Released: February 2011
Director: Jino Kang
Run Time: 92 Minutes
Rated R
Distributor: Screen Media
Genre: Action/Martial Arts
Cast:
Jino Kang: Ken
Bill Duff: Tokyo Joe
Michael Bauld: Erik
Gina Beratta: Anita
Peter Woodrow: Jim
Melissa Tan: Mimi
As someone who watches a LOT of martial arts flicks, it’s rare for me to see a newcomer show up and take the genre by storm, especially in this day and age. Tony Jaa, Scott Adkins, and even Tiger Schroff from India have made their mark on the genre over the past decade. It’s really awesome to see new people come on up and show what they can do. Some are more successful than others, but I’ve always felt that it’s for the best to let them try. Sometimes it takes more than one movie to really get going. It’s even harder in the indie film scene to really make a mark. Master Jino Kang is one of those actors and film makers that people really need to start paying attention to. While Master Kang’s filmography is pretty small, according to IMDB, what I have seen from this guy has been nothing less than impressive. With films like Fist 2 Fist, Weapon of Choice, and Kid Fury, Master Kang has quickly become one of my favorite indie film makers.
Fist 2 Fist begins as we see a man named Ken and another person infiltrate a chop-shop and take on the shop’s owners. Sometime later, we see a young drug addict try to take on Ken, but is totally out-matched. It seems the kid was bait by a criminal known as Tokyo Joe to find Ken. It seems that Ken and Tokyo Joe have a very sordid history, that involved a robbery that went wrong years ago. Ken had turned Joe into the authorities, and now Joe is on the warpath. The overall plot is nothing new. It’s been done and seen a million times before. It’s not a bad setup, far from it. What separates Fist 2 Fist and Weapon of Choice from other martial arts flicks is the amount of introspection that Master Kang brings to his characters and story. There is a thoughtfulness and hesitation with Ken getting back back into fighting. His character would rather find a more peaceful solution until he’s forced to fight. While the character’s students are a little more hotheaded, it’s awesome to see a character that’s far more level-headed.
Even if you may not be impressed with the overall story, the action in the film is astounding. Not only did Master Kang write and direct Fist 2 Fist, he also choreographed the film’s fight scenes. I have to say, these were some of the best fight scenes I’ve seen in years. They even rival fight scenes from some of the more mainstream and big-budget films. There’s no wire-fu going on here. Master Kang takes an old-fashioned approach to the fights that is far compelling than something like The Matrix. I love it when fights are grounded in reality. Not only does the film feature the use of Hapkido, of which Master Kang is a 7th Degree Black Belt, it also features the use of Tae Kwon Do, and various forms of mixed martial arts. The fights are varied and mostly well-shot. I say mostly, because there are some fights where the camera gets in a little too close for my taste. Even so, the fights are easy to see and are thrilling to watch. I also love the fact that the main character is not invincible. He gets shot at, slashed, stabbed and almost gets crushed by a car. This movie had me on the edge of my seat.
One of the things that’s very surprising about movies like Fist 2 Fist, is when the lead actor takes on so many different of the film’s production. Not only does Master Kang direct, choreograph and produce the film, he also has the added challenge of starring as main lead in the film. That’s NOT an easy thing to do, and a lot of film makers that have attempted to do so, have not been successful. Master Kang not only manages to do all that, he also turns in a very compelling performance as Ken, a man who is haunted by his past and is trying to atone for his past sins. The kid that plays Jim, the character that tries to rob Ken at the beginning of the film is not only appropriately hot-headed at times, but gives a convincing level of inner conflict when certain truths come to light. Melissa Tan plays Mimi, Ken’s wife. While Melissa’s performance was fine, I felt that the character was not as supportive of Ken as she probably could’ve been. That’s a personal nitpick of mine, though. The one thing I did have an issue with though, was the character of Speed. The guy that plays speed is clearly a martial artist and his performance, again, was fine, but my issue here was the way the character was written. When he started doing his Bruce Lee thing, that kind of took me out of it, a little bit. Bill Duff gets to be pretty intimidating as Tokyo Joe, and is surprisingly not as sadistic as a lot of the villains that I’ve seen over the years. Joe has a target in mind and he definitely goes for. I like the fact that Duff doesn’t overdo it. The character is not totally over-the-top. I really do appreciate it when actors that play villains exercise a bit of restraint…..mostly.
Overall, I have to say that I’m really impressed with Fist 2 Fist. Not only does it feature some of the best martial arts sequences I’ve ever seen, it also manages to have a story that feels both personal and engaging. The performances are really good across the board, with Master Kang stealing the show. If you’re a fan of martial arts movies, action movies, or even independent films, you owe it to yourself to check out Fist 2 Fist. I recently did an interview with Master Kang, so you can check out the interview by hitting the Interviews tab at the top of the page. It’s pretty informative and entertaining. Master Jino Kang is one to keep an eye on in the future. I know I will. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.
Final Recommendation: Never mess with a Hapkido master, he may drop a car on you. 9/10