Fearless Tiger

In 1991, jeweler and competitive martial artist Jalal Merhi introduced himself to the film world with no less than a starring action vehicle. Merhi's fascination with kung fu - different from the karate and kickboxing standard in films of the time - helps set this one apart from the ton of other flicks released around this time, but the questionable acting and fluctuating quality of the fighting nullifies this uniqueness. Nevertheless, after watching the film with very low expectations, I'm surprised that I enjoy it enough to offer it a respectable rating.

The story: After his brother overdoses on a lethal new drug and the dealer remains untouchable, Lyle Camille (Merhi) abandons both the family business and his fiancée to train in martial arts so he may exact vengeance on the responsible entities.

The worst aspect of the movie is the dramatic content. The movie is largely populated either by non-actors and non-native English speakers, resulting in some genuine trainwreck moments of acting - most scenes involving lead villain Lazar Rockwood qualify as such. The saturation of questionable dramatics is contagious, infecting even veteran Jamie Farr, whose character inexplicably develops an accent over the course of his scenes. More amusing is the vague aura of strangeness of the screenplay, which features scenes like Lyle introducing himself to his master (Bolo Yeung) by approaching him while striking forms. Clearly, this isn't the kind of movie you're supposed to take too seriously.

Despite his faults, Jalal is physically in top form here: he'd have better fight scenes in the future, but the impressive moves his pulls off are definitely his most impressive ever, with some very graceful katas and lots of high jump kicks. And while the fight scenes definitely have their low points, the quantity and ferocity of the action is surprising. During the middle act, a tournament takes place, and even though most of the matches are presented in montage form, their choreography and the physicality of the performers is admirable. Merhi stuffs his cast with little-known but legitimate martial artists, among them UFC alumnus Harold Howard and pro wrestling personality Sonny Onoo, and it pays off in a respectable action display...with the exception of the awful ending fight in the back of a garbage truck.

This is definitely not everyman's martial arts movie, but anybody who's followed the careers of other B-movie dragons will know that the first solo vehicles tend to be shaky. Jalal Merhi makes the absolute most of his limited experience, and that makes FEARLESS TIGER / BLACK PEARLS decent. Fans should give it a look by default.

The film is without doubt a totally bad martial arts film wannabe. It fails miserably in its attempt. The "star", Jalil Merhi would probably be stoned to death in his native middle east if they ever show this junk there.

The plot is simple, Merhi's brother dies of drugs and he wants revenge. He tells his wealthy businessman father and his fiancee that he can't take over the family business or go through with the wedding because he wants to train in the far east. Talk about ridiculous, the bride to be is 6 foot 2 inch, Supermodel Monika Schnarre. She stands at least a solid foot and a half taller than Merhi. His father is played by Jaime Farr, Corporal Klinger from M*A*S*H. I guess those residual checks are no longer coming in. The acting is without doubt totally lousy. Collectively amateurish beyond belief, even from Jaime Farr who's antics as Max Klinger keeps me tuning in to reruns of M*A*S*H. But the worst is Merhi, his acting makes Jean Claude Van Dahm look like Sir Lawrence Olivier by comparison. The direction, the lighting, the cinematography are all laughably bad. It is as if the director was incapable of taking his camera off a tripod. Any kung fu film and blaxploitation film afficionado who sees this will probably wanna pluck their eyes out.

I hadn't heard of Jalal Merhi before I saw this. Now I find myself collecting his movies - and for laughs!

Everything is so wrong in this movie. The acting is crude all around and the dialogue is extremely childish and silly in most parts - the director/writer Ron Hulme apparently had no skills in either of his roles.

Jalal is the star of the movie, a short kung-fu guy who sounds just like Apu from The Simpsons. His silly accent really distracts the viewer from everything else - like his model girlfriend who's a feet taller than him and the no doubt the worst actress I've ever seen on film.

The film is unintentionally funny through out and it's not boring at all - especially if watched between friends who really dig bad movies. I've seen many martial arts movies and this one really stands out because of the laughs it generates.

.......But oh so much fun! Yes indeed, step right up folks for here we have a real stinker; Witness in disbelief a lead actor (who happens to be none other than Joseph Merhi's brother!) who can barely speak the English language(!), some pretty lousy fight sequences throughout (especially surprising considering that the legendary kicking maestro Jean Frennette is on board here!), Bolo Yeung dancing...badly(!), and some of the very worst acting performances this side of an average children's nativity play! Yes indeed, this is a truly amateurish mess if ever I've seen one; But you know what? Such gross incompetence in every area only serves to make this all the more endearing; Truly, this took some staggering ineptitude to make by all those concerned. Yay, I hereby do award this travesty my highest recommendation for fellow bad movie lovers.

This is reportedly Bolo's first film as a good guy after over 100 outings as the baddest dude of the bad dudes. But don't waste your time here. Besides the movie's overall suckitude (suckiness? Suckiosity?), Bolo's only in two brief scenes, doing very little in a scant few minutes. Don't be fooled by the billing. A bunch of the anonymous henchmen get more screen time than Bolo did.