Post by Ferro_Vida on Apr 23, 2011 14:22:05 GMT -5
Maybe calling this film a "Golden Oldie" is a bit much. Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of it, and Warner Bros entertainment didn't even see fit to include a DVD menu for the disc. That said, this is one of the best action movies I have ever seen, as well as my favorite Dolph Lundgren movie. And my second favorite Brandon Lee movie, but that isn't really saying as much (RIP Brandon Lee).
If you have ever seen a buddy cop show from the eighties then you'll probably be fairly familiar with the premise of this film; Lundgren plays the part of a modern day samurai who is dedicated to his badge above all else. Lee is his new partner, a surfer boy from Beverly Hills who, we learn, also has trouble keeping partners. They don't waste much time with words in this movie, though, so if you're looking for over the top, guns blazing, kung-fu action then you are in for a treat.
Normally that alone wouldn't be enough for me to speak so highly of a movie. But there were two big factors that really put it over the top for me. First was Brandon Lee's acting. Maybe I am a bit of a fanboy, but he was really fucking funny in this movie. It was like he was fully aware of how ridiculous the film was and decided that he would just have fun with it. The outcome is some great moments and some hilarious line deliveries. This also touches down on the second factor that made this movie so memorable, and that is the sheer over-the-top nature of the whole thing. If you don't believe than watch the scene where a gangster is being killed in a car compactor; when the machine starts up, keep an eye on the bottom left corner of the screen.
Is it well done? Not really. Did the critics love it? Not so much. But Showdown in Little Tokyo is absolutely worth the watch.
If you have ever seen a buddy cop show from the eighties then you'll probably be fairly familiar with the premise of this film; Lundgren plays the part of a modern day samurai who is dedicated to his badge above all else. Lee is his new partner, a surfer boy from Beverly Hills who, we learn, also has trouble keeping partners. They don't waste much time with words in this movie, though, so if you're looking for over the top, guns blazing, kung-fu action then you are in for a treat.
Normally that alone wouldn't be enough for me to speak so highly of a movie. But there were two big factors that really put it over the top for me. First was Brandon Lee's acting. Maybe I am a bit of a fanboy, but he was really fucking funny in this movie. It was like he was fully aware of how ridiculous the film was and decided that he would just have fun with it. The outcome is some great moments and some hilarious line deliveries. This also touches down on the second factor that made this movie so memorable, and that is the sheer over-the-top nature of the whole thing. If you don't believe than watch the scene where a gangster is being killed in a car compactor; when the machine starts up, keep an eye on the bottom left corner of the screen.
Is it well done? Not really. Did the critics love it? Not so much. But Showdown in Little Tokyo is absolutely worth the watch.