Moving Target

Absolutely the finest Irish export since Beamish itself. You'd be doing yourself a disservice missing this tour de force of connemara crime thriller.

BLOODFIST IV doesn't seem like a movie that demanded a remake, but even with the golden age of home video behind them, writer-director Paul Ziller and star Don Wilson decided to produce it anyway. MOVING TARGET changes names and locations, but the premise and the general course of the plot remains the same as its predecessor. Die-hard Wilson fans may consider this a step down, given decrease in star power and production values, but personally, I think it's a minor improvement over the so-so original.

The story: An American kickboxer (Wilson) visiting Ireland is caught up in a deadly manhunt when he comes into possession of a case of beer containing nuclear detonators sought by the IRA.

The film's lack of widely-recognizable performers, hand-held camera-work, and fleeting tone give the film a kind of throwaway feel, like something produced for television. For general viewers this may be an unshakable qualm, but I think the film's one main strength helps make this an above-average feature for Wilson. The quality of the fight scenes is relatively strong, thanks in part to a good stunt ensemble. Don tends to prefer one-sided brawls, but a few of the nine fights feature a lot more back & forth action than the man's norm, with his initial bout against Bill Murphy setting the tone for a slightly more mortal performance from The Dragon. Occasional slow motion and sloppy choreography keep this one from really shining, but overall, I declare it enjoyable.

The plot can be a little confusing at times when it comes to the IRA inter-faction rivalry, but for the most part this is standard action stuff and easily digestible. Some things make the story stand out, including the Irish setting and Wilson's relationship to his on screen girlfriend Eileen McCloskey. The first part of the movie wherein Don's character tests the waters of new surroundings and a new romance make for some cozy viewing; I almost wish the movie were simply about a tourist in Ireland without the action portions…or at least without the thriller storyline.

Don Wilson's tremendous foothold within the low-budget scene would allow him to hold onto his solo career longer than other action stars of his status following the crash of the video market, and MOVING TARGET is an example of how he was able to roll with the punches as adeptly as if this were a kickboxing match. Fans of the man ought to give it a try, and B-movie lovers in general might have some fun with it, too. Everyone else, though, can stay away.

If I could give this anymore stars, I would. If you love Beamish and Kung-Fu then this is the movie for you! Don "The Dragon" Wilson has it all! The Beamish, The Looks, The Charm, The Deadly Kung-Fu Moves, The Nuclear Detonators. The IRA want it all, and so do the Russians. The CIA are here and they want some! oh and the Gaurd's want some action too! And if you want some action well then you came to the right movie because you're gonna get some! Filmed in lovely Galway, it's not just great acting you'll get, but some of the best scenery in the world! With car chases(and horse chases) to rival the Fast and Furious, and fight scenes Jason Bourne could learn a thing or two from; It's no exaggeration to say that this is probably the best movie ever made.

It´s no good point in this movie. The worst movie ever. I don´t want to say more. If you like boring movies, watch this.

A remake of Bloodfist IV: Die Trying was something I wasn't particularly thrilled about. Die Trying was OK, but nothing more than just a standard action B-movie. The script is basically the same, in Bloodfist IV: Die Trying, Don "The Dragon" Wilson ended up with a box of chocolates containing nuclear detonators which ended up getting his daughter kidnapped. This time it's a 6 pack of Beamish beer again containing nuclear detonators but this time his girlfriend who he met on the internet (who isn't very attractive I'll add) is kidnapped. Several scenes are almost entirely repeated from Die Trying, although much of the scenes are written from scratch and the Irish locations make the film more pleasing on the eye and more visually interesting to watch.

The location however, is almost the only thing Irish in this movie as nearly all the dialogue is American. For example, they use terms like "son of a bitch", "ma'am", "gasoline" and more. These are all terms which aren't generally used in both the UK and Ireland. I can only assume this is because it's only really aimed at American audiences, as it currently has no UK release on DVD or VHS. Also, an American accent answers a call for help. Other errors include, during a car chase scene at the docks, we see a Rover 400 series Police car in pursuit of Don's car, but the car that crashes is a late 80's/early 90's Ford Sierra Sapphire.

Putting those aside, Moving Target is a whole lot of fun. For a Corman production, the production values are somewhat decent and the fight scenes and gunplay look good, not overdoing slow motion but using it at the right time. More importantly, the film makes great use of the locations, with nothing being faked. Bloodfist VIII: Hard Way Out was also filmed in Ireland interestingly, and this certainly makes better use of the locations and more importantly, the action scenes look a whole lot better. The cast generally give acceptable B-movie performances, and I doubt anybody watching this will be expecting anything more. It moves very quickly, fortunately little time is spent on the relationship between Wilson's character and his internet love interest and the action scenes happen relatively often and at well paced intervals.

Overall, for a Corman movie Moving Target fairs surprisingly well. It moves fast, is visually pleasing and most importantly fun to watch. If you've seen Bloodfist IV you know what to expect really, and may want to skip this one. If you've seen this, then I definitely advise you to skip Bloodfist IV as it's very similar, only slower and less interesting due to the residential Los Angeles location. If you're expecting anything close to reality, look elsewhere. However, for cheesy escapist entertainment, this fits the bill perfectly.