3 comments about The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies.

1. Presented by Samuel L. Jackson, THE ART OF ACTION is an enjoyable and entertaining look at the history of matial arts films from its origins in Peking Opera in China, which was performed by men in women's clothing. Strangely, the first kung fu features were made with the WOMEN doing all the fighting as film was then considered a lower medium in China, and it was "dishonorable" for men to stoop to that level!
   Of course, no film about martial arts could be made without Bruce Lee, "The James Bond Of Martial Arts". Here viewers are treated to footage from RETURN OF THE DRAGON where Lee beats the bejesus out of a young Chuck Norris, as well as hearing Lee's philosophies on kung fu, which remain intriguing and inspiring no matter how many times you hear them.
   THE ART OF ACTION also features appearances from Jackie Chan, recounting his experiences as part of a Peking Opera troupe at age 7, as well as ruminations by John Woo, Ang Lee and Steven Seagal. There's plenty here to educate and entertain viewers, though stranglely Hammer's martial arts/ horror film LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES is overlooked here... but Cynthia Rothrock's cruddy movies get some attention! I just don't get it! That remains my only quibble. Also features clips from more recent films like RUSH HOUR 2 and CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON.
   If you like this, you may want to check out the similar documentary CINEMA OF VENGEANCE which is about the history of martial arts and Hong Kong action films, though personally I found THE ART OF ACTION to be more entertaining. Both movies are highly recommended.



2. This in-depth documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the martial arts films. It shows what the early pioneers of martial arts had to do to pass on the skills when the then rulers wanted to forbid the practice. The journey is one of rebellious beginnings to high flying stunts in movies today. It also features the work of Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan,Sammo Hung and others. This is a great documentary to watch if you want to learn more about the world of martial arts in films.



3. This movie does not show like many great clips but is a pretty good documentary. It starts out talking about the the first shaw movies and lau kar-leung, and also the origins of kung fu(briefly), women in the 20's making these movies, and of course kwan tak-hing. The only thing that I really had a problem with is that they just passed over the jimmy wang yu, lo lieh, chen kwan tai, hwang jang lee, etc. I don;t think it even mentions the venoms!! They show some good clips from one armed swordsman, but even though they show their dramatic scene, they don't even mention jimmy or lie's name. So it goes way to quickly into the new school stuff like crouching tiger but does not capitilize on the golden age of kung fu.

5 comments about Shinobi No Mono.

1. Great series this is the most realistic Ninja series that you will ever see. There are (8)movies in this series I just wish they would've released the whole series together in a box set. This is a most own for any fan of Ninja movies. Raizô Ichikawa who is the star of this series is one of my favorite Actors he is just awesome in this series.



2. My review of "Shinobi No Mono" will not only be about the film itself, but the entire series. A friend of mine who is from Japan, but lives here in the USA now, lent me these films, and I will have to state right up front, these are the most realistic films of the ninja that I have ever seen. If you know of any other ones, I'd like to know their titles. These films are ALL in black and white, and were released in the early to mid 1960s. How realistic are these films? Glad you asked. Well, for starters from what I understand, the technical and historical adviser to these films was none other than Toshitsugu Takamatsu, who was a Grandmaster of the Togakure-Ryu Ninjutsu Ryu [School]. Moreover, the fight directions were supervised by the ninjitsu master Hatasumi Masaki. How's that for a ninja film? Sure, there are some pretty cool films depicting ninjas, "Azumi" for one is a great and fun film that entertains. However, if you want realism in your films, then these are the ones.
   
   Forget about the ninjas jumping up to a 100 foot cliff, or jumping down a 500 foot mountain battling 150 adversaries while dodging 100 shurikens thrown at him--this is the real deal here. And while there are some fun ninja films around, none of them packs the excitement that this series does. There are 8 films in all which compromise the entire series. [I understand that there was a 9th film, but without actor Raizo Ichikawa--I wouldn't know however, as I did not see this one] The films main character in this first film, and the rest to follow is portrayed by the late actor Raizo Ichikawa as the protagonist Ishikawa Goemon, who belongs to the Fujibayashi clan of Shinobi, and Yohachi of the Momichi clan. A little background is necessary: First, the warlord Oda is waging war against all the Shinobi, and as such, they are at war with him. These clans however are trying to vie to be the ones to kill the tyrannical Lord Nobunaga Oda (Tomisaburo Wakayama) [of "Lone Wolf and Cub" fame]. This first film is complicated and much attention must be paid to it. Also, the second one in the series is even more complicated. However, if you stick with them they are well worth the time spent.
   
   Lord Nobunaga Oda is waging war against ALL the Shinobi. I cannot tell you too much about Goemon's character as it will give too much away, so I will tell you that he does something which incurs the wrath of his clan leader, and in order to redeem himself he must kill Lord Nobunaga Oda. The film is pretty complicated as the clan leader or Goemon portrays several characters and you have a difficult time on first viewing to understand a lot of what is going on. There is confusion with his character, and you will notice this when you watch the first episode, I do not wish to divulge it. However, it can be a little complicated. Yet, as you get into the further episodes, things really come together. There are some really cool and realistic scenes however, where Goemon tries to kill Lord Oda, like the poison on a string while he is up in the rafters while the Lord is asleep. And since the Lord will be around for the upcoming films, well you get the point. From what I understand, the actors actually had to go through some sort of training in the film in order to give credence to the fight scenes. Plus, there are some great scenes with the ninja and their weapons of choice--complete with smoke bombs, disguises, decoy animals, Shurikens, and many other weapons.
   
   As you watch the entire series unfold on the TV screen, YOU JUST KNOW that the director Satsuo Yamamoto wanted this to be the BEST ninja film ever. The films narrative is done with class, and the films themselves deal with the real life warlord Oda Nobunaga who was an historical figure in Japanese history. And the films narrative is revolved around him. Therefore, there is SOME truth in the films. However, there is a lot of fiction as well. But it's great to see a film where the director tries to employ historical themes to go along with the narrative. Now, I will be the first to admit that the film lacks cohesion in many parts, especially those concerning Goemons character, but as you get further into the series, you find that this is a really good series.
   
   I have not seen any ninja films depicted like these 8 episodes, and quite honestly I do not understand why not. These films are IMPORTANT, and they stand up extremely well into the present. Some will not like these films as there are many complicated plots, and not enough 'suspension of disbelief' that one finds in todays modern ninja films, and that's okay. However, for those who like their films with more authenticity, then I HIGHLY recommend the first film, and more importantly the entire series when they become available; which I am sure they are bound to be. Also, the films have some really terrific cinematography, even on the films I viewed which are in no way in the same caliber as the ones Animeigo produces. The first film is titled "Band of Assassins." My particular favorite ones were [the first--because it got me into the series] and the fourth episode "Mist Saizo." But they must ALL be seen in order to appreciate these films.
   
   Do not let the first film discourage you from viewing the others. If you are not used to films in black and white, or earlier films of the Chambara genre, then give these a chance. Actually, I am quite amazed that it took so long for these films to become noticed here in the USA. These are really good films dealing with realistic depictions of the ninja. Anyway, suffice it to say that those who love samurai films, and Japanese films in general will like these films. If you like Kurosawa's samurai films, then your going to like these. I'm not kidding! Once again, there are eight films in all. They are as follows: #1.Band Of Assassins #2. Return Of The Band Of Assassins #3. Goemon Will Never Die #4. Mist Saizo #5. Return Of Mist Saizo #6. The Last Iga Spy #7. Mist Saizo Strikes Back #8. The Three Enemies. The VHS and DVD films that I viewed did not have very good subtitles according to my Japanese friend. However, knowing that Animeigo has a high standard in their sub-title transfers, I am sure that this series will get its proper respect. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. [Stars: 5+]



3. Enjoyed this movie. Good to see a picture of Raizo Ichikawa when he was young.



4. Ninja have so far escaped their origins that they are more often portrayed in the realm of fantasy, with astounding leaps, flashing swords and mystical skills as in the film Shinobi - Heart Under Blade, than in any historical context (see Ninja: The True Story of Japan's Secret Warrior Cult). They have become legendary figures of astounding prowess, joining the ranks of wizards, elves and dragons.
   
   But long before the world knew of "ninja", long before the black-clad assassins became regular players in video games and parody websites, there was the film series Shinobi no Mono. This was the first production to popularize the mysterious figures, although done in an accurate and historical manner. With technical advisor Toshiitsugu Takamatsu and fight coordinator Hatsumi Masaaki (author of The Way of the Ninja), both Grandmasters of ninjitsu. This series of eight films remains unparalleled in the world of ninja fiction, although people may be surprised at just how human and non-"super powered" the ninja are.
   
   This is the first film in the series, and features famed actor Ichikawa Raizo (Sleepy Eyes of Death) as the ambitious and foolish ninja Ishikawa Goemon. Goemon wants to advance his career as a ninja, but soon finds himself being played by his master Sandayu. The more Goemon tries to make his own way, the more he finds himself a pawn in someone else's game. The other player in the game is Oda Nobunaga (played by legendary actor Wakayama Tomisaburo of Lone Wolf and Cub and The Wolves), who seeks to destroy the ninja clans as an untamed threat to his authority. A beautiful and brave prostitute named Maki (Fujimura Shiho from Zatoichi's Cane Sword), gives Goemon the strength he needs to escape his twisted path and try to regain control and honor.
   
   "Shinobi no Mono" strikes an excellent balance between showing the historical ninja and still giving good drama within the context. It works both as a film and as a history lesson, and anyone seeing this first entry is going to find themselves hooked and demand to see more of Goemon's adventure as they continue in the series.
   
   Animeigo has done its usual excellent job with this DVD, including their innovative subtitles. They plan to continue the "Shinobi no Mono" series, and I for one will be eagerly awaiting each new release.



5. I was curious about the subtitles, which one of the other reviewers complements. They use different colors and placement and are often quite creative. This is actually something I've advocated in an essay called "The Translation Studies Reader" and in a book entitled Cinema Babel: Translating Global Cinema (Minnesota UP). I'm wondering first how other people find these subtitles, and second if this is a fluke or are other discs starting to do this as well. It's a mainstay of fan-subbing, but pretty darn unusual on a commercial disc, no?
   
   As for the movie, it's one of Raizo's better efforts. Great ninja fun.

No comments about TKO.

No comments about Drive (Special Collectors Edition).

5 comments about Pride Fighting Championships: Total Elimination 2004.

1. I had given Shockwave 2004 a five star rating before, wrongly stating that it was the only five star Pride event that I have ever seen. This event is another top notch performance in every way. Every fight on this card is exciting as hell. If you are a fan of MMA and really want to own the most exciting that Pride has to offer, then I highly recommend this DVD along with Shockwave 2004. Buy it!



2. This is a great dvd. Pride has the best heavyweights in the world and this dvd shows why. There are a few lack luster fights but all in all a great dvd.



3. A lot of the matchups on this DVD/Event are one sided. That's really what it comes down to in the end, Critical Countdown & Final Conflict (barring FC's ending) get much better.



4. WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS
   
   
   Japan's Pride FC has some of the most talented fighters in mixed martial arts today, and this event is a fine example. These in particular are all heavyweight fights, and the tournament is a sort of elimination system, in which the winners of every fight advance to the next tournament. Fights are one 10 minute round, followed by two 5-minute rounds, which I especially like, having gotten into mixed martial arts by way of the UFC. I've always felt that 3 5-minute rounds just isn't enough time. Here, the fights have plenty of room to unfold, and only one even goes into the second round.
   
   So, as I mentioned, we have here the cream of the martial arts crop. Chief among them is the incredible Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the best fighter out there today. Watching his very impressive submission victory (in 2 minutes) over the legendary Mark Coleman, it's certainly not hard to believe. There are tons of other great fights here as well, such as Sergei Kharitonov pummeling Murilo Rua, wrestler Kevin Randleman scoring a surprise knockout over lethal kickboxer Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic, and Antonio Rodrigo Noguera's epic battle against Hirotaka Yokoi.
   
   A couple of fights here are kind of more novelty than anything, like the 7-foot Giant Silva taking on the short, squat Henry Miller, and the "giant vs. giant" matchup between Semmy Schilt and Gan McGee, but they're still fun to watch. Not a single boring fight on here. Also, Bas Rutten's commentary and interviews are really entertaining, and UFC champ Chuck Liddell even stops by for a little commentary toward the end.
   
   All in all, a great buy for Pride fans, and mixed martial arts fans in general.



5. total elimination 2004 is the first round of the heavy weight grandprix tournament.This event features great fighters such as ogawa,ninja rua,heath herring,kevin randleman,cro cop,nogueira,fedor,and mark coleman. all the fights in this dvd are great.
   best fights:
   1)ninja rua vs sergei kharitinov 2)nogueira vs yokoi 3)heath herring vs takamashi 4)randleman vs cro cop

5 comments about UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), Vol. 56 - Full Force.

1. Here are the bouts:
   
   KEITH WISHIEWSKIRS? vs. NICK THOMPSON-really good match between 2 first time UFC fighters.
   
   THIAGO ALVES vs. ANSAR CHALANGOV-great grappling match. A bit short though.
   
   SAM HAGER vs. JEFF NEWTON-this is a pretty good match with Sam Hogar dominating throughout but is facing a man that can escape anything. Jeff Newton has a move where he is in full guard gets out of it buy putting his legs around the neck of Hogar. It is a move out of like a Chuck Norris ninja flick that has to be seen to be believed.
   
   JEREMY HORN vs. TREVOR CANGLEY-this is an epic match that goes to a decision.
   
   GEORGES ST. PIERRE vs. SEAN SHERK-this just ends up being a one-sided match becasue of the fact that Sherk looks like a fly out there trying to just land something on St. Pierre.
   
   MATT HUGHES vs. JOE RIGGS-I expected this to be a much better match after Riggs smashed Chris Lytle but Riggs makes an early mistake that he can't come back from and just gets himself in more trouble trying to get out of.
   
   KEVIN JORDAN vs. GABRIEL GONZAGA-possibly the worst match in UFC history. Fastforward to 40 seconds left in the 3rd round to see a spectacular ending.
   
   RICH FRANKLIN vs. NATE QUARRY-this match was pretty much just as bad as Arlovski vs. Buentello.



2. The DVD came in great condition but was not shrink wrapped, so I have to wonder if it really was new...



3. The fights are very good with a can't miss highlight reel knockout.
   Also the current BO DOG cahmp has the first prelim fight.



4. Entertaing UFC DVD with Hughes, St Pierre/Sherk, and Franklin. My biggest Complaint on this DVD is the UFC cutting out the Ken/Tito Confrontation which was the prelude to their TUF competition? Why?



5. UFC 56
   FULL FORCE
   
   Not one of the greatest event ever by the UFC but still a good event.
   
   1.NICK THOMPSON VS KEITH WISNIEWSKI-the first round sees these two lock up a lot, there are a few exchanges but not too many. The second round has a lot of good ground game, and Nick really puts it on Keith. The third round is insane with reversal after reversal, good opening bout and Nick takes a decision victory.4/5
   
   2.THIAGO ALVES VS ANSAR CHALANGOV-this one ends pretty quick with Alves dominating Ansar on the ground and gets the KO after he mounts him.5/5
   
   3.SAM HOGER VS JEFF NEWTON-the first round is good and even has a nice arm bar attempt. The second round is looking just like the first until Sam locks in a rear naked choke and secures a victory. Another good fight on this card.4.5/5
   
   4.JEREMY HORN VS TREVOR PRANGLEY-amazing first round between these two gladiators right here, both just come at each other with all they got. There are a lot of times that this fight could have been stopped, but each refused to give in. the second round is just as exciting with a lot of hard hitting action. The third round was another back and forth battle, and after a hard fought fight Jeremy Horn takes this one.5/5
   
   5.GEORGES ST. PIERRE VS SEAN SHERK-the first round of this fight was all GSP which should surprise nobody, he completely gave it to Sherk in this one. The second starts off ok but GSP just lays into him much like the first and ends this fight in the second after he pummels Sherk on the ground.5/5
   
   6.MATT HUGHES VS JOE RIGGS-this was for Hughes title but Riggs didn't make weight and had to give up the title shot. This fight ends fairly quickly as Hughes locks in a kimora in the first round and forces Riggs to tap out. I guess it wouldn't have mattered if the title was on the line.5/5
   
   7.GABRIEL GONZAGA VS KEVIN JORDAN-the first round was pretty good not to much action but it was still good, a good take down at the beginning. Round two was pretty uneventful up until the end of it, and the fight looked pretty even at this point. The third round looked like the second until with less then a minute left Gonzaga knocks out Jordan with a superman punch.3/5
   
   8.[MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP] RICH FRANKLIN VS NATE QUARRY-all I can say about this one is wow, Rich keeps his belt after he knocks out Nate with a great straight left. This has got to be one of the best knock outs I have ever seen in MMA, you should definitely see this event for this one right here.5/5
   
   This was a good event that I recommend every one see, that main event was amazing.

5 comments about Wing Chun - The Science of In-Fighting.

1. This dvd is somewhat helpful, but has no real depth to it.
   It is dated, which isn't really bad, but you will notice it and I would like to make you aware of it.
   It got a 2 star rating because it is Wing Chun, because routines were done right and because the price was right.
   If you are looking for a home course to make you good at Wing Chun, this may help but it will not make you an expert by any stretch of the imagination.



2. This instructional dvd on Wing Chun is dated, but don't let that keep you from buying it - appreciate this dvd for the time it was produced. Even though it was produced in the 70s, it was very-well filmed and even a novice can learn from it. I would rate this dvd superior to many instructional martial arts being produced with today's technology which seem to be more about theatrics & CGI than instruction. As with any instructional dvd, do NOT expect to become a master by just viewing it, seek out a certified instructor & use the dvd as a training tool to perfect your skills.



3. i have had this DVD for a few weeks now, and i can say that i love it. I have studied wing chun for 4 or 5 years now off and on, and this dvd is a great tool to have for any wing chun practitioner. Master wong is exceptional at breaking down moves and explaining them so anyone can grasp the concepts and application. I love the in-depth explanations and visuals of this DVD. The only thing i do not see in this dvd that would be perfect is regular speed dimensrations of the techniques, not just the semi-slow speed that is shown. other than that, this dvd is awesome.



4. I have owned this DVD for months and have watched it almost everyday! I learn something new from it every time! I have learned Sui Lim Tao from it by slowing down the DVD player. This DVD is like a good book you must read it over and over to glean all the good stuff. I Would buy this DVD at triple the price. Wong was the main instructor of Bruce Lee and also a great fighter in his own right!



5. i have no idea what everyone else is taking about but this has to be one of the most over rated cheap and useless vidios ive ever seen

5 comments about Pride Fighting Championship: Final Conflict 2004.

1. Final Conflict 2004 was the finals of the PRIDE Heavyweight Grand Prix and was overall a tremendous event.
   
   This event showcases the best fighters in the world. Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Nogueira, Yuki Kondo, Mirko Cro Cop, and Wanderlei Silva are among the mega-stars you will see on this event.
   
   Despite the controversial ending the main event, this event is packed with great fights. And of course, the MMA legend himself, Kazushi Sakuraba is on the card and puts on a great performance.



2. This is a pretty good fight video but it is disappointing. You may as well know up front that the "final conflict" does not happen. You don't get to see it.
   
   The "final conflict" is the championship fight of the heavyweight tournament. The final four square off on this video, and there are two winners who are supposed to fight for the championship. However the fight does not happen. Instead, one of the fighters, the better one as a matter of fact, gets a nasty head cut from an accidental head collision, and the fight is ruled a "no contest".
   
   For the faint of heart (like me) be warned that you see some very graphic shots of fingers prying apart the skin on the man's forehead, showing a really bad and deep cut wide open to inspection. The skin is separated a good bit.
   
   There are some good fights on the card. It is still worth watching, even though there is no conclusion.



3. The introduction of this event still blows my mind everytime I see it. The fights on this are pretty good... above average in terms of Pride events IMO. Really, the intro is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of this event. You really should buy this... it is an excellent event that you will enjoy seeing.



4. yes, the very last fight does end in disappointing fashion, but the entire card before that is filled with extremely exciting fights. the Cro Cop/Aleks fight is one of the best ever, as is the Sergei/Nog and Kondo/Silva fights. Watching Fedor take on Ogawa is also a pleasant treat.



5. Very good Pride DVD. Nice matchups with plenty of action. A couple of fights were human highlight reels. A great DVD for the true MMA fans who will miss Saitama Super Arena. Japanese fans were amazing. Disciplined, appreciative and respectful. US fans have a long way to go to match Japanese appreciation of MMA. With that said...very good DVD.

5 comments about Ultimate Fighting Championship, Vol. 68: The Uprising.

1. Almost a perfect card. The Couture bout alone makes this worth the money. I haven't seen a crowd so pumped up for a UFC match ever. I got that same excited feeling when I saw the first Couture/Liddel match. This card also saw the returns of Hughes and Franklin after losing their titles. I think that the former champs were overshadowed by 2 earlier matches between Sobral and Lambert as well as the Kampmann and McFedries bought. Not a batch match at all. The only failing of the dvd is that they did not include post fight interviews save for the main event and they did not include any post fight behind the scenes in the extras. Fantastic UFC card.



2. UFC 68 had one of the best main cards up until that point, since it included a hall of famer (Couture) coming back for a title fight against Tim Sylvia, and two former champions Hughes and Franklin staging their return after losing their title. And if this does not get you pumped, you also get to see "Babalu" against Lambert, which on paper is one of the most promising bouts in this card for those that like Brazilian Ju-Jitsu.
   
   But this DVD has a lot more to offer than the main card, with some preliminary fights that are worth watching. In Varner vs. Gilliam you get to see some great Ju-Jitsu with a nice submission. This is followed by another lightweight fight, Tibau vs. Dent, which develops mostly on the ground, but it is more of a struggle between the fighters for keeping / passing guard. This is not a bad fight, but it is one of the most disappointing in the card. Fitch vs. Fioravanti kicks up the pace again and we get a nice combination of stand-up action, grappling and ground game. The final under card fight, Hamill vs. Holman, can best be described as a slug fest, but it looked to me as if both fighters lacked in the technique department.
   
   The first fight in the main card features the return of Babalu after his lost opportunity to capture the title in his fight with Lidell. As I already mentioned, since I really enjoy Ju-Jitsu this fight had the potential to be extraordinary, and I was not disappointed. I was surprised though by how the fight ended, one of the best KO I have seen in a long time. Hughes vs. Lytle is basically a ground fight, but both fighters keep active this entertained me throughout the duration. One of the things I really like about his card is the differences in style among the fighters, and we go from a pure ground fight to a stand up war with some ground action between Franklin and MacDonald. The final bout before the championship fight, Kampmann vs. McFedries, showed a nice combination of skills and a beautiful submission.
   
   And then there was one fight left, but what a fight! Forty-three-year-old Randy Couture coming back from retirement, to go against one of the most dangerous strikers in the UFC. It seemed lunacy, but these two guys put on an amazing show that will be remembered as a classic. Overall this was a great event, with only one fight really missing the mark. 4.5 stars.



3. That was said in the traditional gladiator introduction of UFC 68. When a friend who used to work with me approached me and announced that Sylvia was defending his title, I thought it was cool. When I heard he was taking on Randy Couture, I laughed out loud. Tim Sylvia's words are in my title above. These were the words of myself, and quite possibly many others, "This fight is gonna be over in less than a round! Couture doesn't stand a chance." I figured that the return of "The Natural" was great, but I thought that it was rather bold on his part. I thought Tim Sylvia was going to take his head off, just like Chuck Liddell did in UFC 52 and 57. There was one thing I was forgetting. Tim Sylvia isn't Chuck Liddell. I wasn't expecting the MAIN EVENT to be such a big deal. After all, Matt Hughes, Rich Franklin, and Renato "Babalu" Sobral are on the card too! ALL these guys were coming off of losses. What's the big deal about Randy coming out of retirement? Just gonna get beat, go home, come back to the Octagon, and lose some more. He's washed up! That was really stupid to think.
   
   I also remember when my friend approached me at work after UFC 68. We hadn't seen each other in about a week. He didn't just walk up to me. He RAN up to me. And the first words out of his mouth were, "Oh boy! I've been waiting to see you. You missed one of the best UFCs I've ever seen!" Oh yeah? It was that good, huh? "The Randy Couture and Tim Sylvia was the greatest fight I've ever seen! The first 12 seconds of the fight were worth it alone!!!" How long did this fight last? "It went the distance. Unanimous decision. Oh man! Just wait until you see this fight!" So, if you were like me, you missed the PPV, and you had to wait for the DVD. If you've seen the fight, you can't quit talking about it. But that's the problem. Including undercard fights, there are 9 total fights on this DVD, and this was indeed a 5 star rating! Here are the fights, including the one I've been ranting and raving about.
   
   Jamie Varner vs. Jason Gilliam: The Worm takes on The Gizzard! Pretty quick submission in a little over a minute.
   
   Gleison Tibau vs. Jason Dent: This goes all 3 rounds. Dent wants this to stay on the feet, Tibau wants it to go to the ground. It is a unanimous decision
   
   Jon Fitch vs. Luigi Fioravanti: Pretty good bout that ends with a submission in round 2.
   
   Matt Hamill vs. Rex Holman: The deaf kid from TUF 3 who impressed all. He impresses in this as well with a first round TKO!!
   
   Renato Sobral vs. Jason Lambert: Quite frankly, this was a great fight. And it ended with what I'd call a surprise knock out in round 2!
   
   Matt Hughes vs. Chris Lytle: This was a 3 round battle that went to a unanimous decision. It had it's moments, but you can probably guess who dominated most of this fight.
   
   Rich Franklin vs. Jason MacDonald: Franklin's fightin' in his home town!! He's ready to put on a show that is over with after 2 rounds.
   
   Martin Kampmann vs. Drew McFedries: This was pretty good. What was really interesting was the comeback, as well as the submission in the first round.
   
   Tim Sylvia vs. Randy Couture: Have you seen this fight? Have you watched the first 12 seconds, let alone the rest of this fight?! When Joe Rogan is left speechless, you know that this is worth talking about!!!
   
   What more is there to say? Watch this event! Nothing disappointing at ALL about this!!



4. What an important event this was in to the landscape of mixed martial arts. Here we get to see the return of The Natural to the heavyweight division and to MMA in general, as well as the comeback fights for two fallen champions in Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin.
   
   The drama factor is higher with this event than most, as focal acts in the stories of some of MMA's finest fighters are played out on this night. Randy Couture comes back to fight in a division that he was essentially battered out of by larger men a few years back (none of whom were as large as Tim Sylvia). Couture left the Light Heavyweight division after losing twice to the division's then premier striker, Chuck Liddell, to face one of the Heavyweight division's then premier strikers in Sylvia.
   
   With Matt Hughes and Rich Franklin, we get to see just what they've got left to offer after suffering extremely decisive losses in their respective weight classes. Georges St. Pierre painted a masterpiece in his dismantling of Hughes at UFC 65, picking Hughes apart on the feet and shucking off all takedown attempts. Hughes returns against TUF runner up Chris "Lights Out" Lytle. Hughes declares that he will return to his wrestling roots in this fight - the skill set that brought him to his status as the greatest welterweight champion the sport has seen.
   
   Who can forget the image of Rich Franklin being manhandled in the clinch by a highly-touted fighter from Pride? It was one of those fights that is almost difficult to watch (ALMOST). Franklin simply had no answer for Anderson Silva's muay thai clinch at UFC 67. Franklin returns to face Jason McDonald, who has recently been making a habit of upsetting fan favorites. He is called "the spoiler" in the UFC and he has had to fight for many years, through career ups and downs, to get to the UFC. Each man has much to prove in this bout - so the stage is set for something special to happen.
   
   I will not go into the details of any of the above fights, but each is significant and each is worth watching. The undercard fights are pretty solid, as well. We have Jon Fitch hoping to continue on his unbeaten path to a welterweight title bid, Matt Hamill from TUF, heavy-handed Drew McFedries taking on fellow striker Martin Kampmann, Babalu Sobral vs. Jason Lambert and a couple of other preliminary bouts that round out a stellar fight card.
   
   This is highly recommended viewing for any MMA fan.



5. While the the fight card on this DVD is of a high quality, the DVD as a whole is a disappointment. There is no introduction at the start of the card by Rogan and Goldberg as seen on the ppv. There are no video intros to give us a brief background on the upcoming fights as there is on the ppv. There are no post-fight interviews in the octagon with Joe Rogan. The fighters are not even introduced in the octagon by Bruce Buffer! On the whole there is a substantial amount of missing content that is essential to giving UFC fight cards their identity. Poor Production.

5 comments about Forced Vengeance.

1. Chuck Norris stars as security chief/debt collector for the Lucky Dragon casino in Hong Kong. He is considered a son to the casino's owner and is certainly a stand-up guy. When the casino owner decides not to sell his casino to an evil tycoon, they kill him, his son, and then go looking for his daughter. Norris saves the daughter (she stands to inherit the casino) and they hide out at his girlfriend's place. Goons relentlessly come after him and they kidnap the daughter. Norris of course has to save her with his superior cowboy karate skills.
   
   This is well directed and has great music from Willam Goldstein. Norris gives one of his best performances. He is not good at delivering lines effectively, but they just seem to give him the right lines in this movie. All of this helps out quite a bit since the plot is very thin. The action is good, though nothing spectacular. Luckily, there is plenty of action and I have never seen Norris look this cool. Highly recommended for fans of Chuck Norris.
   
   3/5
   
   Picture quality on the Fox DVD is good, but grainy at times.



2. The action is pretty good and the story moves along nicely (except the five years it seems to take to go from the docks to his boat when he first returns) but the acting done by some of the actors was a bit stiff. The two cops for example were rather one dimensional, and don't get me started on the big boy working for Osiris. Worth the money but not nearly as good as say Code of Silence or An Eye For An Eye. And definitely nowhere near Hero and The Terror.



3. This was one of my favorite movies growing up. It's not nearly as good as I remember, but I still like it, and it's still my favorite of Chuck's. Only "Lone Wolf McQuade", and "An Eye For An Eye" come close.
   
   The plot has Norris as a bouncer in a Hong Kong casino where his father-and-son bosses are an adopted family for him. When the elder boss refuses to sell out his place to a proliferating casino chain, both he and his son are killed. The sole heir to their fortune is the partying daughter that Norris must now protect from the greedy syndicate.
   
   The story isn't particularly good, but it's quite adequate in linking lots of fight scenes together without sacrificing too much logic. The pacing is what really makes this movie work. Director James Fargo keeps the story moving with claustrophobic camerawork of back-alleys, boats, rooms at the brothel, and other places where bad guys could (and often do) attack. Not to mention some beautiful shots of Hong Kong itself. The fights aren't great, but they're some of the better ones I've seen from Norris, and there's lots of 'em. Some are even choreographed.
   
   The picture should be widescreen, but what are you gonna do? In English or French, with Spanish, French, or English subtitles. Recommended for fans of Norris and/or cliched 80's action films. Others beware.
   
   1982



4. 1982 was a big year for Chuck Norris. He released two terribly awesome or awesomely terrible movies. One was Silent Rage. The other is the reason your pal, Sid the Elf, has ended his Spring hiatus--Forced Vengeance. Also 1982 is the year in which a hairy chest and a blond mullet crested as the sign of masculine virility. What is not a sign of masculine virility, however, is having a tailor-made chance to have a hot fugitive threesome with a buxom blond and a dark beauty and not getting it done. Shame on you, Chuck. Really, that was the only thing Sid could find wrong with Forced Vengeance. I know it was 1982, but that could have broken down the barrier. We could have B action stars having orgies all over the place by now.
   
   So, instead of something more aptly titled, "Unforced Entrance," we got "Forced Vengeance." And that's just fine with Sid. It is a Chuck Norris movie set in Hong Kong, after all. Chuck plays Josh Randall--no, not John Rambo, Josh Randall. He's a one-man security force for the Lucky Dragon casino, which was founded by Randall's longtime friend Sam Pacal and is now run by Sam's son, David. Early in the film we see Randall's whipping prowess. He goes to collect a $115k gambling debt and simply destroys the gamblers henchman. But we also see his gentle side when he chastises David for making a dishonest dealer walk through the casino bareassed. After a sexy...a time with his girlfriend Carrie, Norris gets back to the casino just in time to thwart a robbery with devastating barrages of roundhouse kicks that never come close to anyone.
   
   Later, at Sam's house, David tells his father about a merger offer of sorts from Stan Raimondi. Raimondi is supposedly the leader of a crime syndicate and he wants to offer "protection" to the Lucky Dragon, but really he just wants to be there to see more bareassed dealers. So, Randall, Sam, and David go to see Raimondi. Raimondi offers Randall a job in an extremely awkward exchange Randall tells him, "Thanks, but no thanks." Raimondi replies, "I'm not a man who hears no very often." And just as one half Sid was saying to the other "Wanna hear it again?" Norris comes out with it. That's why we love the guy, he delivers. Norris then has a near run-in with Raimondi's goon, the second cousin of the "You talk too much" guy from Death Ring. This scene is important for many reasons, none more than than Norris spouts his favorite line in the movie again "Yeah, that's right" which is an old favorite of Santa himself. Randall then goes to Sam's only to find him and David murdered. The only one left in the family now is Joy, Sam's other kid, and the dark beauty mentioned above. So, Norris takes her and Carrie to a perfect rent by the hour motel complete with Asian Santa working the front desk. If ever there was an opportunity for Chuck to shoot the 3, this was it. But, no. Instead they go to see Laurence Fishburne's brother, Laurence Fishburne. This guy is an old friend who gives Chuck a sweet piece. And they have one hell of a look between them through which the sexual tension gushes. Chuck leaves the chicks with LeRoy Nicely--that's really the guys name--to track down some leads on Sam and David's killer. When he returns to Nate's(it totally sounded like Norris kept calling Nicely Nate, sending Sid into a frenzy every time) he finds Nicely badly beaten and Carrie raped and killed with Joy virtually unharmed by Raimondi's goon, Kam.
   
   Holy Turbo Time. Now this is true: Chuck puts on his old Army uniform because he's going Commando. Oh! But, seriously, he's going on a mission to take out everyone involved in the Osirus syndicate. He takes out Raimondi by hanging him off the side of a yacht even though the noose had a good foot of room around his neck. It's a beautiful thing. Also in this sequence, Norris fights a guy who was the insiration for Robin Williams's portrayal of Popeye. Then he goes to get it on with the real head of Osirus, an old man in a wheelchair who is happily watching Tom and Jerry. Of course, he's flanked by Killer Kam. Yep, it's time for the last showdown. There is a horrifically delivered line by Kam, furthering the suspicion that he is the Asian Frankenstein. So, he and Chuck fight it out. Kam is legitimately whooping Chuck, but it's Chuck. He always manages to impossibly pull off the improbable. In honor of the end of Sid's Spring Break, you're getting drive-in totals. We knew you'd be thrilled.
   
   18 roundhouse kicks
   
   2 roundhouse kicks that actually looked like they landed
   
   7 "Yeah, that's right" utterances by Might U.S. Warlord Premier Norris
   
   7 1/2 breasts including Norris'
   
   1 Popeye look-a-like
   
   1 Asian Santa
   
   13 "Your car thirsty, Chuck?"/Nate jokes
   
   6 "Aren't you Laurence Fishburne's brother, Laurence Fishburne?"/Family Guy refrences
   
   1 awful bathroom brawl. And...
   
   ...213 tough one-liner by the king of the one-liners, Chuck Norris!



5. In this one Chuck takes on organized crime in Hong Kong wearing a cowboy hat and designer jeans. There are numerous classically horrible tough guy one-liners, good fight scenes, and a silly revenge plot. Classic Chuck Norris!