Rapid Fire (1992)

Like many, I only really found out about the late (and very great) Brandon Lee after his tragic role in 'The Crow.' Tracking back through his earlier work, this was undoubtedly his best (other) film. It really does sum up what was great about nineties action films and, sadder still, shows just how good Lee could have been if he had lived after The Crow wrapped.Lee plays a student who witnesses a gangland murder and requires police protection to stay alive. However, the police seem about as good at protecting him as a roomful of toddlers. But, luckily for the hapless boys and girls in blue, Lee is much better at protecting them when the gangsters return! By today's standards 'Rapid Fire' may be considered as a little too cheesy and not dark enough. That could be true. If you only want to watch dark and serious action epics then you're better off with a Bourne film or Daniel Craig's Bond incarnation. I would say that Rapid Fire doesn't take itself seriously, only it does, but only in that way that most eighties/nineties action movies did, i.e. they had a sense of disbelief and light-heartedness that today's movies don't.The police are spectacularly incompetent and the villains are deliciously villainous, therefore it's great fun to watch Brandon Lee punch, kick, flip and generally right all the necessary wrongs for ninety minutes. He may not have quite honed his martial arts skills to those of his father's, but he was definitely getting there and there are – naturally – plenty of fun fight scenes involved.In fact, if I could sum up this film in one word, it would be 'fun.' It's a nice little popcorn action film that doesn't require any major thought to go into appreciating it – just a love of 'pre-serious' action classics.And if you can sit through the weird-montage s*x scene without visible questions marks appearing over your head then you obviously 'get' this film (or whatever the director was trying to say) more than me!

Along with the classic The Crow, Brandon Lee made few other films before his heartbreaking accidental death. His natural charisma and likability he brought to action hero roles, accenting the tough guy qualities with an angelic vulnerability, was tragically cut short by the incident. However, Rapid Fire is a gift to fans of both Lee and the action genre alike. It's a little further away from the notoriety of The Crow, but packs a fuming punch of martial arts, gunplay and tough talking character actors strutting their stuff to a tune that any fan of the genre can hum along to. Lee plays Jake, a young college student with turmoil in his past, haunted by an incident involving a loved one in the Tienemen Square disaster. During a visit to Chicago, he inadvertently witnesses a brutal gangland murder perpetrated by drug kingpin Tony Serrano (Nick Mancuso). This immediately puts him in the hot seat and pretty much on his own after the federal agent assigned to him (Raymond J. Barry) betrays him. His only hope lies with grouchy, paternal Chicago Detective Mace Ryan (Powers Boothe) who is on his own rampaging crusade to bring down the drug trade. Jake merely wants to survive and get out of the mess he's found himself in. Together they punch, kick, shoot and strategize their way out of getting offed by the mafia, and kick some serious scumbag ass along the way. Lee is ultimate protagonist material: his strong points arise out of the soft touch, never being brash or hogging the screen, always serving up a helping of humble that make the ass kicking resonate tenfold. Boothe is pricelessly grumpy as the haggard detective, showing brief but unmistakable glimpses of the bruised warrior's heart beneath, rekindled by his bond with Jake. Mancuso is like a rabid pit bull let off the chain as Serrano, a truly untethered piece of genuine psychopathic anarchy. But that's him, always the under sung wild card who lights up his scenes with wild eyed tenacity. Chinese acting legend Tzi Ma also clocks in as a heroin dealer with a short temper, looking very young which is even made into a meta joke itself. It's pure uncut action, somehow feeling like more thanks to Lee's incredible presence, as well as Boothe and Mancuso adding their own lively brand of spice to an already simmering stew. Essential viewing for any action disciple.

Being the son of a legend isn't easy, especially when you're the son of Martial Artist Bruce Lee. That was the predicament that Brandon Lee was put in, and soon comparisons to his dad were hard to avoid. Even with his first film in Showdown in Little Tokyo, Lee was clearly going to get some kind of comparison to his dad. Of course Brandon never was as great of a martial artist as his dad, but to me he was a better actor despite being dealt with bad one liners in his debut. For his second effort he goes solo, though he doesn't do so with the most convincing act.Clearly a star vehicle for Lee, Rapid Fire delivers what it needs to and no more. The action does enough to be entertaining due to decent production values, but the story is mostly third rate at best. Jake Lo (Lee) is a college student who is good at drawing, especially a model that takes an interest in him. After being dragged to a party, he witnesses a murder by drug kingpin Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso) and somehow escapes his clutches.Of course he doesn't get away clean and ends up being arrested. That is until he tells the cops the story, and he is transported to Chicago to testify against Serrano. But when a few dirty agents want to take him out, Lo goes all out and has to team up with local cop Mace Ryan (Powers Boothe) if he wants to live another week. Eventually Ryan uses Jake as bait to lure Serrano into giving details about a drug deal, but all hell breaks loose again and soon another drug dealer comes into play that Jake will have to take down as well.Rapid Fire is not without merit, but one cannot help that it should have had more action and less story. Story can only take an action movie so far, and perhaps it takes Rapid Fire too far to the point of near boredom. Of course with Brandon Lee as the star he never makes Rapid Fire boring, but he sure as hell doesn't make it as worthwhile as The Crow. When Rapid Fire sticks to the action, it generally entertains. When it goes for dramatics, they seem to bog down Rapid Fire's fast pace approach.The basic story of Rapid Fire is adequate, though not the most intelligent story you could get out of an action film. When Lee kicks ass despite being a pacifist, it creates unexpected thrills and actually keep us in the movie. When he flashes back to his past, it gets a little too sappy and adds little depth to a movie that should contain more action. As the film progresses, the story seems to run out of energy and never quite knows where to end. The main problem is that Rapid Fire gets tangled into too many subplots that feel rather irrelevant, and they seem to restrict what Rapid Fire could have been.Lee was capable as an action star, but as a leading man he wasn't quite ready to make the leap. He looks the part and seems to fit the leading role, but he doesn't take charge the way his dad did. He feels more like an afterthought in Rapid Fire despite being the lead attraction, and it's not just the story that makes him forgettable. It's the lack of truly impressive action pieces that make Lee barely better than Chuck Norris or Jean Claude Van Damme here, even with a few glass shattering sequences that occasionally entertain.The villain, or villains, are mostly just nameless presences that don't add much to the story other than characters that get their asses kicked by Brandon Lee. The cops that help Lee are somewhat amusing, but they're played out typecast roles at best here. Only Boothe gets some kind of background story, but even then we don't feel all that much emotion for a cop who gets too greedy in trying to nab a drug kingpin. In giving us another villain, Rapid Fire gets desperate at creating more thrills when it should have stuck to a better story.Some of the action pieces in Rapid Fire work, but not many of them seem to work well. They sustain our attention just enough to get some joy out of Brandon Lee kicking ass in his first lead role, but to be honest they don't make us cheer enough for the good guys. When the story is at its most basic, the action actually can be entertaining. But with layers of story there comes a price, and the price that Rapid Fire pays is thrilling action. Rapid Fire isn't weak, but it never seems to be better than the best Jean Claude Van Damme effort.Grade: C

Jake Lo (Brandon Lee) is a college student, who unexpectedly finds himself between in a drug war. When he sees a gangster Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso) guns down a corrupted Chinese business (Michael Paul Chan) at a small event. After protecting himself, now Jake is forced to help the FBI (Lead by Raymond J. Barry) to testified against Serrano. But Jake himself betrayed by the FBI, which they are trying to kill him. Since the mob has payed them to kill him. Now a dedicated police detective (Powers Boothe) and his intelligence officer (Kate Hodge) tries to protect him before the Mob and the FBI gets to him. Which Jake has no other choice to bring these drug lords down himself in the process to get his life back.Directed by Dwight H. Little (Halloween 4:The Return of the Michael Myers, Murder at 1600, The Phantom of the Opera "1989") made an extremely typical but entertaining action-thrill ride. It was also amusing to see Lee in a action here, who has an refreshing sense of humour. Which he has plenty of star quality before his breakthrough role on "The Crow". Which sadly it was his last starring role. The cast members seems to be having a great time with this movie. Especially Mancuso is fun to watch as the heavy bad guy. This wasn't quite success in theaters but it's the kind of picture that plays well on video. If you are an fan of action movies, you will find good entertainment here. It's worth seeing. Screenplay by Alan B. McElroy (The Marine, Spawn, Wrong Turn). From a story by Cindy Cirile and McElroy. (*** ½/*****).