Dec 15 2008
B+ Movie Review: Showdown in Little Tokyo
One of the more tragic losses to the world of martial arts and acting was when Brandon Lee died all too young. As an actor, he was eloquent and passionate. As a martial artist, he was a joy to watch. From the few interviews I’ve seen, he also appeared to be quite a person and the world is sorrier for his absence.
Before his last film, The Crow, Brandon did a few B movies which are considerably more watchable for his participation. Exhibit A: Showdown in Little Tokyo.
While its title suggests that it might be a sequel to Big Trouble In Little China, it is in fact a Onezuh film. As in Onezuh American Asian cop ignorant of his heritage, Onezuh Anglo American cop with a fetish for things Japanese. Brandon Lee plays the first part and comes in as the ignorant rookie, wet behind the ears but still ready for action. The second, seasoned part is played by Dolph Lundgren.
The movie’s plot revolves around the Yakuza and them doing horrible, horrible things. I go into no more detail because, well, it doesn’t matter. The reason one queues this movie up on Netflix is because you’re looking for some butt-kicking and explosions. Thankfully, this movie delivers.
Lundgren flips over a car. People get shot. There are sword duels, fist fights and gun battles. There’s unnecessary nudity and smart/bad ass one liners.
When you pop this one in, bring popcorn and just strap yourself down.
The movie is more comic book that gritty cop film and it will be better for you if you go in expecting no more than that. There is some decent acting in the film in places, mostly from Brandon and the extra grizzled bad guy played by Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, but it’s overshadowed by things like Lundgren flipping a car by brute force alone or the short, pre-climax montage that ends in someone stepping out in a kind of bad samurai outfit carrying an M4 rifle.
Showdown in Little Tokyo is brilliant cheese and a hair’s breadth away from me ranking it as a B+ movie, missing mostly because of the suspension of disbelief required in order to enjoy the film. It only gets a B from me, but it gets a very solid B. I own it and have no qualms in doing so, and not just in an attempt to own anything that has Brandon Lee’s name on it.
