Where to watch L.A. Streetfighters
1 1/2 Stars
Tony is the new kid at school. He befriend gang leader Young, whose top rival is Chan. Tony is also dating Chan’s sister, Lily. When Young and Tony are hired as personal security, they head to a private party run by a drug dealer. When Young steals the money from the dealer, two hitmen arrive and torture his gang. Young must fight them off but also face the wrath of Chan. Tony must help his new friend before it’s too late.
The martial arts icon Phillip Rhee makes his screen debut in an amateurish production that is a family and friend affair. James Lew, another familiar face to fans of the genre, in his first role is the lead bad guy, and it’s amusing to see both he and Rhee in a movie of this level knowing where their respective careers would lead. Today, both men are inductees of the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, California, but back when they were filming L.A. Streetfighters A.K.A. Ninja Turf, they were just fantastic athletes with undeniable charisma.
Rhee and his collaborators apparently self-financed this project, and the limitations of their budget and filmmaking knowledge are evident throughout. Several scenes are so underlit that it’s not possible to see the actors’s faces or the action happening onscreen. The overdubbing is fine, and coupled with the fact that the cast is 10 years too old for high school,they add a layer of camp to the already goofy film. L.A. Streetfighters could be of some interest to longtime fans of James Lew or Phillip Rhee; just don’t expect anything on the level of the Best of the Best series.
Directed by: Woo-sang Park
Written by: Ji-woon Hong, Jaime Mendoza-Nava
Starring: Jun Chong, Phillip Rhee, James Lew