No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder

Plot synopsis:
In Moc Hoa, Vietnam, a group of prisoners are executed under the watchful eye of General Ty (Hwang Jang Lee). Meanwhile, Scott Wylde (Loren Avedon), an American college student, visits the country to visit his former teacher and best friend Mac Jarvis (Max Thayer), meeting Terry (Cynthia Rothrock), Mac's former lover, in the process. Terry tells Scott that Mac may be in Patpong, a seedy area of Bangkok. Scott leaves the gym and heads for his hotel.
At the hotel, Scott is harassed by a pimp. Once he makes his way into his room, he calls his girlfriend Sulin Nguyen (Patra Wanthivanond), inviting her to have dinner with him. During their date, Sulin's father (Perm Hongsakul) receives a disturbing phone call and leaves his house. A group of thugs crash into Scott's room and kidnap Sulin. Scott fights and kills the two thugs left behind to murder him. He heads to Sulin's house, where it is revealed that her entire family except her father has been killed. Scott is framed for the murders and drug possession. Despite Mr. Nguyen's pleas, the American consulate suggests sending Scott to Singapore and keeping him detained for three months. He escapes, heading to Patpong.
At Patpong, Scott finds Mac at the Super Star bar, arm wrestling with a local man. When Mac wins, his opponent attacks him with a broken bottle, but Scott intervenes. He tells a concerned Mac of his recent problems. When the duo go to dinner at a local marketside area, they are threatened by Sulin's kidnappers. They force one of the thugs to tell them where Sulin is located, learning she has been taken to Cambodia. They head to Mac's private warehouse, an artillery factory. Mac tells Scott of Sulin's father's history. Mr. Nguyen was a Vietnamese general who, for the sake of his family, stopped a deal with a Soviet militia. Mac is convinced that the Soviets have joined forces with the Vietnamese army and have set up base in Cambodia. Scott decides he must rescue Sulin. The next morning, Mac and Scott prepare, awaiting a helicopter, but they are surrounded on their way out by the Thai police. However, Terry comes to aid and Mac and Scott narrowly escape by helicopter.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Soviet Army, Yuri (Matthias Hues), has arrived. Yuri challenges a Chinese refugee held with the recent prisoners of war to fight for his freedom. He uses his brute strength to defeat the fighter, but tells him he is free to leave. As the fighter starts walking away, Yuri shoots him twice and kills him by throwing him into a pit full of alligators. He subsequently meets Sulin and threatens to send her in the pit if her father doesn't arrive soon.
When Scott, Terry, and Mac arrive in Cambodia, they ask Colonel Tol Nol (Nirut Sirijunya), an old customer of Mac's, for assistance. Mac offers artillery in exchange for help, but Tol Nol refuses. However, Scott makes a deal on a new tank and Tol Nol accepts under the condition that Terry stays behind as well. Tol Nol's camp is then bombed; Scott injures his arm in the process. Scott, Terry, and Mac leave by foot the following day and come upon a Buddhist temple. When the monks are revealed to be spies, the trio use their martial arts skills to fend them off. The Vietnamese army arrives and kidnaps Terry. They shoot Scott and Mac with a rocket launcher, believing to have killed them. However, Scott and Mac escape the blast. Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen is murdered by a mysterious assassin hiding in a manhole in Bangkok.
Later that night, Scott and Mac begin to secretly plant explosives and other weaponry in the Soviet camp. The next morning, Sulin and Terry are slated to be executed in the alligator pit. Scott, noticing what has happened, uses his crossbow to begin the full-fledged assault, while Mac works towards rescuing Terry and Sulin. They successfully kill all the soldiers except Yuri, who arrives with a machine gun as Scott is heading towards his friends. Terry sacrifices herself to save Scott from being gunned down. Scott distracts Yuri with an arrow to his arm. As Mac attempts to save Terry, he finally professes his love for her. However, it is too late as Terry dies from her wounds.
Scott and Yuri begin to fight with Yuri's strength getting the best of Scott. Scott, in an effort to lure Yuri away, hides in his office. When Yuri follows, he notices no one is inside. That is, until Scott jumps off a platform and begins to use his kicking skills on Yuri. Yuri catches Scott's foot and throws him to his desk and moves it towards Scott's legs to crush them. However, Scott grabs a painting behind him and crashes it on Yuri's head. Scott begins to fight and throws the Soviet flag around Yuri's head and ties a rope around his neck. Scott ties Yuri to a jeep and drags him to the alligator pit. When Yuri attempts to pull Scott in the jeep, an alligator gets Yuri and Scott jumps out of the jeep in time. Scott finds a machine gun and blasts the alligator pit. He is reunited with Sulin but is given the news that Terry is dead. Together, Scott, Sulin, and Mac, holding Terry, walk away to the camp.

Tags: violence, murder

Review:
This time the movie's featured star is Cynthia Rothrock.
But the action scenes are excellent and fun to watch..
Loren Avedon is simply matchless as a young humble American hero in his first movie.
Karate Tiger II proves that just because a movie is low budget, it doesn't mean that the people working on it aren't incredibly gifted and talented at their craft.As a regular avid film viewer, I feel very fortunate that I was able to view and experience this film.
It has lots of really cool fighting, fun background music and almost everything else we all know as bad (but really entertaining) 80's action stuff.
The last fight between him and Loren Avedon must be considered as a classic.Same score as the first movie: 7 out of 10!.
This sequel has nothing to do with the original film, but is connected that American kickboxers fight Soviet killing machines.
The only flaw in the film was the short fight between Cynthia Rothrock and Hwang Jang-lee.
Another Ng See Yuen produced Seasonal production (his production company) that puts a Western cast in basically a Hong Kong style action film.
Loren Avedon stars as an American in trouble in Thailand eventually waging a small war against some Russians to get his girlfriend back.
One of the best screen fighters I have seen.Cynthia Rothrock gets in the story as a cocky chopper pilot and has some great martial arts scenes of her own.
Yes Madam is a classic film that was also directed by Corey Yuen.Matthias Hughes stars as the Bad-ass Russian who apparently learned to fight for the screen during the films production.
Having the end fight scene against Loren Avedon is enough of a physical spectacle.
They have tried to pack quite a lot into this film for the budget.The films director, martial arts choreographer is Corey Yuen and the action scenes are pretty top- notch.
The transfer I have isn't the best print and the audio was probably never great on this picture but if you are familiar with this genre, like chop-socky films from Hong Kong and American kick-boxing strait to video titles it's going to be up your ally.
The cheesiest story and most blatant use of Russian bad guys except for the first film topped off with expert martial arts choreography.I think these Seasonal pictures, produced by Ng See Yuen are great.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsCorey Yeun,whose dayjob is a fight chereographer on the sets of various martial arts films,makes his second directing effort with this sequel to his 1985 original No Retreat No Surrender.Oddly,the plot to this sequel bears absolutely no resemblance to the original at all,with none of the original cast members returning either (including the ghost of Bruce Lee).That's no real problem,though,because a follow up to that ridiculously awful film probably wouldn't have been appreciated too greatly anyway.This is a film in an altogether different league,with a cast of martial artists in the leads.Loren Avedon is a little goofy in the lead but engaging enough,whilst Richard Norton alike Max Thayer adds good support.Cynthia Rothrock gets some nice lines here and there but she has serious problems with her delivery.And,finally,Matthias Hues is a video game villain ,right down to his 'hahaha' interludes,though quite credible.Running at as brisk a pace as the first,this is itself pretty damn stupid,but features some nice action and,if only seen once,passes muster.***.
Good action film benefits from Corey Yuen's involvement.
Thanks to Corey Yuen's direction, the fight and stunt choreography in "No Reatreat, No Surrender 2" are clearly superior to those in most American low-budget action movies.
Yuen knows how to shoot action, and how to take the best from each of his stars.
Loren Avedon looks a little goofy at first, but when he gets into action mode you know he means business!
The chief reason being the interesting mixture of characters in this movie, and they're all good.Of course this movie stars Loren Avedon, and Cynthia Rothrock, both of whom were at their early stages of their career, but they look fresh, and good.
Even better than many of their later works, so the director of this movie must have been really good.Each scenes has attention to details, and they have the clean looks to them that makes it easy on the eyes.
Story is pretty good too, perfectly matched to each of the characters.This definitely is one of the best movie Loren Avedon, and Cynthia Rothrock has starred in.
As a result, the story was changed with Tae Kwon Do expert Loren Avedon and Matthias Hues drafted in to play the American and Russian stereotypes.The basic synopsis sees Avedon's character call in some friends in an attempt to rescue his Thai girlfriend, while strangely coming across a contingent of the Russian army (camped out in the Vietnamese jungle!) in the process, as well as a group of fake Shaolin monks.
Strandberg for the script!).Surprisingly, for an American film, there are some well executed and imaginative fight sequences predominantly showcasing the excellent kicking skills of Avedon.
Loren Avedon did not follow Jean Claude's example and stayed on after this film fulfilling his 3 picture contract, notably with the decent third instalment of the NR, NS series: 'Blood Brothers' with the excellent Keith Vitali (Yuen Biao's opponent in 'Wheels on Meals') and I am surprised he was never used in a 'real' Hong Kong picture as he is clearly skilled and quick enough to have made a good screen villain..
Some clever fight scenes and a fairly well paced plot, despite the awkward acting and sped up punching/kicking.
I'm always embarrassed by the fact that always USA guy(s) save(s) the day in this kind of action movie, no matter if the story is located in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, India or China.The action choreography is simply great.
If you consider that this movie is 22 years old now, you have to admit that they did a great job with the melee action scenes.Sadly, the gunfighting parts are somewhere between ridiculous and hilarious.
The machine guns are firing close to blindly and the rate of successful kills are pretty high there.And the final scene, when Scott Wylde drags the bad guy with the stolen army-jeep and slides him into the pool of crocodiles, that was non-sense: the bad Russian guy is pulling the jeep into the pool with his bare hands.
:)If you can accept the fact that these scenes are ridiculous, you will love this movie as I did, because the melee fighting actions will compensate any of your losses..
I just wanted to write the IMDb fans of kung-fu and action flicks that that this was a decent low budget movie that gave me that feeling I haven't had in a while.
I felt like I had seen it before when I was watching it and was loving the low budget, bad acting you would expect from the time.
all you need to know about nrns 1 and 2 is.............the fight scenes are wicked (even for today standards) speeding up the camera seems to be the staple of these movies (but it does make the action look hella good).
I decided to rent NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER II due to the man also responsible for Jet Li's fight choreography...however not even Corey Yuen's stylish chop socky could save this....not saying it wasn't fun though.
Cross a low budget Rambo rip off with a quality hong kong kung fu film and you've got NRNS 2.
Hero Scott Wylde (Loren Avedon) travels to Thailand to meet with his fiance (who is also daughter of a wealthy business man financing anti Soviet forces in Cambodia).
The obligatory kidnapping of the fiance takes place forcing Scott to join forces with weapon specialist Mac and pilot/martial artist Terry (Cynthia Rothrock) as they make their way into Cambodia to take on the Soviet forces led by one big Russki known as Yuri (Matthias Hues).If you can survive the ridiculous dialogue between the three leads(especially former lovers Mac and Terry), outdated one man army shootouts, and Matthias Hues's facial expressions then you may be in for a treat.
Although not "Grade A" martial arts sequences, the film does provide entertaining brawls in the opening sequence between kidnappers and Scott, Scott and Mac vs others in an outdoor dining establishment, the three leads vs an army of monks (netting included) and finally the climatic showdown between Scott and a barechested (wouldn't you tear off your shirt if you were buff as hell before a bare knuckled melee?)Yuri.
Seen as an action parody through the eyes of any martial arts fans, NO RETREAT NO SURRENDER II may still have a chance.
From the horrible acting down to the flawed logic (Why is TKD dominating every other martial arts style?), this movie had no upside, unless, like us, you feel like watching a really bad movie to laugh.
this sequel is as sequel in name only.it has nothing to do with the first movie.none of the characters are the same.the title really has nothing to do with the movie,either,as far as i can tell.plus,this is one boring movie.i did manage to watch ti all the way through to the end,hoping it would get better,but it didn't.it has one decent fight scene during the last five or ten minutes of the film,but that's about it.it's not the most boring movie i've ever seen.there's about a handful that are worse on that score,but i wouldn't care if i never saw it again.
at least the acting was actually not that bad.i was expecting it to be worse.still,it didn't elevate the movie.for me,No Retreat, No Surrender 2: Raging Thunder is a 4/10.
And I must say it's still as bad and cheesy as it was back then.Lorean Avedon must go to Cambodia to rescue his Vietnamese girlfriend from Russian and Vietnamese troops and runs into his arms dealing buddy Mac.By now I forgot the plot mainly because the acting and hammy action sequences were really bad.
Cythnia Rothrock is in this film, and she does a pretty good job - its a shame her fight sequences weren't on as long as her screen presence (which wasn't very long to begin with).There are some quite memorable pieces, including the scene where Shaolin men jump around Avedon and Mac and tie them up in their clothes and the fight sequence between Avedon and the huge Russian played by Matthius Hues (whom sounds French throughout the whole movie).The final fight sequence is the only thing worth watching, and it builds up into the last brutal part where Hues is tied up in some rope and is dragged into an Alligator pit by a Jeep - Hues tries to get up but pulls in the Jeep on top of him.If you want to watch a good film, don't watch this - its not worth it..
No Retreat, No Surrender II (NRNS2), is a magical pastiche of poor dialogue, bad acting and frenetic martial arts action.
On the one hand, the movie is entirely watchable -- due primarily to the entertaining fight and action sequences (very reminiscent of early/mid 80s, Hong Kong produced, kung-fu movies).
This is generally the case when you cast martial artists as opposed to actors.Our story begins with fresh-faced Scott Wylde (Loren Avedon) arriving in Vietnam.
For reasons obscure to me and my Bad Movie buddies, Mr. Wylde is obsessed with finding his friend, Mac Jarvis (Max Thayer).
Apparently, Mr. Wylde thought the best course of action for finding his friend was to run around Vietnam yelling, "Mac!
Mac Jarvis!" Mr. Wylde bumps into Terry (Cynthia Rothrock), who -- as it turns out -- is an ex-girlfriend of Mac. If memory serves correctly, she informs Scott of the present whereabouts of Mr. Jarvis.At this point, things turn sour for Mr. Wylde.
This sets the stage for Scott to rescue his girlfriend, and beat-down a whole mess of Bad Guys in the process.Mr. Wylde eventually joins forces with cigar (and scenery) chomping Mac Jarvis.
In addition to the VC, Scott and Mac must administer an Country Ass Whopping' on the local Buddhists (who, unbelievably, favor ropes as their primary weapon of choice).Sulin, meanwhile, is introduced to her primary captor, Yuri (Matthias Hues) -- a monstrous Russian with an undeniable German accent (Matthias Hues is German).
From here the plot develops in a thoroughly predictable manner -- Scott and Mac hewing their way through jungle and assailant until they reach Yuri's compound.
The end result is a whole mess of dead VC.Eventually Mac, Scott and Terry encounter Yuri.
Ridiculously convoluted plot involves Commie Russians (led by the gigantic Matthias Hues who looks like a model for the statue of a Greek god), nasty Viet Cong, Vietnamese Resistance fighters, and a Chinese family who escaped from Saigon.
Loren Avedon is Scott Wylde, a little fellow with the ability to fight men twice his size, an American college student visiting Bangkok because his fiancé, Sulin (Patra Wanthivanond), has a wealthy father who lives in the city.
The other character getting involved in the story is a female fighter, Terry (the flexible and energetic Cynthia Rothrock), who has a history with Mac. Soon Terry is flying a chopper into Cambodian hostile territory so that Scott and Mac can infiltrate Yuri's headquarters and rescue Sulin.
To be honest, I watch these movies because of the action choreography.
That's just the truth of the matter, as long as director Corey Yeun (Jet Li's The Legend), can deliver some kick-happy fight scenes where men in combat perform exciting displays of martial arts then I'm a happy action fan.
When I enter a low-budget 80s action film with a choice few Americans involved (most of these have co-production companies from different countries working in concert with each other giving the action pictures a decidedly international flavor) set in Thailand or Hong Kong, I simply don't ask for much.
The best scene has to be when a cackling, demented Hues beats a poor resistance fighter to a pulp, shoots him in the ass with a gun while the poor soul is fleeing from his captors, and is tossed into Yuri's pit of crocodiles!
While Thayer and Rothrock bicker and insult each other throughout their time together, Avedon will eventually engage Hues in a fight to the death, which will end up (as it should) at the crocodiles' pit.
Avedon is presented as if he were an American version of Jet Li: director Yuen and his fighter extras make Loren's Scott Wylde look damn good.
Not that Avedon can't hold his own in scenes where he's fighting off men that want him dead; he can move around a room, use his legs to flexibly escape numerous potential fatal blows, and land his own fair share of punches and kicks.
I watched the uncut 104 minute UK version, which is the way to go, although I imagine a film like this will be considered overlong at such a length..
Scott Wylde (Avedon) is a young American kickboxer who comes to Bangkok to look for his friend Mac Jarvis (Thayer).
Bison-like head of the camp, Yuri the Russian (Hues), a hulking brute who loves throwing his enemies in a pit of hungry alligators just for fun.
Even though none of our lead players are Asian, all the fight scenes clearly have that Hong Kong-style fast pace and inventiveness to them, thanks to director Yuen.
She tends to deliver all the groaner one-liners in the film and provides a lot of the humor, on top of her martial arts skill.
NRNS2 is good thanks to the direction of Corey Yuen and a cast of familiar favorites delivering the chop-socky goods.For more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com.
NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER 2 is unconnected to the original movie, other than having the same director in Corey Yuen.
Really, that's all there is to the plot line: it's a lightweight movie with plenty of comedy in the scripting and plenty of action to keep things moving along.
Once again, the best thing about the film is the participation of Corey Yuen who delivers some outstanding action sequences that make the movie probably better than it has any right to be.The story is extremely limited and the script what you'd expect from a cheesy '80s genre flick, although this isn't quite as dated in the fashion stakes – only the clothing looks its age here.
This one takes a long time to get going, but Yuen carefully paces his action so there's always something going on to keep you entertained.
Thayer doesn't fight and is frequently doubled, but he is good value for money and gives the movie's best performance.
She doesn't take part in that many fights but those she does appear in are simply great.The bad guys are headed by Matthias Hues, a hulking German actor who looks like he could tear you limb from limb without breaking a sweat.
Okay, so his acting is pretty cheesy, but he's an indomitable presence in the action stakes and even more imposing than Van Damme in the first movie.
I was also pleased to spot Hwang Jang Lee in the cast, an actor famous from many period kung fu films, although sadly he only takes part in one fight scene (although it's a good one!).
The final reel goes overboard on the pyrotechnics, with all sorts of things blowing up spectacularly for no apparent reason, but the main action fun comes from the fighting.
Obviously, the final extended battle between Avedon and Hues marks the film's peak, but the showdown between Rothrock and Lee is also decent, along with all the other bits and bobs thrown in.
The movie makes good use of an alligator pit and features a hilarious fate for the villainous Hues.
All in all, NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER 2 is good '80s fun, not quite as good as Yuen's best movies made in Hong Kong, but coming close at times.