5 comments about Qigong: Traditional Chinese Exercises for Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit.

1. In Qigong: Traditional Chinese Exercises For Healing Body, Mind, And Spirit, Ken Cohen takes the viewers through a 90 minute, full color, video presentation of the Ancient Chinese system of gentle movements and breathing techniques designed to access and harness the basic energy of the university abiding in the human body and called "qi". Easy-to-follow instruction and dozens of demonstrations hallmark a four-part Qigong workout that is simple to learn and perform. Qigong is strongly recommended viewing for students of applied eastern philosophies, as well as ordinary men and women in search of a peaceful spirit and healthy body.



2. This video was less than wonderful. It had too much chatting,
   and not enough exercises. Then the exercises it did have
   were the ordinary run of the mill kind.Definately not worth the money I paid for it



3. This is a good video. It teaches some mild ChiGung. The real novelty here is the instruction about the healing sounds coupled to the exercises. I respectfully disagree with another reviewer that this video is too wordy. One can learn from the video and then going "inside" and doing the real training.
   The video "the five animal frolics" by the same author is by far the best instructional tool he made public. It's a shame that the author didn't re-record the "frolics" with the same high quality as this one.



4. A wonderful way to learn the essence of healthy breathing. Ken takes his time to give the ultimate details to optimize posture and benefits from the practice. I have viewed the video over 50 times in the past few years and I still learn from viewing it again.



5. A very clear, and comprehensive tool for self sevelopment. Post standing and walking are included as well.
   
   I recommend it highly.

No comments about Old Boy (2003).

No comments about The Brave Archer.

No comments about The Executioner/The Executioner II: Karate Inferno.

5 comments about Ultimate Force.

1. Dear Amazon:
   The movie "Ultimate Force" was a movie made for action/martial arts lovers with a B movie cast and production. I was expecting better since I bought it in the Blu-Ray DVD format; a bit of a let down.
   The actors are Eastern European and of the old Soviet Russia extracts; poor acting by unknown actors in other words. The color quality is very poor, but plenty of action from start to finish for all the action pack lovers.
   Mario
   Concord, CA.



2. Apart from the weak plot, I find the fighting scenes to be poorly Choreographed, not to mention the acting which leaves a lot to be desired!!
   Most importantly, I find it incredible that this piece of junk was actually on 1080p format as the picture and audio qualities were far below that of standard DVD's!!
   I actually threw my copy in the GARBAGE after patiently watching the first 15 minutes of this trash. I should have just tossed my $16.95 in the garbage in the first place!!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   1



3. This movie has the biggest delta between the description on Amazon and the actual content of the movie. Unlike Hong Kong B movies, this title has not only poor acting, poor lines, and crappy camera work, but also surprisingly bad picture quality. I kept thinking that I could have done a better job with an analog video camera from 1988.
   
   The "action" in the movie is bordering on the ridiculous. For example in the opening scene the main character easily overwhelms a half a dozen guards with a suppressed pistol, even though all of the guards were within ten or so yards of each other. This is followed by an execution scene that borders on the comical. And it doesn't get any better.
   
   Short version: save your money.



4. This is one of the worst films I have seen my whole life. Can't believe that someone wanted to have it in Blu-Ray.



5. Do not buy this POS on ANY format! It is without a doubt the worst acted, worst directed, worst written and worst filmed so-called movie I have ever seen in my life and I have seen alot of bad movies. It's a travesty that this was even released on Blu Ray at all. The PQ on this is horrendous! I just wish I could give this zero stars because I surely would.
   
   Trust me, instead of wasting your money on this thing, put gas in your car or go buy yourself dinner. There are way better things to do with 90 minutes of your life than submit to this.

5 comments about Chin Na In Depth - Courses 1 - 4 (YMAA grappling).

1. I have been fortunate enough to learn the techniques from Dr. Yang himself in his seminars. He is a great teacher, a highly developed master, and a rare individual. If you've read any of his books you know how well organized, researched, and thorough his writing is. Well his videos are the same. These DVDs are as good as you can get. Nothing compares to one on one instruction, but these techniques are very clearly demonstated with close ups and alternate angles. A person can get a very good understanding by watching these and practicing along with a partner.
   Some user complained about watching students "fumble" around with the techniques while Dr. Yang corrects them (mostly on the higher level DVDs). There is a good reason for this. These students are well practiced and still make mistakes. They are likely to be the same mistakes you will make. This method helps you recognize them as mistakes so you can refine your technique. Well worth the money! I recomend his seminars first and buy the DVD to review and practice between seminars.

   Go to YMAA.COM to find seminars etc...




2. While I would like to give this DVD 5 stars, a few things hold me back, as far as martial arts DVDs goes, this is a good one. As said previously it cannot make up for one on one instruction. This DVD seems like it would be great for students who train shaolin white crane with Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming.
   
   For anyone who is currently training in a different style of kung fu and is interested in diversity, this DVD will probably not offer you much information that you haven't already acquired.
   
   For anyone not training but interested in learning some martial arts techniques, this DVD will probably not offer you much either because it focuses on precise control that is virtually impossible to grasp without the previously mentioned one on one training and repeated practice.
   
   For the price, I think your money would be better spent either signing up for some martial arts training, or if you already are training, buy materials offered by your school if you can.



3. This is the best Chin Na video series I've ever seen. Chin Na is the art of seizing and holding, and forms one of the four foundations of the Chinese Martial Arts (kicking (da), punching (ti), grappling (shuai) & seizing (na)). Most of the techniques come from Dr. Yang's background in the Southern White Crane system, a style famous for its Chin Na.
   
   This is mainly a reference material, as Books and DVDs do not make good primary instructional material for martial arts, so plan on attending a seminar or finding a good local school to get the most from this DVD.
   
   I also believe that although the techniques work well regardless of your background art, they are most effective when used in the White Crane system. So I additionally recommend "Shaolin White Crane Hard and Soft Qigong DVD" and "Shaolin White Crane Gong Fu Basic Training" by YMAA.



4. This is an excellent series that was very well produced, not like some dvd I've seen where they transfer some old VHS tape to DVD. The movements are shown in regular speed and then broken down in a slower pace and then done in close up. My only gripe is that they could have shown some of the moves in more than one angle. Some of the moves (e.g. the finger locks) are hard to see from one angle. However, despite that, this is an excellent series for anyone, regardless of any martial arts style. Very highly recommended!!!



5. Jwing-Ming Yang depth of knowlege and his interesting teaching style make him & Chin Na - attracting to watch and learn.

5 comments about Chinese Super Ninjas.

1. THIS DVD LIKE SO MANY RELATING TO THE SHAW BROTHERS COLLECTION THAT ARE NOT RELEASED BY CELESTIAL PICTURES ARE A SHAM !! I WILL NOT SUPPORT SOME LOW DOWN PIRATES LOOKING FOR A QUICK BUCK !! IF IT AIN'T A CELESTIAL RELEASE IT AIN'T WORTH A DIME !!!



2. This movie is definately a classic, man they had the O.G. dude from 5 Venoms, Toad, in there whoopin some serious tail. Then you got homeboy with the long hair, who escapes, kills that girl what was her name?zenji or somethin...then he kills all the Ninjaz, he represented big time...man, 5 stars doesnt even say it all, what more can i say i luv it



3. I've never really been big on kung fu with the many different weapons,,however, I really enjoyed this particular flick, due to my main man Lo Meng (Toad),,,I enjoy any flick that has him in it,,,he is the man for real. He was absolutly outstanding in this movie, which is why I gave it a 5 star!
   Respectively,,if you're really into the kung that has weapons,,this one is a keeper...three words,,TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH!!!!



4. If you have seen 'Kid With the Golden Arm' and thought the action in that was amazing, you ain't seen nothin yet. Ricky Tien('Shanghai 13', 'War of the Shaolin Temple') is one of the most athletic kung fu stars ever and shows supreme weapon handling in this, and Lo Meng is so awesome he actually makes you believe that he can defend himself against a samurai sword using no weapon at all!
   
   After character actor Shen Chan(not Chang Shan) decides to use a Japanese fighter in a contest between 2 schools, the Japanese fighter dies and the Five Element Ninja challenge the school themselves. You may have heard of Five Element Ninja before in Godfrey Ho movies, and even some pretty good flicks, but this is where it came from! So the master assigns some of his fighters to take on the different elements. They find out real quick that these ninja can fight really good and they all die. Nice to see Chan Wai-Man as the leader of the ninja. He was usually best in boxing types of movies since he was a real fighter in the ring, a great figher I should add, but he is superb in this movie even though there is no real hand to hand. What also may have helped him look the part is that he was(maybe still is) in fact a real gangster. Those tattoos all over his back and frontside are real! I also have to point out how sweet it is how in an American movie, there will be a really cool scene where the villain doublecrosses someone and then pulls out his gun and just shoots everyone himself(or herself of course). Well, Chan Wai-Man is a great villain and it is even cooler when a similar scene happens in this movie. Instead of guns, his men just throw ninja stars and kill everybody as gruesomely as possible with their various ninja techniques. You have to be a fan of the genre to get the full enjoyment out of this, but not necessarily. Any fan of the Lone Wolf and Cub movies and great Chang Cheh films will be very happy with this masterpiece of cinema. It is just splendid.
   
   Now since this is a Chang Cheh film, there for sure will be some training. Don't expect it to be anything extreme like 'Invincible Shaolin', but it has some very fun training sequences. And of course after training, revenge.
   
   I want to note that I have seen many heated discussions on the internet on what a TRUE Venoms film is. The consesus is that it has to have at least 3 Venoms and it HAS TO BE directed by Chang Cheh. I personally consider Ricky Tien a Venom(the 8th for me), not one of the "true" 5(even though there were originally 6 in '5 Deadly Venoms'), but he is still one of Chang Cheh's Venoms. Now to finish breaking this down, under the criteria I have stated, this is not considered a Venoms movie since there are only 2 Venoms in it. The real question is, does that matter? The answer is no doubt, a big fat NO! It is a comic book movie, and the finale gets even crazier than you could ever imagine! 'Shanghai 13' is one of the greatest kung fu movies ever in my opinion, and is very similar to this. Both have mindless plots, just the way I like it. Not a lot of story, but the director just lets his kung fu stars do their thing. The ending of the final fight in 'Shanghai 13 was a disappointment, but there is no disappointment in 'Chinese Super Ninjas', and I can guarantee you that. Maybe the greatest ending to a movie ever.
   
   So maybe it is not considered a true Venoms film by a lot of people, but it is still a GREAT Chang Cheh flick and bloody as can be. By far one of the best Shaw Brothers movies ever(top 100), and yet another reason that it is so sad the Shaws closed up prematurely, even though they still had all of this outstanding talent on hand and could no doubt have made great movies for many more years. :(
   
   I also have to point out that this movie has Ping Yu-tai, he is known for his big nose and is the guy that uses the slingshot in 'Crippled Avengers'(aka Mortal Combat), and is in almost every single Venoms movie ever made, and so are a couple other guys as well. So, you could say there are really 11 or 12 true Venoms. Anways, I must move on since I could talk Venoms all day(though I know some would not mind).
   
   One final note on the movie-Lo Meng only has a few fights but he is absolutely out of this world! I don't think I have ever seen him look this good, and that is saying a heck of a lot. And if you think Lo Meng looks good, wait until you see the end of this!
   
   4.5/5 from me. This is one of those where I am stuck in the middle between a 4 and 5, but it is just so much fun that I can't give it any less than the highest rating possible. It is my guess that Ricky Tien(Cheng Tien-chi ) had a hand in the action, but whoever did this movie put together some of the finest weapons choreography ever. The fighting is so tight and fluid, you just won't be able to look away from the screen. This is a MUST have in any kung fu movie collection.
   
   Look for this to be remastered some time in the near future by Celestial! And that means you will finally be able to throw away that full screened version. Man I hope Celestial remasters this soon(I hope they still have it in good condition in their vault), so then it can be seen in all it's widescreened glory. Best of all, we will be able to fully view all of those great sets and smoke effects! I will be sure to post here how it looks.



5. Wow! I thought I could depend on the opinions of other kung fu fans when making purchases on amazon, wrong! This movie is highly overrated and is not the classic everyone says it is. I'm the first one to give this a 3 and rightfully so. Its worth a watch and then after that you have no reason to keep it around.
   
   Why is this movie so overrated? I dont know, the ninjas maybe? Anyhow the storyline is very corny. For one, why would a master with wisdom send his best fighters out to fight something they have no clue about? Not only that but he already knew it could be a trap and that the ninjas do lots of tricks. Didnt make much sense.
   
   Then after some chick helped knock off your brother and your whole army, why would you second guess killing her? Saying, was I right(for killing her)? Here is a simple outline to this movie. Chinese go against ninjas and get slaughtered leaving Chinese with their 2 best men. One of the best men falls for a chick that the ninjas use to draw outlines of their well guarded house. Chick completes the mission and ninjas slaughter everyone except one of the best men because the chick likes him. Best fighter escapes and goes on to learn ninja. Him and his 3 new brothers go and counter the 5 element ninjas. The end.
   
   Its just not that good. Buy it and judge for yourself. But if you're a true fan of good kung fu flicks, you'll understand that this isnt a 5 or a classic. Last hurrah for chivalry tears this to pieces. Fearless, 36 chambers, and even the Jade claw tears this apart. This cannot be put up there with the greats because there isnt anything great about it. The best part to me was the last fight where the lead ninja had various tactics and weapons like the spiked feet and the foot cuffs. That was a good last fight. Everything else was corny and poorly thought out.

5 comments about Lady Ninja.

1. I tried to explain the premise to this movie (revengeful nuns train to be ninjas at Hogwarts School of Karate), and all of my friends thought I was practicing pitching ridiculous movies to soften up execs for the real movie ideas. I was struck by the absurdity, the juxtaposition of near contstant female bare chests with male blood squirts. If you were auditioning for this film, they would ask you to show your boobies (if you were a girl) or show your most graphic death face (for dudes). What I don't get is why add so much naked girls? They were so abundant that the women who didn't undress looked out of place! The political intrigue and ninja fighting would have been enough to carry this film, without the bouncy bits.
   
   And the magical powers they all got! Hoo boy, what a mess! I will note that the less attractive girls had to do the stupidest ninja naked magic, like they were willing to do anything for a bigger role, unlike the really pretty girls who might show a little chest, but that's all.
   
   Worse, the movie was made in 2000!! Do you know how hard it was to make such a crappy ninja movie in 2000?! It was nearly impossible, but this one combines ludicrous plot lines (the shogunate will fall if the evil twin of a master Buddhist priest dies, who are in symbiosis with each other), useless nudity (the evil lord captures youg brides to turn them into sex slaves...in his dungeon...what, no clean rooms in the house?!), inexplicable magical ninja powers (peep the girl who absorbs power bolts into her funny parts and then barfs them back at the enemy)and some of the worst over-acting ever filmed in ANY language (the evil lord literally screams his way throught the movie: he must have been paid based on the decibel level)! Hats off to the director and his favorite whiskey, 'cause nobody wrote this thing sober!
   
   The only reason to watch this movie is to be able to lie to your friends about how great it is, and get them to buy it: no reason for us to be the only knuckleheads who watched this drivel. I can only hope that there will be a sequel!!



2. Just when we thought Gogo Yubari from "Kill Bill" was the hottest Japanese star ever! But you ain't seen nothin' yet. When you watch "Lady Ninja," you will see why. You will see why the girls in this movie are hotter! Believe me. There are other Japanese stars out there that are just as hot as Gogo. The "Lady Ninja" DVD is a perfect example!



3. The plot IS strange,but the action and cute chics make up for it.I think this movie is a middle tier in terms of building a martial art movie collections.You should eventually watch it,rent or perhaps a cheap copy for sale.Not a bad movie,not a good movie but it is entertaining.Definitely Japanese! Dont let the bad reviews ruin this one...it is a fun to wacth(costumes:A+) fantasy filled movie that has some actualities concerning ninjitsu philosophy.The problem with most people reviewing ninja movies is most ninja movies are going to suck!Movie makers seldom bring dignity and respect to the ninja-spy character/plot as they do for the samurai-warrior.You wont feel bad for wacthing it and you shouldnt hate yourself for buying it,but dont pay over 10 dollars for it!



4. "Lady Ninja," is one of those films where you're almost too embarrassed to admit that you watched, let alone purchased. However, to spare the rest of you such a horrible mess of a film; I am ready to fess up to this one. I bought this film at a great bargain price a few years ago. Yet, before I bought it, I remembered looking at the back of the DVD cover and thinking that this was not going to be a good film. But, I bought it anyway. I should have heeded my own inner advice. If there are any of you out there who like ninja/samurai films--stay away from this one. However, there are some lessons to be learned from this film. First, if you should see this film in your video store, pass if by quickly---lest you unintentionally rent it. Second, if you notice this film in the bargain 'For Sale' bin---pass the bin quickly lest you think you're getting a great bargain. And finally, should you be given this film in the mail by the studios to give a review on it---promptly take it out of its case, and using a steel wire brush, scrape vigorously with all your might. This way any temptation to play the film be will gone forever.
   
   Yes, it's that bad a film. This mess of a film stars Yukio Moriyama, and director Hitoshi Ozawa. The film itself is based on the novel by Futaro Yamada [wonder how he felt?] The films narrative takes place in feudal Japan, where there is an evil lord by the name of Akinaru Katou (Ryuushi Mizukami). As the leader of the Aizu prefecture, where the setting of the film takes place, he has an insatiable appetite for pretty young girls. Anyway, to make a long story of a terrible film short; a massacre occurred which left seven daughters of the Hori clan as survivors, and as a result, these daughters were left behind in Edo. The daughters want to avenge the deaths of those in their clan, by destroying Akinaru Katou and his minions. These 7 daughters have a power so incredibly silly it defies description. The film introduces the viewer to the [incredibly bad] sword master Jubei Yagyu (Hitoshi Ozawa) His scenes are not only incredibly lame, but his acting was atrocious. This film ranks right up there with some of the worst ninja/samurai films I have ever seen. [And I have seen plenty]
   
   Moreover, the story gets sillier, as the daughters of the Hori clan discover that they have INCREDIBLE powers. However, these powers are laughable at most. Plus, I am not sure whether amazon would allow descriptions of some of their powers, as they would probably be deleted with the usual [ellipses], therefore I will not go into them. Let's just say that this power emanates from the female anatomy. Suffice it to say that the acting is horrible beyond description. Further, the special effects are just plain bad. How BAD you ask? Well, for starters, we see chopped off heads and arms of the bad guys which looked incredibly fake. And when these limbs are chopped off it looks so silly, you either want to laugh, or stop the film [The latter would be preferable] You might know the type I am writing about, where a limb is severed and you see blood shooting out like a fire hose for about 45 seconds to a minute. The late Director Ed Wood may have made some bad movies in his time, but with the budget and costumes they had in this film, there was no excuse for it in this particular flick. This is just a bad film all the way around. Therefore, I do not recommend this film. Having viewed it twice now, I know I will NEVER have to see it again.



5. I must admit, I got this dvd knowing what to expect. It is wonderfully bad. I saw a preview as part of another dvd I own. As soon as I saw it, I thought 'this is going to be horrible, but I have to have it.' The preview showed the cartoony movements and effects, and over the top, for no apparent reason, costumes. With all this, and the colors used, I kept thinking 'live action anime.' The movie revealed even more nonsense. And it was just what I expected.
   
   The previews with the DVD have the producer proclaiming 'this is the B movie of all B movies.' I think he hit his target. This movie isn't cleverly written enough to make it to cult status, so just take it as the indulgence it is. Think 'what if Evil Dead was done as women ninjas, with a similar budget, but not as good a script' and you have Kunoichi.
   
   Get if you want something different, and like cheese (bad, smelly cheese). Don't even fathom paying top dollar though. Go to a marketplace vendor and pay for it used.

2 comments about Rodas de Capoeira-D.

1. This DVD is in a PAL format which is more common is Western Europe and parts of north Africa. The DVDs in the U.S. are NTSC formatted. What this means is it may not play on your DVD. Older DVD players may not play PAL format but most new and inexpensive DVD players and computers (Mac or PC) with DVD players can. So check your DVD players guide before purchasing. If you have an old DVD player that does not play PAL and would like to enjoy these DVDs do yourself a favor and buy a new and inexpensive DVD player. I bought a phillip for $30 at Best Buy that plays these DVDs.
   
   In my review I will assume that the person who is interested in what the video is about will already have some capoeira background on the names of some of the movements and other aspects of capoeira. My intent is not on teaching or explaining capoeira but to cover what is in this video.
   
   If you are looking for a DVD to watch rodas then `Rodas de Capoeira' is the DVD. The DVD shows about four or five rodas in different cities in France. The capoeira group on this DVD is Capoeira Brasil. `Rodas de Capoeira' is one of the five capoeira DVDs produced and directed by Christophe Diez. This DVD is also part of a box set that also contains `Basic Techniques of Capoeira' and `100% Regional.' As on all Diez DVDs the camera work and editing is well done. The roda is videoed from several angles and edit so the play of the roda flows continuously and smoothly as if you were watching a live football game. The DVD follows each roda for about 10 to 15 minutes. The first Roda takes place in a gymnasium. Then another roda at park by the beach followed by a segment of a samba de roda, which shares its roots with capoeira. The samba de roda is fun to watch as each guy tries to out do each other when dancing with the female at the center. Samba de roda has always been a more humorous and fun activity. The next roda seems to take place on a big theater stage. There are some 50 plus capoeiristas partaking in the roda. In this roda some serious rasteiras, headbutts and tesouras take place showing the actual fighting sense of capoeira. The other rodas show the game with out knocking the opponent down. The last roda is more of a show showing some good acrobatic moves. The roda does speed up, meaning the music picks up the pace and then the play picks up. It is very impressive.
   
   The DVD also has a bonus section with interviews of four members from the group Capoeira Brasil. The interviews are interesting and are translated into English, Spanish, French and German. There is also a segment on Maculelê, another afro-brazilian art dance that has some fighting techniques with sticks but really more of a dance.
   
   The DVD `Rodas de Capoeira' lives up to its title. I would recommend this DVD to anyone interested in watching rodas and seeing how a roda is played out. There are no instructions or illustrations on the basic movements of capoeira on this DVD just rodas. Other DVDs by the same director Diez for rodas are `100% Regional' and `Capoeira 100% Spectacular.' If you are looking for a good DVD on step by step instructions then I would recomment `100% Capoeira," and `Basic Techniques of Capoeira' both by Diez as well.



2. 
   I really like this DVD. It shows many Capoeira rodas (and one salsa roda, which I personally don't care for). Different playing styles are represented: relatively aggressive play, harmonic play, or "show-off" play, which can also be sort of a dialogue. I looked at it and was inspired, it gave me a sense of where I am trying to get. In addition, it was interesting to try and follow how well experienced players maintain proper technique during actual play.
   
   But there is more to it. For someone who is interested in human nature, looking at Capoeira rodas gives some food for thought. I was looking and thinking - is Capoeira a "systemizing" thing, an "empathizing" thing, is there is "male" play and "female" play? It also made me think of conflict creation and resolution. Another aspect to contemplate on is what's in it for the players: Fun? Excitement? A way of building ranking order? Trying to impress potential mates? Also, as someone who is interested in exercise physiology, looking at those amazing performance made me contemplate on what does it take to develop such abilities - physical and mental? Is Capoeria something everyone can master or does it takes a certain body type? Are there tricks to get to be able to do all that? Are there tricks to avoid injuries?
   
   So I'm glad to have this DVD, both "Capoiera - wise" and "extra - Capoeira" wise.

5 comments about Black Eagle.

1. Could someone tell me who Sho Kosugi is? This guy plays the main character of this crummy movie, "Black Eagle," where he goes up against Jean-Claude Van Damme while defending America against the Soviets in a plot so ludicrous that the people confused by "Mission: Impossible" would gnaw off a limb from utter boredom and confusion. Now, Van Damme's not a great actor. He's decent in most of his films, but he's not great. Heck, I wouldn't even call him good. However in this film he does a terrific job for a few reasons. A) He has about three lines, B) He only needs one facial expression through the whole film, and C) No one else in this film can act!!! What we get are blank stares, monotone deliveries, and very uninteresting dialogue. Now the action scenes: they stink too. There are a gazillion chases in this movie, all of them uninteresting (I fell asleep during a car chase, woke up and it was still going on), the much-hyped one-on-one fighting between Van Damme and this Kosugi guy is great at first, but the final battle loses the edge and just can't seem to get very innovative. "Black Eagle" may have been a good choice for Van Damme so early in his career. Now if they would've made an entirely different movie, perhaps there would've been something there to enjoy.



2. From the end of the Cold War comes a movie that was probably written at the height of the Cold War, went through several years of production and finally came out right at the end of the Cold War and this probably killed any chance it had at success. I mean, who wants to watch a movie about Russians spies fighting US spies when you can get down with that sexy East German girl in your chem class while listening to the Scorpions' song "Winds of Change" or that cool Jesus Jones ditty, "Right Here, Right Now"? As a result, this enjoyable action movie is a hidden gem that few people remember. On to the plot...
   
   SHO KOSUGI, Star of tons of Japanese Ninja films, plays a CIA spy who is called into action when a secret US plane, an F-111, goes down in the waters off Malta. This sequence is probably the cheapest of the entire movie as we only get to LISTEN to the plane going down instead of WATCHING the plane crash. Guess they had to spend that extra money on Jean-Claude's body wax. Speaking of JC, Mr. Van Damme plays the Russian martial arts expert/ body guard who is brought in by the KGB to try to steal the top-secret warhead off the F-111 before the CIA can get it. The only catch is, first they both have to find where in the ocean the plane crashed...
   
   Along the way, Sho kills multiple Maltese citizens and various KGB agents all while Jean-Claude romances a young lady on the KGB's tugboat. In fact, all of the killing makes JC's character a lot more sympathetic than Sho's, which I'm sure the producers did not intend. Anyway, lots of action and things blowing up later there is the final showdown with Sho and JC which...well, you'll have to watch the movie to see what happens. Take my word, though, it's a great fight scene.
   
   As the movie progresses, the viewers are treated to scene after scene of the gorgeous Maltese countryside: churches, forts and of course lots of the beautiful blue Mediterranean. Malta is the real star of this movie. However, almost all of the actors are attempting to speak English as a second language and as a result of the conflagration of Japanese, Belgian, Maltese and fake Russian accents, entire sections of the movie are almost unintelligible. I challenge even someone with a digital comb-filter, mondo-sound TV to understand what the heck Sho and JC are saying to each other in the final fight scene. But, since I'm here trying to defend this film, let's just call that a "minor production glitch."
   
   All-in-all this is a good action movie that can be bought for a cheap price. Sounds like a great combo to me. Since this is an international production, watch out for bootlegs that are floating around. Also, don't buy the SLP tapes churned out by "GoodTimes" movies back in the 90's. Awful quality.
   
   Those of you who read my other review of a Malta-filmed movie, "Final Justice," be on watch for a couple of actors and locations featured in that movie. The evil bar-owner has a big role in this movie as does the heroic cab-driver. Where the heck is Hellena Abella? Ah, well, only Malta knows and Malta ain't telling...



3. If you are a Van Damme fan, beware! He is barely even in the movie so don't let the DVD box cover fool you. Actually, he isn't even the star of the movie!! I'm not sure what advice he was given post Bloodsport from his agent, but when you go from being the main star in a very good martial arts movie to having a very tiny role in a very bad movie, I think that would raise some questions as to his choices in roles. Likewise, he is playing the stereotypical "bad Russian"--much like he did in his brief cameo in No Retreat, No Surrender. With the exception of 3-4 fight scenes and a romance scene, Van Damme is no where to be seen. Trust me though, this DVD is cheap enough (or can be found cheap enough) to warrant buying just for those fight scenes (for the true Van Damme fan).
   
   Plot - D
   
   Typical '80's plot with a downed jet fighter with a top secret device onboard that the Russians want and the CIA wants to get back. The CIA sends Asian martial artist Sho Kosagi after it and the Russians send Van Damme after it. The two have several confrontations, most ending in a draw. The martial arts choreography is very good and Van Damme performs his trademark splits and jumping spin kicks. There is a slight side story about Kosagi's kids and a female agent, but it isn't very detailed and not all that interesting. Again, the main reason for renting or buying the movie is for the fights between Van Damme and Kosagi.
   
   Acting - D
   
   Terrible acting from everyone. There really isn't any redemption for this category. The wooden acting of Van Damme playing a Russian is fine and expected, but the lifeless acting of the rest of the cast is just aweful.
   
   Music/Soundtrack - D
   
   I assume there was a soundtrack and some music, but it was so forgettable that nothing stands out.
   
   Cinematography - C
   
   Very nice location shooting in Malta (or a location doubling as Malta). Other than that, the camera angles are all standard and nothing to set it apart or make it very memorable.
   
   DVD - F
   
   Some DVD's claim to have the making of featurette. BEWARE - I have never seen it or found it on a DVD of this film. The extras are standard with an original trailer and some back story bios. The quality of the image transfer is subpar and is full screen only.
   
   Overall - D
   
   Perhaps Van Damme's worst movie of all time. Only for the true die-hard Van Damme fan and one who will pay $5 for 5 minutes of fight scenes.



4. Black Eagle was released a few months after Van Damme became a star with Bloodsport. The film could have made Van Damme a wash up but luckily it didn't. The martial arts chorography in the film is very sloppy and the fight scene between Sho Khogusi and Van Damme is weak. Skip this one



5. The Jean Claude Van Damme Review Matrix (JCVD-RM)
   
   1. Who is he? Andrei, a knife throwing KGB agent sent by the Russians to steal the top secret U.S. equipment
   2. Which family member/friend must be avenged? This early in JCVD's career, the mandatory paint-by-numbers plot pieces like this were not in place yet.
   3. Does he take his shirt off? Half of the movie is on a ship in the water. You think he'd miss the chance for some rays?
   4. Does he have sex with a C-List actress? JCVD goes for a little anonymous redhead in this one.
   5. Is there a tournament? Perhaps if a race is sport, and all tournaments are sport, maybe it's a tournament. Otherwise it's just the Americans versus the Russians
   6. Is training needed for this tournament? Only acting training
   7. Does he do the splits in training or in the tournament? This may be the only movie in which a character not only does the splits while wearing a suit and a tie, but he also does it in khakis.
   8. Does he punch someone in the balls? To be honest, I can't say I remember it happening. However, given the fact that I dozed off during several scenes, it's entirely possibly that JCVD performed a fistectomy.
   9. Does he do a series of flying or 360 kicks? In every single fight.
   10. Is his enemy unbeatable? Hardly. He's just a little Asian guy with big hair and a black belt.
   11. Does he overcome an injury or other hindrance? Aside from being a Belgian, acting as a Russian, and speaking in broken English...not really.
   12. Does he win? It doesn't matter - the viewer loses.
   
   Some planes go down over the Mediterranean, and three were carrying top secret laser guidance systems. The rest is a race to get them before the Russians. Somehow, a Japanese guy codenamed "Black Eagle" goes in for the United States and a Belgian guy goes in for the Russians. And that's probably the movie's biggest problem; it's nearly incomprehensible the majority of the time because of various language barriers that aren't overcome.
   
   A fan of JCVD, action, or good movies will be severely disappointed. He's barely in the movie, and the rest is just bad. When you begin to crave the acting talents of JCVD, then you know the rest of the movie is slop. This is definitely a blemish on his career; I'm just not sure if it's wart or a zit.