9 Responses to “Streets of Rage”

1. 

   anaru

   May 15th, 2013 at 2:17 am

   Man, I thought “special ops research assisstant” was her job for a second there… like she would make sure the guys werent paying too much for their smoke grenades or something…

2. 

   Sternshein

   May 15th, 2013 at 4:34 am

   My first thought was to ask if you heard of Cat Sassoon. If not, you should review Angel Fist. It then brings a bigger question. Have you heard of Don “the Dragon” Wilson cause I’m not so sure you have ever reviewed a single one his movies. Which then brings me to wonder if you have ever seen the Bloodfist movies. Which then makes me ask, can you watch all 8 of them please.

3. 

   idiot boy

   May 15th, 2013 at 10:57 am

   This movie should of been based on the games so they could replace that smooth jazz with awesome genesis techno.

4. 

   Vern

   May 15th, 2013 at 4:09 pm

   Sternshein – I will be reviewing both of those very soon, actually.

5. 

   The Original... Paul

   May 15th, 2013 at 4:46 pm

   Idiot Boy – the first question that occurred to me was, were the games in some way based on, or at least an homage to, this film? I can’t remember when the original “Streets of Rage” (the game) came out. I was just about to ask if there were minor thugs in the movie named Garcia or Donovan (the two most basic “grunt” enemies in the games). The picture of Melody on the movie poster definitely looks like she could be based on Blaze Fielding (or vice-versa), even wearing similar clothing.

   I’m guessing there isn’t a jetpack-equipped gender-ambiguous thug named Jet though.

   Anyway, that was an entertaining write-up, Vern, but I can’t say I’ll keep a look out for this movie. From your review it kind of reminds me of another eighties action movie starring a then up-and-coming female action star who never quite got to icon status: Cynthia Rothrock’s “China O’ Brien”. Only with different fighting styles and (gulps…) a smooth jazz soundtrack. A style of music that I will never understand in terms of its appeal to so many action moviemakers of a certain era. Very, very occasionally a movie came along that could utilise a jazzy soundtrack and still be awesome (“Lethal Weapon”‘s score was pretty iconic, noodling guitars and all) but for the most part, it’s a huge turn-off for me. I think it’s to do with energy levels. I think action movie scoring has to be able to increase the energy level of a scene in a very precise way, with exact timing; and that’s just not something smooth jazz was ever designed to do.

   Anyway, yeah… the write-up reminds me of “China O’ Brien”, but with a more wrestling-oriented fighting style (China was all about the kung-fu, lots of flashy kicks and quick take-downs). That’s not a good thing, given that China O’Brien never really “grabbed” me when I saw it. I might check this one out if it comes on TV at some point, but otherwise leave it alone.

6. 

   idiot boy

   May 15th, 2013 at 4:57 pm

   The best movie I’ve seen with Jazz in it was Hard Boiled, at least I think it was Jazz. As for the game being a homage to this movie I doubt it but Japan is famous for making games that are complete lifts of american movies.

7. 

   Shawn Gordon

   May 16th, 2013 at 1:34 am

   I have always been curious about these movies with Mimi Lessos, don’t know why and not enough to actually see any of them.

8. 

   billydeethrilliams

   May 17th, 2013 at 7:08 am

   The best movies with jazz in them for me are the films of Jean Pierre Melville.

   Quick thought- Vern, please do a Melville review special. If you wouldn’t mind… arthouse badass to the nth degree!

9. 

   neal2zod

   October 16th, 2019 at 3:50 am

   FYI, the entire Mimi Lesseos oeuvre is on Amazon Prime right now and even though I swear I saw this one before apparently I didn’t. Don’t have much to add that Vern didn’t already say – it’s very crudely made and amateurish but I do kinda like Lesseos’ likable screen presence and the fights are entertaining if clumsily staged and shot.

   Your time would be a little better spent on Personal Vendetta, which reteams Lesseos with her Beyond Fear costar Lisa Marie Hayes and is basically a remake of “Sleeping with the Enemy/Enough” except this time the abused wife becomes a cop. Which is a clever way to get her into a bunch of fights with alleyway muggers and warehouse shootouts, etc..but also her ex husband may or may not end up being the evil kingpin on the case she’s working. (SPOILER: He is.) It’s still shabbily low-budget in that 90s way, but it’s a little more polished and Timothy Bottoms is absolutely hilarious as the evil husband. I’m not sure if it’s mega-acting or just plain bad acting, but Bottoms pretty much steals the show. I’ll have to check out Pushed to the Limit next, Vern’s review’s always made me curious.