L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.
Don Wilson
- Johnny Woo
- (as Don 'The Dragon' Wilson)
Michael DeLano
- Lopez
- (as Michael Delano)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis movie was one of a three picture deal with PM Entertainment originally intended for Loren Avedon who turned it down looking for something bigger and Don Wilson signed on instead. The two other movies were Out for Blood (1992) and Cyber Tracker (1994). Avedon later said that he regretted his decision.
- GoofsDuring the rumble in Chinatown the shot of Li attacking Brad with a nunchaku is repeated from a different angle later in the fight.
- Alternate versionsUK video versions were cut by 19 secs to remove nunchaku footage and head butts during a fight scene. The Prism DVD features the same cut print.
- ConnectionsFollowed by Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel (1993)
Featured review
Down, Down, Down
'Ring of Fire' set me up to think it might be a cheesy fun b-movie time. An oiled up guy working out then two quick matches in the ring within the first 5 mins. Don 'The Dragon' Wilson is backed up by a few familiar faces in this PM Group flick from the 90's that features an underground fight tourney common for this genre. Dated racism fuels the story between bouts of boredom and not enough of the good stuff.
Johnny Woo (Wilson) is an ex fighter, doctor who's cousin Terry (Steven Vincent Leigh) is involved in unsanctioned bouts. Racial tenses flair between them and white meatheads led by Chuck (Vince Murdocco) & Brad (Dale Jacoby). Not helping matters is Chuck's fiancé Julie (Maria Ford) questioning why she's with him and obviously attracted to Johnny. Per the title, a battle in the streets leads to a final confrontation.
Some of the camera work isn't up to the mark, but that fits with the low budget origins. A "masquerade ball" held in what looks like a high school gym with people hardly dressed the part is case in point. If a routine story - mixing cultures, training montages, dick cop - wasn't enough it's also slow to get to any real action. Only at the tail end does Wilson himself get down to fisticuffs. Watching a girl decide which guy she wants wastes time as it's obvious which way that's gonna go.
The positive word of mouth for 'Ring of Fire' isn't deserved. It doesn't even do any of the basics right. A lack of quality fighting is a deadly sin in a title like this. The romance subplot is a bore and the ending is unsatisfying. I like a good dtv flick when it rises above or delivers the goods, 'Ring of Fire' simply does not.
Johnny Woo (Wilson) is an ex fighter, doctor who's cousin Terry (Steven Vincent Leigh) is involved in unsanctioned bouts. Racial tenses flair between them and white meatheads led by Chuck (Vince Murdocco) & Brad (Dale Jacoby). Not helping matters is Chuck's fiancé Julie (Maria Ford) questioning why she's with him and obviously attracted to Johnny. Per the title, a battle in the streets leads to a final confrontation.
Some of the camera work isn't up to the mark, but that fits with the low budget origins. A "masquerade ball" held in what looks like a high school gym with people hardly dressed the part is case in point. If a routine story - mixing cultures, training montages, dick cop - wasn't enough it's also slow to get to any real action. Only at the tail end does Wilson himself get down to fisticuffs. Watching a girl decide which guy she wants wastes time as it's obvious which way that's gonna go.
The positive word of mouth for 'Ring of Fire' isn't deserved. It doesn't even do any of the basics right. A lack of quality fighting is a deadly sin in a title like this. The romance subplot is a bore and the ending is unsatisfying. I like a good dtv flick when it rises above or delivers the goods, 'Ring of Fire' simply does not.
helpful•00
- refinedsugar
- Feb 16, 2024
Details
- Runtime1 hour 40 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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