SanEat
A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."
rockoforza
This movie has everything an action film could want -- heroes and villains and great fight scenes. It stars Jeff Wincott and Gary Hudson. Wincott made a name for himself in a number of great martial arts movies and fans will remember Hudson kicking ass in the classic movie "Roadhouse." Here they play two bothers taking on the Russian mob.It starts out in San Francisco where DEA agent Kevin White (Wincott) promises a snitch that he'll protect him from the Russian drug dealer Rochenko and his hired muscle Sergei (played by the massive real life bodybuilder Stefano Miltsakakis.) The scene switches to L.A. where we see hero cop Jack White (Hudson) wasting 3 Asian thugs while foiling a pawn shop robbery.The two brothers couldn't be any more different. Kevin is a straight laced law enforcement professional who trains hard in martial arts. One look at him shirtless, working out on the heavy bag, reveals a chiseled physique. Jack, on the other hand, is all street muscle, with a powerful body built to punish the trash he encounters on patrol. Rivals for the affection of their ex-cop father, and disapproving of each other's style, they hook up once Kevin's case takes him to L.A. Though they start out reminiscing, the tension between them is obvious. In a key scene, Jack challenges Kevin to a friendly sparring match and it's only a matter of time before it leads to fighting for real. Though evenly matched, after trading some well-aimed blows, Kevin's superior training gets the upper hand over Jack's brute strength and it's easy to see he enjoys administering a savage beating to his younger brother.Angry and humiliated, Jack turns dirty and throws in with Rochenko, where he trades inside information for a cut of the drug money. Rochenko tests Jack's loyalty by ordering him to slay Kevin's snitch. The street cop carries out the assignment and executes the innocent man in cold blood. Meanwhile, Kevin is attacked by a musclebound latino street thug and, after a ferocious fight, offs him with a powerful kick. Standing over the dead thug, Kevin shakes his head muttering "L.A. hasn't changed a bit." Jack starts playing a double game, feeding Rochenko information, but still helping his brother against the Russian enforcers. In a great scene in a restaurant, the two brothers take on a bunch of Rochenko's musclemen and leave the place littered with bodies. The best fight scene comes later when Kevin is lured to a dojo and faces "the Russian Circle." Directed by Sergei, a dozen muscular killers surround Kevin and take turns attacking him. The fights are bloody as they vie for the chance to kill him. With bare hands, swords, chains and clubs, they each take their turn --- but Kevin is faster, stronger and better trained. One by one, he expertly takes each Russian's life. When he's done, Kevin's shirtless torso is gleaming with sweat. He asks Sergei "Is that the best you got?!" Sergei, not liking the odds, disappears.Conflicted, Jack's plot unravels and Rochenko makes plans to flee with the money. Exposed as a dirty cop, Jack follows and the ultimate showdown takes place. Kevin finally squares off against Sergei and the two struggle barehanded, muscle to muscle, until Kevin proves the stronger, twisting Sergei's head until we hear the sharp crack that lets us know that Kevin has snapped his thick neck. Though Jack still wants the money, his brother tells him he needs to give himself up and it looks like the two brothers might have to fight it out again -- this time to the death. Rochenko intervenes and, when he tries to shoot Kevin, Jack instinctively jumps in the way, taking the bullet meant for his brother.The movie ends with Jack's hero's funeral, and Kevin realizing that, for all his bad deeds, his brother Jack was a good cop. This tale of two brothers has a good ending and both Jeff Wincott and Gary Hudson do an excellent job playing these tough cops. The martial arts fights are the centerpieces --- especially the "Russian Circle" where the action is white hot.
S_Craig_Zahler
(...though yes, Wincott is Canadian).Martial Outlaw, a title which has no real bearing on the movie, is more psychologically compelling than most direct to video fare and more morally complex. But really, a martial arts movie is mainly about the fights and it is rare to see an American movie with fights and stunts that are as well staged and fluid as those in Hong Kong movies.And any movie that has this much fighting and isn't a tournament movie is extra appreciated!Overall, Martial Outlaw (amazingly) compares to things like Donnie Yen's Flashpoint & Jackie Chan's Police Story II & Yuen Biao's Righting Wrongs. And unlike most American movies that attempt this level of choreography, the fights are not sped up cartoons like in Isaac Florentine's movies (Undisputed II & III & Ninja & Special Forces) or Drive (with Dacascos) or Cynthia Rothrock. Sorry IMDb "martial arts" fans, Martial Outlaw kicks (and backhands) the crap out of that sped up nonsense.As a fighter, Wincott is great and believable. Compares to brutal but elegant badass Richard Norton and is far above guys like Don "the slow and wooden" Dragon (despite his real life awards).Overall, Martial Outlaw delivers a lot great and aggressive fights and some solid stunts, and the script has some actual depth. Let it be said that nobody delivers a closed-fist backhand like Mr. Wincott. Bravo!
magilvilla
This is a pretty good martial arts movie. The story is good as well. Jeff Wincott is a decent actor and a really talented martial artist. The fight in the gym is awesome, definitely the best fight in the movie. The other fights are good too. The only problem is the movie ends too suddenly without enough closure to the story. Other than that the movie is good.
