Bullet Points: Rage (1993)
The 21st Century Film Corporation was a second chance for success for Menahem Golan, who had parted ways with his cousin Yoram Globus and Cannon Films in 1989.
Menaham Golan’s game plan did not really change from Cannon to 21st Century. For example, Golan had made good money at Cannon with martial arts themed movies and movies headlined by martial artists turned actors. So it made sense that Golan would try to recapture that martial arts magic producing movies like Bloodmatch, Desert Kickboxer and the subject of this review 1993’s Rage starring Richard Norton.
- Back in Time: The movie opens up in 1965 Bangkok, a young Jack Dameron is seeing his parents off as they are set to go on a business trip to Bali. Jack’s parents have arranged for Mr. Fung (Joe Mari Avellana, Bloodfist II), who started Bangkok Mercantile with Jack’s father, to look after Jack while they are away. Little do either Fung or Jack know, this arrangement is about to become permanent as Jack’s parents are gunned down before they can even get to their car. Jack is adopted by Fung and is raised by Fung along with Fung’s biological son, Chiang.
- Good News: The movie jumps to the present day where Jack Dameron (Richard Norton, China O’Brien) is getting all sorts of great news… first off, his lawyer wife Sarah (Karen Moncrieff) has just become the first foreigner to make it to the position of trial attorney in Thailand. Second, Papa Fung names Jack the new chairman of Bangkok Mercantile… passing over Chiang, who despite being blood, is into some really shady shit… like drugs, prostitution, arms dealing and death fight promoting.
- Bad News: Chiang (Franco Guerrero, One Armed Executioner) is none too happy with this development… while he’s done quite well for himself in Thailand’s underworld, having an import/export company like Bangkok Mercantile could provide him with a front for his illegal enterprises PLUS valuable resources to help him move more volume than ever before. So Chiang sets up his adopted brother Jack for the murder of Noi (Tetchie Agbayani, Gymkata) a business associate of Jack’s… I should probably mention that Jack also slept with Noi one night when the two got tipsy at a trade show.
- Jamaican Me Crazy: To pull off the frame job, Chiang sends his top death match fighter from Jamaica, I-Ron (Chuck Jeffreys, Bloodmoon) over to Noi’s place. I-Ron forces Noi to make a frantic call to Jack and tell him that he absolutely, positively had to come to her house. After Jack says he’ll be right over and Noi hangs up the phone, I-Ron stabs her. When Jack arrives he finds her dead on the couch, the police then show up and see Jack with Noi’s blood on his hands standing over her dead body. Jack goes to jail and Chiang becomes chairman of Bangkok Mercantile.
- From Bad to Worse: Just when you think it couldn’t get any worse for Jack, Sarah steps up as Jack’s attorney… which means he has to admit to his wife that he did in fact engage in sexual relations with Noi. Sarah knows that Jack was not capable of killing anyone, but is devastated by the fact that Jack stepped out on their marriage. It seems like just about 30 minutes ago Jack and Sarah were on top of the world.
- Business Picks Up: Jack’s time behind bars wasn’t all bad… he ends up making a friend in former United States Marine, Wiley. Conveniently, Wiley is set to be released the same day that Jack is bailed out by Papa Fung and Jack and Wiley meet up at Wiley’s favorite watering hole. Action hero at a bar means bar fight and that fight leads into a car chase because why the hell not?! Jack is desperately trying to clear his name and it eventually leads to Jack confronting the real killer, I-Ron. This was the fight I was hoping for the moment I realized Richard Norton and Chuck Jeffreys were in the movie. The fight has an extra layer of awesome thanks to the weapons both men use, but the fight ends in bizarre fashion. With the Norton/Jeffreys fight out of the way, Jack still has his evil brother Chiang to deal with, not to mention the bombshells dropped by Papa Fung and Sarah!
I am sure Menahem Golan would have loved if Richard Norton was for 21st Century Film Corporation, what Chuck Norris was for Cannon. While Norton may not have hit that lofty goal, he hit a home run with his performance in Rage. Norton is probably more known for being the sidekick or being a villain, but as far as starring roles (at least the ones that I’ve seen), I’d say Rage is his best work and he really carried himself like an action star.
It was interesting to see Chuck Jeffreys with dreadlocks and not doing his usual martial arts Eddie Murphy shtick. Franco Guerrero was easy to dislike and I was happy to see that his arm grew back from the last time that I saw him.
You’ll be happy to see these Bonus Bullet Points…
- The Name Game: Not to be confused with Gary Daniels’ 1995 film, Rage (that features an all PM Home Entertainment video store) or 2014’s Rage starring Nicolas Cage.
- Favorite Line: “Shoot boxing or shit boxing, Manson?” – Chiang
- Best Bar in Bangkok: Body Machine was voted as the Best Bar in Bangkok in 1993 by Wiley.
- I&I For Those In The Know: Speaking of Wiley, his backstory is that after serving in the USMC, Wiley decided to take the long route back home to Los Angeles and he went to Thailand for some intercourse and intoxication.
- Directed By: Anthony Maharaj has 6 titles to his credit as a director. 5 out of the 6 movies directed by Maharaj featured Richard Norton… Rage (obviously), The Fighter, Secrets of the Shell, Return of the Kickfighter and Not Another Mistake.
- AKA: Rage is also known as Death Fight.
