RED SUN RISING is a pretty good little action thriller which acts as a vehicle for straight-to-video star Don 'The Dragon' Wilson. It was clearly inspired by the Wesley Snipes vehicle RISING SUN and has a touch of class and quality to it that you don't usually see in this genre of 1990s film-making, as evinced by the familiar faces in the supporting cast and more plot and character twists than usual.
The plot is familiar but detailed enough to keep you interested. Wilson's partner is killed so he goes off hunting the man responsible and soon finds that he's some kind of superman opponent who takes drugs to make him extra-powerful. There's also a back story about a fight between the Yakuza and a black street gang which gives Wilson ample opportunity to show off his fighting skills.
The fights aren't the greatest and easily pale when compared to those from rival Hong Kong cinema, for example, but they're not the worst I've seen. There's too much close-up editing and stock hits when the camera guys should really be taking a step back and letting the fighters do their bit. Alongside an on-form Wilson we get turns from HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH's Terry Farrell, stuck with the horrible part of a racist cop; Michael Ironside on top form as the gruff superior; and a likable Mako doing his mentor bit. Edward Albert's in there too.
The plot is familiar but detailed enough to keep you interested. Wilson's partner is killed so he goes off hunting the man responsible and soon finds that he's some kind of superman opponent who takes drugs to make him extra-powerful. There's also a back story about a fight between the Yakuza and a black street gang which gives Wilson ample opportunity to show off his fighting skills.
The fights aren't the greatest and easily pale when compared to those from rival Hong Kong cinema, for example, but they're not the worst I've seen. There's too much close-up editing and stock hits when the camera guys should really be taking a step back and letting the fighters do their bit. Alongside an on-form Wilson we get turns from HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH's Terry Farrell, stuck with the horrible part of a racist cop; Michael Ironside on top form as the gruff superior; and a likable Mako doing his mentor bit. Edward Albert's in there too.