Killpoint

Essentially plotless action film has two good guys (Fong and Roundtree) pitted against two bad guys (Mitchell and Pierce). Fong is perhaps the most uncharismatic action lead of the 80s, Roundtree's small part is a far cry from his "Shaft" days, and Cameron Mitchell adds another shameful role to his career, one to sit right next to his laughable turn in "The Toolbox Murders" (this man was a respected actor once, now he has come down to wearing flowers in his hair and complaining about people bleeding on his carpet). Only Stack Pierce acts with some dignity. As for the violence, don't worry: most of it is too badly done to offend anyone. (*1/2)

This movie is very violent, yet exciting with original dialog and cool characters. It has one of the most moving stories and is very true to life. The movie start off with action star Leo Fong as a down and out cop who is approaching the end of his career, when he stumbles on to a big case that involves corruption, black mail and murder. This is where the killings start. From start finish Fong delivers in this must see action caper. This movie also co-stars Richard Roundtree.

I really enjoyed this film as a child but as I got older I realized that this film is pretty cheesy and not very good. I would not recommend this film and the action is very, very bad.

My review was written in March 1984 after a Times Square screening.

"Killpoint" is a perfunctory police picture made in asemi-documentary fashion that reduces audience involvement. Prospects on the action circuit are okay.

Filmmaker Frank Harris (who takes five credits on the pic) has sought to out-do Louis de Rochemont and Jack Webb in low-key realism, but the result is dull. Dozens of members of the Riverside, California police department plus the local coroner's office and people off the street fill most of the "acting" roles, and several lead players are so ice-cold in their performances that the film seems remote instead of exciting.

Leo Fong, a Chinese-American martial arts expert, toplines as Lt. James Long, a cop troubled by his wife's rape and murder, who is assigned to work with government agent Bill Bryant (Richard Roundtree) in catching the killers who have stolen automatic weapons from a National Guard armory and are creating mayhem by selling them to local criminals and gangs. Stack Pierce portrays Nighthawk, the key gunrunner whose boss, played behind dark glasses by Cameron Mitchell, is a nut who gets his jollies torturing and killing women.

Fong, whose immoblie but strong featured visage suggests an Oriental counterpart to Woody Strode, is unimpressive, a totally unemotional nonactor. Pierce's one-note "Mr. Cool" is counter-productive, Mitchell is silly and guest star Roundtree tarnishes his "Shaft" superhero image by getting blown away in routine fashion. Technically merely adequate, "Killpoint" delivers none of the fun that once made B-features so enjoyable.

Killpoint is another film that earns it's place in the sick category, or like a film, whose story lost it's way, like Hollywood Cop. In that Cameron Mitchell was a cranky cop (a good guy). In this, animal lover that I am, he's one sick, unhinged, son of a bitch, who deals in stolen arms. One senseless scene has his black partner shoot up a room of people. A separate incident, where an Asian cop's wife and child were killed, the same gun was used in that massacre. The wife was initially raped, and being a cop (Leo Fong) we know it's personal. Working with an another L.A. cop, (Richard Roundtree, before his Seven days) wasted in this amateur scripted dribble, they soon find the source of the heavy artillery and begin to close in on these bad as...s. Again as reference to Hollywood cop, some written scenes, are so amateurish, and lazy, it seems as the dialogue was written as it went along. Fong is the most calm and collected cop, while still maintaining a coolness. He's also the most unresponsive. Could it be that he's just a bad actor. Killpoint is a movie I hesitate to watch again, one that leaves me double minded, cause I know it won't leave me feeling really good at the end of it. Much is the blame on Cameron Mitchell's loathe character, and his actions.

Leo Fong as Lt. James Long is slightly subdued in his role but he still makes good in his scenes. There are some good fights here and a good 80's type of soundtrack. The song by Ramona Gibbons ... "Living On The Inside" is great for the ending of this movie.

Well the plot isn't brilliant and some of the actors are a little bit wooden. Michael Farrell as Captain Skidmore and Larry Lunsford as Agent Crawford are the sort of characters that would have appeared in the TV series of Mission Impossible in the sixties.

But this in its own way works for this movie. Still other actors make up for it. You'll notice a few actors here that Leo Fong uses in his other films. Stack Pierce , Hope Holliday and Cameron Mitchell and a couple of the extras too.

Stack Pierce as Nighthawk is great and very menacing. He is one of the most under appreciated actors around. Its hard to believe that he hasn't greater status as an actor.

Leo Fong well he gives an OK performance as LT Long and he is a pretty tough looking guy. And of course quite handy with his fists.

Cameron Mitchell who's was a very good actor seems to be the most weird perverted psychopathic creature around. This has to be seen to be believed !

Richard Rowntree is also in this movie which makes it worthwhile.

I could see what could nearly have happened if the film was directed in a different way or more avenues explored. There were some hints at excellence in different parts of this movie ,nearly there but just not quite ! The movie was probably made on a reasonable budget and there is good entertainment value in it. The shortcomings of this movie are out-weighed by its positive aspect. The thing about this movie is the memory of it isn't good as the actual watching. Seeing it again and then I think ..... mm that was quite good !