Légitime vengeance

Made by D & B Films (no need to thank me), "Long zai jiang hu" was the first movie I saw with Brandon Lee - unlike the other posters, I actually saw it when it came out - and it was ultimately nothing too special, but all of the action stars of the past and present have had to work their way up, and it was certainly better than "Rapid Fire" and "Showdown In Little Tokyo" (which was admittedly entertaining in a cheap way, Tia Carrere's obvious body double and the snuff video scene with that gorgeous blonde notwithstanding).

The action's okay, and the scene where our hero bursts a villain's eye with a garotte still makes me wince 16 years later, but the best bit is when our hero visits a wimpy friend to get some armed help; wimpy friend says "I only have these," and unveils an armoury that would give Charlton Heston wet dreams. Still, you do wonder what would have happened had Brandon lived.

"Legacy of Rage" proves that Brandon Lee had enough talent to become an action star in his own right, without counting only on his famous father's name. He is a strong, likable, handsome, assured and charismatic hero - and this is only his film debut! And when he gets angry, he is one dude you don't want to mess with. Regina Kent is adorable as his girlfriend, and Michael Wong turns in a convincing performance, as he changes from a bitter young man to a ruthless crime boss. The film itself is rather slow and unexceptional story-wise (half prison flick, half revenge flick), distinguished from similar American fare mostly by a few superb hand-to-hand fight scenes and the amount of blood in the climax. (**1/2)

Brandon Lee is mad as hell in this mid 80's action flick from Hong Kong. Lee and his buddy (Michael Wong) are the best of friends, that's until a strange twist of fate changes their lives for ever. Crazy action and fluid directing by Ronny Yu keeps this from turning into your average mindless chop socky flick. Bolo Yeung makes a cameo appearance (completing the circle). Hoi Mang co-stars (as well as directing the fight scenes) along with Regina Kent (A Better Tomorrow II) and Ng Man Tat. The final act of this film is definitely one-of-a-kind and it is simply mind blowing!

Highly recommended for H.K. Cinema fans!! A Factoid: Michael Wong and Brandon Lee's voices are looped by other actors.

"Legacy of Rage" (1986) marks Brandon Lee's debut in Hong Kong cinema, showcasing his raw talent and charisma. The film is a classic revenge story with a gritty, realistic tone that sets it apart from typical martial arts fare.

Lee plays Brandon Ma, a mild-mannered waiter framed for manslaughter by his best friend, Michael (Michael Wong), a rising gangster. Imprisoned for eight years, Brandon emerges a hardened man consumed by a thirst for vengeance.

The film excels in its portrayal of prison life, capturing the brutality and dehumanization of the environment. Lee delivers a powerful performance, conveying Brandon's transformation from an innocent man to a vengeful warrior.

The action sequences are well-choreographed, blending realistic fight scenes with moments of explosive martial arts. The climax is particularly intense, with Brandon facing off against Michael and his henchmen in a brutal showdown.

Beyond the action, "Legacy of Rage" explores themes of betrayal, redemption, and the corrupting influence of power. The film's ending is ambiguous, leaving the audience to ponder the true cost of revenge.

While overshadowed by his later Hollywood success, "Legacy of Rage" remains a significant film in Brandon Lee's career. It showcases his potential as an action star and serves as a reminder of his immense talent tragically cut short.

The 1986 martial arts action flick "Legacy of Rage" has the benefit of being the first starring role of the late Brandon Lee (the ill-fated son of deceased martial arts legend Bruce Lee). It was also the only film that Brandon Lee made in Hong Kong, and likewise the film is spoken in Cantonese (though the voices are dubbed - as the practice at that time was to film movies without sound, and then dub in the actors' voices later).

Brandon Lee is in fine form here (despite never hearing his natural speaking voice), though the film itself - written and directed by Hong Kong action veteran Ronny Yu (who would later gain fame in the West with the American horror films "Bride of Chucky" and "Freddy vs. Jason," and the martial arts epic "Fearless" with Jet Li) - is somewhat of a mixed bag; it's more or less a standard action film, with lots of stuff about gangsters, drugs, and John Woo-style gun-play. Also, disappointingly, there isn't much of Brandon Lee using his father's patented Jeet Kune Do skills against the bad guys being sent his way.

Lee plays Brandon Ma, a hard-working average Joe with a beautiful girlfriend named May (Regina King, in her film debut) and dreams of buying a motorcycle. Brandon's best friend is Michael (Michael Wong), who is also the son of a local Hong Kong gangster and is looking to take over his father's business and thus make a name for himself. He also has unrequited feelings for May, and he soon cooks up a scheme to get rid of Brandon so that he can have her for himself. This scheme would involve the murder of the undercover narcotics detective that has been hassling his father's organization, and then setting up Brandon as the scapegoat. The plan goes off without a hitch, and Brandon is sent to prison for eight years for the crime. But when he learns the truth about what's happened to him and why, that's when he sets out to get revenge and save May.

While we all know Brandon Lee's tragic story (he was killed while filming a scene of his last film, 1994's "The Crow"), "Legacy of Rage" definitely shows the talent the younger Lee inherited from his more-famous father. Brandon Lee may not have been as skilled a martial artist as his father (this is really debatable and a pointless argument, if you ask me), but he certainly may have been a stronger and more charismatic and charming actor. He certainly did not want to be remembered as a martial arts star like his father, but he did want to be remembered as an ACTOR. "Legacy of Rage" may not have much in the way of kung-fu action, but it does show that Lee was a strong and capable action hero, much like he would show in his later English-speaking features "Showdown in Little Tokyo" (1991), "Rapid Fire" (1992) and of course, "The Crow" - his last and most famous film.

So "Legacy of Rage" is worth viewing maybe once or twice, as a worthy introduction to the skills of the extraordinarily talented Brandon Lee.

6/10

P.S.: Bolo Yeung (who appeared as a villain in Bruce Lee's last completed film "Enter the Dragon") also has a brief appearance here, as well.