The Stanger (1995)

 

The Stranger (1995)- * *1\2

Directed by: Fritz Kiersch 

Starring: Kathy Long, Eric Pierpoint, Danny Trejo, Ginger Lynn Allen, Nils Allen Stewart, and Andrew Divoff

In one of those dusty ol' western towns, a mysterious STRANGER rides in on her Harley. Known only as The Stranger (Long), she is looking for Angel (Divoff), the diabolical head of the local biker gang. Because Sheriff Gordon Cole (Pierpoint) is afraid of the bikers, they've slowly but surely proliferated in the small town. After noting that The Stranger looks exactly like a certain fiancee that was killed by the bikers, she then proceeds to get her own brand of personal revenge. If time allows, she'll also help some of the locals. But will the biker baddies - including Jonesy (Stewart) and Hawk (Trejo) - feel the wrath of some truly STRANGER things?


Kathy Long, from Rage and Honor (1992) and Under the Gun (1995), finally gets her own starring vehicle here, with The Stranger. People have said that it's a low-budget High Plains Drifter (1973) knockoff, but the Spaghetti Western-styled soundtrack would indicate that it's also influenced by the European Westerns that came decades before. It's also quite close in tone to Hell Riders (1984), or the type of thing that AIP was releasing at the time. You almost expect Rocky Patterson or Joe Estevez to pop up at any moment.


As for the cast that is here, Kathy Long is an appealing leading lady and this is clearly her moment in the sun. The Stranger certainly has no problem beating up the baddies. There actually should have been more of that. Ginger Lynn Allen was also a nice addition to the ensemble, and you know Nils Allen Stewart's character is evil because he has a threatening rattail. A young Danny Trejo rounds out the more familiar B-Movie names we all know and love.


The problem with the film is that the plot is so simple and minimalistic, it's hard to stretch that over 90 minutes or so. Without the addition of further plot twists or developments, or more action scenes, the energy really starts to flag around the halfway mark. Director Fritz Kiersch, known for his initial pair of 80's classics, Children of the Corn (1984) and Tuff Turf (1985), at first seems to be having fun with this small-scale film and its tough female lead. But perhaps he began to lose interest or something, because the second half lacks dynamism.


While it's certainly better than something like Lone Hero (2002), The Stranger doesn't seem to warrant its current status of "rare and sought-after movie". It's an easy fix: there should have been more concentration on Kathy Long beating up/killing people, perhaps in more locations than this one small Western town. What you do get of that is pretty great, But the film itself needed a shot in the arm after a certain point.


In the end, The Stranger is a worthwhile one-time watch, but we think that's about it.

Comeuppance Review by: Brett and Ty

Blood For Blood (1995)

Blood For Blood (1995)-* * *1\2

AKA: Midnight Man

Directed by: John Weidner

Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Mako, Arsenio "Sonny" Trinidad, Eric Pierpoint, Sigal Diamant,  Diane Di Lascio, Steven Vincent Leigh, and James Lew




"Survival is the best revenge."





John Kang (Lamas) is a mild-mannered L.A. cop who prefers to teach Martial Arts to children and other cops than being out on the street. When his friend and partner Paddy (Pierpoint) convinces him to get involved in a gang war between the Cambodian mafia and the Russian mafia, Kang has no choice because he speaks fluent Cambodian. As if being caught in the middle of a mob war wasn’t enough, the super-evil Prince Samarki (Lew) is running around killing everyone, including people close to Kang. Samarki has the ancient Cambodian mysticism instilled in him by Lord Mao Tan (Trinidad), but Kang has an ace in the hole with mystic-on-the-side-of-good Buun Som (Mako). So now the stage is set for the ultimate showdown. Will it be BLOOD FOR BLOOD after all?

This is definitely one of Lamas’ best - he has a great entrance and from then on it’s a blur of awesome hair, awesome Karate moves, awesome one-liners (with plenty of 90’s references and humor), awesome gun battles, and did we mention awesome hair? While the casting of Lorenzo Lamas as a Cambodian named Kang may seem odd...okay, it is odd, but who cares? 

Plus the movie is chock full of other fan favorites such as James Lew, who plays a similar character in American Ninja 5 (1993), among other movies - so now you REALLY don’t need to see AN5. We always like seeing Mako, and here he has his usual small role. Steven Vincent Leigh of China White (1989) fame has some great clothes, and fan favorite name Arsenio “Sonny” Trinidad makes a short appearance as well.

Blood For Blood has all the great 90’s video-store action you want, including the time-honored “flying through the air sideways while yelling and shooting” move, and this is one of the first instances of “Lampfighting” that we can recall seeing. Naturally fights occur in bars and abandoned warehouses, where they should. At one bar/club, they’re actually showing Shootfighter (1992) on a screen. Because the same producers are involved, it saves money. 

But Kang also has a sensitive side, as represented by his wife and daughter (DiLascio and Smith respectively). His daughter plays with stuffed bears and adds Kang’s LAPD badge to one of them, while one bear arrests another. Someone should set up a playdate with the “I’m gonna smoosh you” kid from A Time To Die (1991).

While to some, Blood For Blood may seem like standard action material, the presence of Lamas elevates it, as do his co-stars. We thoroughly enjoyed it, and we recommend it.

Comeuppance Review by Ty and Brett