Miami Connection (1987)

 Miami Connection (1987)- * * * *

Directed by: Woo-Sang Park and Y.K. Kim

Starring: Y. K. Kim, Si Y Jo, William Eagle, Maurice Smith, and Kathy Collier



“You will not escape the Miami ninja.” - Yashito










Jeff (William Eagle) and Yashito (Si Y Jo) are cocaine runners who are close to dominating the world with their drug trade. There’s only one thing standing in their way, but it’s of monumentally awesome proportions: a rock band called Dragon Sound, consisting of members of all different ethnicities who all practice Tae Kwon Do and perform in Karate Gi’s (when not sporting their sleeveless band logo shirt). 

Jeff’s sister Jane (Kathy Collier) just happens to sing for Dragon Sound, and he severely disapproves of her Pat Benatar-like vocal stylings, so he summons his army of biker ninjas to fight the “friends forever” in mortal combat. So while keyboard player Jim (Smith) sorts out his own personal family issues, it’s up to guitarist (?) Mark (Y.K. Kim in a stunning performance) to take on the baddies, while keeping his band of brothers together. Can he do it? (P.S.: BIKER NINJAS.)

Wildly enjoyable, Miami Connection defines what cinematic fun is all about. Man oh man does this movie deliver the goods you want. National treasure Y.K. Kim’s line readings are worth their weight in gold, so much so that G. Gordon Liddy and William Devane are going to start recommending them as the standard U.S. currency. Sadly, this was his only film, putting him up there in the stars with Matt Hannon, Jay Roberts Jr. and Andy Bauman. His, and everyone else’s acting/fight choreography is mind-boggling, and thank God for the new DVD release, which is loaded up with features, including deleted scenes and an alternate ending, so we can truly experience Miami Connection in all its glory.

Yet more proof that the 80’s was uber-awesome, in order to properly soak up the copious charm of Miami Connection, you have to mentally transport yourself back to the golden days when guys and girls with feathered hair wore Ratt and Motley Crue T-shirts with blue and/or black 3/4-length sleeves, Pink Floyd painter’s hats existed (and baddies wore them), and Oates rocked out a wailin’ guitar solo while wearing white Karate pants while Y.K. Kim did a Martial Arts demonstration on stage by grabbing a dude’s nose with his toes. It’s not actually possible to get more radical than that.

But yet, there are action scenes with gore and violence, and a baddie saying “No More Mistakes”. This from his hideout which looks like a little slice of Japan in the middle of Florida. Who knew Miami had such a large ninja population? That’s just one of many life lessons you’ll learn from Mr. Kim and the gang. That’s the thing, there’s a positive vibe, emphasizing friendship and camaraderie that you really don’t see in movies anymore. And those classic songs! The songs by Dragon Sound, and the others on the soundtrack are extremely catchy and you can’t help but love what you’re seeing and hearing. A CD soundtrack needs to be released.

It’s funny, it’s winning, there are great classic computers, the guy who plays Jeff looks like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (if he had been a mid-80’s Florida drug dealer, of course), and there’s even a Godfrey Ho-style Final Field Fight. Truly this is the movie Godfrey Ho always wanted to make, but rarely reached the heights of. Truly YKK isn’t something that’s cryptically imprinted on all of our zippers anymore. He’s a flesh and blood man who has found his way into all of our hearts.

They REALLY don’t make ‘em like this anymore. We would like to personally thank Drafthouse Films for reviving the majesty that is Miami Connection. We look forward to what they’re going to do next. It’s going to be hard to top this. Miami Connection isn’t really the type of movie you see. It’s the type of movie you live. Against the Ninja. We will fight the battle to win. 

Comeuppance Review by: Ty and Brett

Also check out write-ups from our buddies, Fist Of B-List, Good Efficient Butchery, and The Video Vacuum!

Bloodfist II (1990)

Bloodfist II (1990)-* * *

Directed by: Andy Blumenthal

Starring: Don "The Dragon" Wilson, Rina Reyes, Joe Mari Avellana, Maurice Smith, Richard Hill, Ned Hourani and Cris Aguilar












Jake Raye is back, and in kickboxing-related trouble once again! Since the last Bloodfist film, Jake became a legit kickboxer, in state-sanctioned bouts with boxing gloves, etc., and put his punchfighting past behind him. When he accidentally kills his opponent in the ring, he vows never to fight again. After about two years have passed, Jake has hit the skids. His apartment is in disarray and he’s not in shape.  One day, he gets a call from his friend, a Black man inexplicably named Vinny Petrello (Smith), who lures him back to Manila once again. 

Once back on his old stomping grounds, Jake and a bunch of other fighters are kidnapped and spirited away by boat to the private island home of sinister kickboxing fan Su (Avellana). He forces the men to take part in an “illegal high stakes tournament” - death fights, or as Su calls them, “gladiator fights”. But Su’s men have an unfair advantage. He pumps them full of a special steroid that makes them impervious to pain. So the good fighters don’t know what they’re up against. Luckily, the plucky Jake Raye and love interest Mariella (Reyes) get to the bottom of it. Will Jake live to see another sequel?

For those that don’t know, only the first two Bloodfist films are truly sequels. The Dragon plays Jake Raye in the first two films only. The other 897 Bloodfist movies are basically separate entities but renamed under the Bloodfist banner because presumably Roger Corman felt fans would rather see an eighth sequel to something, whether it’s truly a sequel or not, than a new movie with an original title. Interesting logic.

Nevertheless, the first half of Bloodfist 2 is very similar to the original film - the same locales are used and some of the situations seem oddly familiar. But once the fighters are on the boat to Su’s house, things change. The movie somehow becomes dumber, yet more fast paced, even though a huge block of time is spent in one room as the fighters fight. Yet it never becomes a slog. That was pretty impressive.  It was here that the film developed its own, more original personality.  And of course, the film ends with a big, final brawl.

Avellana is back as the bad guy, but not the same one from the first movie. And the rankings of the fighters/actors are back in the credits, but the movie outdoes itself in introducing these men to the audience, as Su names them all, and their titles/rankings in the movie as well. In the order Su introduces them, they are: John Jones (Warring), Manny Rivera (Samson), Bobby Rose (Hill), Ernest Santana (Rogers), Tobo Castanerra (Del Rosario), and Sal Taylor (Baker), the last of which sports a spiffy shirt throughout the entirety of his screen time. Additionally, Ned Hourani and Cris Aguilar return from the first movie, but in different roles. Don The Dragon gives his delightfully wooden delivery we all know and love.

Bloodfist 2 is more of a typical punchfighter, but the action and humor elements are ramped up more, and the plot is tamped down to a minimum. Since all Bloodfist movies apparently had to be 85 minutes, the filmmakers decided to try a new structure, at least for the second half of the film.

If you watched the first Bloodfist movie and wished it had MORE punchfighting, as well as more silliness, this, the only true sequel, is the movie for you.

NOTE: in the end credits, Wes Craven and Stephen Tobolowsky are listed as “advisors”. If anyone knows how Craven or Tobolowsky advised this movie, please write in today.

Comeuppance Review by: Ty and Brett