Jino Kang's follow-up to Fist2Fist does a good job of building on lessons learnt and providing some decent kick-ass action. What it doesn't provide, and cannot provide due to its budget constraints, is the sort of high-production polish that a lot of people seem to expect. I find a lot of low budget films being criticised for their lack of budget rather than being given credit where it's due.
Having said that, Weapon of Choice is a bigger production than its predecessor, with a larger cast, more locations, overhead aerial shots and more elaborate set-pieces.
Director Jino Kang stars as Jack Lee, a recently retired assassin whose speciality was to walk into a room unarmed and utilise the weapons of his opponents - as can be seen in the opening action sequence. Unfortunately for him, his old boss Banducci (Douglas Olssen) isn't going to let him retire so easily, and kidnaps his niece Jaime. This home-invasion scene is really well done with some nice little moments. For example, When Jack enters and sees these masked men abducting Jaime, he squares off against one of them, only for the masked man to turn and walk away. Why? because one of his henchmen is sneaking up behind Jack and he feels he doesn't need to waste his time on him.
The characters are well-fleshed out and given proper personalities. Douglas Olsson gives Banducci a wry sense of humour and Machiavellian business sense. You may think his plan is over- complicated to begin with (i.e. starting a feud with Jack whilst at the same time trying to sell his criminal empire to a third party) but it all makes sense later on in the film. Jaime (Kelly Lou Dennis) might have been a damsel in distress in other movies of this type, but here she is brave and resourceful with her own agency. Similarly jaded cop Ashlee Jordan (Katherine Celio) starts off a bit brash but comes into her own, especially with a brutal fight scene.
The action is well put together and Jino makes sure to make each encounter different. The film builds to a strong climax where Jack has to run a gauntlet of bad guys, each with different weapons - hand to hand, knives, swords, even assault rifles. My personal favourite part of this sequence is the sword fight. Jino Kang is a very experienced martial artist and pushes himself here with developing fight scenes utilising many different styles of combat.
For me, Weapon of Choice exceeds its budgetary limitations. Its an ambitious film which works a lot more often than it doesn't.
Fist 2 Fist 2: Weapon of Choice
2014
Action / Adventure
Fist 2 Fist 2: Weapon of Choice
2014
Action / Adventure
Keywords: martial artskidnappingcrime boss
Plot summary
A retired assassin, Jack Lee walked away from his violent past to raise his dead brother's daughter, Jaime, as his own. When a crime boss kidnaps Jaime for a payback, Jack brings his gifted skills of extermination out of retirement and the streets of San Francisco becomes a battleground for a one man killing machine and ruthless united mob bosses.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Ambitious low budget action movie delivers the action.
Time Travel to the 1970s...
Ah, the good old 1970s...
When martial arts films seemed like the fighting was out of sync with the sound and the movie was out of sync with the audience.
By even 1970s standards it would be poorly rated...
By 2014 standards, after films like the Matrix and Ong Bak, it is positively dreadful.
Seems like it was produced on a shoestring, where the producer did not have enough budget for more than one take, since there was no more "breakable" furniture left in the minivan.
Not the worst movie ever made but really really really close.
I did like the casting. The hero is supposed to be chasing his daughter's kidnappers and for once he looks like he is old enough and scrawny enough to actually have an adult daughter. I am a member of AARP and approve of any enterprise that provides work for mature individuals.
Also looks like the star is also the writer and also the director, which may be one for the IMDb record books, but I'll let other reviewers do the CSI on that, Word to the wise. If you need your MA or MMA fix, watch ONG BAK again. You're welcome.
You fail you die...
This movie failed and died. The story line is cliche. The script is horrible. The acting by Jino Kang has to be one of THE worst performances for a lead in an action movie. The fight scenes are weak at best. So unless you just have time to waste pass on this movie.