White Panther - Der Schrei des Panthers

Standard story of a martial arts expert out to nail a gangster boss and his right hand man who were responsible for the death of his partner. This film however benefits from excellent fight sequences staged by Eddie Stazak (the star of the film) and Jim Richards who plays the lead heavy. With minimal use of fast editing and slow motion, which hinder the flow of fights in some other martial arts movies, where the same perfectly executed side kick is shown from 10 different angles, the fights are exciting and almost balletic. A small number of obviously accomplished stuntmen / martial artists are used as opponents throughout the film, sometimes wearing masks to hid their numbers. Don't worry about the story just enjoy the fight sequences, particularly the one in the boat show room.

Very bland Australian action flick that really goes nowhere fast as Edward John Stazak's lifeless performance as high-kicking Jason Blade leaves little to distinguish it from other 80's kung-fu flicks. When Blade's partner is chased by thugs in goofy masks and eventually killed by a crimelord's second-hand man, Baxter, he flies back to Australia to seek revenge. Blade, his blonde female partner and her father were all trained Shaolin Monk style by the Panther sect of the Chinese Triad. Funny, I thought the Triads were bad guys too. Anyway Blade teams up with his departed partner's dad and his spandex wearing niece Gemma to take down Perth's underworld boss Damien Zukor whose biggest crime is his atrocious wardrobe. Two idiot detectives tail Blade and act as comic relief assuming you think stupid comments and terrible policework is amusing. Eventually Blade gains the trust of Zukor and goes undercover as one of his enforcers. From there it follows the same connect-the-dots formula that makes this a real snoozefest. There's little doubt that Mr. Stazak is a very capable martial artist which is clear during one of his many spins kicks however I'm not a twelve year old so it gets old real quick. The real mystery is the fact that this was immediately followed by the sequel "Strike of the Panther". Who exactly was demanding this? Another problem I had was the lack of boomerangs, marsupials, mates, or any other Australian stereotypes that we Yanks like so much. This panther doesn't pounce. It sleepwalks instead.

"Day of the Panther" begins with a young blonde chick taking on several masked thugs at an abandoned building (in a sequence that would have worked better if it wasn't intercut with other events happening elsewhere - a mistake that the director repeats at the end of the movie). She fights quite well, but she gets killed off (bummer!), and her partner, Jason Blade (Edward John Stazak) takes charge from then on. This guy has zero charisma, but I have to give credit where credit is due: when it comes to the martial arts he knows what he is doing, his execution is fast and smooth. The story is totally formulaic, and the cinematography has a cheap, overexposed look, as if the film stock was left out in the sun too long. (*1/2)

So what does a hot blond (Linda Megier) do when a pig is harassing you? Well, if you are a martial arts master, you take him out, especially if he is just some scumbag in a pig mask. This kinds of humorous things make this Australian chop sockey movie bearable.

Blade (Edward John Stazak) is trying to find out who killed his partner and break up a drug operation. He is using his considerable skills to provide several entertaining bouts against multiple bad guys. Two bumbling cops are tailing him and providing more humor.

Now, it is time for more humor as Blade works out while Paris Jefferson dances around the gym. Soon they are dancing under the sheets.

Blade manages to take out another group using a broom handle. Ouch, that has to hurt.

Of course, you have to have the final battle between Blade and the drug lord's (Michael Carman) henchman (Jim Richards).

There will be a part 2 (IT was filmed at the same time.).

"Day of the Panther" is a kind of movie you don't see every day - a martial arts movie from Australia. Though watching it will probably reveal why there haven't been that many more martial arts movies coming from that country. In fairness to the movie, there are some positive features. The martial art sequences, while not as fancy as those from Hong Kong movies, do manage to generate some excitement, and at the same time come across as more believable than usual. And while the actors in the movie aren't that great actors, the actors playing the protagonists do come across as likable all the same. However, the movie does all the same have some serious problems. The movie obviously had a low budget, with the general look of movie looking somewhat tacky. The screenplay has assorted plot turns that you will have seen in dozens of other movies before, and has the various characters coming across the same way as well. And the middle of the movie is a long dull stretch. However, I will say this movie all the same is far from the worst martial arts movies I have managed to see.