Lion Strike

I stumbled upon the 1994 martial arts action movie "Lion Strike" (aka "Ring of Fire 3: Lion Strike") here in 2021. Granted, I've never actually seen this movie, I do remember watching the original first "Ring of Fire" back in my late teenage years a couple of times, so of course I opted to watch this 1994 movie.

Well, this definitely was some campy and cheesy mid-1990s martial arts movies. Let's just be bluntly honest here. And I mean, the choreography and execution of the martial arts scenes was rigid and often painfully forced to look at. The martial arts just wasn't all that natural and fluid in its movement and momentum, and that took away from the movie.

The rooftop scene with the helicopter was just downright brutally painful to watch and witness. And it was just ludicrous that something like that found its way into a movie.

And then there was a fairly bland and overly generic storyline, even for a mid-1990s action movie, then the storyline told in "Lion Strike" was just generic.

Sure, I've never considered Don Wilson to be a particularly outstanding action star, but his movies are watchable at least. And he was joined by Bobbie Phillips in this movie, which was certainly a nice addition to the movie.

For a martial arts action movie then "Lion Strike" just didn't really provide me with much of any particular enjoyment or entertainment. It was watchable, but that was about it, so don't go expecting a grand movie.

My rating of "Lion Strike" lands on a less than mediocre four out of ten stars.

"Lion Strike" aka "Ring of Fire III" begins with a friendly sparring match between Don "The Dragon" Wilson and another guy on the roof of his hospital ("what kind of doctor are you?"), which is interrupted by the escape attempt of an elderly mobster patient via helicopter. Wilson manages to stop the attempt and kill all the bad guys, but his friend also gets severely shot. Then this entire sequence is completely forgotten and never referenced again. I've rarely seen a more random and incoherent way to open a movie. If you get past the first 10 minutes, this is a fairly OK low-budget actioner. Wilson is in pretty good form, Bobbie Phillips (is it just me or does she look a bit like Angelina Jolie?) makes a charming and compatible sidekick for him (but gets only one real chance to show her moves), there are some spectacular stunts and some pretty woodsy/snowy locations. A film you can take or leave. ** out of 4.

PM Entertainment stuntman, fight choreographer Art Camacho and star Don "The Dragon" Wilson penned the story. Three directors credited which might make a person think it had a troubled production history. Whatever the case you can either see 'Ring of Fire 3' aka 'Lion Strike' for the dtv piece of cheese it is (in a series that didn't exactly start off on a great foot) or turn back right now.

Low level thugs see an easy payday ripping off their mob boss Louie (Robert Costanzo), but things go sideways. Doc Johnny Woo (Wilson) tries to render medical aid and is brushed off by tuff Vinny (John Del Regno). A few moments later it's figured out the doc grabbed the bag he thought was his own, but actually has the stolen money and an important computer disc inside. Louie and a host of bigwig criminals have come together to sell highly profitable nuclear weapons and need it back. A holiday vacation for Johnny and his young son out in the country is about to get disrupted and a whole lot more deadly.

That sounds like the generic plot to just about fifty flicks I've sat thru in equal measure. The opening involving a guarded hospitalized elderly mob boss and an averted breakout by the butt-kicking doc is laughable, ridiculous. 9mm gun takes down a helicopter while the hero hangs off the side of the building with one arm. Supporting player / stuntman Carl Ciarfalio easily recognizable for his small but memorable role as Tony Dogs from 'Casino' here as a baddie like Costanzo, Regno (Another 48 Hrs) later. Michael DeLano is the only holdover from the first two flicks. Returning as detective Lopez while everyone else is gone. Only the tiniest explanation of Julie's fate.

Dialed up visuals in the form of big explosions made the first sequel 'Blood and Steel' slightly better than the original. 'Lion Strike' doesn't get that same honor plodding all too familiar ground and with not much to show for it. Russian bad guys get inserted of course and a lame but predicable new love interest in forest ranger Kelly (Bobbie Phillips). Keep an eye out for Michael Jai White in one of his earliest roles if you're gonna give it a go otherwise not much worth talking about.

Don Wilson kicks the s**t out of some cardboard character b-movie villains (Russian mob, American mob, garden variety street thugs) and delivers some stultifying dialogue with the brain-dead child playing his son (ominously with the same last name) and Natalie Barish, who plays a Ranger. (A Sloane Ranger maybe but that's all she could ever be.) Ah well, the Pacific Northwest settings are nice. And the fights are good. If ya like that sort of thing.

This is actually the best of the Ring of Fire series. If you're like me and you love straight-forward '90s action/martial arts flicks, you'll enjoy this one. Don't expect a complex story with loads of character development. What you get here is a simple plot with a likeable protagonist and some solid action sequences. This reminded me of some of the early Steven Seagal films. If you're a fan of that kind of thing, give this one a shot.