Step In This Ring, And You Won't Be Disappointed
Added 8/3/2009
Even if "Ring of Steel" were a very bad film (not so) and failed to rise above the stigmas of DTV moviemaking (also not so), you'd still have to give it credit for simply existing. I mean, how many movies then and now concern themselves with swordfighting? Sure, there are a mess of movies featuring swordplay, but with the exceptions of Highlander and Eric Roberts' By the Sword [VHS], virtually no film has built its premise around the art of sword combat. Not only does "Ring of Steel" do this, but it manages to retain respect for the sport in the midst of a very fun and surprisingly competent mid-`90s action flick. If you like low-budget features from this era but are a bit tired of repetitious kickboxing pictures, then this ought to be a pleasant departure from the norm.
The story: Alex Freyer (Robert Chapin, Dragon Fury [VHS]) is an up-and-coming star in the fencing world when he accidentally slays an opponent on his way to the championships. Blackballed from the sport, Alex believes his career to be over when he's contacted by a nameless man in black (Joe Don Baker, The Silence of the Lambs), who offers to make him a star in the world of illegal underground swordfighting. Intrigued at first but repelled by the antics of the out-of-control champion, Alex attempts to leave the competition...but this proves more difficult and dangerous than it would seem.
Following his writing of and starring in this movie, Robert Chapin pursued a handful of small parts in small movies but would eventually settle down as a stuntman and visual effects artist for films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Armageddon. It's nice that he's still got a career, but also a shame that he could never follow up on anything as gritty, fun, or physical as when he wielded a rapier and took on guys with broadswords, katanas, cutlasses, sabers, and Dao swords (video game fans, this is officially the closest you'll get to Soul Calibur in the movies for now). From a character standpoint, he makes this movie work without seeming like too big of a dummy, but from the physical side of things, his work is even better. Credit, of course, also goes to master swordswoman Jan Bryant, who choreographed the numerous matches and also had a hand in the swashbuckling content of Hook and Army of Darkness; as well as the awesome opponents Chapin has in Jim Pirri ("Valley of the Dolls" series), stuntman extraordinaire James Lew, former American Gladiator Deron McBee, and Gary Kasper as the insane, katana-wielding champion.
The swordfighting is the rightful highlight, with at least nine cool encounters to show off various styles of fighting, but the acting isn't too shabby either. Chapin is respectable as a short-lived action hero and manages to build a surprisingly endearing on-screen relationship with fellow fencer Darlene Vogel ("Pacific Blue"), who later gets kidnapped to keep Alex in the tournament. Joe Don Baker proves versatile in his role: he walks a fine line between villain and benefactor, often coming off as despicable in one scene and saving someone's life in the next; kudos to him for making the very most out of his part. Co-stars Jim Pirri and Gary Kasper didn't have too many large roles outside of this film, but prove steadfast in their portrayals. The only disappointing performance comes from beautiful villainess Carol Alt (Thunder in Paradise Collection), who's responsible for some of the more illogical exchanges in the movie.
If the movie has any glaring fault, it's a relative shallowness that defies the cool fights and better-than-average acting: with a bit more gravity, "Ring of Steel" might've managed to snag the cult status that has unjustly evaded it thus far, for casual viewers won't necessarily keep too much of the film in mind after the credits roll. Short of needing a bit more "oomf" to go with its "ahh", the movie is one of top finds I've come across in my wadings through action flicks of the same era, and I wholeheartedly suggest it to anyone willing to give something new a try.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
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this was a nice and unexpected surprise
Added 9/13/2006
For a title that I was totally unfamiliar with and actors I have not heard of, Ring of Steel turned out to be better than the typical B-grade swordsfight/martial arts action film. All the actors do a good job of never overacting, which is just too common in these types of films. The action is choreographed well. There is even some humor thrown in that is actually humurous for a change. The story is nothing impressive, though there are elements of suspense to it here and there with a few small surprises.
The best thing I liked about Ring of Steel is the underground fight locale. The scene in the beginning of the film takes us from the entrance to a dance club on the streets, and from there practically by footstep to eventually the illegal gambling arena. It gave me a feeling that I was actually there and no other such movie that I have seen before gave me that feeling. The fighters are pretty decent and the whole gig reminded me of American Samurai, though not as violent and thankfully, not as overdramatic in the acting department. There are lots of fights in Ring of Steel, though none overly impressive.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ring of Steel, especially because I was expecting a 2 star film at the best. Everything is done adequately, but nothing stuck out as being very impressive. The music kept a sense of cheesiness throughout much of the movie that could have been avoided and provided a more intenseful atmosphere. But overall, this movie doesn't disappoint, especially if you like a good arena with fight matches and swordsplay.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Ring of Steel Review
Added 4/5/2000
The absolute best scenes in this film occur when Bob Chapin is doing what he does best - sword fighting. The scene between Bob and Jim Pirri (Brian) is priceless--well worth the cost of the video alone. I watched that scene several times in a row. I was very impressed with the high level of swordsmanship. One has come to expect this from Mr. Chapin but I did not expect it from every other person on the set! I also found it very interesting to be able to see so many different types of blades and styles of fighting in one movie. Joe Don Baker was an excellent choice for the fight club owner. He does bad so well.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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En Garde!
Added 2/23/2000
This is one of those movies that you can watch over and over again and enjoy it every time. Robert Chapin wrote the screenplay and portrays Alex, a young fencing champion whose rising star is felled by tragedy during a pivotal tournament. Alex is drawn into the dark world of illegal fight clubs. Chapin is engaging as well as re-assuring, mixing Alex's naivete with impressive fighting skills. Jim Pirri puts in an energetic and sympathetic performance as Brian, a fight club champion who befriends Alex. If you are into action, especially action involving swordplay, you'll want to make use of the slow motion feature on your VCR during many of the scenes. The actors perform their own fights, something I love to see. One of my all-time favorite swordfight scenes ever is the inspired duel between Brian and Alex. You have to see it to believe it!
5 out of 5 people found this helpful.
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Well-made martial arts flick starring Robert Chapin
Added 1/8/1999
Ring of Steel is a well-made, well-choreographed martial arts flick. Lots of swordplay, some angst, nice bits of humor, and a little sex and romance. Robert Chapin is the star, though the credits show him as third lead. He's the tall, muscular, good-looking blond guy in the fight sequences, the guy with the girl in the sex sequence, the guy you're cheering to win (i.e. the guy in the poufy shirt). This flick features lots of hair, lots of buff guys with swords, the naive yet feisty girlfriend, the inevitable and beautiful bad girl, the mysterious guy who runs things, comic relief, a maniac champion-to-beat, and a chicken.
7 out of 8 people found this helpful.
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Step In This Ring, And You Won't Be Disappointed
Added 8/3/2009
Even if "Ring of Steel" were a very bad film (not so) and failed to rise above the stigmas of DTV moviemaking (also not so), you'd still have to give it credit for simply existing. I mean, how many movies then and now concern themselves with swordfighting? Sure, there are a mess of movies featuring swordplay, but with the exceptions of Highlander and Eric Roberts' By the Sword [VHS], virtually no film has built its premise around the art of sword combat. Not only does "Ring of Steel" do this, but it manages to retain respect for the sport in the midst of a very fun and surprisingly competent mid-`90s action flick. If you like low-budget features from this era but are a bit tired of repetitious kickboxing pictures, then this ought to be a pleasant departure from the norm.
The story: Alex Freyer (Robert Chapin, Dragon Fury [VHS]) is an up-and-coming star in the fencing world when he accidentally slays an opponent on his way to the championships. Blackballed from the sport, Alex believes his career to be over when he's contacted by a nameless man in black (Joe Don Baker, The Silence of the Lambs), who offers to make him a star in the world of illegal underground swordfighting. Intrigued at first but repelled by the antics of the out-of-control champion, Alex attempts to leave the competition...but this proves more difficult and dangerous than it would seem.
Following his writing of and starring in this movie, Robert Chapin pursued a handful of small parts in small movies but would eventually settle down as a stuntman and visual effects artist for films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Armageddon. It's nice that he's still got a career, but also a shame that he could never follow up on anything as gritty, fun, or physical as when he wielded a rapier and took on guys with broadswords, katanas, cutlasses, sabers, and Dao swords (video game fans, this is officially the closest you'll get to Soul Calibur in the movies for now). From a character standpoint, he makes this movie work without seeming like too big of a dummy, but from the physical side of things, his work is even better. Credit, of course, also goes to master swordswoman Jan Bryant, who choreographed the numerous matches and also had a hand in the swashbuckling content of Hook and Army of Darkness; as well as the awesome opponents Chapin has in Jim Pirri ("Valley of the Dolls" series), stuntman extraordinaire James Lew, former American Gladiator Deron McBee, and Gary Kasper as the insane, katana-wielding champion.
The swordfighting is the rightful highlight, with at least nine cool encounters to show off various styles of fighting, but the acting isn't too shabby either. Chapin is respectable as a short-lived action hero and manages to build a surprisingly endearing on-screen relationship with fellow fencer Darlene Vogel ("Pacific Blue"), who later gets kidnapped to keep Alex in the tournament. Joe Don Baker proves versatile in his role: he walks a fine line between villain and benefactor, often coming off as despicable in one scene and saving someone's life in the next; kudos to him for making the very most out of his part. Co-stars Jim Pirri and Gary Kasper didn't have too many large roles outside of this film, but prove steadfast in their portrayals. The only disappointing performance comes from beautiful villainess Carol Alt (Thunder in Paradise Collection), who's responsible for some of the more illogical exchanges in the movie.
If the movie has any glaring fault, it's a relative shallowness that defies the cool fights and better-than-average acting: with a bit more gravity, "Ring of Steel" might've managed to snag the cult status that has unjustly evaded it thus far, for casual viewers won't necessarily keep too much of the film in mind after the credits roll. Short of needing a bit more "oomf" to go with its "ahh", the movie is one of top finds I've come across in my wadings through action flicks of the same era, and I wholeheartedly suggest it to anyone willing to give something new a try.
1 out of 1 people found this helpful.
|
this was a nice and unexpected surprise
Added 9/13/2006
For a title that I was totally unfamiliar with and actors I have not heard of, Ring of Steel turned out to be better than the typical B-grade swordsfight/martial arts action film. All the actors do a good job of never overacting, which is just too common in these types of films. The action is choreographed well. There is even some humor thrown in that is actually humurous for a change. The story is nothing impressive, though there are elements of suspense to it here and there with a few small surprises.
The best thing I liked about Ring of Steel is the underground fight locale. The scene in the beginning of the film takes us from the entrance to a dance club on the streets, and from there practically by footstep to eventually the illegal gambling arena. It gave me a feeling that I was actually there and no other such movie that I have seen before gave me that feeling. The fighters are pretty decent and the whole gig reminded me of American Samurai, though not as violent and thankfully, not as overdramatic in the acting department. There are lots of fights in Ring of Steel, though none overly impressive.
I thoroughly enjoyed Ring of Steel, especially because I was expecting a 2 star film at the best. Everything is done adequately, but nothing stuck out as being very impressive. The music kept a sense of cheesiness throughout much of the movie that could have been avoided and provided a more intenseful atmosphere. But overall, this movie doesn't disappoint, especially if you like a good arena with fight matches and swordsplay.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Ring of Steel Review
Added 4/5/2000
The absolute best scenes in this film occur when Bob Chapin is doing what he does best - sword fighting. The scene between Bob and Jim Pirri (Brian) is priceless--well worth the cost of the video alone. I watched that scene several times in a row. I was very impressed with the high level of swordsmanship. One has come to expect this from Mr. Chapin but I did not expect it from every other person on the set! I also found it very interesting to be able to see so many different types of blades and styles of fighting in one movie. Joe Don Baker was an excellent choice for the fight club owner. He does bad so well.
4 out of 4 people found this helpful.
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