Firecracker

I remember seeing this film when I was young. It was being aired on cable, when it first came out. This was great because it was the un-cut version. I somehow was able to get a copy of this when it was aired on late night TV some years ago. I still have the copy with commercials (edited for television). I would like to get the full version. This film had some unforgettable scenes. I have to say that it turned me on to women in the martial arts.

The plot is of secondary importance: something about a female karate champion who goes to the Phillipines to investigate her sister's disappearance and stumbles on a drug ring and a tournament of no-holds-barred fights to the death. The film is mainly a showcase for the beautiful, athletic, voluptuous woman and convincing, tough fighter Jillian Kesner - and I have no complaints there: she has about 10 fight scenes in this movie, the first one of which occurs after only 2 minutes! The production is very cheap, but the fight choreography is actually quite good - not exactly on the level of early Jackie Chan but certainly vastly preferable to the heavily wired, computer-enhanced crap that so often passes for martial arts today. The long scene in which Kesner ends up topless as she tries to fight off two attackers is not just exploitation, but almost a statement: here is this undressed, unarmed, completely feminine woman and these two men can't touch her, can't even go near her without getting hurt. I'm surprised this B-movie mini-classic is so little known today. (**1/2)

I love this movie the first time I saw it back in 86, and I haven't changed my opinion of it, one iota. It's one of those selected movie pleasures, and lovers of kung fu flicks, whatever, will gets their entertainment's worth here. While snapping shots of an underground fight in Thailand, a young girl is snatched. Enter her older sister (Jillian Kessner) hot as hell, who can really kick arse, someone you don't underestimate, especially with personal issues as you'll see. She stumbles into this syndicate, wanting a bit of the fight action, while falling in love with badarse Hinton (yes the little boy from Daniel Boone) part of the syndicate, a supplier who runs the gambling, heroin, whatever rackets. Watching Kessner, nude, is almost a priveledge, a thankyou from God above, but watching her fight is something too, like when she takes on two rapists, or outwits a most deadly and venomous snake when cornered in a boxing ring, as some goons do an Q and A on her, from which they don't get much. The sex scene between Hinton and Kessner is erotic if involving a little rough play, where we're not really sure if Kessner has been leading him on the whole way, or really is in love with him. I'd go with the prior opinion, but leads him on she does well. Beautifully filmed, using some great sights around the Phillipines, some shots, stay memorably drawn in my mind, what we've got here is a chop suey, kick arse, extravaganza, different too from the prospect, the woman's doing it. I like that. Check the full on action kicking scene near the start of the movie, where she has a bit of help, those simulated SFX working to the cheap style of the film. A non stop action adventure treat.

Filmed in the Philippines I assume because it was cheaper. Kesner was a pretty good fighter, good looking, not much of an actor but who cares. I've seen a lot of martial arts flicks, Chan and Lee but you cannot compare this one to those obviously. The details. Like the music for one, are just strange. Watch it, just keep your finger on the fast forward button!

This movie was probably singularly responsible for my interest in B-grade martial arts movies. I saw it when I was very young (before cable - eeeeek!) on late-night "Kung-fu Theater". The local station had obviously made a mistake and aired the movie uncut - violence, nudity, and all! The epic final fight scene finds the heroine steadily losing pieces of her clothing one item at a time until she finishes the battle wearing nothing but her panties. The sight of her fighting in such a condition forever made me a fan of the genre! See it if you have a chance.