Day of the Panther

Without doubt one of the best movies ever made ! Set in beautiful Perth Western Austraila it rightly holds the title of the best movie ever made in that fair, if remote, city. Starring that well known son of Boroloola Kadeem Hardison, who is one of the few remaining exponents of the ancient northern Australian martial art of Beltemtokumbukta, it snarls its way through a part of the 1980's where yacht salesmen are important people in town. Oh it's all too too real, frightenly so. I'm utterly serious when I say that this movie is so faithful to the Australia of the time I almost thought it was a documentary, really. I was back there. Stunning is the only word to even come close to describing this cinema gem. Enjoy it in the spirit of filmic perfection it so richly deserves. Note this movie was nominated in 1988 for the prestigous Palm 'd Bunge at the eclectic Missabotti film festival. Anyone who pretends to know film must see this movie. Really.

Austria, Austria .... it's in Europe, unlike Australia.

Stumbling upon the 1988 martial arts action movie "Day of the Panther" by random chance here in 2025, of course I had to check it out. This was a movie that I had never heard about, and thus of course never watched. And with it being a late 1980s martial arts movie, I figured that chances were that I might have been missing out on something.

It was a bit amazing that writers Peter West, David Groom and Brian Trenchard-Smith collectively could manage to concoct such a bland and generic script. Sure, it was watchable enough, but it was nothing outstanding, and there are far better martial arts action movies from the late 1980s.

I was actually not familiar with a single actor or actress on the cast list, which is something that spoke in favor of the movie. Yeah, I do enjoy watching new and unfamiliar talents on the screen when I watch a movie. The acting performances in the movie were fair enough.

The movie's cover over-sells the movie by landslide. I will admit that I liked the movie's cover and it was the reason why I picked up the movie. But the contents of the movie weren't as interesting as the cover, sadly so.

My rating of director Brian Trenchard-Smith's 1988 movie "Day of the Panther" lands on a four out of ten stars.

Veteran genre filmmaker BTS revisits his earlier martial arts success with this vehicle starring Edward John Stazak as the indestructible cop Jason Blade, out to avenge the death of his partner. Familiar faces (and voices) Michael Carman and John Stanton feature in supporting roles in a generally fast-moving, colourful and exciting flick made for and of its time.

Garish Miami Vice style wardrobe (that's the pastel shirts and pleated trousers sans belts for the men, whilst the ladies live perpetually in bikinis) and synthesiser sounds paints the 80s excess well, even if it's all cliched. But it's the action sequences which standout, and BTS handles these with his usual flair, beginning with the rooftop foot-chase through the industrial estate, through to the rousing climax with Baxter the enforcer (Richards).

Nicely lit visuals of the Swan river and Perth surrounds, no-nonsense, functional dialogue that doesn't become sentimental nor melodramatic, there's even a half-dozen or so sweaty workout /aerobic dance sequences (including a montage that finishes with a roll in the hay) to keep the pulse-racing in between the well-choreographed roundhouses. It's no 'Man from Hong Kong', but as far as Oz-styled chop-socky goes, it's easy to enjoy matinee-grade material, good enough to go hand in hand with a simultaneously filmed sequel.

Very bland Australian action flick that really goes nowhere fast as Edward John Stazak's lifeless performance as high-kicking Jason Blade leaves little to distinguish it from other 80's kung-fu flicks. When Blade's partner is chased by thugs in goofy masks and eventually killed by a crimelord's second-hand man, Baxter, he flies back to Australia to seek revenge. Blade, his blonde female partner and her father were all trained Shaolin Monk style by the Panther sect of the Chinese Triad. Funny, I thought the Triads were bad guys too. Anyway Blade teams up with his departed partner's dad and his spandex wearing niece Gemma to take down Perth's underworld boss Damien Zukor whose biggest crime is his atrocious wardrobe. Two idiot detectives tail Blade and act as comic relief assuming you think stupid comments and terrible policework is amusing. Eventually Blade gains the trust of Zukor and goes undercover as one of his enforcers. From there it follows the same connect-the-dots formula that makes this a real snoozefest. There's little doubt that Mr. Stazak is a very capable martial artist which is clear during one of his many spins kicks however I'm not a twelve year old so it gets old real quick. The real mystery is the fact that this was immediately followed by the sequel "Strike of the Panther". Who exactly was demanding this? Another problem I had was the lack of boomerangs, marsupials, mates, or any other Australian stereotypes that we Yanks like so much. This panther doesn't pounce. It sleepwalks instead.

So what does a hot blond (Linda Megier) do when a pig is harassing you? Well, if you are a martial arts master, you take him out, especially if he is just some scumbag in a pig mask. This kinds of humorous things make this Australian chop sockey movie bearable.

Blade (Edward John Stazak) is trying to find out who killed his partner and break up a drug operation. He is using his considerable skills to provide several entertaining bouts against multiple bad guys. Two bumbling cops are tailing him and providing more humor.

Now, it is time for more humor as Blade works out while Paris Jefferson dances around the gym. Soon they are dancing under the sheets.

Blade manages to take out another group using a broom handle. Ouch, that has to hurt.

Of course, you have to have the final battle between Blade and the drug lord's (Michael Carman) henchman (Jim Richards).

There will be a part 2 (IT was filmed at the same time.).