Director – Edward D. Murphy (Heated Vengeance)
Starring – Cameron Mitchell (Jack-O), Geoffrey Binney (Hot Potato), and Hope Holiday (Texas Lightning)
Release Date – 1982
Rating – 3/5
Tagline(s) – “Raw force. Untamed and unleashed to kill” and “One blow! The Deathblow!”
The 1980s was one of the best decades for film in my opinion. Most of these films did not try to give us a story that could happen. Instead, they gave us stories that were entertaining regardless of all the flaws in logic. The 80s saw a rise and fall of many trends in film but one that caught on for a brief period was the kung-fu action flick. Several of these films popped up in the 80s and started the careers of so many action stars like Chuck Norris, Jean Claude Van Damme, and Steven Seagal.
Some of the kung-fu and martial arts films went unnoticed at the time. Films like Raw Force and Miami Connection were often ignored during their initial release but various film distribution companies have rediscovered these forgotten films. Recently, the folks over at Vinegar Syndrome released the action/horror/adventure martial arts film Raw Force on DVD and blu. I reached out to Vin Syn and they were nice enough to hook me up with a review copy.
**Spoiler Alert**The film follows a group of smugglers who trade women to a sect of monks on an island for jade. The reason the smugglers have to trade with the monks instead of just taking by force is because the island is the final resting place of some of the world’s fiercest warriors and these monks are the only thing stopping them from rising and killing the smugglers.
Stuck in the middle of this is a small yacht full of people from various backgrounds including a kung-fu master and a cook with a martial arts background. They board the yacht and sometime during the night they are boarded by the smugglers and some of the women are captured. They make it to the island and run into the smugglers where they fight it out with them and the monks before the undead warriors rise from the grave and join in on the fun.**Spoiler Alert**
I love how some of my favorite 80s films follow some of the most absurd stories ever filmed. Most of these films are random moments held together by one jumbled story. Raw Force is no exception and it is fun as hell although it is extremely flawed.
The acting in this film is horrible. The entire cast just read their lines without trying to convey any emotion or sentiment. For most of the cast it felt just like another paying gig instead of acting and that is one of the biggest flaws to this film. Also, the choreography for the first scenes are laughably bad. No martial arts skill is used what-so-ever here but they are all good at tumbling.
The story for this one is all over the place. For the basis of the film we have an action adventure film in the same vain as Indian Jones but with a smaller budget. On top of that we have a crime drama and then we throw in a little zombie martial arts action. This film is a strange concoction that actually works. I would love to know what the writers were taking when they tripped out and wrote this shit.
Finally, the film does not have the on screen kills you would expect from a kung-fu flick featuring undead warriors. The special effects in this one is lacking as well. We lack on screen kills and the undead ninjas are just wearing grey make-up. Overall, Raw Force is a film that transcends genres with one strange story. Sadly, the acting and special effects are below quality. If you like 80s cinemas then this one may be for you!
