Los Angeles Streetfighter (1986)

You won't be disappointed!

Such a frustrating disappointment

Good movie but grossly overrated

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Young (Jun Chong), Tony (Phillip Rhee) and three friends start up a security business and this results in them getting in fights a lot. The main plot doesn't kick in until an hour has passed when Young steals a ton of drug money from a client who hired them ("It was bad money and I would put it to a good cause"). Naturally, the dealer wants it back so he hires two assassins - Japan's Yoshida (Ken Nagayama) and New York's Kruger (Bill "Superfoot" Wallace) - to retrieve it and teach the boys a lesson. This is an odd, yet enjoyable 80s action flick. Odd in the sense that it has no plot for the first hour and that lead tough guy Jun Chong spends a lot of time crying about his drunk mom not loving him. Oh, and there isn't a single ninja in NINJA TURF (its original title was LOS ANGELES STREETFIGHTER). I'm not sure if it hit theaters or not, but RCA/Columbia did release it on VHS. Director Woo-sang Park (under the name Richard Park) directs the action scenes well with an emphasis on the marital arts talents of the leads. This was Rhee's first lead role and he went on to star in the popular BEST OF THE BEST series. Brinke Stevens shows up as a drug dealer's girlfriend and supplies the film's only nudity. I was surprised when I looked up Chong's filmography to see I own 5 of the 6 films he's made, with 2 of them unwatched now. Why I was surprised is beyond me. Looking up the supporting cast, it seems they have a real superstar in their midst. Mark Hicks is a member of Young's crew (aptly named Mark) and he achieved internet superstar notoriety as the famous Afro Ninja, the guy who attempts to do a flip with some nunchaku and falls on his head. I'm sure you've seen it.

And to think I kinda saw this movie on accident... This movie was included in one of those crappy 4 movie DVD packs called "Kung Fu Wars." I bought it because it had "The Crippled Masters," a heartwarming film that shows that one should not be chained down by disabilities. Anyway, on the first side of the disc was this Ninja Turf, which I figured would be funny because 80s Martial Arts + the word "Turf" = an always unforgettable experience. My God, this movie is amazing! How can you not love rival high school gangs who are all in their 40s, talking about teen life and how their mommy doesn't understand them, and beating the crap out of each other! Also, the 80s action movie homo-eroticism is in full swing in this baby! In one scene, one of the guys from the good gang is naked, taking a shower, and Young (played by the bad ass Jun Chong!!!) approaches the naked guy, hands him a banana, and in crappy dubbing says, "Hey Tony! Bring you something to eat!!" If that's not gay, I don't know what is. In another scene, Bill "Superfoot" Wallace is fighting Jun Chong, and after a few minutes of grab-assy martial arts fighting, they break apart, and the camera zooms to Wallace's face, who looks down towards Chong's groin region, smiles real big, and proceeds to fight some more. By the way, I'm in no way against the GLBT community, I just know that 80s movies are notorious for such scenes, and I love to point them out. Anyway, another great thing about this flick is the memorable characters. Young (Chong), even though he was like 45 when he made this film, somehow manages to play the part of a swaggering, yet troubled teen very well. It's kinda funny to note that his mother in this film looks younger than him!! Another character worth mentioning is Belly Shirt Guy, leader of the Spikes Gang. This man has to be seen to be believed... And let's not forget the leader of the Blade Gang (who looks a lot like Panama Jack)! I could go on and on about this movie, because there is so much about this movie that is wonderful. The only bad thing about this film is the lack of lighting, and it doesn't help any that most of the scenes take place at night. In the Wallace Vs. Chong scene, apparently Wallace is using a whip at one point, but if it weren't for the sound effects, you'd have no idea that he was using a whip. This film is truly amazing, a brilliant yet mostly unheard of film. I encourage everyone out there to check this movie out. It will change your life!!

Am i glad i was recommended this film by a pal...i found it in the neglected bottom corner shelf at my local video rental store gathering dust...it cost me £1 to rent out and now that £1 investment is worth a million dollars in laughs.Ever since watching it ..it has stayed wedged in my brain as a inspirational movie experience on par with the likes of Braveheart and Gladiator - but for different reasons.I have to admit it may be one of the most talked about movies amongst my friends. When we talk about it we reminisce about it like a long lost funny fat friend ..with hilarious memories! The film is good for the same reasons why Barry White or Abba are now considered greats. Naff, untrendy and old skool but now has a cult following amongst fans.It is so bad that it comes round in a full circle to become absolutely brilliant. Awful acting, mediocre effects, awful acting, simplistic plot, funny fight scenes, poor production value and oh, awful acting!I could swear, in a scene, rather than do slow motion action playback the fighters fight really s...l...o...w! Cannnot recommend it enough ...the ultimate classic in Z grade movie experiences!

DANIEL MANIA! COMMENTI thought that Ninja Turf could have been done alot better. Personally I would have worked on the cinematics because you could barely see the fight scenes and I also would have done the entire ending to this film differently. For one thing I would have had the rival gangs join forces with the drug dealers and have the main characters fight them all in the same building floor by floor. I also would have made it a lot more bloodier and made the choreography a lot more furious,complicated,wild and sophisticated. I gave this film a 7/10 because it could have been so much better and it was poorly written.