From: sdy@ssc-bee.boeing.com (Ugly Bag of Mostly Water)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.asian.american
Subject: Re: Rapid Fire (probable spoilers)
Date: 2 Sep 92 22:24:54 GMT
Organization: Ringworld
In-reply-to: hirota@sluggo.sdsc.edu's message of 30 Aug 92 21:09:22 GMT

In article <17rde2INNjvm@network.ucsd.edu> hirota@sluggo.sdsc.edu (Bryan Hirota) writes:

   Has every decent-minded Asian American done their duty by seeing
   Brandon Lee in this summer's action adventure flick "Rapid Fire"?
   Probably not.

NOT! well I actually did pay (full price!) to see this and enjoyed it very
much. 

   I am often disapointed in the inability of Asian Americans to support
   their own kin.  When a black film in released,  African Americans come
   out of the woodwork,  because they understand the importance of
   the film doing well.  If the film does not do well,  then the movie
   executives, will continue to think that people X are unmarketable.
hmmm maybe we're just too non-descript to be noticed (many =)

   =====
   Rapid Fire
   Starring:	Brandon Lee and some white people.
                                     ^^^^^
oohh, what he said, and he gets the girl too. (dem round-eyes be soooo
infatuated wit us)

   When considering how to rate this film,  the genre of it must be taken
   into consideration.  This film will not bring you social awareness, it
   will not save the whales,  but if you like action films,  it will
   put a smile on your face.
yes indeed it was very entertaining.

[...background stuff deleted...]

   FIGHT SCENES:	The fight scenes in this film are probably some of the
   best I've seen in recent years.  Brandon Lee inherits his father's
   legendary quickness.  If you know even a minor amount of martial
   arts, and have been disapointed with the skills of would be heros
   such as Van Damme, Speakman, Lundgren, Seagal (even though I like Steve),
   Brandon Lee is a bresh of fresh air.
not just the speed (which is quick but not outragously "accelerated" like some
of the other shlock fight films) but the combinations used -- the
choreographers really earned their $$ on the close in fighting.

   So people, get out like an invading yellow hoard, and see your own kind.
   He ain't goofy, he ain't nerdy, and speaks perfect english.
   (and some Chinese too, but I can't tell if it's decent or not, does anyone
   know?)
seemed decent enough to me (but then I can't speak it either =)

   On an action/adventure scale of 1 to 5,  Rapid Fire, earns a very
   respectable 4.
oh maybe not that high for me, maybe a 3.5, I like lots more gore.

I found it very intersting that there was lots of subtle sterotype-breaking
during the movie, probably more so than I noticed immediately -- an male asian
artist? not unusual but not normally promoted. Even the "chinese mafia" types
gave the impression of very competent (but ruthless) businessmen -- and there
was really only the one (obligitory) racist, epithet-spewing, asian-basher.

The question is -- with Brandon's multi-film contract (I think it was for 4
films) will they have sense enough to handle him as well as Seagal and let him
build a following and grow into a more varied part? He doesn't yet have that
spark to draw but then it seems like they purposely limited his dialog (much
like the earlier Seagal films) while not pushing him aside -- At least he has a
better screen presence than Speakman.

steve.
"Are you the Duck of Death?"
--
Steven D. Yee                 >>>  my employer does not share my opinions   <<<
sdy@ssc-bee.ds.boeing.com     >>>   that's because I'm always right! =b     <<<
sdy@bcstec.boeing.com
               You couldn't pay me enough, but go ahead and try.