Duelo en karate

I remember I really disliked this movie the first time I saw it... though I not only saw it full-frame (meaning that the fights were often hard to make out), but that it was an edited version, missing all that blood and bone crunching that warms all our hearts. Well, I recently got hands on a DVD of the first movie and this, and I gave it another look. Imagine my surprise that this public domain DVD not only had the movie in widescreen, but uncut! Seems they probably got the master from an old New Line laserdisc. (What's up with that, New Line - you release the first movie on VHS uncut and in widescreen, but you released the second movie on VHS cut and full-frame?!!?)

My view of the movie the second time is somewhat better... but it still doesn't match the impact of the original. Chiba's character is much softer, lacking the anti-hero aspect he had in the original that made him simultaneously grotesque and a figure to respect OR ELSE. As well, the action even in this uncut version I saw lacks the viciousness and bloodiness that was a major selling point of the original. I have to wonder if maybe the harshness was toned down here by the filmmakers in an attempt to gain a wider audience on its home turf.

There are a few acceptable action sequences, but nothing particularly outstanding. The story is lamer, with Chiba's new sidekick a particularly annoying (and ugly!) figure. At times the movie feels like a bad parody of the whole series. Still, it could have been far worse; I remember THE STREET FIGHTER'S LAST REVENGE to be even worse than this! (Though I also saw that full-frame and edited.)

Sonny Chiba returns as Tsurugi, slightly more well-mannered here as befits a film that is neither as gory or as good as the original. The plot is straightforward - Tsurugi upsets the mafia, they send hordes of goons to kill him, he kicks their asses. The film has plenty of fight scenes that are still intense and brutal, but tones down the level of animal rawness... it does offer us a bit of nudity in exchange, but frankly it's no substitute for a guy getting his genitalia ripped off in a fight.

Still, it is pretty entertaining and the fight scenes are still impressive.

Well, against the ostensible general tide of opinion I must say that I wasn't a particularly huge fan of the original film that this follows. In fact, for me at least, the only saving grace it boasted was in its violent excesses – the majority of which were saved until the final third of its running time. From reading many of the other reviews on this site, it furthermore seems indicative that the exact said graphic violence is the principle reason that most other reviewers have awarded the flick such lofty marks.

Interestingly and conversely, this sequel actually tones down the blood letting somewhat and apparently as a result didn't hold quite as much appeal it would seem. Well, that's what I'm assuming at least.

From my own perspective however, whilst this sequel is indeed bereft of much of the old red stuff a flying, I would say that it actually surpasses the original in pure entertainment value by far. The martial arts sequences are far superior this time around including some rather nifty Kobudo weapons displays throughout. Also Sonny Chiba is on much better form here to – just check out the awesome sequence near the start of the film in which our protagonist allows himself to be taken to a police station in order to silence a witness. He makes his escape by kicking the bars out through the wall and leaping through the subsequent hole from a few stories up!

Another scene of amazing note involves our hero punching some poor chap so hard in the back of the head that his eyeballs literally pop out!!! (some great utilisation of ping-pong balls there!) It's also great to see the return of a supposedly deceased character from the first flick who returns here with the intention of exacting his revenge upon our hero.

To be quite honest, there's only one negative I can think of in this flick and that is the ill advised inclusion of Chiba's 'side-kick' (the first film also suffered the indignity of including one to!) who in this instance is a veritably annoying chick boasting ridiculous looking pig tails and who furthermore, has a rather unfortunate propensity for warbling along to crappy music (badly at that!)

Aside from this minor gripe though, overall, this proves to be a tremendously entertaining affair throughout and is well worth tracking down!

Return of the Street Fighter (1974) is a movie in my DVD collection that I recently rewatched on Tubi. The storyline follows the American mafia and a corrupt dojo master working together in Japan. Master Tsurugi will work to bring down both, the American mafia and the dojo master...

This movie is directed by Shigehiro Ozawa (Gambler) and stars Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill), Claude Gagnon (Rashamen), Yôko Ichiji (Three Pretty Devils), Masashi Ishibashi (I Want To) and Katsuya Yamashita.

The storyline for this picture isn't as compelling as the first film; however, it does still have the legendary soundtrack, one-liners and throat sequences. The training scenes are entertaining and the fights are very good, but the premise felt like an excuse to make a sequel.

Overall this is an absolute must see Chiba picture that is a huge step down from the first film. I would score this a 6/10 and recommend seeing it once.

Return of the Street Fighter is the sequel to brutal, dynamic and entertaining The Street Fighter which was only released two and a half months earlier. This film features some vicious fight scenes like the predecessor but disappoints in all other regards. The movie seems to have been rushed in order to take advantage of the predecessor's surprising success.

Some of the brutal fight scenes look so ridiculous that they are unintentionally humorous. One example is when Tsurugi Takuma beats up a Yakuza so hard on the top of a snow-covered mountain that his eyes pop out. The story is even shallower than the plot of the first movie and basically revolves around a Yakuza clan that blackmails people to finance a new martial arts school that serves as hideout for an international organized crime organization. To make matters worse, one of Tsurugi Takuma's opponents from the first movie who was believed to be dead makes a random appearance in this film to get revenge. This film also features two extended flashbacks from the first film that overstay their welcome and only attempt to make the film longer than it is. The main character has a new sidekick in this film named Pin Boke whom he picked up from the streets for vague reasons and who is constantly annoying the main character and talking nonsense.

The elements that makes this weak sequel acceptable are its relentless pace, brutal fight scenes and gloomy atmosphere. Those who really liked the first movie can give this sequel a try and should definitely check out the third and last installment in the series entitled The Street Fighter's Last Revenge which is the best of the three movies in my opinion.