,” Hurd said. “There are also more unsung heroes which is that one of our strongest supporters was the head of the completion bond company, Film Finances here in Los Angeles. The late [producer] Lindsley Parsons Sr. knew what The Terminator was going to be. Roger [Corman] knew what The Terminator was going to be and not a lot of people did.
“You absolutely need people to believe in you. You also need people to tell you when you’re screwing up that you can listen to. Lindsley was all of that. Roger has always been all of that, but we could have bowed to the pressure. Or, we could have been wrong and not listened to the things that made the film better. Luckily we had each other’s backs.“
The Terminator’s Legacy Continues
It proved to be the best move all round, with Schwarzenegger and co-star Linda Hamilton returning for Terminator 2: Judgment Day, arguably one of the best sequels of all-time and a film that made Arnie unquestionably the biggest star on the planet at the time.
How do you feel about how The Terminator turned out? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Billy Blanks vs Loren Avedon in King of the Kickboxers (1990)
Released in 1990, King of the Kickboxers follows the story of Jake Donahue, played by Loren Avedon who as a teenager had seen his older brother Sean brutally murdered at the hands of the villainous Khan (Billy Blanks) after the elder Donahue had beaten the Thai Kickboxing Champion in Bangkok to win the title. This apparently didn’t sit well with the powers that be and Khan is dispatched to take care of business, which he does with ruthless efficiency courtesy of an ambush as the Donahue’s made their way back to the hotel.
Loren Avedon as Jake Donahue
Ten years later we discover that Jake survived the ambush and is now living dream life of every action hero as an undercover rogue cop on the bad streets of New York. His penchant for breaking cover is reckless but apparently effective and after his latest bust (featuring a brief cameo from an impressively mulleted Jerry Trimble) he is assigned to break an underground snuff film ring based in Bangkok. The star of the films? You guessed it, Khan, the man who killed his brother a decade previously. Convenient? You betcha. But it gives Jake the perfect motive to return to Thailand to attempt to reap vengeance after some essential (and obligatory) tutelage from master Prang, played by legendary martial artist Keith Cooke.
More Than Just a Kickboxer Rip Off
At first glance, King of the Kickboxers could easily be derided as purely a rip off of Jean Claude Van Damme’sKickboxer which was released just a year before and based solely on the story and setting alone there is more than a little weight to that claim. However, while the familiarity is there, King of the Kickboxers more than holds it own in terms of action as well as having its own take on the story.
Loren Avedon puts in a great shift here as the brash Jake Donahue and while he isn’t the most likable action hero ever, he more than makes up for it when the fight scenes hit, providing some of the fastest martial arts action outside of Hong Kong ever committed to screen. His portrayal of the character is quite off kilter too, choosing to forego the dark, brooding troubled young man you would expect by playing him as the over the top party guy that seemed to find their way into every eighties teen movie.
This leads to quite a few entertaining moments and some amusing interactions with those around him and separates him from Van Damme’s far softer Kurt Sloane in Kickboxer quite nicely.
Jerry Trimble and Keith Cooke
With King of the Kickboxers we also get one of the finest ensembles of genuine martial arts legends flexing their collective muscles in some wonderfully choreographed fight scenes. Both the aforementioned Jerry Trimble and Keith Cooke are in early onscreen roles here coming off of the back of successful legitimate fighting careers during which both held various world titles in a variety of disciplines.
As the nineties rolled on both would become prolific action stars and would continue well into the 21st century as both onscreen talent and behind the scenes with stunt and choreography work.
As well as Trimble and Cooke we also get an opening fight scene from famed Jiu-Jitsu practitionerMichael DePasquale Jr. who plays Jake’s doomed older brother Sean Donahue. DePasquale Jr. would go on to to become one of the judges in early UFC fights and despite a relatively sparse Hollywood career is still one of the most highly respected and decorated American martial artists around making his opening scene a real action movie gem.
UAMC Legend Billy Blanks
However, despite the stellar talent around him there is only one man who can be considered the scene stealer here, and that’s Billy Blanks. In what would become a rare villainous role for the inventor of Tae-Bo we find him in truly terrifying form in King of the Kickboxers and deserves to be considered one of the truly great villains in martial arts cinema based on this role alone.
His ethnically-ambiguous character Khan is a complete killing machine and obviously takes great pleasure in completing his murderous tasks. Far more than just being the ruthless fighter most martial arts villains are portrayed as, Khan demonstrates that there are very few lows he won’t stoop to when it comes to gaining his perverse pleasure which takes him another notch above his contemporaries.
Indeed, in keeping with the Kickboxer comparison, I would make a bold claim in saying that Khan is the more formidable foe when weighed up against Michel Qissi’s far more iconic Tong Po, but I’ll leave that for you to decide.
The True King of the Kickboxers
All in all there’s no getting past the similarities between Kickboxer and King of the Kickboxers, however King of the Kickboxers still manages to be an entertaining and well put together piece of direct to video martial arts fun which makes it a must see for fans of the genre. The dialogue and some of the acting is as cheesy as you would expect, however this is made up for with some truly brilliant fight scenes which surpass many of the martial arts movies of the era. The final fight in particular is a real rough diamond of a fight scene with one of the coolest settings of any final fight which alone makes this movie worth ninety minutes of your time. It is also worth noting that the movie was also released under the alternative title of No Retreat, No Surrender 4(another Van Damme link). If you’re worried that you need to see the previous installments first, don’t be, all of the No Retreat… series are sequels in name only and hold no bearing over the other movies.
Article by Will Carter – B-Movie obsessive and record shop employee living in Yorkshire, England. Contributor to Retro Cool and The Gravel Crew and long suffering car enthusiast. Genuinely believes there’s never been a better contribution to movie history than Bloodsport. Let us know what you think in the comments!
UAMC Could Not Be Any More Pumped for Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo V: Last Blood!
The Ultimate Action Movie Club recently did an online poll about the MOST ULTIMATE action movie star of all time and guess who won? That’s right – Sylvester Stallone. If the Sly-Man has any cornerstone to his action legacy, it’s the kickass Rambo series. Started innocously enough the more dramatic First Blood in 1982. Rambo quickly kicked it up a notch in what has been argued as themost ultimate action movie of all time – Rambo: First Blood Pt. II. Stallone is now making his 5th Rambo feature, and probably his last with Rambo V: Last Blood.
Here at the UAMC, we’ve been covering Rambo and Stallone’s final installment closely. And we can now share an ultimate breakdown as to what Rambo V will contain, including plot elements, the leading lady, and even the ultimate villain.
Let’s take a look at everything we know about Rambo V: Last Blood!
News of Sylvester Stallone’s intentions to bring Rambo back for another installment picked up steam as a rumor in early 2018. By spring, however, the rumors began to take life, with UAMC confirming in May that Stallone had been meeting with his fellow Expendables producer Avi Lerner to finalize talks on reviving the historic action franchise. Initial plot points we’re not well known, but the general consensus seemed to be that Rambo V would pick up from the end of Rambo IV with Rambo returning home to visit his father at his home in Arizona.
Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo Workout Regime
Before Rambo can tie on his famous red bandana, Sylvester has to hit the gym to get back into Rambo shape. (It’s also worth noting that Stallone in 2018 is also gaining up for reprising his role as Rocky Balboa in Creed II as well.) As reported on UAMC by writer Jack Beresford, Stallone has been dropping peeks into his grueling Rambo workout regime that he’s been grinding on for months. At the ripe age of 72, this is no small feat for the action movie giant, but one wouldn’t expect anything but a cut Stallone for his final Rambo performance.
Rambo’s New Cowboy Look
In one of the more bizarre ways to build hype for Rambo’s return, the surprisingly social media-savy Stallone has dropped some rather revealing character photos from Rambo V’s production. You can read the full story (and check out the pics) in this post, but the big takeaway is that Rambo is going cowboy. As reported earlier, this appears to be for scenes set to be early in the film when Rambo is back in Arizona visiting his father, but from the amount of costumes (and horse riding work Stallone looks to be putting in), it might be more than just dress up.
Rambo 5’s Leading Lady
The women in the Rambo-verse have not traditionally been a major part of the thematic action storylines. However, UAMC news of Rambo’s female lead may change that trend. Paz Vegahas been confirmed as the female lead counter to Stallone’s Rambo. (As well as mysterious details about Rambo’s secret man-cave, which Stallone once again leaked on his Instagram.) Vega, a Spanish actress best known for Carmen and Sex and Lucia, also confirms rumors that Rambo V’s plot would take place the majority of the time in between Arizona and Mexico – possibly against the Mexican cartel.
Rambo 5’s Bad Guy
And as those rumors above grew, the casting of Sergio Peris-Mencheta (as reported by UAMC just a few weeks ago), all but confirms that Stallone’s Rambo V battles will take place across the US border and into the dark underworld of the Mexican cartel system. Peris-Mencheta looks to be an ultimate forced lined up against Stallone and has historically bulked up when necessary to bring an intimidating on-screen presence.
Introducing Rambo’s “Heartstopper” Knife
In what has become part of Stallone’s ultimate lexicon, Rambo’s weaponry has to feature one badass action movie knife! Rambo V’s new “heartstopper” knife has been teased by Stallone himself and it looks like it’s going to be quite an ultimate killer. To check it out, you can read up on it in this write-up here along with checking out some more photos featuring it on Stallone’s Instagram too!
Rambo 5’s Plot Points
With Rambo V’s production beginning September 1st and well on its way at this point, plot points have begun to fall together. What is known is that John Rambo will be drawn into teaming up with a female journalist to rescue a group of young girls who have been kidnapped for a sex trafficking ring.
We can also assume that Rambo, obviously, will also be out looking for revenge on their Mexican cartel kidnappers.
We can also expect that Rambo, as he usually finds himself, will be stranded behind enemy lines and capture, interrogated and very probably escapes – before bringing all hell down on his captors. The real interest will be on this storyline between Stallone and Vega, as well as how much Peris-Mencheta’s role is developed.
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We’ve also heard rumors – and now directly from Stallone – that this should indeed be the final time Sly dons the bandana and portrays John Rambo. This perhaps similar news to his bowing out of the Creed franchise, but we’ll have to see. You never know if the Rambo franchise is rebooted in some other capacity (perhaps a Rambo son?) and if Stallone would be convinced to at least make a cameo later.
However, as far as safe box office bets go, both Stallone and Rambo are as about bankable as they come. Combined with Creed II releasing around the same time, UAMC fans are getting a rare ultimate action treat with Stallone delivering some of the final great performances of his historic career.
What are your thoughts on Stallone in Rambo V: Last Blood? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
Steven Seagal continues to go Russia-crazy, may open winery there…
Fresh off the news that Steven Seagal is planning to run for political office in Russia, Seagal could be about to take on his biggest challenge yet. That’s right, Seagal is interested in his own winery selling kick-ass alcohol from the Russian region of Krasnodar.
According to the TASS Russian News Agency, Seagal has held discussions with Kuban Regional Governor Veniamin Kondratyev or a move into the wine industry.
Hard to Malbec
“We chatted over a cup of tea [with Steven Seagal],” Kondratyev wrote on Twitter.
“Steven liked the idea of opening his own winery in Kuban, of making wine and of developing the film industry. There is just one small thing left: to get started.”
Seagal reportedly met with Kondratyev to discuss his registration as a Russian individual entrepreneur back in August.
Merlot to Kill
The action movie icon is keen to start making more movies in Russia but needs the Governor’s blessing as well as the necessary money and infrastructure. Kondratyev could be convinced to agree to Seagal’s proposals, provided the martial arts expert lends his name to a winery in the region.
Any bottle of Steven Seagal wine is likely to go down well with fans and could make the ideal accompaniment to a night in watching an Under Siege double header.
Out for Chardonnay
While still very much in the discussion stages, the move comes as part of a concerted effort from Seagal to settle in Russia and begin doing business in the region.
The Ultimate Action Movie Club legend was granted Russia citizenship back in November 2016 and in the summer was appointed by Russia’s Foreign Ministry as a special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties.
He’s rumoured to be eager on a possible move into the world of Russian politics too, though those plans may now be on the backburner after this latest development.
Are you down to try out Steven Seagal’s Russian wine? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page!
However, upon reviewing Kickboxer 2 for the first time in over a decade, it is a surprisingly awesome actioner that ONE COULD ARGUE has some elements which are more ultimate than the original.
Let’s look at three reasons Kickboxer 2, believe it or not, might actually just barely be better than the original Kickboxer.
Well damn, let’s start with a straight fire emoji topic! Van Damme’s performance as Kurt Sloane is definitely ultimate and awesome, but by-in-large, it’s a pretty forgettable performance even by Van Damme’s standards. It pales in comparison to JCVD’s portrayal of Frank Dux. (Btw – read our ultimate interview with Frank Dux himself here!)
The most memorable moments from the original Kickboxer are centered around Van Damme’s training sessions with Xian Chow (Dennis Chan – who reprises his role in Kickboxer 2) and the ultimate showdowns with Tong Po (Michel Qissi – who again is also back for Kickboxer 2).
Kickboxer 2, however, really makes a meal of building up David Sloane (the long lost brother of Kurt and Eric) as a character deeply affected by his older brother’s fighting. The community dojo for misfit kids thing is kind of silly, but Sasha Mitchell delivers it well – even if it’s a little daytime TV-ish. Mitchell isn’t a great actor, but his soft-faced demeanor works for audiences much more than when HisVan Damm-ness tries to smile or be funny.
A big reason Mitchell’s performance works and David Sloane’s character arc fills out so nicely is based on the strong performance of Vince Murdocco as Brian Wagner. In a role that mirrors Dennis Alexio as Eric Sloane in the original Kickboxer, Kickboxer 2 spends more time building up Murdocco’s character and the brotherly relationship between him and Mitchell’sSloane.
The original Kickboxer famously starts off the bat with Eric Sloane’s demise early in the film, Kickboxer 2 let’s the storyline develop a bit more where Brian Wagner’s hubris doesn’t catch up to him until later into the second act. When Wagner (like Eric Sloane before him) ends up on the bad end of one of Tong Po’s shins, it’s an earned moment in which Mitchell’s Sloane really comes to life to battle into the Kickboxer 2’s climax.
This is not a knock on Mark DiSalle, or cinematographer / director David Worth in any way. The duo, particularly DiSalle are ultimate action movie royalty for their contributions to bringing films like Bloodsport, Kickboxer, The Perfect Weapon and Street Knight to fruition. However, compared to the ultimate journeyman Albert Pyun (best known for Cyborg and a million other action classics), there’s a stylized shift that really works in Kickboxer 2’s favor.
The original Kickboxer, like Bloodsport before it, lives in the wide choreographed fight scene. And while Kickboxer (and even more so Bloodsport) excel in the style, Kickboxer 2 brought in a tighter, more emotionally charged cinematic element. The camera moves more and stays in tight at times during the fights. Kickboxer 2 does a great job with its sets, which because of budget issues appears to only be a small ring in a gym at times. But Pyun makes them exciting, impactful and fun.
Overall, the choice comes down to your personal (and perhaps nostalgic) preferences. But in UAMC’s book, they’re both ultimate and have their strengths and super-strengths!
What’s your take on the battle between Kickboxer and Kickboxer 2? Let us know in the comments!
Jeff Speakman delivers the ultimate action goods in Street Knight (1991).
UAMC honors the great Jeff Speakman and his breakout performance in Street Knight! 1991 saw the introduction of American Kenpo Karate master Jeff Speakman to the masses. He had bit parts in Lionheart, Slaughterhouse Rock as well as a starring role in the thriller Side Roads. He also stars in the Ultimate Action Movie Classic – The Perfect Weapon – which you read about here!
As a kid who loved all things karate, this movie was like finding action movie buried treasure. Just so much ultimate awesomeness. We got ourselves a new action hero! But alas, things just weren’t meant to be for Speakman.
Unfortunately, he got caught in the middle of a dispute between producer Mark DiSalle (who he was under contract with) and Paramount (who had a distribution deal with DiSalle through Speakman), and his buzz was a casualty because of it.
Which is crazy, because at that time, he was even being considered to star in Speed when the film was being developed at Paramount (although when reading the revisions they were making to the script to suit him, I’m kind of ok with that version not getting made). So, It wasn’t until 2 years later (an eternity in action movie fandom) that we got Street Knight, released by Cannon Films.
But by then, the hype surrounding his name was completely gone. And because Cannon was in dire straits, there was almost no promotion for it, and only a limited amount of theaters got the movie. So, Street Knight came and went with little to no fanfare. Which was a damn shame, because Street Knight is freaking awesome!
Jeff Speakman’s Starring Role
Speakman plays Jake Barrett, an ex-cop/karate wizard turned car mechanic who left the force after a hostage situation gone wrong left him with extreme guilt. One day, he’s approached by Rebecca (Jennifer Gatti – Nemesis), who’s searching for her missing brother Carlos (Richard Coca – Only the Strong). He initially turns the plea for help down, but his conscience gets the better of him and he agrees to help her.
Unbeknownst to them, Carlos had gone into hiding after witnessing an execution of his fellow gang members by a band of ruthless terrorists led by James Franklin (Christopher Neame – Hellbound), who staged everything to look like a hit committed by a rival gang. They seek to start a war between the two gangs to burden the police as a cover for their own agenda: a diamond heist.
When Barrett begins to get wind of this, he is framed for the murder of gang leader 8 Ball (Richard Allen – Extreme Justice). Now with the cops and the gangs looking for him, Barrett must utilize all his survival instincts and karate wizardry to stop the terrorists and end the impending gang war.
Street Knight Hits All the Marks
I can’t believe I live in a world where people don’t know about this movie. I mean, it has its fans. But the fan base should be bigger and louder. Seriously. This is classic ultimate 80s/90s action 101. A movie that contains all the beloved cliches that are at the heart of this very site. For real. Just look at some of the classic hallmarks that are featured in it:
Hero Ex-Cop with a troubled past and an unexplained mastery of karate? ✔
Hero foils grocery store robbery? ✔
Hero has a gratuitous butt in the moonbeam shot? ✔
Creepy looking main villain with a vague foreign accent?✔
Hero and Love Interest have sex after knowing each other no longer than 2 days? ✔
Scene in strip club? ✔
Fight scene in empty warehouse? ✔
Awesome action movie ballad playing over end credits? ✔
All of those are featured as well as others. It plays like Badass Cop: Greatest Hits. I loved seeing all the old cliches played so well and so seriously. It really put a big fat smile on my face.
The Rise of Jeff Speakman
Now, let’s talk about Speakman for a second. It really is a damn shame he didn’t go on to bigger and better stuff. He does very well as a man consumed with inconsolable guilt who’s tasked with immeasurable odds, but is able to overcome them through sheer will and determination (and karate) and find his redemption. This sucks. His complete believability in the role should have secured him a starring role in something bigger. Or at the very least a sequel.
You deserved better, Speakman. The rest of the cast are pretty good too. Neame is slimy and creepy in the part of Franklin, the head bad guy. Gatti is ok as the Love Interest. Her acting is a lot better than when she played Rosaria in Nemesis, that’s for sure. And appearances from genre veterans Marco Rodriguez, Hank Stone and the late, great Bernie Casey round out a very capable low budget action cast.
Street Knight’s Action Exploits
Now, let’s get to the heart of this thing: the action. And this one delivers. The fight scenes aren’t as long as The Perfect Weapon due to the fact, according to Speakman himself, the low budget didn’t allow for Speakman and Stunt Coordinator Rick Avery to properly choreograph the fight sequences, leaving them with only hours to plan each fight scene out.
And that’s a pity, but that’s also a blessing in disguise, as it gives each beatdown a very gritty and brutal feel. The quickness in which Barrett annihilates the bad guys makes Speakman seem more dangerous a hero than he was as Jeff in The Perfect Weapon. Dangerous, but not invulnerable, as he does take take his fair share of licks. I find that important that heroes take damage in action movies. Sometimes flicks can get boring if the hero is just steamrolling over the bad guys 100% of the time without so much as a finger being laid on them (*cough* Steven Seagal *cough*).
Now, to be honest, we don’t get a scene that is on the same level as Speakman’s complete evisceration of legend James Lew and his cronies in The Perfect Weapon, but we do get a extremely awesome in it’s own right fight scene where he goes toe to toe with a giant of a henchman called… Drum roll please…. Baby Huey (Tom Magee – Stone Cold). It’s a quick one, but it does the trick, and reinforces the fact that Speakman was one of the best and most underrated martial artists/action stars of his era.
The Trails of Jake Barrett
Another thing I really loved about this movie was the ending. *SPOILERS* In most movies of this type, the hero will sometimes come under police suspicion and/or be framed for something (as does Barrett in this). And at the end of it, when the hero kills all the bad guys, that’s it. The hero just goes on with his life like nothing happened.
But wait a min… Don’t the police think you’re a bad guy as well? How are you going to prove you’re innocent when all the bad guys (you know… the very guys who could corroborate your innocence) are now dead? Well Street Knight fixes that. During the climax, Barrett receives assistance from the rival gangs after they discover they’re being set up, and they end up capturing one of the bad guys. So now, they have someone who can prove everything that happened was the terrorists’ fault. Now, is that so hard to write, screenwriters?? Huh? Just leave one of the bad guys alive! That’s all you have to do!
Jeff Speakman Really Was The Perfect Weapon
Any nitpicks? Other than the aforementioned “fights not being longer”, not really. I enjoyed this from beginning to end. It’s these type of movies that are the best. Not trying to change the genre. Just completely content with being a solid, low budget Karate Cop vs Bad Guys action movie. The type of movie Excessive Force should have been. (Which is worth reading up on as well!)
Plus, as the last movie from Cannon Films, they couldn’t have picked a better film to go out with. And as for Speakman? He would go on to do other films, but none would recapture the awesomeness that were found in The Perfect Weapon and this (although I’ve heard the next movie he made, The Expert was really good. I’ll have to check that out one day).
That really sucks. He had more than what it takes to be a great action star. Looks, moves, charisma. He really was the whole package, or dare I say… The Perfect Weapon. Yeah yeah, I know. That was corny. But when an opportunity presents itself for a joke, no matter how obvious, I take it, damnit!
What are your thoughts on Jeff Speakman and Street Knight? Let us know in the comments or on our Facebook page!
