Sunday, June 8, 2014

Low Blow (1986)

Within the first five minutes, Joe Wong kills three people and is admonished by the police because he's no longer a cop.  Surprisingly the only consequences for his actions are an irritated Captain who shakes his head and tells him not to do it again. Granted Wong killed armed robbers in the middle of committing a hold up at a deli, but still you can't just go around killing people.

Wong does detective work, among other things based on the long list on his door, and is hired by rich guy Mr. Templeton to find his daughter Karen, a college student who has disappeared.  Wong finds out she's joined the Unity Village on the edge of town which is also known as the Universal Enlightenment Commune.  To hammer the point home, Karen is shown handing over all her gold jewelry which is required in order to be accepted at the commune.  Any time you need to give all your possessions to the commune and there are guards to keep you from leaving, you're in the wrong place.

After Wong goes undercover and is conked on the head while visiting the commune, he is locked up with a cult member who tried to run away.  Luckily the guard isn't that bright, so Wong and the young man manage to escape.

With mounting pressure from Mr. Templeton to rescue his daughter Karen, Wong decides the only way to do this is to recruit the toughest men around. So he holds a tough man competition in a huge pit in the ground.  Since there is a cash prize, the toughest guys and one muscular woman show up to fight. Wong recruits the winners of the fights to help him raid the commune and free Karen.

This is another Leo Fong movie which means crazy Cameron Mitchell and Fong's lack of emotion are the most memorable parts of the film, unless you count the 80s synth score.  In a good bit of false advertising, the VHS cover shows a young muscled Caucasian man, but our lead is an Asian man pushing 60 with a bowl haircut.  Actually I love the VHS cover due to the massive fist that doesn't quite fit with the body.

Another emotion filled scene.
Cameron Mitchell looking suitably crazy.
Longest job title on a door ever
The CB mind control of the Unity Village
This doesn't seem in keeping with the name of the
Universal Enlightenment Commune.
The pit for the tough man contest, which allows weapons.
There are a disturbing amount of children watching people
beat the hell out of each other at the tough man contest.

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