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14 out of 14 people found the following comment useful :-
Standard story but great martial arts action, 15 February 2002
Author: bob the moo from Birmingham, UK

Jake Lo lives in America having seen his father killed in Tiananmen Square during protests. He is embittered about taking a stand for anything and believes his father died for nothing. However while at a fund raiser he sees mobster Serrano kill a Chinese drug dealer and finds himself in the witness protection programme with the FBI. However when `FBI' agents try to kill him he finds himself on the run not knowing who to trust. He eventually finds himself with a Chicago cop Ryan who will do anything to get to Serrano's boss Tau.

This is an excellent little martial arts film mainly due to the involvement of the late Brandon Lee. The story never really gets above the usual B-movie fare of guns and gangsters. There is some clever stuff with occasions where we and Lee never know who to trust, but for most of the way the story is simply an excuse for a huge amount of fight scenes. Lee has plenty of skills, he doesn't rely on wire work for spectacle but here he has a mix of his father's style and Chan's ability to use everyday items. The fights are well handled and all his moves are clear to see, making it all the more interesting to watch.

Lee is excellent here, he's really fit and has movie star looks. His performance is perhaps more thoughtful than you'd expect, but the real skill is his fight scenes which he handles well. Of the rest of the cast Powers Booth and Tzi Ma stand out.

A great little martial arts film. Not a fantastic story but the fight scenes are really well handled.

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16 out of 18 people found the following comment useful :-
Showcase, 29 August 2004

Author: dee.reid from United States

We'll never know what Brandon Lee, who was the son of the late martial arts legend Bruce Lee, would be capable of in Hollywood since he, like his father, died before the peek of his fame, and subsequently a mass following has been built in his memory.

Bruce Lee died just weeks before the American premiere of his last completed film "Enter the Dragon" in 1973. Consequently, Lee had also been working on the "Game of Death" before his passing, which we would later see, meticulously reconstructed (as Lee had intended), in John Little's touching and poignant documentary "Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey."

Brandon was slain by a stunt gun while filming a scene in his last movie, 1994's "The Crow." Using careful CGI techniques, the filmmakers were able to successfully gather enough footage of Lee's performance to complete the film. Lee haunted every frame of Alex Proyas' dark and deeply affecting film, which was the adaptation of James O'Barr's popular comic book character.

Brandon, like his father, was also a talented performer - actor and martial artist. However, if one were looking for Brandon's acting talents, look at "The Crow," as you will not see much of him using martial arts. If one were looking to see him using those martial arts talents, and the best showcase for those talents, look no further than 1992's "Rapid Fire."

"Rapid Fire," from the beginning, has a very flimsy plot, as Lee plays a Chicago art student who witnesses the gangland murder of a South Asian drug lord by Italian mobsters. Lee can't trust anyone, as he's forced to go on the run from gangsters (Asian and Italian), cops, and other corrupt law enforcement officials. It seems that he can only find comfort and protection through his martial arts skills and an independent Chicago police unit headed by a grizzled cop (Powers Boothe).

As stated before, you should only watch "Rapid Fire" for Brandon Lee's martial arts skills, as this is really the best place to see them; you're not going to find them in "The Crow." Brandon did the best that he could with this role and just went with it.

Brandon, like his father, passed on before true success would reign in on him. Like Bruce and "Enter the Dragon," Brandon and his last film "The Crow," will be forever remembered by fans and cinema-goers alike in years to come.

I'm not really sure where "Rapid Fire" would stand in Brandon's short-lived career, other than it was a showcase for his fighting talents. "Rapid Fire" is decent, certainly not perfect, but very fun to watch nonetheless.

7/10

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12 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Brandon's best martial arts picture, 14 April 2002
Author: abentenjo from Swindon, UK

Bruce's son gets the Hollywood B-movie treatment in this all-out action fest that stands as one of his better pictures, featuring a roguish yet charming Brandon fighting like his father in scenes that frankly appear out of place in an American action picture of its time. Thankfully, Brandon neglects the deadly stares and patriotic words of his father and offers us a totally different image altogether: Brandon is hip-talking, cool, equipped with an attractive physique and razor-sharp kung fu. He plays Jake Lo, a bike-riding Chinese-American who gets himself caught up in a plight to bring to justice a mighty drug trafficker after he witnesses him murder a client. Soon Jake is enlisted to be used as bait in the police's attempts to root out the drug lord. Throw in a load of gunfights and fisticuffs and we have quite a meaty actioner on our hands, complete with Hong Kong-style choreography supervised by Brandon himself (the best example being a classy little battle with midget-stuntman Al Leong). Rapid Fire did prove to be Brandon's big break, and it's through his uniquely charismatic and exciting performance here that makes us acknowledge his early death with an even greater tinge of sadness.

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11 out of 12 people found the following comment useful :-
Brandon Lee: Arse-kicking under-grad, 12 May 2005

Author: AwesomeWolf from Australia

'Rapid Fire' goes down as one of my favourite Brandon Lee movies, joining 'Showdown in Little Tokyo', 'Laser Mission', and 'The Crow'. Oh wait. Yeah, I'm just a Brandon Lee fan boy. Brandon was awesome. 'Rapid Fire' is awesome.

Brandon plays Jake Lo, a college student majoring in arse-kicking. Jake witnesses the murder of a drug-lord by mafia boss Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso). Jake is put under the Witness Protection Program for a whole of five minutes before discovering that the agents supposed to protect him are, in fact, on Serrano's payroll. Jake has no choice but to team up with Chicago cop Mace Ryan (Powers Boothe) and kick some gangster arse. Awesome.

Right from the start, 'Rapid Fire' is pretty much a showcase for Brandon Lee's martial-arts abilities. He was awesome on-screen in this, as in his other movies, and could pull off some really cool action scenes. Apparently Brandon was a fan of Jackie Chan, and it shows in this: Brandon uses easily recognizable stunts and fights from 'Police Story' (among other movies) and does them just as well as Jackie Chan did originally.

You won't find any semblance of a plot in this. 'Rapid Fire' is an action movie, the only difference between this and any other action movie is that Brandon played a college student instead of any usual action hero type. Naturally, this college student also knows how to kick butt, so there goes any developed plot, in favour of Brandon Lee kicking arse. Awesome.

Simply, 'Rapid Fire' is an awesome action movie. Brandon Lee rocked, may he rest in peace - 9/10

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8 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
Brandon's star rises, 22 May 2000

Author: Neo-212 from Kentucky

This was Brandon Lee's second american made movie (Showdown In Little Tokyo was the first) and the film where you could see Brandon was starting his ascent up the action hero ladder. With each film Brandon's martial arts skills improved and in this movie he really shines. Not to mention his acting ability as well. He proved in this movie that he had what it takes to be a star. He incorporated some Hong Kong style action similar to Jackie Chan's films into this movie. An example is a terrific sequence in a small apartment where Lee takes on several bad guys armed with guns and he takes them out with his hands, feet, kitchen utensils, refrigerator doors, etc. Powers Boothe also does a great job as tired cop and Nick Mancuso plays the main villain very superb. The Crow was Brandon Lee's best movie but Rapid Fire displays his fighting skills the best. Definitely a must for action fans!

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
Fast Kung Fu Action, 29 January 2005

Author: mjw2305 from England

Jake (Brandon Lee) gets caught up between feuding drug lords and witnesses a killing, making him Mace Ryan's (Powers Boothe's) new best friend.

While helping the cops with their investigations, he becomes more than a witness, he becomes the man to save the day.

Packed with Gunfights and Great Kung Fu, this movie is a must for fans of the genre. After Showdown in little Tokyo and preceding the Crow, this was sadly Brandons pen-ultimate movie and he is, like his father a big loss to the movie world.

For Brandon Lee fans, or indeed Kung Fu Movie Fans, this is a must see.

Rest in peace Brandon, your public misses you.

7/10

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6 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
An amazing action movie, 6 February 2001

Author: Mason-24

I saw this once when I was about 10 years old and ever since that I have been a huge Brandon Lee fan, and since the first time I watched it I have seen this movie over and over again and I never seem to get bored of it. Everything about this film is good, especially the seemingly non-stop action and Brandon Lee's amazing martial arts skills which he displays very well. Another part of this movie is the incredible acting.....both from Brandon Lee and the supporting actor Powers Boothe(Mace Ryans) . This is one of those films that stick out and it's one of those films which you can just watch over and over again and never get bored of. When you see a normal action film you notice that the acting and the plot are rather weak however in Rapid Fire everything is strong and enjoyable....the plot, the acting and of course the action. Many people have said that Rapid Fire is slightly tacky and corny, well all I can say is what do you expect from an action movie made in 1992?

This is an amazing film which really sticks out and leaves a mark, and Brandon Lee is excellent and not to mention funny and his sarcasm and strange sense of humor is a fresh change from the usual wooden and hollow action heroes. This is one of my favorite movies of all time and if you're a Brandon Lee fan such as myself this is truly unmissable.

9 out of 10

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
THE SON ALSO RISES., 26 August 1999
Author: ALAN MOUNT from CARDIFF, WALES

Brandon Lee is nothing short of electric in this movie and I suspect that had he lived he would have alternated movies like this with more esoteric fare like "THE CROW." He had the potential to be a bigger star than his father as he was a better actor and was more vulnerable in his portrayal of a fighting hero therefore making him appeal to both sexes.Women tend not to be great Bruce Lee fans. The action in this movie is explosive and well choreographed and for this credit should go to Lee's friend Jeff Imada whose name you will find on the credits of most movies and t.v.shows that feature martial arts action.Powers Boothe is his usual reliable self in his cop role and if faults are to be found with "RAPID FIRE" they are that the villains are not memorable nor do they offer a great threat to Lee and the leading lady is just used as window dressing.However,Dwight Little as director delivers the goods here and the film is an good companion piece to his exhilarating Steven Seagal actioner "MARKED FOR DEATH." made the previous year.

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Good movie with great action!, 5 June 2004

Author: Movie Nuttball from U.S.A.

One of Brandon Lee's best films is Rapid Fire! Powers Boothe, Nick Mancuso, Tony Longo, Tzi Ma, Kate Hodge, Al Leong also star! The action is very good in this movie and in fact in My opinion its some of the neatest fighting action in a movie! The music is by composer Christopher Young which it is a very different score! The acting in the film is solid. Brandon Lee did a lot in this film and his fights with Tony Long and Al Leong were very good! I think that Lee had a potential to be a huge star because this film proves it! If you like big time action in a film with martial arts and are a fan of Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jean Claude Van-Damme, Bolo Yeung, Michel Qissi, and Jet Li and want to see Brandon Lee and Powers Boothe in different performances then Rapid Fire is a good one to watch!

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
A tremendous, but sadly neglected ace thriller with impressive action scenes and a cool performance by Brandon Lee., 5 September 1999
Author: David Choi from New Jersey, USA

At first glance, RAPID FIRE may only look like the undistinguished martial arts motion picture. However, once you view this illustriously grand action flick, you will be pleasantly amazed. Believe me, you will have discovered pure gold!

Jake Lo (Brandon Lee) is a young art student caught in the middle of a violent crime scene. After inadvertently witnessing the execution of a businessman, Carl Chang (Michael Paul Chan), Lo eventually finds himself to be a moving target. With no one to turn to for help, he can only rely on his instincts if he wants to stay alive...

Chang just happens to be an associate of a heinous drug kingpin named Kinman Tau (Tzi Ma). Understandably, Tau is ticked off at this very moment. Tau decides to go to war against his Mafia counterpart, Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso), who was the guy that ordered Chang's murder. A ferocious drug war is soon to erupt between the Chinese and Italian mobs. Guess who is caught in the middle? Jake Lo will imminently find himself fighting against both sides...

With corrupt cops and crooked FBI agents on his trail, plus the expected Chinese and Italian gangs who both want his head, the `kid' Jake Lo seems to be unfairly outnumbered. However, there are three people that Lo may be able to trust. One, he knows that he can trust himself, that's for sure. The other two `allies' are Mace Ryan (Power Booths), and his assistant, Intelligence Officer Karla Withers (Kate Hodge). Even with help on his side, the kid must keep fighting...for the sake of clearing his own name and saving his own life...

Jake Lo may be unarmed...but watch out, he is viably a one-man army.

RAPID FIRE is far from being a perfected masterpiece, but it does try. Yes, the movie has its liabilities. Admittedly, the film's major foible is its plot. Some elements are cliché ridden and the people in this movie behave in a volatile manner. These villainous henchmen obviously need target practice too. Also, an intriguing sub-plot about Lo's family participating in the Tiananmen Square massacre is well-intentioned but never fully developed. If the script focused a little bit more about Jake's family background and their involvement in the massacre, then perhaps this film could have a substantial amount of insight about the horrors of Tiananmen and how it has affected the lives of many Chinese people.

Unfortunately, another problem prevailing in this movie is the common use of typical Oriental stereotypes. On the bright side though, the Asians are portrayed more often as heroes rather then sadistic villains. Meanwhile, the Mafioso also gets the *Hollywood* treatment...

Frankly, the film may have its many cheesy moments, but I am willing to let most of them slide. The plot itself lacks the needed twists, but who cares, the action, which is essentially directed with flair, is what counts...

If action is what is important to you, then action is what you get. RAPID FIRE certainly rates high on the entertainment scale. The action is as explosive as dynamite. From the noteworthy stick fight in the beginning to the intense shoot-out inside a museum, RAPID FIRE strikes with highlighted, exceptional action sequences. The best action scene has to be the meticulously crafted fists-and-guns battle inside a Chicago restaurant. RAPID FIRE is an out-and-out thriller. It contains nonstop thrills with adrenaline pumping, glass shattering action. This film rushes at a breakneck pace. The explosive action will knock you out of your seat!

As well, the cast is accomplished, with fine performances by Tzi Ma and Nick Mancuso as the despicable villains. Powers Boothe is good as a hard-line yet compassionate undercover police officer. It is also interesting to see how this brave but irrational cop reminds the main character of his own father and how he behaved. Kate Hodge is cute but always persistently dedicated to her duties as Ryan's crackerjack partner. Tony Longo (THE ART OF DYING) is also adequate as Serrano's colossal right-hand man.

Without a doubt, the motion picture's star, the late Brandon Lee is a natural talent. He has some really cool techniques. Like his father Bruce, Brandon Lee is one of the finest martial artists to have graced the screens. Brandon Lee is an appropriately strong action hero. The director, Dwight H. Little (MURDER AT 1600, MARKED FOR DEATH) wisely keeps the film moving while allowing Brandon Lee to demonstrate his martial arts prowess. As for his acting ability, though Lee is not an adept actor, he is a refined, suave character who conveys many emotions including firm cynicism (i.e. when the hero refuses to join a politically motivated organization), requisite charisma, and occasional light-hearted humor. On screen, he may look tough on the surface, but he is inherently soft. He even has a charming sense of humor (like his father). The director continuously focuses the spotlight on Lee as the star. Lee is a deft, skillful martial artist primed to follow in his father's footsteps...

Thanks to a solid lead and some wild action sequences, RAPID FIRE is better than the customary martial arts adventure. The hand-to-hand combat is magnificent and the movie is just brimming with technical bravura. I cannot praise this movie enough. If you enjoy high-octane fun (and who does not), then prepare for RAPID FIRE excitement. It is a swift, professionally made movie that never fails to entertain. RAPID FIRE is awesome. It is a surefire bet for enthusiasts of sleek and smooth cinema.

As for the great Brandon Lee, it is too tragic that an auspicious young actor has passed on. He definitely would have been as great as his legendary father. Though Brandon Lee may be gone, his spirit will live on in everyone's hearts and memories.

RATING: *** out of ****.

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