5 comments about Born to Fight.

1. Anybody who enjoys both old 70's kung fu films and modern action masterpieces like Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong - will think this title is a terrific addition to their collection. The fight sequences were filmed with nearly all full contact for brutal realism and they are excellent, especially for their time, - and seeing Tony Jaa's mentor Panna Rittikrai as a lead will make you a big fan of him as well.
   
   As long as you set your expectations to what you will be getting (a low-budget Thai B-movie from 1986 after all!), you will be amazed. The fights are choreographed and play out like a combination of the modern style used in Ong Bak and that used in older Wu-Tang Clan style kung fu movies. But you won't be disappointed - I was personally surprised to see a ton of great slow motion, double takes, and editing in the fights to allow the viewer to really see the punishing impacts.
   
   One thing that surprised me about this film is that THE DUB IS EXCELLENT!!! I am normally somebody who HATES watching live-action dubbed but I was shocked to see just how perfect the voices used were and how spot-on the "acting"/matching/and writing of the dub were. In part a lot of it's value comes from the dub having great "camp" flavor but it mostly stays true to the script and, IMO, improves the movie a great deal for English-speaking fans who just want to kick back and enjoy the experience.
   
   The story is pretty basic but it generally works to stage the action, keep you interested, and add a little comedy here and there. You could nitpick some of its faults (at times things can get a little slow or dry) but who cares - you came to see some great fight/stunt sequences. And you do get quite a few cool ones!
   
   Generally there is an entertaining fight on screen every ten minutes of it's runtime. In several different scenes, Panna is outnumbered by a gang of guys attacking him one after another and he dispatches them with great, brutal Muy Thai mixed martial arts. Two standout scenes are a motorcyle chase sequence that features at least two "oh my god, rewind that NOW!" kinds of moments and the finale where Panna goes up against a gang of ninjas. Taking the ninjas on in a forest clearing, - fighting hand-to-hand, with weapons, and on a wooden platform - the stuntmen are really tested as several brutal moves are executed in a scene that plays out like an early version of the very last scene in Ong Bak.
   
   This DVD is likely as good a treatment as this movie will get too. Comparing the video of the feature versus some of its footage shown during the extras, it is obvious that they used the cleanest print of the film that they could find. It is presented in the 4:3 aspect ratio, which is either likely the way in which it was originally filmed or the only way we are likely to see it since so many of these early Thai films seem to have been preserved only in 4:3 with much of the original film stock expired (see the "Ong Bak 2" entry on Wikipedia). The extras are nice too and are all thankfully subtitled in English.
   
   A detailed interview with Tony Jaa on a Thai talk show provides a lot of insight into Tony Jaa's early beginnings and into his relationship with Panna, the star of this film. Clips of Tony Jaa demonstrating his moves and cool scenes from some other early Thai B-movies he starred in are also shown. It's a great addition and the best extra on the disc. The 30+ minute documentary that follows a stuntman going through the process of being hired by Jaa's production company is also interesting and insightful but probably not something you will want to see more than once. There are two "Ong Bak spoofs" as well but these are mostly throw-away extras that will likely just leave you confused and disinterested.
   
   Overall this is a fun, engaging title that I hope has some success on DVD so we can see more hidden gems like it released on our shores.



2. I've been so impressed with the latest string of amazing martial arts movies out of Thailand, that when I saw this i picked it up right away. The film itself has some amazing stunts & action, but there are two problems with this DVD. 1) The print they used is pretty bad, not remastered at all, still watchable though and 2) It's a fullscreen presentation. A lot of times this really doesn't matter, but this DVD really shows you its shortcomingsl; you miss some of the flow of the action, as fighters drift in and out of the frame. I found it frustraing. The DVD comes with some great extra features, so if you're a fan it's worth owning. The newer "Born to Fight" by Panna has a fantastic Dragon Dynasty release, maybe they should have package both films together. It needed that professional, respected Dragon Dynasty touch. This reminds me of those terrible Dimension Jackie Chan & Jet Li DVD releases, definitely put out by a non-fan. This are one step up with nice bonus features, but the movie like I said is not up to par...Can't wait for what Panna & Tony do for Ong-Bak 2!



3. The stunts really are that gonzo in this! During the incredible opening sequence, that involves a brawl on the top of 2 parallel moving tractor trailers, a goon gets knocked down between them and his head looks literally INCHES from being crushed by a tire! I had to watch this scene 5 or 6 times alone. If the idea of a group of madmen(who you know aren't paid squat!) sacrificing life and limb for some of the most incredible stunts put to celluloid sounds like it would be up your alley, then this is a must see! However, if the usual stuff like plot, dialogue, believability, character development, etc., is what you're after then you should probably pass on this one. Dan Chupong is solid as the lead, not so much in the acting department, but he can definately fight(and this is an action movie so...). He looks and fights similair to Tony Jaa(he's been Jaa's stunt double I think) but isn't quite up to his level of charisma or skill... but how many these days really are?! As far as actual martial arts goes there isn't a ton, but what is here is quality stuff for the most part... although some of the other athletes fight scenes were groan worthy(if the character played soccer for instance he would fight by kicking random things at the villians?!). The movie is probably closer to deserving a 3 star rating but I enjoyed it so much I had to give it the extra star(plus the STUNTS!). Filmed by the same crew that brought us both Ong Bak and The Protector, the camera work has the same stylish and exciting feel and the entire film is really polished and feels like it has a far bigger budget than it actually does. If you like Jackie Chan's stunt heavy films or even the usual American action blockbusters(whose plots are normally worse than this anyways) make sure to check this out.



4. Based on the superb actions in the protector and the ong-bak, I rented this movie form blockbuster. It turned out to be a total waste of time and money. It is pretty much the same as the low low budget films made in Hongkong in 1970s.
   
   Another deceiving fact is that the picture of the lead actor printed on the DVD cover makes him look very much like Tony Laa. I didn't even realized he is not Tony until I started watching the movie for 5 minutes.
   
   Stay away from it.



5. This flick starts well enough: In Thailand, an undercover cop (Dan Chupong, "Dynamite Warrior") busts a drug kingpin and loses his friend and partner in the process. While lamenting, he decides to accompany his gymnast sister, and some other athletes, to an economically-challenged village for a charity event. While there, a group of paramilitary terrorists take over the village, kill large amounts of its residents, and demand the release of the dude that Chupong just put away. Eventually realizing that they will all be killed, the villagers unite to try and overthrow their captors, completely ignoring their impulses toward the Stockholm Syndrome.
   
   Now if there are good fights and stunts, I can usually handle stupid. The final 3rd of the movie is ALL action... and couldn't be more boring. Nearly 30 minutes of face kicking, gun fighting, explosions, and vehicle crashes, 97% of which is in slow-motion, accompanied by guitar-tinged music ripped off from "The Matrix". I guess it wasn't enough to dispense with what little logic it had left. I'd be a liar if I said that there aren't moments of "ooh...ahhh...", but its so ridiculous, and ridiculously done that nearly all entertainment value is jettisoned.
   
   This is easily the worst film I've seen that Dragon Dynasty has released, though I have yet to catch "Dragon Heat" and "Dog Bite Dog". I've heard (from sources I trust) that those are even worse. Be that as it is, I love Dragon Dynasty, and for what they've done with Asian cinema for us North American fans, I'll always be grateful.
   
   Picture quality is widescreen and excellent, as we've come to expect from DD. In Thai with optional English dub. Subtitles in English or Spanish. If this is available in the cheapo-rental section of your local video hut, it may be worth a glance. Again, there are some VERY impressive stunts, just not enough to make a good movie out of.
   
   2004

4 comments about Pride Fighting Championships: Fists of Fire.

1. For MMA and Pride fans this is a 5. For anyone kind-of interested its a 3 or a 4. That said, this dvd features some big names and younger fighters making a mark. It has some quick knockouts, and some decisions (bad decisions) and everything in-between.



2. As usual, Pride puts on another great show. Yet, uncharacteristically there are a whole lot of garbage matchups on this DVD... You may find yourself fast-forwarding through more than a couple of rounds. That said, I still have to recommend the DVD. It's Pride and it's worth seeing.
   
   Hirotaka Yokoi v. Mario Sperry:
   This one is a snoozer early on. The ref has to step in and break the fighters on a few occassions. My hopes weren't high for a great fight, but in mixed martial arts there is always a chance. Sperry gets cut during the first exchange. This kicks the fight into a higher gear and things pick up from there...
   
   Tom Erikson v. Fabricio Werdum:
   Erikson has a slight upper-hand early. Werdum changes the flow of things with a flurry of punches. This fight isn't all that long and it is fairly interesting.
   
   Mauricio "Shogun" Rua v. Hiromitsu Kanehara:
   Shogun is a beast! He's another exciting fighter in the same vein as Wanderlei Silva or Rampage Jackson... All of his fights are entertaining. Shogun looks great here against Kanehara. Awesome and impressive performance!
   
   Igor Vovchanchyn v. Yoshiki Takahashi:
   Igor is much slimmed down for this fight. He is down to 205, fighting in the Middleweight division and he looks totally different to me. He looks different, but he sure hasn't lost any of his power. Igor is faster now, though... Uh Oh.
   
   Kakuhiro Nakamura v. Stefan Leko:
   I was not at all excited to see this one after having seen some past Stefan Leko fights in Pride. I don't consider it a spoiler to make it known that this one is stopped in the first round. Garbage!
   
   Choi Mu Bae v. Sergey Kharitonev:
   This one is pretty decent due to the performance of ONE of the fighters involved. It ends in fairly exciting fashion in the first round. You will get to see some pretty good striking.
   
   Kiyoshi Tamura v. Allev Makhmud:
   Makhmud is a little tank and he's extremely spastic. When he moves in on Tamura, it usually involves Makhmud leaving his feet for one reason or another. He jumps a lot when approaching, which is neither safe nor is it particularly effective. There is a great deal of confusion in the opening round. This one is worth watching just because it will leave you scratching your head and wondering what just happened.
   
   Alistair Overeem v. Antonio ROGERIO Nogueira:
   Alistair Overeem is a good striker. Granted. But there is something about his personality and the way it comes across that I don't like. He makes some foolish predictions before this fight and is proven thoroughly wrong during the fight... Great fight!
   
   Quinton "Rampage" Jackson v. Murilo "Ninja" Rua:
   Rampage is coming off of the most devastating loss of his career to champion Wanderlei Silva. Questions still circulate and remain unanswered as to how he will bounce-back for this fight. In the prefight interview, Jackson seems to be much calmer than usual. He has stopped the joking, become more religious and even grown out a full head of hair. In the ring, we see more of the same... He seems uninspired and we don't see much of the Rampage that we have come to love watching. The result of this fight is as shocking and incorrect a result as I've seen in mixed martial arts. This one is worth seeing, although the fight is a huge letdown.
   
   THE MAIN EVENT...
   Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic v. Mark "The Hammer" Coleman:
   Mark Coleman has just turned 40. He has been around for what seems like forever and he has remained a respectable and powerful fighter. I respect Coleman and I enjoy seeing him fight, but I honestly didn't give him much of a chance against Cro Crop.
   
   In conclusion, the DVD is worth seeing, but with the predictability of some of the fights and the pure lameness of others, I only suggest purchasing it if you're a die-hard fan. Definitely don't let this be your first exposure to MMA...
   
   The DVD includes bonus interviews, fighter bios, photo gallery, behind the scenes footage with Bas Rutton, etc.



3. What happens when the uncontrollable force meets the immovable object? For MMA fans, this question could be applied to Mark Coleman, wrestler extraordinaire, possessing perhaps the best shoot (takedowns) in all of MMA versus Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, deadly striker, with the best takedown defense in the business. There was also the intriguing battle of old school versus new school between these two as well. Their battle headlined Pride 29 - Fists of Fire.
   
   A stacked card accompanied the main event featuring good match-ups and exciting results as well.
   
   As the leader of the Brazilian Top Team, Mario Sperry has served more so as a trainer/teacher to the impressive fighters in his team. His peak as a fighter perhaps was 5-10 years ago, but even at 38 years old his skills and experience were enough to give anyone in his weight division problems. His opponent was a younger man looking to rack up a victory against a MMA legend. Hirotaka Yokoi's MMA career began with an impressive 10 straight victories. This earned him a spot at the Pride Heavyweight Grand Prix 2004, where he fought a game fight against Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Nogueira defeated Yokoi applying the now famous "anaconda" choke. His second fight came against Heath Herring, but unfortunately ended in a TKO in Herring's favor. The two losses he suffered were against larger opponents and skillful ones at that. In Sperry, he had someone in his weight range and had a youth advantage. The fight between the old pro and youthful fighter was won via TKO in a exciting match to start off the show.
   
   At 40 years young wrestler Tom Erickson was still a threat to any fighter that dared face him. Built like a bear and weighing in at 285 pounds he used his superior wrestling skills to smother and pound them to victory. He had though been inactive for nearly 3 years leading up to this fight, but had only suffered one loss in his career. Fabricio Werdum had no losses in his record and was Mirko Filipovic's grappling coach; these two facts earned him a shot at the big leagues of MMA. His debut was a difficult one, but Werdum's long guard game was thought to give him a chance against the big wrestler. This fight was rather intriguing and surprisingly dominating by the victor.
   
   One of Pride's unfortunate punching-bag fighters, Hiromitsu Kanehara was once a good fighter, before losing 6 of his last 9 fights mostly in mismatches. His early career was credible, but his eroding skills were severely exposed and exploited by Pride FC. His latest tall challenge was against a young, but lethal Chute Boxe fighter. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is Chute Boxe's youngest and arguably their most exciting fighter. His Pride FC record was flawless against mostly smaller competition. He was accustomed to overwhelming his opponents via strikes, especially with his knees and stomps. He was looking for bigger trees to chop down and Kanehara was in his way. This mismatch was just that and was at times painful to watch.
   
   Veteran Pancrase fighter Yoshiki Takahashi has been in the MMA game for nearly 13 years, clearly as seasoned as any fighter can claim. His long career has seen him lock horns against legends and newer stars alike. Like many veterans, his skills peaked several years back, but Takahashi is still very crafty. His most known fight in the states was his battle against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Wallid Ismail in UFC 12 back in 1997. In that fight he outclassed the favorite Ismail showing an uncanny ability to avoid the takedown and counter well. His debut in Pride came in the first round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix where he lost to Heath Herring. His skills would be put to the test against another veteran, but one that was very dangerous and making his Middleweight debut. Igor Vovchanchyn like Takahashi was a veteran of the sport. With 10 years under his belt and once being considered the absolute best fighter in the world, his career was starting to show signs of slowing. Vovchanchyn though decided to slim down to 205 and compete as a Middleweight instead. This meant problems to middleweights all over. The battle of these two vets would end via brutal knockout.
   
   Making his debut in the first round of the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix, K-1 fighter Stefan Leko was looking to follow the footsteps of another former K-1 star (Mirko Cro Cop) who had made a successful transition to MMA. Leko was pitted against Japanese Judo fighter Naoya Ogawa, but looked uncomfortable and succumbed to an arm triangle choke. His second outing would be against Ikuhisa Minowa who was smaller but very well-rounded. The result would be an embarrassing: 27 second loss via heel hook. Now the "Blitz" was back against possibly his toughest test in Kazuhiro Nakamura. Nakamura was a Hidehiko Yoshida protégé that was beginning to make some noise in Pride. His only losses were against the much respected Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Dan Henderson. His grappling was very good and his standup was ever improving. The Leko/Nakamura battle would end quickly with relative ease from the victor.
   
   A battle between an undefeated, but unproven fighter versus the newest force in the heavyweight division would be up next. Mu Bae Choi had amassed a 5-0 MMA record (4-0 in Pride), but mostly against lighter opposition. His last fight was an easy victory over a very large opponent in Paulo Cesar "Giant" Silva. His first legitimate test would be against a fighter who raised many eyebrows in the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament. Russian fighter Sergei Kharitonov was a relative unknown coming into the 2004 Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament, but his destruction of his first round opponent Murilo "Ninja" Rua dismissed all doubts about his skills. He followed this impressive victory with a tko of the very dangerous Semmy Schilt. His last fight was a loss to veteran Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, but lost via decision. He was back to continue his impressive ways against a larger undefeated opponent. The battle of these two warriors was one-sided and sobering to watch.
   
   Hailing from Azerbaijan, Aliev Makmud was making his Pride debut against another true veteran of MMA. Kiyoshi Tamura was marking his 10th year of MMA experience and was as ready as usual to step up to any challenge. This fight between Makmud and Tamura would be the strangest one of the night.
   
   Brazilian Top Team Fighter Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is a fighter that possess a super ground game coupled with an impressive southpaw striking game that had resulted in convincing victories over legendary fighter Kazushi Sakuraba and young upstart Kazuhiro Nakamura twice. His opponent for this pride show would be his first test against a good striker. Alistair Overeem proved his worth in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix in a loss against Chuck Liddell. His early control of that fight had many people impressed, but unfortunately for him he gassed out and succumbed to Liddelll via knockout. His rep though as a fighter had grown and was being put to the test against a very balanced fighter in Nogueira. Their battle would be a treat to watch as both young fighters went at it with skill and intensity. In the end a unanimous decision was awarded to the rightful winner.
   
   It is easy to feel bad for Quinton "Rampage" Jackson . He had defeated all of his opposition in route to two disappointing losses to Wanderlei Silva. His skills were top notch, but the "Axe Murderer" just had his number unfortunately. His next fight would be against a teammate of Silva, Chute Boxe fighter Murilo "Ninja" Rua. Ninja is an intense fighter much like Wanderlei Silva and was looking to capitalize on Jackson to lift him up to elite status. Their fight would be very close and many felt that the wrong verdict was given. On a side note, an earlier victor of this card challenges the victor of this match right on the ring!
   
   Mark "the Hammer" Coleman was in need of a victory. Since losing his #1 fighter status in 2001 to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Coleman had become inactive, mostly to injury but was so dominated in his bout against Fedor Emelianenko that many were starting to doubt whether he should hang the gloves up. A quality victory would be perfect to boost his career and line him up for a potential title shot. His opponent would be the most dangerous striker in all of MMA. Mirko Cro Cop sometimes would make really good fighters look juvenile. His world class striking couple with his takedown defense provided as an almost perfect combo that would helped him devour his opponents. Mark Coleman was the best wrestler he would have to face to date....something would have to give. Would Coleman be able to take Cro Cop down and ground and pound his way to victory? Or would Cro Cop sprawl and strike his way to glory? These questions would be answered quite clearly in their fight. A fight that ended quite convincingly.



4. this dvd is full of great mma fighters.From the first match to the last one is full of action. Fist of fire features the heavyweight fight between cro cop and coleman and the lightheavyweight fight between quinton jacskon and ninja rua.
   
   best fights:
   1)Rogerio nogueira vs alistair overeem 2)fabricio werdum vs tom erikson 3)quinton jackson vs ninja rua 4)coleman vs cro cop

5 comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship, Vol. 58: USA vs CANADA.

1. This has a great battle between Rich Franklin and #1 contender David Loiseau. 5 rounds of full action. It's funny are the only 2 negative reviewers is from jenspulver11 and masakatsufunaki7. Who seem to only obsess and write negative reviews about the ufc. Look at there review history. It looks like all these two do when they are bored is look for ufc DVD's to write bad reviews on. Pride is a great organization but ufc puts on way better shows. Yes pride does have better fighters but none are as interesting as the fighters in the UFC, except for just a few in the Pride organization. It seems all those two other reviews just love to obsess about pride and probably *** it to Mirko "Cro Cop." You two *** need to go get a life. He better yet just go *** each other. Last I remember is that Jens Pulver established his career in the UFC so obviously you must like the ufc with a name like jenspulver11. Anyway enough ranting about those to *** bags. This is a great UFC card with some memorable fights. Definitely worth your time to check this one out.



2. With the title dubbed "USA vs. Canada", it was a Canadian fighter who won the crowd over with his comeback performance and post-fight speech in which got on his hands and knee's and begged for his title shot. George St. Pierre's popularity sky rocketed in this event. This was the event where he went from a fighter to a star. He didn't have to overcome the crowd who was partial for both BJ Penn and himself, what he had to do was overcome the former Welterweight champion, BJ Penn. St. Pierre showed great heart after taking a beating in the first round as BJ was one step ahead of him through the round. But BJ seemed to have relaxed and let the final 2 rounds go to St. Pierre, which led to St. Pierre getting his rematch with Matt Hughes, which is a topic that'll be discussed another time.
   
   The fight of the night in my opinion was Nathan Marquardt vs. Joe Doerksen. Marquardt was boo'ed in his UFC debut when he faced Ivan Salaverry in the inaugural "Ultimate Fight Night", but didn't dissappoint this time around. Doerksen lived up to his word by keeping this fight from being dull/boring. These 2 went toe-to-toe on the ground and standing. They were timid at first, but they let their hands fly as the fight progressed and the ground game was fantastic.
   
   The other fight that I loved was Spencer Fisher vs. Sam Stout. Stout's original opponent was Kenny Florian who was forced off of the card due to a back injury during training. On short notice, literally 2 days, Fisher made the cut from 170lbs+ down to 155lbs. Fisher dominated the first round, but the short notice and weight cutting took it's toll in the final 2 rounds. A valiant effort by both men which took the fight to a split decision....great fight, other nominee for fight of the night by die hard fans.
   
   In this event, you can see one man run 2.7 miles in one fight. David Loiseau looked more like a cross country runner than a mixed martial artist. You can't blame him, he was out-gunned by the stronger, hungrier, and more skilled defending Middleweight champion Rich Franklin.



3. This is a great UFC card for the fights themselves. They are all action packed and interesting. While several of the fights go to the decision, in most cases they were very close calls. This card also introduces two very exciting new (to the UFC) Canadian fighters Sam Stout and Mark Hominick.
   Unfortunately, this may very well be the poorest quality modern day UFC DVD yet. For starters, literally everything but the fights is cut out, no post fight interviews, no commentary between matches, or anything like that. In addition, the quality of the filming itself is clearly off, it's as if it's a bootleg copy. This will be immediately obvious open viewing of the DVD.
   In any event, it's still not to be missed for the fights.



4. This was just an okay event. I didn't like the whole idea of USA vs Canada as it had a lot of great fighters being booed just because they were Canadian. This event saw the return of B.J. Penn which is the main reason for getting this dvd. You get to see stars George St. Piere, Rich Franklin and rising star Mike Swick. Most of the card is decisions. Two very close fights, but the rest were just okay. The dvd itself is not the best. The picture quality seems off compared to other recent releases. Also, save for the main events, everything else seems to have been cut but the acutal fights themselves. Even the minute in between rounds is gone. I would rather have had it play out like a live event and heard the interviews, the between round talk, etc. Not a must buy for anyone but a completionist.



5. This was a great event! Everyone is complaining about half the card going to decision but those fights were the best ones on the dvd! Rich Franklin is one of the best fighters ever to step into the octagon and he shows his dominance in his fight with Loiseau. I guess GSP vs Bj Penn turned out to be an upset because everyone was expecting the prodigy to win! The card also features Yves Edwards, Mike Swick, Sam Stout, and Spencer Fisher! Don't let the other reviews fool you, this was a great event so buy it now to add to your UFC collection!

5 comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship Classics, Vol. 7.

1. UFC 7 held in Buffalo saw the return of several past combatants. Some really good fights. Mostly still street fighting level for a lot of the participants, but the seeds of true MMA are planted. The final is a classic David vs. Goliath battle. The let down for this event was the superfight. 33 minutes of nothing happening. Ken and Oleg really don't do much for the fans in this one.



2. U.F.C 7
   Ultimate Fighting rarely surpases it's early days and this fight card is absolutely no exception with the event introducing both new competitors and old favourites. Like all U.F.C cards there are some memorable moments and contests that shock as much then as they do now.
   The highly action packed event features the return of the massive Paul Varelans of previous U.F.C competition and Harold Howard whom had been a popular fan favourite.
   Big names inlude Ken Shamrock and Olec Taktarov who engage in a classic Superfight match, and the introduction of Marco Ruas the Brazilian Martial Artist who is now a familar name with a loyal following.
   The special features of U.F.C Classics number 7 are in line with the usual calibre of previous "Classics" titles as the disc features rare and recent interviews with the fighters themselves, Marco Ruas and Oleg Taktarov.
   A very welcome addition to any U.F.C collection, highly recommended.



3. This was an okay DVD, Ken Shamrock is okay, just not one of my favorites. Still some great fights though :)



4. I love watching UFC events. However, it's a shame UFC has taken them over and not bothered to schedule any traditional Pride bouts in Japan. :(



5. UFC 7 is a great event to get for any classic UFC fan. Its a standard 8 man tournament with a superfight. You get to see the Marco Ruas come out and live up to the hype. The superfight is a good tactical match, even though it runs the entire allotted time there are some high points but oleg makes the fight a drag only trying to finish the fight on like two occasions with some punching. Ken seems to want it a little more throwing a couple haymakers and some solid head butts. Anyone looking for a good classic UFC, Youve found one.

5 comments about The Storm Riders.

1. This movie is somewhat confusing. There is no real plot. The kung fu are unreal compared to other kung fu movies. The only entertaining part is just watching the 2 cute main charaters other than that don't waste your money.



2. Well shipping was fine but when I got my product the jewl case was busted pritty bad like someone sat on it. Im in the process to see if it wasnt damaged. The bubble rap wasn't tampered with at all not a single bubble popped which lead me to believe that it was shipped that way. From the 30 min that i have seen of the movie it looks ok and it is the storm riders i was looking for not the knock off. However since this is the more recent version I was expecting it to be an "in english" option. Guess i was goin crazy when i saw it at a friends house and thought i saw it in english...



3. There is poetic elegance in most Chinese films and I am happy to state this film is no exception. It is one of the main reasons I love Chinese cinema. This film has a playfulness and creativity with an exaggeration of certain qualities and characteristics that seems to be the hallmark of Chinese films. It is whimsical, funny, and entertaining. The costumes are very colorful and artistically designed. The hair styles of the actors and actresses are true to each character, some are modern and punkish, others are classically beautiful and elegant. The natural scenery is breath-takingly beautiful: jagged mountains, various green oriental foliage, a peaceful lake, gorges with multi-layered soil that looks like a modern art painting, and lovely valleys. Lok City is done in ancient Chinese splendor. The architecture and carvings of various buildings are stunning. There is one scene in which cherry blossom are frozen on the trees which creates an eerily glistening creatively beautiful effect. Feng Shui is clearly evident within the interior sets where minimal furniture, wall hangings and carved structures speak loudly of the artistry and creativity of the designers.
   
   In this film, Wind and Cloud are martial artists who represent the righteous forces of justice and goodness. When they combine their energy and forces against an evil immortal named Dai-Sik-Tien (DTS) and his followers, fireworks erupt. DTS has captured Mung, the beautiful wife of Wind and put her into a state of suspended animation. She looks dead as she lies in her coffin made of ice while floating on a canopied raft in the middle of a lake. Wind tries to revive his wife without success. DTS offers him a capsule, with two options: he swallows it and dies so that his wife may live or she takes it and dies, so that he may live. Of course, Wind is generous and loving so he swallows the capsule. It turns out to be a trick: she remains in a state of suspension, neither alive nor dead. Wind turns into al demonic fighter for three days. He is pitted against the very forces he had defended and to which he had belonged. Eventually, the spell breaks and he returns to his previous personality and revives Mung. But the battle lines have been drawn, the population is suffering as the dark forces descend deeper into their lives. With stunning choreography, Wind, Cloud, Wave and several other righteous fighters do battle against the evil fighters. The sword play is outstanding. This brief scenario describes one of the many subplots within this magnificently done film.
   
   In another scene, Wind helps a lady who had stolen something in the marketplace, he heals her injured arm. Little does he know that she is in disguise and part of the evil empire. He escorts her to her destination but along the way, she falls in love with him, tempting him in every possible manner. He resists and does not fall for her trap. While DTS is disappointed, he is very cunning and develops a devious plot to destroy the righteous fighters. In fact, he has won over at least one of the righteous ones to his side. He devises a scheme to destroy the dragon which lives in a gorge in the realm. He engages seven righteous martial arts warriors to join him in a coalition to kill the beast. The fight scenes are stunningly beautiful and highly creative. In one, the seven fighters on signal use their sword to ride ... like a surf board in the sky. In another magnificently conceived scene: the seven fighters stand on each other's shoulders, DTS joins them at the top. They make what looks like an energized totem pole which becomes a huge sword from their combined energy. Needless to say ... the dragon is slain. However, the biggest fight is yet to come as DTS attempts to gain the dragon's spirit all for himself. At the time, the dragon's spirit had split into small fireballs ... each of the seven warriors and DTS managed to retain one for himself. DTS wants it ALL ... Uncle Tsui Fook, an immortal from the righteous realm, joins the warriors in this fight. From this point forward, there are several treats and surprises in store for the viewer. Be assured that I have only touched the tip of the iceberg in describing scenes from this most highly recommended film. It is playful, entertaining, creative and a joy to watch. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]



4. The actor list which includes Takeshi was what prompted me to buy this, but he wasn't in the movie at all! The other thing is that although containing some special effects, it pails in comparison to the earlier movie version made in Hong Kong starring Ekin Cheng and Arron Kwok because the storyline ran a little wide. It is supposed to be the sequel to the story, but seemed more like a poorly made drama serial - any avid drama serial watcher usually is able to tell the diff between the hong kong made ones from the inferior ones made else where simply because the hong kong made ones have better execution, direction and script because of their experience.



5. I bought this because I thought Takeshi Kaneshiro is the lead actor. When I got the DVD, then I realized he is not in it at all. Besides, the actor credit is all wrong for this movie. Misadvertisement. DON'T buy this movie if you are looking for ones by Takeshi Kaneshiro

5 comments about The Legend.

1. ... ruined by bad dubbing. Unfortunately there is there is nothing in the Amazon listing or even on the DVD case indicating that this is dubbed. A nasty trick to play on buyers who prefer the original language.



2. I recently viewed this with friends who are not versed in martial arts movies...and had a distaste for them as phony. The really enjoyed this movie...the main comment being that they had never seen anything like it. They were not expecting the humor, and the Lego Set fight scene that spills into the crowd really impresssed them. Special effects help the stunts but one has to be incredibly strong and nimble to be able to pull off the effects. I have watched Fung Sai Yuk a few times and will undoubtedly watch this movie again and again.



3. I just watched (actually by fast forwarding) "The Legend 2" and another Jet Li starrer called "Red Dragon" (not to be confused with the Hannibal/Anthony Hopkins movie of the same name) and I implore you to not waste a second of your precious time or a dime of your money on this so called martial arts crap, chinese style. First and foremost dubbing of any of these movies takes out the authentic flavor out of the original making the comedy, villiany, romance and any other kind of human emotion sound, look and feel pathetically lame. That's the big and only difference between these 'B'grade action movies from Honkong and a slicker production like "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" (slicker only, read my review of CTHD for details on that fiasco). This is no serious martial art and the comedy like those innumerable chinese martial art movies, SUCKS. I can only give some credit for the flexible acrobatics. If you wish to watch sensible Jet Li action check out his Holywood movies.



4. If you want UNCUT ORIGINAL version, ALWAYS look for ORIGINAL LICENSED Production. NOT US Release. Its a foreign film, it should not be US version to begin with~! HELLO!!!?? Why settle for LESS with US Version where they edit and cut so many excellent scenes especially with Jackie's Fighting Scenes. And US Release ruins the speed and sound as well. I have been collecting JET Li movies both HK and US Release Version for quite some time now. I found HK Version to be MUCH MORE in enjoyable, and HIGHER in Quality. American Market always like to "Americanize" and "Control". Regional Code Regulation thing is one of the example to CONTROL the Market. Why not let everyone enjoy the same HK Original Release move the same way REST OF THE WORLD enjoys it ?? No one makes Hollywood American movies to "French version" or "Chinese Version" ~! This what Americans are doing~! Well, enjoy the cheap "American version" then~! LOL



5. This movie definitely wasn't for me, I like dark movies the most, but like the occasional comedy too. This one wasn't funny enough too keep my interest. The dubbing really ruins this, but it's not quite on the badness level of Twin Warriors. The movie itself is a pretty lighthearted adventure.
   
   If you wanna see Jet in a Jackie Chan role, than this is for you.
   
   Also----------------------my pick for Fong Sai Yuk is Ho Hsoua(Md Monkey Kung fu) His performance in disciples of master Killer really stole the show for me, also it's a much better overall movie, so I would suggest disciples for anyone who like this.

3 comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship, Vol. 66 - Liddell vs. Ortiz.

1. Nice fight card. UFC 66 put the exclamation point on 2006. 9 skilled bouts, including some top fighters. With that said I gave UFC 66 a 5 star rating because of some surprises, and the headliner was worth the price of the DVD itself. A classic championship bout that brought out the best in both Chuck & Tito. I highly recommend UFC 66 to any MMA fans.



2. This was a solid UFC card all the way around. The fighters were well-matched against each other, with some surprising results. Griffin vs. Jardine was an explosive, albeit relatively short fight; and Leben vs. MacDonald showed how persistance and tenacity pay off.
   
   I admit that I was just as interested in seeing the UFC debut of England's Michael Bisping (following his winning The Ultimate Fighter 3) as I was in watching Liddell and Ortiz come to blows again. Suffice it to say, neither fight disappoints. With the exception of Arlovski and Cruz, there wasn't a fight on this card that I was disappointed in. Highly recommended!



3. The Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz fight from UFC 47 was one of the biggest, most anticipated hyped bout in UFC history. And now the rematch is here.
   
   Christian Wellisch vs. Anthony Perosh
   The first round was pretty good. It starts out with some good strikes and leg shots. Perosh would then try to take down Wellisch for a while. Wellisch got in some good combination strikes and soon knocking Perosh down towards the end of the round. Round 2 starts off very exciting with Perosh seeming like he was playing possum and then getting the advantage with some early combinations and soon taking Wellisch down with a few slams. You even hear some BOO chants towards Perosh. Pretty much slow 3rd round but pretty good fight. 4/5
   
   Rory Singer vs. Yushin Okami
   This first round was pretty much a filling out one process for the two. They're was only a few punches and kicks here and there, nothing special. You even get some boos at the end of the round. Okami gets the takedown early in the 2nd round and pretty much taking control. Okami does take a hard kick in the face. Okami gets control in the 3rd round as well and soon takes it to Singer in this round. Not a whole lot of excitement. 2/5
   
   Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Carmelo Marrero
   Gonzaga soons gets the take down and applies the sleeper on Marrero and soon applies the arm bar to make Marrero tap. 3/5
   
   Tony Desouza vs. Thiago Alves
   Desouza takes a hard right punch by Alves which laid him down and gave the control to Alves. The closing minute was very exciting with McCarthey almost stopping the fight. The 2nd round seems like Alves was just toying with Desouza and throwing him around. Desouze took a hard knee which knocked him out. 3.5/5
   
   Michael Bisping vs. Eric Schafer
   Pretty exciting and non-stop first round. Schafer trys to get on the back off Bisping but then Bisping just slammed Schafer on his head. Nice back and forth contest with Bisping taking it to Schafer towards the end of the round. 4/5
   
   Andrei Arlovski vs. Marcio Cruz
   First round really consists of Cruz trying to take control of Arlovski's left leg. They soon get leg locked and then Arlovski just strike Cruz with a hard right fist to the face and then just whells on the back of his head. 3/5
   
   Jason Macdonald vs. Chris Leben
   Very early takedown in the first seconds of the fight. It then turns into a grappling contest with both men just holding onto each other. Leben got in some good knee shots. The second round was a back and forth fight with Macdonald & Leben getting some good takedowns. Nice chokeout to end the fight. 3.5/5
   
   Main Events
   Forrest Griffin vs. Keith Jardin
   The first round was pretty much a slugfest. Strong combinations and kicks from both men with a strong combination of lefts and rights by Jardin taking Griffin down to finish him off. 3.5/5
   
   Light Heavyweight Championship
   Tito Ortiz vs. Chuck Liddell
   Defiantely one of the most hyped rematches of all time, Ortiz/Liddell 2. Tito came out swinging here in the first round while Liddell pretty much standing his ground. Liddell finishes strong by taking down Tito and making him bleed with hard combination strikes. The second round was really with both men standing their ground and getting in some hard shots. Tito would eventually get a takedown for a little bit. The third round had more shots and both men feeling like they can take each other out and one man did just that. Great fight. Fight of the night for me. 5/5
   
   If you wanna see some good MMA style fighting and a good hyped main event, then I recommend on getting ufc 66.

5 comments about Meltdown.

1. Don't take this movie for more than what it is, a comedy. It was funny, Jet Li fans won't find what they're looking for, if they want typical Jet Li. It's some pretty good fighting scenes at the end, especially when Frankie, turns from a coward to a fighting machine. If you watch this movie not expecting much, you'll be pleased.



2. Jing Wong truly sinks to a new low with this movie. Jet has one oustanding action sequence but other than that, he just isn't used.
   
   Jacky Cheung is the star of this movie and plays an actor who absolutely never uses stunt doubles. It became apparent within 5 minutes that this movie was made to make fun of Jackie Chan. Of course it didn't have to be so obvious but Jing Wong just keeps driving it into your head that he does his own stunts. So if you are familiar with Jing then you know this isn't going to be a tribute to Jackie. Oh no, it is a punch to the throat through the movie screen. Jet Li plays Cheung's bodyguard and ends up doing the a stunt for him. After setting up his stupid Jackie Chan character, Jing tries to do a remake of Die Hard. Remember how you never knew what Bruce Willis was going to do and it was always surprising? Well Jing makes about the worst movie possible from here on. Instead of being clever, he makes Jet just keep storming in on the hostages and then flee. At one point he takes a helicopter up and starts shooting right into the buiding at the main bad guy with all of the hostages standing around. After the helicopter crashes into the side of the building it doesn't blow up, it just destroys everything on that floor. So other than one outstanding action sequence between Jet Li and Ben Lam(guy with sunglasses), this movie is a complete waste of time. Even Billy Chow couldn't save this one. Of course it would help if Wong Jing was smart enough to capitalize on the success of Billy Chow and Jet Li in 'Fist of Legend', but instead we don't get to see them fight and get to look at Billy Chow in a thong. Yeah, that it just what I am looking for.
   
   The Universal Laser and Video company version is OK but the imbedded subtitles are sometimes hard to read. There is a version of this released by Dimension Video(grrrr)that has been retitled Meltdown and has been shortened by 10 minutes and also has gotten a horrible new soundtrack including English dubbing and rap music replacing what was in the original. Doesn't matter which one you get because the Chinese version isn't really any better since it is not a good movie to begin with.



3. Meltdown has a lot of great things going for it and a lot of stupid things. This is an action packed movie that has some great fights and some other great action scenes. There are a lot of cool characcters in the film, but unfortunately there are plenty of stupid ones as well. The story is ok but the dubbing ruins everything, unless you get your hands on the original Chinese version. The guy that dubs Jet Li's voice sounds...like...he...is.....acting like...William....Shatner acts on the.....original.......Star.....Trek series.
   
   Kit (played by Jet Li) is Frankie Lone's bodyguard, a famous stuntman who has become a disspointment and a drunk coward to those closest to him. He is a big fraud, and Kit has been accustomed to covering for his stunts while not taking the credit. Frankie and Kit become part of a major hostage crisis in a fine HK hotel during a jewelry exhibit. Kit encounters the same men again, two years after they killed his wife and a bus full of school kids.
   
   There are two villains in the movie that are pretty awesome. The first, whose name I can't remember, fights Jet Li about 3/4 through the movie. It is my favorite fight scene of the movie and one of my favorite Jet Li fight scenes in any movie. The fight is intense and quick, beginning with gun shots, then some good ol fancy martial arts, finally ending with an interesting swordsfight, where Kit improvises by using a lighting rod from the ceiling. The other villain is Kong, played by Billy Chau (also appeared as Jet Li's nemesis in Fist of Legend). Unfortunately, Kong only has a very quick fight against Kit early in the movie, but he provides the final fight of the movie against Frankie, lasting a good 5 minutes and again combining martial arts with weapons. Its a good fight, but the previous fight mentioned was much better.
   
   Aside from these great fights, there is a lot of action consisting of lots of gunfire, driving a minivan through the hotel, and even bringing a helicopter into one of the upper stories, creating quite a disaster.
   
   Its the dubbing and the rest of the characters that becomes complete annoyance throughout the film. There is also dumb humor that fails to be funny, and ends up being really cheesy and unsuccessful at creating comedy.
   
   The Chinese language version should provide a better experience for this movie, unfortunately subtitles distract me too. However, if action is all you are after grab Meltdown and it will give you want you want.



4. This movie is all about entertaining.The combination between "Die Hard" and typical martial arts flick works in many levels, but the production values are Hong Kong`s, don`t miss that point.Fans of Jet Li are welcome, but action fans be careful. Here we can find scale helicopters burst in flames, exploding building models, chopped off dummies, you name it. The characters are extreme in their own context: Jet Li is a former military now becomed bodygard and stunt actor, loyal, gentleman, honorable, deadly, you know, a portrait of the typical good guy. The bad guys are also extremely violent and cool looking. He doesn't fight or kick much in this film, but he shoots a lot, dodging bullets from a dozen bad guys with machine guns with no scratch at all, his revolver shoots 30 bullets without reloading, he drives a car inside a hall and uses the elevator, that happens to be be the right size...
   Well, you have to be in the right mood to watch this film without laughing at the many cartoonish production mistakes. But if you are into Hong Kong low production values action films, you will really enjoy one of the best ones of the 90`s.
   
   By the way, this DVD edition sucks. English dubbed, subtitles, poor sound and no extras, not even a filmography.



5. How great of a film is DIE HARD? DIE HARD left such an indelible mark in cinema that movie producers all over the world have been rehashing its film premise ever since. MELTDOWN (aka SHU DAN LONG WEI, aka HIGH RISK), released in 1995, is only one film of many which blatantly [...] Bruce Willis's action opus. On its own merit, MELTDOWN isn't bad but isn't near the top of Jet Li's best flicks in terms of acting, storyline, or kung fu throwdowns. What it's got going for it is its infusion of mayhem and graphic violence, so if you're into that (and what dude isn't?), then it's good times for the viewer.
   
   The far-fetched plot: A deadly early encounter with a terrorist mastermind simply known as the Doctor leaves military Lieutenant Kit Li (Jet Li) a widowed man feeling guilt and in search of revenge. Two years later, Li is now toiling away as a bodyguard to crass, world-renowned kung fu movie star Frankie Lone (Jackie Cheung), who much like Jackie Chan, insists on performing his own stunts. But, unbeknownst to the public, Li actually also serves as Frankie's stunt double on occasions when Frankie has had his drink on. Frankie used to be a heralded martial artist but has "forgotten" the wushu way and is now basically a craven womanizer.
   
   When the posh Grandeur Hotel hosts an invaluable set of Russian jewels, it becomes the point of convergence for Kit, Frankie, and the Doctor and his gang of terrorists. Kit, at last, has a chance to atone for his blunder two years ago. Can he find a way to overcome the mastermind's cunning and ruthlessness? And can Frankie find his long-missing kung fu? Will the plucky girl reporter find love with Kit? Will the dubious film director be defenestrated? Can Jackie Chan forgive MELTDOWN for making a caricature of his persona?
   
   I don't recall the ratio but it seems to me that Jet Li wields a gun here more than he resorts to chop socky. The action sequences are still dang tootin' nifty, but I guess the producers really were going for that DIE HARD sensibility, ergo more firearms. Jet Li remains a very likable persona and his performance is pretty good here as he plays up the stoic, heroic role. As for Jackie Cheung - you either like his performance or you want to slap him silly. I got very annoyed with his incessant mugging and I personally didn't think he was funny, but I know friends who did. His character was meant to be a spoof of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee, but I didn't much care for it.
   
   Too, the editing staff should've been canned for the inconsistencies left in. There's a scene in which Frankie uses a shoe as a decoy, but the very next moment reveals Frankie shod on both feet. How Kit and the cop got the car out of the elevator to pull out a surprise on the terrorists is a mystery to me. There are several "people" falling out of the skyscraper who are too obviously fake dummies. See what I mean?
   
   Now, I saw MELTDOWN on dvd, dubbed in typically over-the-top English. I just wished I'd screened it in the original Chinese or Cantonese. As I've said elsewhere, more often than not, foreign movies lose something in translation. There's a chance Cheung wouldn't be as grating if he was presented in his native lingo. But, overall, despite its annoyances, MELTDOWN is worth watching for its crazy stunts and fierce violence. And for Jet Li, of course.

2 comments about Breath & Chi Kung with Scott Cole.

1. Nice pacing and instruction, very knowledgeable and motivating, Scott is wonderful in this DVD. Learned some stuff I didn't know and enjoyed it. Find myself using it once or twice a week now.



2. Breath & Chi Kung with Scott Colethis dvd is one of a kind, buy it. you won't regret it. you'll feel like new, relax and invigorating.

5 comments about American Ninja 5.

1. The fifth part of this saga may not be the best one (the carisma of Michael Dudikoff was unique) but in my opinion, it's definately worth a look if you are a martial arts fan. To start off with, Michael Dudikoff was not a martial artist. David Bradley is, so the fighting sequences and coreography are a lot better than the first two movies. On the other hand, I have to agree with the other reviewers as it being a cheesey movie with a story that just wastes the cliché and certainly aimed at kids. In a nutshell, the perfect movie to watch on a Saturday after lunch. Very inoffensive but with good martial arts moves and in my opinion, except American Ninja 3, 4 and 5 are two very good martial arts films with an actor who is not so bad in front of the cameras.



2. Too right, American Ninja 5 is clearly aimed at kids, with scarce violence, hiperactive martial moves and "mystical" ninjas flying around. Special effects are terrible, martial arts coreography is quite good (for a person who enjoys martial arts) and acting is very B, even Z, I'd say. Not a bad movie if you're 12 years old or really into martial arts. David Bradley is not that bad acting, I've seen worse martial arts actors, and I wreckon the kid who played Hiro sucked a little more. Ninjitsu aspect of the movie just goes to far fetched: ninjas of all colours, bad special effects, an invincible David Bradley, who finds all weapons effective and little-realistic blows. Lacks the magic of the first movies but still good for kick and punch fans.



3. I will state right off the bat that I have always been a fan of the American Ninja series. Yes I know they aren't art but I enjoy the cheesball action and performances. After viewing American Ninja 4, which was rather entertaining in its own B-grade way, I was looking forward to viewing American Ninja 5.
   
   The hookey cover art through me for a loop at first. It's just a lame picture of the characters in the film in stupid poses and mist added in to make it look "mystic". I was hoping the movie would be more entertaining than the cover art led on. Sadly it wasn't.
   
   Here we get the "PG-13/Karate Kid wanna-be" version of American Ninja. David Bradley (American Ninja 3 & 4) returns but this time he plays a different character. He plays Joe Castle and not Sean Davidson from American Ninja 3 & 4. I found that to be a little strange, but oh well. One of his friends (the guy from the Karate Kid series no less) drops off his grandson (named Hiro) for Bradley to look after. Bradley reluntantly agrees and even takes the kid on a date he has that night. His date gets kidnapped by, take a wild guess, a bunch of ninja and he and the annoying Hiro kid go off to South America to rescue her. This is where the story rips-off American Ninja 2. The Ninja are using Bradley's 'girlfriend' (even though he only new her for a day) as blackmail so her father will create a deadly gas. Snore, been there, done that, and better.
   
   Another bummer is that now the great fight sequences are gone. The fights from the previous Ninja enstallments are more tamed down, kid friendly battle scenes with Hiro making stupid comments every now and then. It's as if the filmmakers were targeting fans of the Karate Kid series instead of fans the violent R-Rated American Ninja franchise. Mistake.
   
   To top it off, the music is some of the worst I have ever heard and belongs more to a made for cable Disney movie than a martial arts film.
   
   If you can't tell, this is the Disney version of an American Ninja film. Hell I thought any minute I would see Herbie the Love Bug driving down the street to great our heros. Only buy this DVD if your a completest. Otherwise your better off buying American Samurai, which would have been a far better American Ninja sequel than this tame junk.



4. When I heard of American Ninja 5 for the first time a few years ago, I thought to myself, I loved the first 4, I got to find this one. Well it's a good thing I didn't since I saw it one late night on Spike TV. Apparently it's a kiddie martial arts movie much more similar to 3 Ninjas than American Ninja. What made the people who made this movie decide to deceive people into thinking that this kid friendly ninja movie is a sequel to the rated R action of American Ninja 1-4? I suppose they wanted to capatalize on the success on 3 Ninjas and slap on the title of American Ninja at the same time actually thinking they would make more money or something.
   
   It's not rated R, and David Bradley doesn't even play Sean Davidson this time. Maybe Michael Dudikoff wasn't available this time again like in part 3 and they thought, everyone wants to see a kid friendly movie instead of the 2 American ninjas teaming up again. What a joke. Instead they team up Bradley as a new character with a 10 year old who, although good at martial arts, but c'mon, he's 10. And if I remember correctly, there was actually ninja on rollerskates in this movie. Oh yeah, and the leader ninja actually wears a cape. Ninja don't wear capes. He looked more like an Asian Dr. Strange then a ninja.
   
   I had heard the original title for this was actually American Dragons. It even had that title when it was on Spike TV. It must have done so bad that before they shipped it to stores they probably changed the title to grab fans of the American Ninja films. Luckily, I was not sucked in, I didn't buy this dvd, I wouldn't even buy it for a dollar. I might take it for free just to sell it to someone I hate. Actually, I wouldn't subject anybody to see this and would use it as a coaster instead.
   
   I wish I could give this 0 stars because it makes me so upset. Please, I do recommend the first 4 American Ninjas which I have on dvd, but don't get this. Just look at the ridiculous cover and know it's terrible. There's a reason I only mention American Ninja 1-4 to anybody and never mention this. Because this is not a sequel! This has nothing to do with the first 4 films! Remember that! Actually don't! Pretend this doesn't exist like I do.



5. Not the best martial arts movie ever made, but I didn't want the best martial arts movie ever made. I wanted vast amounts of entertaining cheese. American Ninja 5 delivered! Don't even try to take it seriously.