Hand 2 Hand

I recall reading a critical review of a recent Godzilla remake. The reporter commented on the lack of character development and plot. All I could think was, "Really? Are you kidding me?" I wrote a response saying that what a movie-goer wants to see in a Godzilla movie is a HUGE lizard wreaking havoc on the city-pure and simple. I somewhat have a similar view of martial arts movies. I want to see a lot of action scenes preformed by colorful characters. I went to see F2F with rather modest expectations, realizing that it was born from a modest budget. What I found was that it far exceeded my expectations. There were tons of well choreographed fight scenes (many more than the early Chuck Norris movies) and the characters were in fact quite colorful. I believe that Jino Kang was able to produce an amazing product given the restraints on assets. Like many, I am very much interested in seeing what he can produce with a little more $$$$. Go see the movie-it's worth your time!

Fist 2 Fist is one of few realistic martial arts movies I have seen. The fighting scenes are well executed and choreographed but not flamboyant. Too many Hollywood films have ruined our perception of martial arts and have downgraded it to a circus display of flying artists executing unrealistic moves in the air. If you are seeking a fantasy film embellishing martial arts, Fist 2 Fist is not for you. But if you desire a peek at the real inner-city world of martial arts, and it's potential benefits to our society's youth, this one will entertain you. The director has done a nice job of relating the art to real-life situations; his compassion for others shines through. Further, the lead character's physical skill is nothing short of remarkable.

Though it is apparent that some of the actors are unseasoned, this minor shortcoming is overshadowed by the intensity of the fighting scenes. If you have any experience working out with other fighters, you will appreciate the high level of expertise of these athletes. During many of the scenes, I found myself mesmerized by the authenticity of the discussion and interaction during workouts. This film kept me glued to the t.v.

FIST 2 FIST is the second passion project of auteur Jino Kang, a man whose martial arts philosophy reflects a harmonious balance of tradition and pragmatism. However, the movie merely reflects his limited experience and resources, thereby merely scratching a rating that's disproportionate to the amount of effort that probably went into production. I can come up with plenty of action flicks worse than this, but I'm still not quick to recommend it.

The story: A former cage fighting competitor (Kang) must face his past when a vengeful mob boss (Bill Duff) is released from prison and seeks to destroy the life he's built.

Kang's theatrical presence reminds me of other martial arts masters who took up acting, like Hwang Jang Lee and Jun Chong, but he also reminds me of fellow action hero Hector Echavarria for his habit of placing his character in flattering situations while pretending like it's tortured drama. The film dwells heavily on how the relationship between his character and Bill Duff's went sour, as well as their connection to an orphaned student (Peter Woodrow), but I'm not buying either as a reason for slow motion or emotional music. The movie's decent as a simple action-thriller, and it's not above indulging in absurdity to remain entertaining (e.g. the lead villain seeks tactical advice from a "pet psychic"), it stumbles when it tries to be anything more than that.

If there's one thing that director Kang enjoys more than ham drama, it's fight scenes, and he stuffs his movie with 24 full-length ones. His strength as a choreographer shines through, as does his experience as a martial artist: intricate ground-fighting is as prevalent as karate-style brawling, and both are delivered with equal amounts of energy and ingenuity. Disappointingly, their overall quality is tarnished by a tendency to be filmed at very close quarters and to feature interchangeable fighters who the viewer hardly knows or cares about. Arch-villain Bill Duff only has a single fight – the showdown with Jino – and it's not particularly good, but at least he gets more of a chance to show off than the "top MMA fighters" mentioned on the DVD case (I can only conclude that the producers were referring to Tim Lajcik and Gene LeBell, only the latter of who gets to fight at all).

Kang seems to rely very much upon himself when it comes to making his pictures, and personally, I don't believe that he can go much further than FIST 2 FIST via this method. I can see him as the star of stronger movies were he directed by, say, John Hyams or Keoni Waxman, but as is, I can only hope that he figures to start pulling the camera back a bit while shooting his fight scenes. Don't go out of your way for this one.

This movie requires two viewings.

The first is for the martial arts, the story, the conflict, the characters, the martial arts, the twists and turns, and, of course, the martial arts.

The second is for the cinematography. This is not your typical one-weekend basement-budget hand-held camera movie, but a well-filmed and nicely-edited piece, with eye-catching angles, curious locations, fascinating faces, and varied lighting, from high noon to late night, from sun-baked outside desert to indoor fluorescent studio.

Jino Kang is (for me, at least) a Korean butt-kicking Ken Takakura, and Bill Duff is an interesting counter-foil (especially if you've seen him in the "Human Weapon" series. The rest of the cast are an eclectic melange that makes the movie seem that much more real.

Disclaimer: I had minor involvement with the making of this movie, but I enjoyed watching it anyway. :-)

There aren't too many Martial Arts films that has a decent plot, solid acting and great fight scenes, usually one or more ingredients are missing. Fist 2 Fist aka Hand 2 Hand has the right amount of everything that makes it a classic. I would rate it higher if it weren't for the under-funded budget. The plot is a basic revenge story with a fresh twist, cerebral enough to engage your thinking mind. The characters are cool, fun and captivating. To note, Tokyo Joe's sidekick, "Bruno" played by James Hiser was extremely entertaining. The acting skills of all the characters were commendable. Jino Kang's laconic style is visually arresting and palpable. Mimi, played by Melissa Tan was well played too. The generic, loud nagging spouse was restraint with brooding control and emphatically delivered. Tokyo Joe played by Bill Duff was likable villain, even though the character was diabolical and ominous. I didn't want anything tragic for the character(I'm not sure if that's a good thing, but nevertheless). The fight scenes are the best I have ever seen. Excellent choreography and visually striking (pun intended). Check it out and judge for yourself. You won't be disappointed.