Rapid Fire (1992)

Tagline: Unarmed and extremely dangerous.

Curiosity: I’ve more or less committed to checking out Brandon Lee’s brief but intriguing filmography.

Plot: Crime boss Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso) is trying to muscle in on Kinman Tau’s (Tzi Ma) drug trade, much to Tau’s consternation. Meanwhile, Jake Lo (Lee) is busy attending college, owning a leather jacket AND a motorcycle, and trying to forget his father’s death during the protests in Tieneman Square protests in Beijing, China back in ’89 (This makes the film topical). These goals become harder to obtain after Jake witnesses Antonio shooting Carl Chang (Michael Paul Chan), one of Tau’s key players. The FBI recognizes Jake’s importance in taking Serrano down in court and tries to put him under protection, but the mob boss’ connections run deep. Serrano’s men kill Jake’s guardian, and almost Jake himself. Luckily, he’s saved by renegade cop Mace Ryan (the incredibly named Powers Boothe). The two begrudgingly team up to take down Serrano and Tau.

Thoughts: Of the three Lee films I’ve seen (Showdown in Little Tokyo, The Crow), Rapid Fire is arguably the weakest. The lack of Cure songs and Dolph Lundgren ass shots is a crucial weakness, but the film also just doesn’t deliver in terms of dialogue and story. Characters’ actions are often nonsensical, lines are stepped on, and the film’s low budget occasionally shows through, like in one shot where a henchman shoots at Lee, who is hiding in a closet. It’s clearly a film still with bullet holes animated in.

Still, Lee, who co-created all of the fight sequences, delivers a solid performance. Unlike the other films mentioned above, he gets to deliver a mighty helping of martial arts throughout. It’s clear that the guy had skills, so it’s no wonder Fox was in talks with him to make a sequel prior to his death. Throw in Mancuso’s pretty awesome mugging, and Rapid Fire proves to be a rough gem and a mild pleasure.

Reflection: How come nobody ever pitched a Showdown in Little Tokyo sequel? Huh? HUH?!