Product: Showdown in Little Tokyo [VHS] (1991)
Rating: 3.0
expected more
Dolph Lundgren and Brandon Lee star as a cop duo in this action flick that attempts humor with some decent martial arts. In the end, Showdown is ok, an average movie with nothing too exciting that will make you want to watch it again anytime soon.The coolest thing about the movie are the two stars. The late Brandon Lee (The Crow, Rapid Fire) displays a few scenes of some great martial arts skills, while Dolph Lundgren (Rocky IV, Universal Soldier) is his usual physically overwhelming self, kicking butt wherever he goes. Unfortunately, these two guys have done better in some of their other films, but it is cool to see them together in one movie. Their chemistry, though, is a bit lacking, as is the cheesy humor that fails to be humurous. Maybe back in the good old day it might have been. The villain is played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Kickboxer 2, Mortal Kombat) who is just downright dirty in this film. A sick villain, to say the least, as mentioned by another review here, that disturbing scene with the beheading of the blonde. In the end, Lundgren gets a swordfight against the Hiroyuki character, but unfortunately the scene is about over before it begins, and then the credits soon roll.Showdown has very little story or plot. Most of the movie consists of pure action scenes and then some. The 2 cops chase the bad guys, and they chase them. Back and forth it goes. Acting, of course, is below par, as is with most action movies. I emphasive the R rating on this film as well, for there is scene after scene of naked women, cursing, and some gruesome events. Some of it just becomes annoying.If you like Brandon Lee, Dolph Lundgren, and ok martial arts action, Showdown should be worth renting. Buying may not be necessary, its not as good as I had hoped.