Full Contact (1993)

In 1989, Roger Corman produced BLOODFIST, which made a star out of kickboxing champion Don “The Dragon” Wilson. Four years later, Corman decides to “remake” the film in hopes to solidify the film career of another kickboxing champion, Jerry “Golden Boy” Trimble. However, this is only going to be seen as one of many BLOODFIST clones Corman made to try to make stars out of martial artists.

Instead of Manila, the film is set in Los Angeles, where the Alley Fights are the talk of the town. When Johnny Powers (Gerry Blanck) wins the Alley Fights, he is brutally murdered later that night by an unknown assailant. His younger brother Luke (Trimble) comes to the city to visit. Luke meets Albert (Raymond Storti), a fighter who is also a con artist. When Luke learns from Albert that Johnny was killed and that he entered the Alley Fights, Johnny is determined to get himself in the next tournament.

Finding a coach in former fighter Pep (Marcus Aurelius), Luke begins training in martial arts as he prepares for the next tournament. Meanwhile, things heat up between Luke and Albert’s sister Tori (Denise Buick), who moonlights as an exotic dancer to help with the bills. As Luke finally enters the competition, he finds himself taking on some of the best street fighters in the city. The man to beat is Black Ice (Alvin Prouder), whom some believe is the man who may have killed Johnny…or is he?

As much as one would enjoy the tournament film, Roger Corman surely made a big mistake by remaking his first martial arts film. Perhaps it was because he would hope it would help the film career of Jerry Trimble, the kickboxing champion known for his fast and furious kicking. Trimble has had his share of glory working on Hong Kong-based films such as THE MASTER (1989) opposite Jet Li and a good cameo in KING OF THE KICKBOXERS (1990) opposite Loren Avedon.

Trimble does manage to work well with what he is given. Corman knew of Trimble being originally from Kentucky and so his character, Luke Powers, hails from Kentucky. Trimble plays it off nicely but let’s face it. Anyone who knows Trimble wants to see him kick some butt and that is exactly what he does. Like Corman’s other martial arts films, some of the supporting cast consist of martial arts champions, such as kickboxing champions Howard Jackson, Gerry Blanck, and Alvin Prouder, who provides a more enabled opponent than Kris Aguilar’s top fighter in BLOODFIST.

The rest of the supporting characters are basically the same as BLOODFIST, from the con artist fighter who becomes the hero’s buddy to the mysterious trainer. Of course, the romantic interest is the con artist’s sister. We all have seen this in BLOODFIST.

The only good difference between BLOODFIST and FULL CONTACT? FULL CONTACT has better execution in its tournament sequences. Choreographed by Hiro Koda, with the help of Rick Jacobsen and Rae Manzon, the execution of Trimble’s kicking skills are well done and from the looks of the fights, they may have taken a page out of RING OF FIRE, showing different angles and some slow motion that were used to good effect. Even Gerry Blanck’s opening fight against Howard Jackson looks good. The cast of other fighters look impressive when compared to BLOODFIST’s lackluster brawls.

So while the story is the same, FULL CONTACT is a remake that is better than its predecessor, thanks to the performance of Jerry Trimble and better executed fight scenes.