This movie ultimately is a combo of the following elements.
Rocky/ Billy Jack type main character is a struggling boxer who survives by beating up and then turning over to the police various bad guys for a reward. In this way it's a bit of a western. Hero even meets cute with neighborhood gal, like in Rocky.
But then it sort of becomes one of these black tough guy with tough cool black guy partner movies.
But then, it becomes a psycho killer movie. And our hero isn't even on screen for a fair amount of time.
Oh and there is a Kung Fu sidekick/teacher who looks Hispanic but has an Asian name. Go figure?!? Not that these elements don't make it fun--but it never completely becomes a good movie about any of these things. It just shifts gears whenever it wants to. It's mostly done as exploitation--rather than true grit. The hero spends as much or more time being brutalized than he does brutalizing. Though of it's time it also seems out of step with it's time--the gay bar scene is either hilarious or offensive--both really, if you can sit of both sides of the fence at the same time.
In order the enjoy the movie you have to sit on that same fence, don't take it too seriously if you can.
Performances are over the top--by the standards of the day--not by today's ridiculous over the tops standards. Groovy and effective music score and long almost silent final chase scene through rough areas of downtown Los Angeles help wrap it all up. Most of the male cast have the same mustache, just in case you were wondering. One gutsy plot twist and a few very brief moments of social commentary also pop up to keep it lively. A refreshing lack of Hippies--I guess their time had passed by then.
Rocky/ Billy Jack type main character is a struggling boxer who survives by beating up and then turning over to the police various bad guys for a reward. In this way it's a bit of a western. Hero even meets cute with neighborhood gal, like in Rocky.
But then it sort of becomes one of these black tough guy with tough cool black guy partner movies.
But then, it becomes a psycho killer movie. And our hero isn't even on screen for a fair amount of time.
Oh and there is a Kung Fu sidekick/teacher who looks Hispanic but has an Asian name. Go figure?!? Not that these elements don't make it fun--but it never completely becomes a good movie about any of these things. It just shifts gears whenever it wants to. It's mostly done as exploitation--rather than true grit. The hero spends as much or more time being brutalized than he does brutalizing. Though of it's time it also seems out of step with it's time--the gay bar scene is either hilarious or offensive--both really, if you can sit of both sides of the fence at the same time.
In order the enjoy the movie you have to sit on that same fence, don't take it too seriously if you can.
Performances are over the top--by the standards of the day--not by today's ridiculous over the tops standards. Groovy and effective music score and long almost silent final chase scene through rough areas of downtown Los Angeles help wrap it all up. Most of the male cast have the same mustache, just in case you were wondering. One gutsy plot twist and a few very brief moments of social commentary also pop up to keep it lively. A refreshing lack of Hippies--I guess their time had passed by then.