Force: Five

Make no mistake, this is an "Enter the Dragon" rip-off.(Yes, same director as well), if you don't believe me, watch them back to back.

One thing that stands out is that Robert Clouse certainly knows how to direct fight action and that is the movie's highlight. One master shot following every kick and spin, unlike the convoluted and choppy modern day cuts catering to mask the actors lack of skill.

I have to admit that I first saw this as a kid back in the 80's and it is still Sensei Benny and Richard Norton that come out on top as performers even with their minimal presence in the movie. Its easy to see why Sammo and Jackie worked with them several times.

(1981) Force: Five ACTION ADVENTURE

Co-written and directed by Robert Clouse, it has a senator employing the services of an agent, Jim Martin (Joe Lewis) to save his daughter, Cindy (Amanda Wyss) away from a cult-like leader, Reverend Rhee (Bong Soo Han) and his disciples along with his bulky sidekick, Carl (Bob Schott) confined on an island. Jim does this by assembling his own group pf fighters, such as his former flame, Laurie (Pam Huntington), Lockjaw (Sonny Barnes), Ezekiel (Richard Norton), Billy Ortega (Benny "the Jet " Urquidez) and a guy who was supposed to be confined in a Central American prison named Willard (Ron Hayden) , also called "Force: Five".

It is one of those movies in which if users do "not" know who some of the characters are, then the overall experience may have sucked. But because I was already aware or familiar with professional kick boxers with the likes of Joe Lewis and Benny "The Jet" Urquidez along with Linda Rondstadt's former bodyguard by the name of Richard Norton whose martial arts filmography is vast, who worked for the likes of Chuck Norris to Jackie Chan makes this movie watchable. You just might say, there actual fighting experiences, particularly for Benny "the Jet" Urquidez (on his very first acting gig) and Richard Norton led them to bigger and better movies. Benny "the Jet" was part of one of the all time best on screen fights of all time called "Wheels on Meals" and "Dragons Forever" who sparred with Jackie Chan, while Richard Norton did fight choreography for "The Octagon" and was memorable with his fights on "Magical Crystals", "City Hunter", "Mr Nice Guy" and "Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars".

Force Five is a movie I never heard of. Once I saw that this was directed by Robert Clouse who made classics like Enter The Dragon and Black Belt Jones and saw the cast of very credible martial artists I decided this was worth a shot. I certainly won't complain about the fight scenes as they are definitely solid, but the film is pretty boring and poorly acted when there is no fighting happening. I don't mind the bad acting, it didn't make Black Belt Jones any less enjoyable. While that movie had some shortcomings Black Belt Jones is a fun movie and Jim Kelly, who is cooler than that? Definitely not Joe Lewis. I definitely have a lot of respect for the guy for his achievements in the martial arts community, but he is a terrible leading man with no charisma or screen presence. Bruce Lee had searing screen presence and is practically jumping through the screen. Joe Lewis is pretty lame cookie cutter hero. At least this is better than Jackie Chan's Hollywood failure The Battle Creek Brawl, but Force Five was decent enough, but I probably will forget about it next week. The plot is to have a group of martial artists rescue a senator 's daughter from a Kool aid drinking cult of karate students located on Kung Fu Island. How is this not the best movie ever?

This movie rocks! Not only is the action top notch, but it isn't being performed by a bunch of Hollywood "actors" who took karate lessons for a couple of weeks. I am talking about living legends of the martial arts. Master Han, the indelible Mr. Joe Lewis, not to mention "the jet". Team of five must rescue a girl from a island fortress ruled by a ruthless religious leader. Constant action and great "action" music. If you liked any martial arts movies made before 1985, then this will NOT dissapoint. Find it, rent it, buy it, watch it and thank me later.

"Force: Five" is a routine martial arts action film which should playoff well enough for the diehard fans of the genre. Less ambitious or interesting than ACR's previous Chuck Norris vehicles, it has little chance of expanding uon the narrow but steady commercial audience base for kung fu pics.

Spare plot concerns a soldier of fortune Jerry Martin (Joe Lewis) who with five crack assistants sets out to rescue a brainwashed girl from the island fortress of religious cult leader Reverend RHee (Master Bond Soo Han), styled as a silly combo of Rev. Moon and Jim Jones.

Action is straightforward with enough violent grunt and kick interludes to please the target crowd. Writer-director Robert Clouse has eight kung fu-oriented pics under his belt, but errs this time in the casting of non-actors in almost all key roles. Talent looks good in the fight scenes, but their inexperience makes dialog and dramatic footage dull and laughable. Fights are strictly one-sided (with heavies falling like ten pins) until the final reel contests with Rev. Rhee and his huge assistant Carl (Bob Schott). Tech credits are just adequate.

My review was written in July 1981 after a Manhattan UES screening.