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Le cercle de feu

Original title: Ring of Fire
  • 1991
  • R
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
4.7/10
981
YOUR RATING
Don Wilson in Le cercle de feu (1991)
BoxingActionDramaSport

L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.

  • Directors
    • Richard W. Munchkin
    • Rick Jacobson
  • Writers
    • Jake Jacobs
    • Richard W. Munchkin
    • Steve Tymon
  • Stars
    • Don Wilson
    • Maria Ford
    • Vince Murdocco
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.7/10
    981
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Richard W. Munchkin
      • Rick Jacobson
    • Writers
      • Jake Jacobs
      • Richard W. Munchkin
      • Steve Tymon
    • Stars
      • Don Wilson
      • Maria Ford
      • Vince Murdocco
    • 18User reviews
    • 14Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos16

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    Top cast49

    Edit
    Don Wilson
    Don Wilson
    • Johnny Woo
    • (as Don 'The Dragon' Wilson)
    Maria Ford
    Maria Ford
    • Julie
    Vince Murdocco
    Vince Murdocco
    • Chuck
    Dale Jacoby
    • Brad
    Steven Vincent Leigh
    • Terry Woo
    Michael DeLano
    Michael DeLano
    • Lopez
    • (as Michael Delano)
    Eric Lee
    Eric Lee
    • Kwong
    Jane Chung
    • Aunt Mei
    Shirley Spiegler Jacobs
    • Grandmother
    Marta Merrifield
    • Wendy
    Gary Daniels
    Gary Daniels
    • Bud
    Shaun Shimoda
    • Cho
    Ron Yuan
    Ron Yuan
    • Li
    Lisa Saxton
    • Linda
    Diana Phipps
    • Nurse
    Joan Blair
    • Old Woman
    Tommy Bull
    Tommy Bull
    • Surfer Gang
    Jon Agro
    • Surfer Gang
    • Directors
      • Richard W. Munchkin
      • Rick Jacobson
    • Writers
      • Jake Jacobs
      • Richard W. Munchkin
      • Steve Tymon
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    4.7981
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    Featured reviews

    5hutchinson_3

    What happened to movies like this?

    Despite the fact that this is just yet another mindless kung-fu action movie, isn't that part of the culture of the late 80s early 90s? It is a snapshot of American culture and dreams in that time era. The movie centers around two kick boxing gangs, what more do you want? Cheesy plot outline, mindless action that makes you wish you could fight like that, and a predictable ending with a cool training sequence. All of the ingredients that made us love movies like Rocky.

    I think movie goers should lighten up and enjoy these kind of films more. Even though they aren't through provoking, not every movie can be, it still entertains you if you have a light heart going in.
    6Viva_Chiba

    "Romeo and Juliet" meets some martial arts film

    Alright kids, we got a movie with Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Gary Daniels, Vince Murdocco, Eric Lee and many other badass guys, also, we have Maria Ford, we can expect 100 minutes of badass violence and probably get to see some boobs.

    Yes, we get violence and boobs, but unfortunately we get too much romance, some of the fights are pretty cool, but the amount of "romance" pretty much ruins the movie (and sometimes, it gets boring), oh yeah, Don Wilson manages to kick some ass only in the last minutes.

    I was going to give this movie a 5 out of 10 because of the fights, but i decided to add one extra star because of Maria Ford.

    With a cast like this, i would make a proper action/martial arts film, but instead they decided to make a movie that would appeal the female audience.
    4refinedsugar

    Down, Down, Down

    'Ring of Fire' set me up to think it might be a cheesy fun b-movie. An oiled up guy working out then two quick matches in the ring within the first 5 minutes. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson is backed up by a few familiar faces in this PM Group flick from the 90's that features an underground fight tourney common for this genre. Dated racism fuels the story, but also bouts of boredom and not enough of the good stuff.

    Johnny Woo (Wilson) is an ex fighter, doctor who's cousin Terry (Steven Vincent Leigh) is involved in unsanctioned bouts. Racial tenses flair between them and white meatheads led by Chuck (Vince Murdocco) & Brad (Dale Jacoby). Not helping matters is Chuck's fiancé Julie (Maria Ford) obvious attraction to Johnny. Per the title, a battle in the streets leads to the final confrontation.

    Some of the camera work isn't up to the mark, but that fits with the low budget. A "masquerade ball" held in what looks like a high school gym with people hardly dressed the part is case in point. If a routine story - mixing cultures, training montages, dick cop - wasn't enough it's also slow to get to any real action. Only at the tail end does Wilson himself get down to fisticuffs. Watching a girl decide which guy she wants wastes time as it's obvious which way that's gonna go.

    The positive word of mouth for 'Ring of Fire' isn't deserved. It doesn't even do any of the basics right. A lack of quality fighting is a deadly sin in a title like this. The romance subplot is a bore and the ending is a joke. I like a good dtv flick from time to time when it rises above or delivers the goods, 'Ring of Fire' simply does neither.
    6The_Phantom_Projectionist

    Shakespearian Kickboxing

    While PM Entertainment – that glorious company of action and excess – had already made action movies featuring martial arts, RING OF FIRE is the studio's first genuine karate flick, as well as a triumph for martial arts of the B-movie scale. It's also a pretty unique vehicle for star Don Wilson – possibly one of his best, which is ironic given his limited input to the action content. As a genuinely exciting kickfest that's powered by a real plot and investable characters, I deem this a must-have for fans of low budget action and just about all of the performers involved.

    The story: In the middle of a violent gang rivalry in Los Angeles, a doctor and cousin of the Asian gang's leader (Wilson) falls in love with the sister and fiancé of the Surfer gang's leaders (Maria Ford).

    I believe this is the perfect role for Don Wilson, who I find enjoyable though not for the quality of his other movies. In an all-time low count for a feature advertised with his name, Wilson has only a single fight – the finale – and spends the rest of the film interacting with others in a dramatic way, opposed to a physical manner. Don is naturally likable and gives a smooth performance, all the while acting well with costar Maria Ford. Ford's acting ability is often underrated in favor of her sexuality, but here it is clearly at the forefront of her performance. Together, she and Wilson make a sound dramatic duo and a believable couple.

    Thematically, the movie may not be particularly strong, but I say that it's as significant as the viewer allows for. It's obvious that this is a take on "Romeo & Juliet" with kickboxing, but it's also one of only a handful of films at the time that addressed interracial romance from an Asian perspective. Race relations would be a non-factor in most of Wilson's films to come, so it's all the more significant that he sets such a positive standard for a masculine Asian-American who perseveres for the sake of love. I haven't seen many western films wherein an Asian male is portrayed as desirable and romantic; Wilson makes the absolute most of the opportunity to be both, and delivers one of the best performances of his career.

    The action content is both ample and solid, with approximately eight full-length matches providing a good stage for a supergroup of film fighters: Steven Vincent Leigh, Dale Jacoby, Vince Murdocco, Eric Lee, Gary Daniels, Ron Yuan… (And those are only the performers with additional acting scenes.) Admittedly, many of the matches are a bit too heavily edited for my taste, but the occasional creativeness of the choreography and the consistent athleticism of its performers shine through, making for a cumulatively enjoyable adrenaline package. Even the final showdown featuring Wilson (and even more editing) can be considered among Don's personal best, making it worth waiting for.

    The film bounces along with an agreeable pace and hums with a level of energy that PM would frequently try to recapture and often fail at. It's enjoyable, and despite its imperfections, that is the most I can ask of a movie. If you know this is your kind of picture, I encourage you to check it out.
    3Fraudzilla

    Ring-Sting

    If there was any point in history when Romeo & Juliet could have been transposed into a Los Angeles setting, with added kickboxing, it was the early 1990s, and thankfully Don 'The Dragon' Wilson was at hand to provide it to us. I suppose it makes a change from movies based on better movies starring Jean Claude Van Damme!

    The movie follows retired Kickboxer-come-doctor Johnny Woo (Wilson) whose cousin Terry (Steven Vincent Leigh) is part of an all Chinese Kickboxing gang. Terry's gang are embroiled in a bitter feud with 'The Surfers' an all white (though not strictly all American) rival Kickboxing gang. Who knew it was such a popular pastime? Things take a turn for the complicated when Johnny falls for Julie (B-Movie Queen Maria Ford) blonde, beautiful and the American Dream. Only slight hiccup is Julie's brother Brad (Dale Jacoby) happens to be leader of The Surfers. Oh and her fiancée Chuck (Vince Murdocco) is his main sidekick.

    As Johnny and Julie go for romantic walks on Venice Beach, the gangs decide to settle their differences 'the way of the Ancients' with their gloves dipped in broken glass (Wilson couldn't make ONE FILM without a Van Damme 'homage') the devastating result of this leads Johnny to question his peaceful life and consider stepping back into the ring...

    Ring of Fire is somewhat unique for its time and genre in that it seems to give its plot and love story precedence over the action sequences. It also pulls no punches with regards to the racial tension between the two gangs, which is perhaps almost too mature a subject to embrace in a movie like this. Unique isn't always better and perhaps given the calibre of the talent involved, it would have made more sense to stick to the high kicks as opposed to high drama. It's interesting to note that our leading pair are actually morally questionable, with their romance a full blown affair behind her fiancées back, and the tragic incident the film's final battle revolves around is actually Wilson's idea.

    The movie features a veritable ensemble cast of early 90s fighters turned actors, with Gary Daniels and Eric Lee in there as well as the aforementioned stars. Needless to say these gents were hired for their fighting prowess more so than their acting. Wilson himself is...well, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson. This is an unusually 'meaty' role for The Dragon, with his kickboxing skills relatively restrained. I'd love to say he nails it, but I'd be lying. There are flashes of a performance in there, but almost as many flashes of solid wood. On the flipside Jacoby delves far into the depths of over-acting, making him hard to take seriously. By large I've always found Vince Murdocco a somewhat likeable presence, so seeing him as a racist villain takes some getting used to.

    This isn't to say that the action sequences are perfect either. Considering the lack of them, when they do come along, results vary. The in-ring fights are, by large, of a passable-to-good standard, but the Chinatown gang war is one of the most unintentionally hilarious scenes I've seen in a while. Neither full blown, fantastic Hong Kong style choreography not realistic scrapping, we're treated to the sight of grown men performing roundhouse kicks and flipping off benches to evade attacks. The final fight, where we finally get to see Wilson in action, is also a strange one, starting as a fairly disappointingly scripted fight, it quickly degenerates into a hilarious pro-wrestling (and I mean like WCW at its worst) style farce you have to laugh at.

    Indeed some of the movies best moments come from the comedy it provides. Some intentional, some...not so. Eric Lee as the Chinese gangs 'Drunken Master' actually works surprisingly well for a character of this type, and one scene, where Ford's character mistakes Wilson for a waiter, is made funnier than it should be thanks to his reaction. Sadly some of the scenes the pair share that are meant to show their romance blossoming are actually as funny, which I don't believe was the plan.

    Ring of Fire is neither the best nor the worst Don 'The Dragon' Wilson movie (albeit I'm not strictly sure what either of those are off hand) It was made with a target audience in mind, and if you are a fan of this type of Direct-To-Video Martial Arts movie there is a high chance you've seen it, and if you haven't I wouldn't go as far as recommending it, it's a bit too thin on action for that, but if TV channels that still show this type of movie still exist, there are worse ways to pass your time. Remarkably, this spawned 2 sequels, which, even more remarkably, I also subjected myself to.

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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      This movie was one of a three picture deal with PM Entertainment originally intended for Loren Avedon who turned it down looking for something bigger and Don Wilson signed on instead. The two other movies were Out for Blood (1992) and Cyber Tracker (1994). Avedon later said that he regretted his decision.
    • Goofs
      During the rumble in Chinatown the shot of Li attacking Brad with a nunchaku is repeated from a different angle later in the fight.
    • Quotes

      Bud: You boys got a "Yen" for the beach?

      Terry Woo: It took four of the you surf rats to beat up Kwon, you've got it worse. Cause you have to fight me.

    • Alternate versions
      UK video versions were cut by 19 secs to remove nunchaku footage and head butts during a fight scene. The Prism DVD features the same cut print.
    • Connections
      Followed by Le cercle de feu 2: L'affrontement (1993)

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    FAQ15

    • How long is Ring of Fire?Powered by Alexa
    • What are the differences between the British BBFC 18 version and the uncut version?

    Details

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    • Release date
      • November 19, 1991 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ring of Fire
    • Filming locations
      • Chinatown, Los Angeles, California, USA(Location)
    • Production company
      • PM Entertainment Group
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 1h 37m(97 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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