REVIEW: ‘Dragon Fire’ (1993)

First came Don “The Dragon” Wilson in BLOODFIST (1989). Then came Jerry Trimble in FULL CONTACT (1992) followed by the late Catya Sassoon in ANGEL FIST (1993). B-movie king Roger Corman re-teams with FULL CONTACT director Rick Jacobsen for another remake of the Wilson cult classic. This time around, the setting is a futuristic Los Angeles and it is another attempt to launch a new martial arts action star.

The year is 2050. Los Angeles has truly become the number one city for crime, prostitution, murder, and drugs. The biggest form of entertainment in this L.A. comes in the form of the Alley Fights. When Johnny Powers (Dennis Keiffer) wins the latest tournament, on his way home, he is attacked and murdered by a mysterious man. Johnny’s younger brother Laker (Dominic La Banca) arrives to find Johnny. Along the way, he gets in with local fighter and conman Eddie (Harold Hazeldine) and his sister Marta (Pamela Runo) but learns that Johnny has been killed after competing in the Alley Fights.

Laker soon meets the mysterious Slick (Kisu), who is willing to teach Laker how to fight for the upcoming Alley Fights. The heavy favorite in this tournament after Johnny’s death is Ahmed Mustafa (Michael Blanks). Of course, those who have seen BLOODFIST, FULL CONTACT, and ANGEL FIST know where this is going.

One can’t help but think that money is the only reason why Roger Corman tends to produce remakes to his very own movies within a few years of each other. While BLOODFIST set the standard as opposed to the remakes, DRAGON FIRE marks the third remake in the series, only to be the last in the 90’s until BLOODFIST 2050 (2005), which has Xtreme Martial Arts champion and current actor Matt Mullins in the lead role.

While BLOODFIST was shot in Manila, FULL CONTACT was set in Los Angeles and ANGEL FIST was a female version of the first film. DRAGON FIRE can be said to be the futuristic version of BLOODFIST. Set in 2050, Los Angeles is depicted as the worst crime-ridden city in the United States. The sets alone show the dark, gritty like atmosphere and while that may not be the element that people expect watching a film like this, it does help drive the film just a little.

The film also attempts to launch a new martial arts action star like its predecessors. Following in the “footsteps” of Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Jerry Trimble, and the late Catya Sassoon is a lesser known martial artist named Dominic La Banca. Not much is known about La Banca except that he had begun studying martial arts at ten years old and had been studying for fifteen years prior to DRAGON FIRE. Under the choreography of Kisu, who also plays Slick, La Banca is actually quite a nifty martial artist. La Banca’s style is a combination of American kickboxing and karate and uses them to good use here.

While some big martial arts champions have the tendency to rely on a choreographer who expects the basics, Kisu does a great job at showcasing the talents of the cast. One of Kisu’s real-life friends, Harold Hazeldine, proves to be a major step up from the likes of Michael Shaner and Raymond Storti, playing both the comic relief but is truly a better martial artist. Michael Blanks, Billy’s brother, lives up to his name as the “Kicking Machine” as heavy favorite Ahmed Mustafa. Blanks, like his brother, is definitely an amazing kicker and Kisu uses Blanks’ footwork to very good use here. Former kickboxing champion Dennis Keiffer looks quite good in the opening of the film as the doomed Johnny Powers.

Of course, there is no point mentioning the entire story because once you have seen BLOODFIST, you know what to expect. It is somewhat sad that lead actor Dominic La Banca never got to appear in the lead role of a martial arts film again. Perhaps it is because the hardcore fans were seeing a “dead horse beaten” when seeing this and while it would be his one shot as a lead action star, fans just felt he was just another re-hash of Don “The Dragon” Wilson. La Banca would go on to play more supporting roles in film and television, but nothing close to his achievement in this film.

So while it is safe to say that this is just another remake of BLOODFIST, DRAGON FIRE does have its advantage, mainly in the fight department and the talents of the martial artists in this film showcased under a competant fight choreographer in Kisu.