Description
Title: Fight to Win (1987)
Alternate Titles: Eyes of the Dragon, Dangerous Passages
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama
Plot Synopsis:
In Fight to Win, martial artists in America become embroiled in a battle over the possession of three ancient Chinese statues. Ryan Kim, portrayed by George Chung, is a martial artist preparing for an upcoming fight. To enhance his skills, he seeks training from Sensei Lauren, played by Cynthia Rothrock. As Ryan’s training progresses, he faces challenges that test his dedication and abilities, leading to confrontations with formidable opponents.
Cast and Crew:
- Director: Leo Fong
- Writers: George Chung, James Belmessieri
- Cast:
- George Chung as Ryan Kim
- Cynthia Rothrock as Sensei Lauren
- Richard Norton as Armstrong
- Chuck Jeffreys as Michael
- Troy Donahue as Rosenberg
IMDb Link:
Fight to Win (1987)
Reviews from Letterboxd:
-
Rafael “Parker!!” Jovine – ★★½
“Most of the film revolves around this group of frat boys with little to no charm, though they do have some moves, especially that air kick thing. There’s some attempt at humor, but it didn’t do much for me… Rothrock finally shows up in the second half and the movie gets a little better.” -
Hexagore – ★★★★
“Watched the extended cut, a Frankenstein creation of two different versions stitched together into a double-whopper 95 minutes of junk food goodness. Director and actor Leo Fong is a force of nature when it comes to nonsensical, larger-than-life kung fu schlock.” -
threepenny – ½★
“It’s pretty cool how you can go on YouTube and look at some home movies this kung-fu couple put together back in the 80’s and see them and their friends goofing off and fake fighting each other and doing in-jokes together that only they think are funny. Wait – this was a real movie? Nah, I can’t believe it.”
Meta Description:
Fight to Win (1987), directed by Leo Fong, is an action-comedy-drama that follows martial artists in America as they battle over the possession of three ancient Chinese statues. The film stars George Chung as Ryan Kim and Cynthia Rothrock as Sensei Lauren, delving into themes of martial arts rivalry and personal growth.
Title: Rage and Honor (1992)
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Plot Synopsis:
Kris Fairfield, an inner-city high school teacher and martial arts expert, teams up with Australian cop Preston Michaels after witnessing a drug deal involving local gang members and corrupt police officers. Together, they confront the criminal underworld to reclaim their streets.
Cast and Crew:
- Director: Terence H. Winkless
- Writer: Terence H. Winkless
- Cast:
- Cynthia Rothrock as Kris Fairfield
- Richard Norton as Preston Michaels
- Brian Thompson as Conrad Drago
- Catherine Bach as Capt. Murdock
- Stephen Davies as Baby
IMDb Link: Rage and Honor (1992)
YouTube Trailer: Rage and Honor Trailer
Reviews from Letterboxd:
-
Rafael “Parker!!” Jovine – ★★½
“Another solid Richard Norton/Cynthia Rothrock pairing… The acting is not the best, sometimes wooden, and at times even a little goofy…” -
BeardofTsu – ★★
“It’s really getting harder to justify watching these Cynthia Rothrock films but on we go… It’s your standard 90’s actioner DTV set up…” -
Allison M. 🌱 – ★★½
“Yes: to the female-led action from Cynthia Rothrock and Alex Datcher. No: to the story.”
Meta Description:
“Rage and Honor” (1992) is an action-packed crime drama where martial arts expert and teacher Kris Fairfield teams up with Australian cop Preston Michaels to combat drug dealers and corrupt officials in their city.
Title: The Triple Cross (1992)
Alternate Title: Itsuka giragirasuru hi
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Plot Synopsis:
Three aging gangsters—Kanzaki, Shiba, and Imura—embark on a final heist to alleviate their financial woes. Teaming up with the young and reckless Kadomachi, they successfully rob an armored car but find the loot disappointingly smaller than anticipated. Tensions escalate when Kadomachi betrays the group, leading to a violent pursuit filled with escalating carnage and high-octane car chases. The film delves into themes of betrayal, generational conflict, and the relentless quest for survival in the criminal underworld.
Cast and Crew:
- Director: Kinji Fukasaku
- Writer: Shoichi Maruyama
- Cast:
- Ken’ichi Hagiwara as Kanzaki
- Kazuya Kimura as Kadomachi
- Keiko Oginome as Mai
- Sonny Chiba as Shiba
- Yoshio Harada as Noji
IMDb Link:
The Triple Cross (1992)
YouTube Trailer:
The Triple Cross | Trailer
Reviews from Letterboxd:
-
Nathan Stuart – ★★★★☆
“Kinji Fukasaku’s oft misunderstood ‘Triple Cross’ is a brilliant exercise in unhinged violence, generational divide, and bubble excess masquerading as pure action.” -
More_Badass – ★★★★☆
“The Triple Cross comes across as the unhinged chaos of his 1976 film Violent Panic filtered through the influence of ’90s Hong Kong action.” -
Flynch – ★★★½☆
“Sonny Chiba has the undankbarste Rolle and zuwenig Screentime, a few Reservoir Dogs try to übers Ohr zu hauen, a durchgeknallte Drogenmaus wirbelt umher, a bunch of Patronenhülsen fly around your ears, and in the finale, it’s so heftigst geschrottet that every junkyard would burst at the seams.”
Meta Description:
“The Triple Cross” (1992), directed by Kinji Fukasaku, is a Japanese action-crime drama that follows three veteran gangsters betrayed by a younger accomplice after a heist, leading to a violent pursuit filled with intense action sequences and exploring themes of betrayal and survival.
Title: Undefeatable (1993)
Genre: Action, Thriller
Plot Synopsis:
Kristi Jones, portrayed by Cynthia Rothrock, is a street fighter who participates in Mafia-run fights to fund her sister’s college education. Her sister aspires to become a doctor and hopes to support Kristi’s future education in return. Meanwhile, a deranged martial artist named Paul “Stingray” Taylor, played by Don Niam, spirals into madness after his wife leaves him. Stingray begins abducting and murdering women who resemble his estranged wife, including Kristi’s sister. Driven by vengeance, Kristi teams up with Detective Nick DiMarco to stop Stingray’s killing spree.
Cast and Crew:
- Director: Godfrey Ho (credited as Godfrey Hall)
- Writers: Tai Yim, Steve Harper, Robert Vassar
- Cast:
- Cynthia Rothrock as Kristi Jones
- Don Niam as Paul “Stingray” Taylor
- John Miller as Detective Nick DiMarco
- Donna Jason as Dr. Jennifer Simmons
- Sunny David as Karen
IMDb Link: Undefeatable (1993)
YouTube Trailer: Undefeatable | Trailer
Reviews from Letterboxd:
-
Lou (rhymes with wow!) – ★★★☆☆
“Undefeatable does lack the charm of Godfrey Ho’s cut-and-paste movies, but it was a relief to be able to follow the story for once. Cynthia Rothrock might lack the acting chops, but as a martial artist she always brings it.” -
Blake Bergman “Various Spaghetti” – ★★★★½
“Tough Guys Don’t Dance (1987) with karate.” -
Rafael “Parker!!” Jovine – ★★★½
“Am I rating this way too high? Perhaps. But what can I say, I just had a good time. The over-the-top, bland, and laughable acting and dialogue made this such a fun watch.”
Meta Description:
“Undefeatable” (1993) is a Hong Kong martial arts thriller directed by Godfrey Ho. The film stars Cynthia Rothrock as Kristi Jones, a street fighter seeking vengeance against a deranged martial artist, Stingray, played by Don Niam, who has been terrorizing women in the city.
