Firepower (1993)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Strange title for a film that's mostly full of kickboxing, but there you go. It's (kind of) post-apocalyptica time again! This time we've got Gary Daniels and a guy that looks like Adam Richman from Man Vs Food as two cops who go undercover as kickboxers in the death ring, which is situated in some sort of lawless zone where anything can happen for some reason. They're either there to track down some huge criminal(played by the Ultimate Warrior) or find the location of some sort of medicine, or maybe both. Really, when you're watching a Gary Daniels film, do you really care about the plot? When starting out in the Death Ring most of the matches aren't that deadly, but the further up the ladder you go, the more serious it becomes until you fight the big criminal guy, who usually has some remote computer guy rig the matches just in case he loses. It's believable enough when Daniels is in the ring because the guy is that supple he could probably fold himself into a suitcase if he felt like it, but the other guy looks like he would have trouble lifting his leg to fart let alone kick someone's teeth out of their heads.There's a twist or two along the way and a couple of firefights at the beginning there, plus a bit of drama here and there. It's good when Daniels is around because he's basically playing an over-violent super confident cop but I have to admit the end seemed a wee bit on the rushed side. Still worth your time if you see it cheap enough.

Chad McQueen and Gary Daniels star as 21st century cops (This was obviously made in the 20th century) who fight a giant lummox who is the king of cage matches, also on hand is a fake AIDs cure and science fiction elements which make NO sense at all. One of the great things about my PM binge is that i'm revisiting movies from my past that have long vanished from my void I call a memory, of the last four movies i've reviewed it's only one that I saw for the first time. (The Underground) However this Chad McQueen/Gary Daniels dud is a movie that I wish I could forget. I seriously don't remember this movie being so awful. The fight sequences in particular are terrible beyond belief. Chad McQueen is so slow and lackluster as a martial artist that he looks like he belongs in a Road House sequel, it's hard to believe the man was trained by Chuck Norris. Steve McQueen's son also has marginal charisma, lacking most of his father's screen presence. Thesping-wise, he's only slightly better than Gary Daniels. However there is no question who outshines McQueen on the martial arts side of things, Daniels has fast reflexes,stylish kicks and great technique. McQueen looks slow and so it's contrived that he's the main martial artist. In the end this is just a very dull exercise in low budget science fiction and a prime example why Chad McQueen is lower on the action food-chain than even David Bradley. Avoid it, unless you're a huge Gary Daniels fan.* out of 4-(Bad)

The idea of keeping all criminals in a haven where police are restricted and crime is legal is not new and had made some pretty good stories. I can think of "Fortress" or "Robocob" that have been created at the same time. But this movie has nothing to compare with. There is no real story to follow and the direction is very poor. While the two cops are fighting in the electric cage, their first goal (Chasing criminals) is lost. There is also a lot of cliché like the wife of one of the cops arguing with his man for spending too much time at work.... This movie is not much than wrestling. If the idea of fights to death with no limits drives you crazy, then you can make an attempt. Otherwise you will spoil your evening.

`Yeah, well keep your ‘stick' in the ring. Don't practice on my girls. I need them to concentrate on their jobs, so my business doesn't suffer...' In the year 2007, crime has risen at an exponential rate. Once highly populated metropolises such as Los Angeles are no longer inhabitable. These cities have transformed into `Hell Zones,' ruled by violent street gangs. Talk about Y2K!Two brave cops, Braniff (Chad McQueen), and Sledge (Gary Daniels) must risk their badges...and their lives when they enter Los Angeles's `Hell Zone.' Entering the Hell Zone is insanity...escaping from it is impossible. The Hell Zone, formerly called the `Zone of Personal Freedom,' is a safe-haven for criminal warpaths everywhere. This Hell Zone in LA is controlled by a criminal mastermind named Drexal (Joseph Ruskin). For the sake of entertaining his crowds of decadent losers and underlings, Drexal has staged a series of lethal, no-holds-barred matches in the `Death Ring,' where the winner takes all of the glory...while the defeated one shall lose his self-respect (or maybe just his head).Meanwhile, Braniff and Sledge are obliged to go undercover in a clandestine mission as Death Ring fighters themselves. Sledge is actually having fun roughing up his Death Ring rivals while Braniff finds his martial vows in jeopardy as he himself becomes attracted to a beautiful woman named Lisa (Alisha Das). However, this married cop must remember his priority. Braniff, along with his robust and agile partner, Sledge, must fight for their lives in order to expose an alleged `black market' involving the sale of counterfeit AIDS vaccines. Will these two men triumph against all odds in the Hell Zone alive or will they pay with their very lives? FIREPOWER is probably one of the most ridiculously contrived thrillers ever. This film is completely inept, with terrible acting and an incoherent plot. The script, full of pathetic one-liners and inane drivel, is also embarrassing enough. Incidentally, to make everything worse than it already is, this film is not quite as exciting as the title promises. For instance, the action scenes lack that poetic style. Sure, we have the heroes and the villains shooting at each other and trying to beat one another, but all of these action scenes lack that flair. There is no sense of excitement involved when viewing these action sequences. Also, the fight scenes lack the brutal realism; instead, they just seem like child's play. The fighters constantly beat, maul, maim, and mutilate each other, yet not a single fighter (save for the ones who are murdered in the Death Ring) seems to be displaying any severe injuries. The one-on-one death matches as well get repetitive. Listless action scenes are just part of this movie's innumerable problems. The dearth of both an intense musical score and smooth camerawork only injures this movie even more substantially... Although FIREPOWER is an appalling movie, I found one factor which almost redeems this whole unpleasantness: The fact that this movie is amusing, whether it wants to admit it or not. The acting especially is funny. The main adversaries, Drexal and Mendez (Pablo Marz) are more asinine than frightening. You would expect Drexal to be insidious and sinister, but he appears to be more of an ersatz Vincent Price. Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs provides some amusing commentary as a ring announcer. Chad McQueen lacks the appeal and charisma of his father, the late (and terrific) Steve McQueen, but you will chuckle at how he tries to develop his relationship with Lisa. As for Gary Daniels, I must attest that he is one of the most impressive fighters ever. Granted, Daniels does have a thick accent, but after seeing this guy showcase his martial arts skills, you would not even want to comment on his accent! If you do, then prepare to defend yourself! (By the way, his accent does happen to distract from the impact of his one-liners.)The best acting though, is displayed by Jim Hellwig (known to professional wrestling fans everywhere as the `Ultimate Warrior') as the Swordsman, a barbaric character who yells as if he was raised in the jungles. The Swordsman himself, a formidable opponent, only understands the language of violence. Also, I must comment that a lot of these fighters featured in this movie DO NOT know how to fight! As for the action scenes, it is just awesome how the car crashes and explosions can be seen from different angles in this movie! It is just brilliant! The (mostly unintentional) humor keeps FIREPOWER from becoming too lackluster.It is a complete shame that FIREPOWER could not be a better movie. The special effects looked silly, but they worked, and the plot too held some potential. The sub-plot in particular, about a counterfeit AIDS vaccine seems very promising. It is quite sad that the filmmakers did not take advantage of that opportunity; it would have given the film more substance. Unfortunately, the anemic direction by Richard Pepin and the mediocre cinematography are unacceptable as well. Anyway, FIREPOWER is not worth the time if you happen to watch it by yourself. Instead, gather a group of friends, sit on a cozy couch, and prepare to have fun. Trust me, your colorful comments for this movie will be uninhibited! RATING: ** out of ****. (For a high amusement factor.)