Tiger Heart (1996)

Best movie ever!

A Masterpiece!

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

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

Eric Chase (Ted Jan) is a teenager who lives to practice Martial Arts at his local dojo. Even when his best buddy Brad (Williams) cajoles him into going to parties with bikini-clad babes, nothing can stop Eric from sparring with his local tots and his Sensei (Camacho - simply billed as "Sensei"). When Eric meets the beautiful Stephanie Simmons (Lyons) at the deli across from his beloved dojo, it seems first love may be in the air. Unfortunately, Nat (Kriesa) is your classic evil land developer, and he's sending out squads of punks and/or goons to scare people out of their homes and businesses so he can build one of those despised malls on their property. Led by Paulo (LaSardo), the goons eventually end up at Mr. Johnson's (Howard) deli - where Eric's paramour Stephanie happens to work. Defending her honor, Eric uses his long-practiced Martial Arts skills on the goons - but can this one kid fight off the coming real estate war? Find out today! Classic Ted Jan all the way. If you're familiar with his work, such as the entertaining A Dangerous Place (1995), here is more of the same. Which is a good thing, because both movies have a youth-oriented, fun, upbeat feel. The likable Roberts did a lot of work for PM, but this may be the standout. His buddy Brad is the wacky sidekick. To him, the Haim/Feldman vehicle License To Drive (1988) is more than a movie. It's a template to base your entire life upon. Even though Brad begs for his dad's car keys and promises to eat his vegetables if he can have them, actor Timothy Williams was 29 years old at the time of filming! Let's not forget this is a man/kid who wears a Hawaiian shirt with a Billy Joel "River of Dreams" T-shirt underneath - tucked in. Clearly this is a man who knows where he's going in life. Interestingly, Ted Jan co-starred with Feldman in A Dangerous Place. Coincidence? Once again, Roberts wears hugely oversized clothing, and his age is indeed in question. One minute his sister (McComas) says she has to babysit him, the next minute he's driving and saying he's going to college next year. But one thing is for certain: Eric can't go out and fight evil land-developer punks unless he finishes his summer reading. That's almost an exact quote from the movie. This indeed might be the first recorded instance of the term "summer reading" on film. What a first. But the movie is totally 90's through and through, from the clothing to the dialogue. Robert LaSardo gets a lot of nice screen time here. Normally he's relegated to the background, but he's the main "street baddie". His fellow punks walk around with boomboxes on their shoulders, so you know they're evil, not to mention disruptive. The "save our community" plot was also done in fellow PM movie Private Wars, and some scenes feel very familiar.The title song is a lot of fun too, and it even features the lyrics "power comes from discipline!" - you don't hear that, lyrically, every day. Thank you John Gonzales and Derol Caraco for that. It's hard to believe that this fast-paced romp was directed by the same guy who directed the abysmal Musketeers Forever (1998). This is so much better than that. The PM style is out in force, so it's almost like, abstractly, PM itself directed the movie. Also, it should be noted that there is an uncredited cameo from Matthias Hues to watch out for.Tiger Heart is an enjoyable "entry-level" action movie best suited for people who don't take themselves so seriously.

A true insult to martial arts and film.This is the worst movie ever made.First Ted Jan Roberts is good actor,but in this role he's the worst,it's so post to be an action movie not some love drama.Ted Jan Roberts plays a Eric who get in love with a girl and than he play's a hero,when bad guys come he beat's everybody up,but he's never hit,ten or fifteen guys attack him and he beat's them up,but he's never hit,how's that,i'did not like this love drama,and than some blond bimbo get a guy like Ted Jan Roberts,this is bullshit,i'see beater movies like this,all fighting scene are fix'up and only girls and teenagers are here.This is not martial art movie it's bullshit.And the bad guys never strike back,he's never hit or blood,probably the worst Steven Seagal clone movie ever,Than the martial art's hero get always a girl,i'hate that why the heroes must get a girl,even Don Wilson's movies are the worst,he always get a girl,he must have always sex in action movies,what the hell they were thinking.This is probably all PM Entertainment Group Inc fault ,they are doing the worst movies ever.Even The Perfect Weapon is beater than this,even Rocky 3 was beater,when Rocky say it was all fix up,even all Jackie Chans movies are beater than this,he never get's a girl and it's beater than this crap movie.His movies are filming in China.But this is a joke, i'you kidding me.Next time when they are doing movies like this,they warned us to stay away.Next time when they are doing movie like this they first say that it is a dram not an action movie,this movie is a fake.I wonder can Ted Jan Roberts really fight,or is doing his stuntman his fighting scene.This is a joke,come on,were are the other martial arts.I got just say one thing,stay away from this movie,it's a fake and copy.

SPOILERS I was fortunate enough to see this movie on WVTV-18 in Milwaukee, WI at 3AM on a Sunday. You can expect crappy kung-fu action, a busty leading lady, a comic sidekick that gets thrown in a pool, and twin ladies in miniskirts constantly cracking twin jokes.Taken at first glance, this is a horrible movie. However, if you enjoy it for what it is (and what it was made to be), you'll probably get more enjoyment out of it.

I am not kidding. Who paid for this to be made? I would like my rental fee back. Watch it and you will see what I mean. 8 year old's taking on grown men and beating them. I thought it was to be a good serious martial arts movie. Boy was I wrong.