Where to watch Ring of Steel
3 Stars
A champion fencer accidentally kills an opponent in a match. Disgraced, he is blackballed from the fencing community, until a mysterious stranger saves his life one night from a gang of muggers. He soon finds himself caught up in the world of underground illegal swordfights, where combatants fight to the death.
If you’re in the mood for a fencing tournament-style action flick starring a guy with a very impressive mullet hairdo, then look no further than Ring of Steel. I mistakenly stumbled into viewing this guilty pleasure of a movie. The title is similar to the Don “The Dragon” Wilson series Ring of Fire, and that’s what I thought I was watching. So, I was a bit confused when the story opened with a fencing match gone tragically awry. But I was also intrigued by the oddity I was witnessing on screen.
As a voracious consumer of martial arts movies, I’ve seen literally dozens of “tournament” fight flicks. It was a goddamn sub-genre in it’s own right and a staple of Video Store shelves during the 1980s and 1990s. Yet, Ring of Steel managed to sustain my fickle attention span for the duration of its 90-minute running time.
Directed by: David Frost
Written by: Robert Chapin, David Frost
Starring: Joe Don Baker, Carol Alt, Robert Chapin