# Angelfist

Angelfist is a 1993 martial arts action film starring Catya Sassoon, Michael Shaner, and Melissa Moore. Directed by Cirio H. Santiago, the film was produced by Santiago and Roger Corman.
The film has been described as a "reworking of T.N.T. Jackson".

## Synopsis

In Manila, United States Colonel Rappaport is ambushed and killed by the Black Brigade, a terrorist group. Kristie Lang, an American martial artist living in Manila, witnesses the murder and takes pictures of the Black Brigade murdering the colonel. She contacts the US Embassy and leaves a message for Victor Winslow telling him that the colonel has been murdered and she has evidence on film. Quirino questions the secretary about the phone call. Later that night, she participates in and wins a fight. She takes a cab home and believing she is being followed, asks the cab driver to give a roll of film to her friend, Sulu who works at the Otani club. Kristie arrives at her hotel room and is ambushed and killed. Her sister, Kat Lang, a Los Angeles detective, is notified of her death and travels to Manila to find out what happened to Kristie. After being told by Winslow there is nothing they can do, she goes to Krisite's hotel where the super of the hotel tells her Sulu has been calling for Kristie. Kat goes to the Otani club, but is unable to speak to Sulu. She is harassed by some men and is saved by a local gambler nicknamed Alcatraz. He offers Kat a place to stay and having nowhere else to go, she agrees.
Alcatraz gives Kat some insight on the tournament and the fighters including Kristie. Kat goes to the arena and asks De Vega if she can enter the tournament in Kristie's place, but he refuses. Alcatraz helps Kat enter in the martial arts tournament in Kristie's stead by introducing her to Bayani, Kristie's martial arts instructor, who challenges Kat to a fight. Impressing him with her skills, Bayani secures Kat a qualifying match against Bontoc, the previous year's champion. Kat defeats Bontoc and is allowed to enter the competition. Later the Black Brigade meets where it is revealed Bontoc is a member and promises to take care of her in the arena, but their leader decides it is best the Black Brigade deal with Kat. Alcatraz is later attacked in his hotel room and knocked out frightening Kat, but Alcatraz assures her he wants to continue to help her despite the danger. The tournament continues and Lorda is shown to be a capable fighter winning her fight. Bontoc and Kat also advance. In the locker room, Kat asks Lorda about what she knows about Kristie but Lorda brushes her off. Alcatraz heads to the club to talk to Sulu and leaves Kat with Bayani who asks Kat about Sulu. At another Black Brigade meeting, Quirino is shown to be the leader and instructs the assassination of Donaldson. The tournament continues with Lorda, Kat, and Bontoc advancing. After the match, Kat sees Lorda leaving Mr. Carrion's office and tries to catch up to Lorda, but isn't able to catch up to her. While out with his family, Donaldson is called away, ambushed, and killed. Kat confronts Mr. Carrion thinking he and Lorda may be behind what happened to Kristie. Winslow arrives with Quirino and informs Kat that Kristie and Lorda were partners working for the FBI and that Mr. Carrion was helping them by planting them in the tournament to see if there was a connection between the fighters and the Black Brigade.
Winslow knowing Alcatraz's visa is expired, tells him to convince Kat to stop interfering in exchange for a permanent residency in Manila to which he agrees. At the semifinals of the tournament, Bontoc defeats her opponent and with Lorda a "no show," Kat is automatically advanced to the finals. Bontoc threatens Kat with death. Quirino tells a tied up Lorda that after the Ambassador is killed the revolution will be over. Lorda admonishes him for being a traitor. He hits Lorda trying to get her to talk about Sulu. He then, instructs the Black Brigade members to get the information out of her. They untie her and begin beating her and pressing her face against an ice block. Meanwhile, Alcatraz gets Sulu's address and gives it to Kat. Lorda is tied up again since she refused to give up any information. Kat finds Sulu and Sulu gives her the roll of film. They are then ambushed by the Black Brigade and Sulu is killed. Kat comes back to the hotel where she is confronted at gunpoint by Quirino. Refusing to give up the film, she escapes the hotel and is rescued by Bayani but not before she gives the roll of film to Alcatraz. She tells Bayani that she has a roll of film but doesn't know what's on it. Lorda is able to tempt and distract a guard in order to escape. Alcatraz develops the film and takes it to Winslow and shows him Quirino is a member of the Black Brigade. Lorda makes her way to a train where she is chased by the brigade. She is able to fight them off and make her way to the arena. At the arena, Bontoc and Kat fight a brutal final fight where Kat is victorious. Bayani sees Winslow and the FBI and gets his weapon. Lorda arrives and the FBI goes after Bayani and Quirino. Lorda defeats Quirino who is arrested by Winslow while Kat kills Bayani during their fight. Later, Alcatraz and Kat are show on a boat seemingly in a relationship.

## Reception

In his book on martial arts in American cinema, M. Ray Lott said Catya Sassoon's role that in the "subgenre of the female martial artist", Angelfist was "much more interested in showing her as a sexual object" than would be the case in a film with Cynthia Rothrock, the usual figure in that subgenre. Her nude appearance resulted in her being "almost launched as soft-porn action heroine". Lott called the film itself "a titillating exploitation vehicle for undiscriminating action audiences" and acknowledged that "[i]t knows its target audience".

## Cast

* Catya Sassoon as Katara "Kat" Lang
* Melissa Moore (actress) as Lorda
* Michael Shaner as Alcatraz
* Denise Buick as Fighter 1
* Jessica Roberts as Fighter2
* Roland Dantes as Bayani
* Joseph Zucchero as Victor Winslow
* Henry Stralskowski as Cirio Quirino
* Christina Portugal as Bontoc "Gold Tooth"
* Ken Metcalfe as Ambassador Franklin
* Tony Carrion as Mr. Carrion
* Sibel Birzag as Kristie Lang
* Shiela Lintan as Sulu
* [Jim Moss] as Miles Jarvis
* [John Crank] as Colonel Rappaport
* Bob Larson as Mr. Donaldson
* Eddie Gaerlan as Super
* Archie Ramos as Bartender
* Ramon D'Salva as De Vega/Ring Announcer
* Ruben Ramos as Referee
* Toytoy Torres as Totoy Tigas
* Dulce V. Del Pilar as Newscaster
* Paul Holmes as Reporter
* Joanne Griffen as Winslow's Secretary
Members of the Black Brigade: *Ronald Asinas*Manny Samson *Sonny Tuason *Carlito Varca *Jett Sahara*Larry Correa *Raul Garcia
Fighters: *Susan De Guzman *Marissa Salgo *Lily Correa *Maria Houstman *Fedelia Chok *Christina Sanchez
Mexican Drug Dealers: *Romy Diaz *Robert Miller *Richard Olney *Mark Nilo Odiaman