One Down, Two to Go (1982)

This movie looked like it would be pretty good. I read somewhere that Fred Williamson was part of the 'blaxploitation' genre, but the cast looked good. The movie didn't, though it wasn't terrible. I suppose given the subject matter--karate fighting in a boxing-type ring, with the fights fixed and partners stealing from each other, and killing to prevent their scheme from being found out--it was not a particularly violent movie, but it was more violent than I cared for. I did get the impression that Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown and Fred Williamson gave better performances than the white actors. And given the fact that Williamson directed and was a producer, surely black people would be presented with some dignity. I guess they were, but I couldn't avoid thinking I was seeing my first 'blaxploitation' film. Still, I had to enjoy watching Roundtree's character (or was it Williamson's? I couldn't remember which was which) act tough toward those who weren't being honest with him. I guess it wasn't really so bad, but I wouldn't make a habit of watching other movies like it.

In this hoped for "revival" of the Blaxploitation genre, you have the superstars of Black '70s cinema: Jim Brown (always with the biggest gun with the longest barrel), Jim Kelly (who I always thought was a posturing joke), Richard Roundtree (still looking good post-Shaft), and Fred "Da Hammer" Williamson (so cool, he has ice dripping down his back!).Only Roundtree has kept his actor's dignity of the four. Fred still cranks out his Po Boy Productions straight to video flicks, but I will say he still does well in Europe. These low budget films actually are profitable there. I'll give him that. Brown has had his own share of woes in the press in recent years and just walks through this one. Jim Kelly has to be thee WORST actor of the group. GI Joe (with the Kung-Fu grip) could whoop him easily. (In one scene, his woman is getting gang-banged, and he's getting his KF stance on against one bad guy). And Roundtree didn't embarass himself, and has at least has maintained a long list of character roles, most notably the "Shaft" update with Samual L. Jackson in 2000.This is one turd of a movie, lovingly directed by Williamson. Bland direction, hokey lines, low budget hoettas, you name it. Yet it's considered a cult favorite, by whom I don't know. I'll skip the plot. It's so banal it doesn't bear repeating. On the level of a Cynthia Rothrock film. But the best scene is at the end when Fred "Hammer" sticks one of his trademark cigars into a pooch's mouth.So there you have it. Gets a 2 out of 5 from me.And most of the soundtrack was "moonlighted" by Jazz Fusion keyboardist Rodney Franklin, but credited to others.

84 minutes b/w movie by Fred the Hammer Williamson. It won't win any screen guild awards but no one expects it to. You see it to watch Jim Kelly, Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown, and Fred Williamson kick a$$. That's what they do. The 2 minute car ride on the BQE with no words could have been done away with and the funky dog is used too much. I liked the movie. Bad guys pi** them off, bad guys get killed. That simple.

Four top actors from the 70s blaxploitation era starred in what should be considered as a reunion. It looked like this film was made and released way too late long after the genre's heydays. Obviously, it doesn't feel like a classic 70s show at all. Don't expect much from Jim Kelly, who gets shot twice in the shoulder and remains helpless throughout the rest of the film. That leaves Williamson and Brown to do the bidding. They seemed to be veterans together in doing this. Unfortunately, the awful slow pace of the action bogs this one down along with a serious lack of originality and too many jazzy soul tunes interferes the whole thing. Richard Roundtree (SHAFT) only appears during the final minutes. The ending was absolutely catchy, and should've proven something about the actors' future following the making of this picture. It's interesting to note that the two Jims and Fred Williamson (who directed this) were cast together in THREE THE HARD WAY, which wasn't the greatest 70s blaxploitation movie around. ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO was a nice try at reviving the soul-crazed genre out of the grave, but it fails miserably at the end.