La Karatigresse aux mains d'acier

In many ways a film that a nine-year-old would have made, SISTER STREET FIGHTER has very little grasp on reality or coherent storytelling, but who cares? When a movie is this entertaining, all bets are off!

Sonny Chiba protegee Etsuko "Sue" Shiomi stars as a badass who goes up against a dizzying array of villains, each crazier than the next (my favorites being the basket-headed dudes). The plot really is beside the point here, so drink a few brews and enjoy!!!

Note--This review is based on an English-dubbed version of this movie. Usually dubbed movies stink compared to subtitled ones, though this one wasn't bad. The worst aspect of the dubbing was the stupid voice they gave Sonny Chiba in a few BRIEF scenes. It just sounded very wimpy.

As for Chiba, there are undoubtedly a lot of "Chiba-philes" out there who will watch this film because it's part of the Street Fighter series. However, be warned, he is barely in the movie at all--appearing briefly three times and amounting to perhaps five minutes on film. I assume either they added Chiba to the film later to cash in on the success of the Street Fighter films or they just paid Chiba for a couple days work because that's all he wanted to do. Regardless, many have unscrupulously marketed this as a Sonny Chiba film, but it really isn't. Plus, what you do see of this great martial artist is far from his best work.

So instead, watch this movie just for its merits without Chiba--which it does have in spades. While not among the very best martial arts films, the action is significantly better compared to the average film from Hong Kong from the same time period. And while the story about drug dealers is just okay (it's really just an excuse for all that kicking and crunching), it's also better than the silly plots of many Hong Kong productions as well. Now I am NOT saying the Hong Kong films aren't fun to watch, but many have the most outlandish plots ever to appear in martial arts films (blind assassins, guys with three foot long tongues, fighting gorillas, etc.). SISTER STREET FIGHTER is much more direct and down to earth--with a very conventional plot and setting.

What was unusual about this film, and I appreciated it, was the collection of both styles and masters in various styles of martial arts. In fact, during one portion of the film, they freeze the frame to tell you who this master is and their style. A nice touch. However, there were also some real odd-balls among these "greats"--such as the guys who wore black baskets on their heads and the ladies who dressed like Fred Flintstone!!! You have to see them to believe it!

My most serious negative is that while the action is good, the lady protagonist's style isn't Chiba's--and she doesn't deliver as many crunching death blows as Chiba--it's more a kinder, gentler version of martial arts. Plus, the plot itself is nothing new and isn't all that engaging. Also, parents take note, there is some nudity in this film as well as the expected violence. Think twice before letting the kids see this one.

A fierce female martial arts warrior named Tina Long sets out on a mission to rescue her captured brother Lee Long, an undercover agent now being held prisoner by the very drug smuggling ring he sought to bring down! Meanwhile, the head of the drug smuggling ring has assembled a menagerie of the world's greatest killers, some truly outlandish and bizarre eccentric characters, to protect himself and his interests.

This delivers the goods when it comes to fight scenes, 1970s style exploitation thrills, chase and action sequences and best of all, it takes a surprisingly cool stylish approach, like something out of a comic book splash page, when it comes to introducing its characters.

Where this falters is its mistaken over-reliance on wire stunts for the climactic showdown at the end leading to the most unbelievable and unrealistic fight sequence in the entire film. Also the characters, despite their colorful outer appearance, all remain completely one-dimensional making the film as an whole more forgettable than it might have been otherwise. All in all, this is a good albeit flawed effort.

Not only is the movie great for martial arts fans but its also fun for fans of tokusatsu (Japanese science fiction) as its full of tokusatsu actors/actresses. Shihomi, Etsuko played Mari in Kikaida-01. Miyauchi, Hiroshi (star of Kamen Rider V3 and Kaiketsu Zubat, the Blue Ranger in Goranger, Big One is JAKQ, mentor in Ohranger, cop in 3 metal heroes series) plays her brother. She beats up on Oba Kenji (Battle Kenya in Battle Fever J and star of Space Sheriff Gavan) who works for Ishibashi, Masashi who was Iron Claw in JAKQ and the 2nd highest ranking villain in Battle Fever J. The music is even by Kamen Rider composer Shunsuke Kikuchi.

This isn't a Sonny Chiba film, although it has the same name as the series, and he does appear briefly in the film, it features the very capable Etsuko Shihomi, one of his students.

This is her first leading role and she would make many films before achieving award status, but she is still very watchable and entertaining in this non-stop karate exhibition.

Be it Asian beanpoles armed with Nunchukas or elderly men wielding metallic claws, our lovely heroine will crush anyone who tries to prevent her from rescuing her brother from the clutches of the vile villains that hold him.

You must really like karate to watch this film as that is all there is. Be warned that there is not a lot of gore, but there is one rape scene.