Cheap Fist of the North Star [Region 2] (DVD) (Tony Randel) Price

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Customer Reviews of Fist of the North Star [Region 2]

Dismally Bad Live-Action Version of Popular Japanese Manga Series
There was a brief period around 1995-7 when Toei, one of the major film companies in Japan, produced a string of now forgotten films featuring B-list English-speaking actor(s). Those films usually included Japanese actors as part of main cast or supports, and many of them were theatrically released in Japan (though none of them became a commercial hit). Today not many people know such titles as `No Way Back' (featuring then unknown Russell Crowe and Kelly Hu), `Countdown' (with Lori Petty'), `Final Vendetta' (with Brigitte Wilson) and `Crying Freeman' (directed by Christophe Gans). Except for `Crying Freeman' which is a decent action film, they are mostly unremarkable films. <
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>`Fist of the North Star' was made during this period. The big difference is that its post-WWIII story derives from hugely popular Japanese manga series `Fist of the North Star' (`Hokuto no Ken'). Ask any Japanese under 40, and you will realize the popularity of the series. Well, not everyone liked it, but this comic created by Buronson and Tesuo Hara.became popular during the 1980s, and then TV animation version started, which also became a hit. <
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>But this live-action version of `North Star' falls flat completely. It uses the earlier chapters of the original comic as the main story, in which we follow the battles of a stoic fighter named Kenshiro (Gary Daniels) in the bleak, post-apocalyptic world plagued with violence. Blood thirsty gangsters attack the villagers, and they steal and kill mercilessly. It is the world of the second `Mad Max' film (which greatly influenced the original comic), but unlike Mel Gibson's character Kenshiro (whose character is partly based on Bruce Lee) fights the villains with his original kung-fu, which causes the enemy's body explode (yes, literally, like `The `Scanners'). <
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>Unfortunately, however, it doesn't happen in this film because it is so CHEAP! The unimaginative production designs are mainly about mud, old factory, and wilderness with green screen behind it. Nothing is thrilling in here - you see hammy Clint Howard playing a despicable baddie with hammy Chris Penn playing another despicable baddie. Japanese actress Isako Washio plays bland Julia, Kenshiro's love, and it is not a good sign when you see Malcolm McDowell sitting like a Buddhist monk. <
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>The story is sometimes hard to follow because of its confusing narrative, and it often goes on and on with talks, talks, and talks. Former kick-boxing champion Gary Daniels can show very good fight scenes, and he surely shows them briefly, but when that happens, the film is almost over. <
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>My advice is again `Stick to the original' or in this case, original Japanese cartoon series. It is not perfect, but it is more exciting and entertaining.

gary daniels kick ass
this is gary daniels best performance so far, i havent seen or read the cartoon/comics, but this is a good entertainment movie. and the budget issnt that low. watch it, it is a must own