The Dark Angel: Psycho Kickboxer

Here we have a fun, no-budget action movie that cannot be taken seriously. In it, real life kickboxing champ Curtis Bush seems to have a great life going for him (complete with a very beautiful, yet ATROCIOUSLY acted, lady and a class where he teaches kids his art of kicking ass). Suddenly, his wife is gangbanged and killed, his dad's head gets blown apart, and he is beaten and left for dead after being forced to watch the whole ordeal. Well, I'm sure you know what that means! With the help of a crippled elderly guy who himself was victimized by the same gangsters who were responsible and clearly has some sort of gray paint in his hair that's smudged on the side of his face, our seething hero is nursed back to health and begins to learn some much-needed street smarts to go along with his deadly martial arts skills. Next, people die horribly, splattered every which way by the masked nutball who quickly becomes known as the Dark Angel (or the Psycho Kickboxer, if you prefer)! Blood and gore galore! A D-grade action tour-de-force and a must-see for fans of any of the good ole trashy, ultraviolent, no-budget cinema!

Truly lives up to its film title. 'The Dark Angel: Psycho Kickboxer'. Well at least three quarters of it, because I didn't think it was psycho enough. Love the opening credit intro with its soothing sax, and synthesizer beats. Fitting vibes.

Anyway this b-movie was a nice little self-aware throwback to cheap, formulaic straight to video action sludge of the late 80s through to the early 90s. Some crazy action, a bit of gore, training montage, hazy cinematography and vivid 90s fashion. As our kickboxer (portrayed by American world champion kickboxer Curtis Bush) decked out in a black ninja outfit (looking at times quite uncomfortable) goes pound for pound (cue in the dodgy sound fx) with a variety of street criminals ala 'Death Wish' style in trying to develop his street smarts, before seeking revenge on those responsible for the death of his father and fiancée. You know, the big fish. The type of villain who growls and cackles a lot while getting shoulder massages in his dimly lit office and demanding nothing short of excellence whenever wheeling and dealing. From this you can tell you get mostly two forms of performances - stiff or bombastic. Just look at the dialogue delivery between main bad guy compared to the kickboxer. Two extremes.

After awhile the focus shifts to a dogged newspaper reporter and a down on his luck private detective trying to figure just who is the Dark Angel. When this occurs it kinda slows up, and the novelty begins to lose steam. Before finding its way back with a stodgily executed tournament climax in the Arena of Death.

In all, the most amusing, and ridiculous moments were mainly the banter between the kickboxer and his wheel chair bound mentor/rescuer and of course whenever the kickboxer magically appears from nowhere fighting unrelated criminals committing crimes (like car jacking, handbag theft, yelling at kid's graffitiing) on the streets during the midday hustle and bustle. There's nothing discrete about his vigilante actions, as he clumsily beats up and then runs off in a less than graceful manner. One thing though, there's no doubting this town had a high crime rate.

"The Dark Angel? *laughs* "Sounds like a comic book hero. I don't like it".

This is the most ridiculous movie I have seen in a while. Comedy fight scenes with computer game insane music. The acting and storyline really is terrible. And who can forget a chief oreilly ,makes a change from a chief omalley. Do not waste your time on this pile off dog muck.

A kickboxer's father and girlfriend are kidnapped and murdered, with the blame being placed on the kickboxer. After an initial fight with the local mob boss where his butt is handed to him, the kickboxer teams up with a crippled Vietnam vet, who toughens him up. Now, as the Dark Angel, who cruises the streets stopping crime Ninja Turtle style.

Allegedly, this film took five years to make. If true, that is a sad fact. It's just about the most poorly put together film I've seen in a while, at least one that received distribution. Aside fro ma few brief gore sequences, the movie is boring and a real drag on anyone who views it.

Nobody in this film knows how to act. The only person with any Hollywood potential at all is Kim Reynolds, who plays Cassie. She had great presence, and it didn't hurt that she was fairly attractive. But seeing as this film was made in 1997 and she has no other screen credits as of 2009, I think she missed her window.

This film doesn't need a long review. It's just not worth watching and the review could be summed up in one word: rubbish. The DVD comes with a bonus film, "Canvas of Blood", which I'm sure is just as bad. I didn't even bother to check it out because it will be a while before I can sit through that much agony again... even with the assistance of Grand MacNish Scotch whiskey (which "comes in its trademark bottle that just asks to be picked up and poured").

Real-life kickboxing champion Curtis Bush plays an aspiring fighter named Alex Hunter, whose police detective father (George James) and fiancee are brutally murdered by thugs right in front of him, thugs who represent a crime kingpin named Hawthorne (Tom Story). Alex is tortured and left for dead, then restored to health by a disabled Vietnam vet (Rodney Suiter) in order that he may get revenge someday.

A labor of love for Bush that was several years in the making, this is obviously pretty tacky and incredibly low-budget from beginning to end, but it never stops being very amusing. Like many movies of its kind, it's the very cheesiness of the picture that makes it so damn fun. It's impossible to take seriously, with a routine plot, inane characters, and amateurish acting. That said, Story is hilariously reminiscent of Mr. Burns in both appearance and voice, and Suiter is an utter hoot. The music is silly & repetitive, and everything about the film looks cheap, but the fights *are* reasonably well done. Kim Reynolds, playing investigative reporter Cassie, does provide a bit of nudity. Alex, who takes on the persona of a masked vigilante dubbed The Dark Angel, doles out a LOT of savage punishment to various expendable goons and lowlifes. Those two radio personalities (who apparently are just playing themselves) are annoying in the extreme.

Whatever its flaws, however, the film does have a certain earnestness about it that makes it endearing, if not "quality" stuff.

Five out of 10.