Well, I was searching for something else when I got the DVD of this movie named Fist of the Warrior. Just looking at the poster of this action flick I assumed this to be one of those many martial art films sans story, but to my surprise, it does have a story – a story of revenge but that’s not going to impress you anyway.
Before going a little deep into the storyline, let me tell you that this film was supposed to be released sometime in 2005 with the name “Lesser of Three Evils”. My little research found some kind of legal hassle for its delayed-release. Nevertheless, after watching this film I wonder why the filmmaker wanted to change the name as the new name no way justifies the plot.
Anyway, the story of the Fist of the Warrior revolves around three men. Lee (Ho-sung Pak) is a hitman who wants to leave his world of blood and money to lead a normal life with her girlfriend Sarah (Robin Paul) whom he met at a coffee shop. Dreaming to start it all over, when Lee proposes his wish to gangster boss John (Peter Green), John doesn’t like the idea and sends few goons to kill Lee. Unfortunately, while Lee survived the attack, Sarah got killed.
So, here starts a story of revenge but there is more to it. There is the third character, a police detective Craig Barnes (Roger Guenveur Smith) who is under suspicion by the Internal Affairs for his relation with underworld mafia and local drug dealers. Now John wants Craig to find Lee and kill him, as Lee is now in a killing spree by tracking down each and everyone close to John.
Oh… it’s getting boring for me to write more on this, as this film has nothing interesting to tell. From story to performance and screenplay it all seems the director and producers were in no mood to complete the film. Everyone seems to be in some other world with no such passion to make a good action film. Even the camera work is so saggy that sometimes you will see frames that nowhere relate to what’s happening on the screens.
To add more misery to this all nonsense but no action film is the ending. Probably, the worst ending I have ever watched to date. The director wanted to paint it as a revenge drama but in the end, John only takes a few seconds to kill his man. By the time it ends, it makes no logical sense at all. It is understandable that Fist of the Warrior is the maiden venture of the director Wayne A. Kennedy.
Fist of the Warrior — A hit-man, a mobster and a corrupt detective confront each other when events come to a head for them.
Genres: Action, Suspense
Directed & Screenplay by Wayne A. Kennedy
Story by Ho-Sung Pak
Cast: Ho-Sung Pak, Peter Greene, Roger Guenveur Smith, Robin Paul, and Sherilyn Fenn.
Release Date/Year: June 4, 2009
Where to watch Fist of the Warrior (2007)
