American Samurai

This movie is all about cage fighting. Cage fighting is two martial arts experts being locked in a cage and fight to one of them is dead.(sometimes they use weapons like swords,spears etc)

You dont watch a movie like this for nothing else than cool fighting scenes,because it has almost no plot and the acting sucks. But in this movie the fighting scenes is especially good,and it shows of many different fighting styles.

The movie contains some really strong scenes of violence and gore,what did you expect,it is about men who kill each other.

If you like martial arts movies for the fighting scenes,then you will love this one.

American Samurai fits into a genre of cinema that enjoyed far to short lived a success, that being the underground, martial arts death tournament film. Films like this enjoyed a great boom in the eighties and early nineties and arguably were the influences for the modern fighting tournament games such as Street Fighter 2 and the like. Some other films of this genre are "Ring of Steel", "Best of the Best 2", "Blood Fist 2" and perhaps one of the last of these magnificent creatures to appear in theater; John Claude VanDam's "The Quest"... unless of course you count the more recent "Fight Club", which you shouldn't because it's not about underground martial arts guys that fight but just normal guys and that isn't the main plot of the film anyway really. As evident from the title this film also belongs to the school of sticking the word American in front of stuff IE: American Ninja's 1 through 4, American Ronin and American Cyborg. this usually means you have an instant classic on your hands. Anyway what really makes the film shine is the cast of characters. American Samurai offers more weird fighters than any other film of the genre that I have yet seen. If nothing else it would make a great video game. I will attempt to catalogue the assortment of fighters in the style of a badly translated Nintendo instruction booklet.

• The American Samurai: A warrior of much honor though American, trained by master Samurai in Mountains of Japan. Master of Sword and peaceful of heart but strong to win. Entered tournament to reclaim family sword from evil brother.

• His Yakuza Samurai Brother: Adoptive brother of American Samurai and son of Master Samurai. Strong fighter but gangster with no honor or mercy too.

• The Bowie Knife Cowboy: American fighter, fast with knife although quite stupid. Fights in tournament for much cash prizes and honor.

• African Master of the Quarter Staff: Not much known about this fighter. likes to strike poses with his staff weapon.

• Pirate Swordsman: A much feared prate from the coast of far off lands. Wears eye patch but is still dangerous.

• The Deadly Braid: Much like fighter in "Best of the Best 2" he fights with sharp implement tied to his long braid of hair. Born in China he possess much fighting spirit.

• Chinese Axe Spear Guy: Second warrior from china and master of martial arts axe spear technique. Fast warrior but uses much energy in attacks.

• Conan the Barbarian Guy: Former stunt man of lame 80's European sword and sorcery/caveman movie genre gone renegade. Now looks for new career wielding broadsword for money and glory in tournament.

• Nordic, Viking, Berserker Type: Crazy Horned warrior from Sweden. Attacks fierce with axe.

• Weird-ass, Klingon Sword Looking Thing Wielding Guy: Warrior killed by Evil Yakuza Brother. Fought with weird-ass star trek, alien weapon things.

I know there wear a few guys I've forgotten too. Oh yeah this film also features John Fujioka playing the Japanese martial arts master who raises and trains our hero upon finding him stranded in his infancy. This is the exact same role he played in American Ninja. "I only play old Japanese Guys that find American babies and raise them to be martial arts masters". Now that's over specific type casting if you ask me. Anyway the film is also peppered with blindfolded swordsman training sequences, lots of crazy fighting and flash backs to really bad wise old sensei advice. In short this movie rocks. There should be more films like this. I'd comment on the film's success at creating one of the most awkward romantic subplots ever but I think I've run out of space. See it yourself.

I first saw this movie when I was in 8th grade. A friend invited me and a couple of friends to his house after school to see American Samurai on video. The movie lacked of some elements like acting, and editing but we all agree on one thing, the movie had impressive sword fighting scenes. The movie was release by the time the fighting Games where at there higher point. It follows a sequence of low budget films related to competition fighting in the eighties and early nineties like; Bloodsport, Kickboxing, Shootfighter, and American Ninja. The story begins when an American couple and there son are traveling on a privet plane, that crashes nearby an isolated part of Japan. An old Japanese swords man finds the boy that is the only survivor and takes him as his own, and trains him in the Samurai ways. A few years later his other son Kenjiro (played by Mark Dacascos) joins the Yakuza mafia and is disowned by his father. Kenjiro steals the family Katana so he can use it in gladiatorial fights that take place in a Turkish arena. Andrew Collins (played by David Bradley) is set to find the sword of his adopted father. On his way he meets with Janet (played by Valarie Trapp) and falls in love with her. Janet is kidnapped by Kenjiro and forces Andrew to fight in the arena. Soon Andrew is faced against fearless fighters from around the world, and that the fights are to the death. The only way to survive is by using his Samurai techniques. Mark Dacascos performance as the villain is great, and the fighting scenes are phenomenal. The concept of armed combat is what really made this film unique at the time. So if you want to see a classic martial arts movie, this you will definitely enjoy.

Simultaneously the best and worst film of all time. More cheesy, cliche-ridden martial-arts mayhem and a very gory film indeed. If you enjoy this kind of film, however, you'll love it for what it is - mindless entertainment, worthy to be ranked with the Van Damme films of the eighties. It also marks the debut of new "Crow" Mark Dacascos. Superb fun - but not to be taken too seriously...

Whilst I understand the lower ratings given by others, and the derogatory comments directed toward this film, I believe it's also important to point out the merits of the film. David Bradley's acting is certainly passable in this film, and his martial arts abilities are obviously very adequate for his role, with some slick fight scenes. Mark Dacascos is a stand out in a film bursting with a rich variety of contrasting fighting styles and weapons. This is "BloodSport" with weapons, and a LOT more blood!!! (it even boasts a cocky large Yankee competitor like Bloodsport!). The action is somewhat brutal, and in the original cut, very little is left to the imagination when it comes to the gory wounding and killing blows (which I feel is as it should be!). Dacascos as Kenshiro in particular brings a restraint and elegance to his role as a Yakuza swordsman, intent on perfecting his craft at the expense of his opponents (and their limbs!) in the arena - only drawing his sword upon his infliction of a lightning fast maiming or killing blow.

Yes, this film does not boast polished storytelling, or compelling characterisation, but it does provide a unique and entertaining addition to the martial arts genre and stands alone as an ultra-violent tournament-style actioner with a talented cast of martial artists.

And for this at least, we should recognise it's value!!!