Bullet Points: TNT Jackson

I have seen plenty of action movies but sometimes it is hard to decide which one to share with the Bulletproof Action crowd. That is why I like when Chris the Brain throws a suggestion my way. Recently I had another movie I wanted to share, but CTB gave me the 1974 film TNT Jackson and it was dynamite. TNT Jackson easily won the fight of what to watch. In fact, TNT Jackson is what I would consider a power load. Luckily for everyone involved, you can watch the TNT Jackson Bullet Points explode all over your screens.

• Travelogue: Hong Kong – TNT Jackson opens to a drug deal in Hong Kong that sees Charlie (Stan Shaw, Truck Turner) kung fu the buyer to death before the audience has time to breathe. Turns out the buyer was Stag Jackson, and if that surname sounds familiar it is because he is the brother of one Diana ‘TNT’ Jackson (Jeannie Bell). TNT arrives in Hong Kong to find out about her brother and soon realizes her brother was not in the best part of town. The taxi driver won’t even take TNT all the way to her stop because it is not safe. I assumed it had to with a fear of the coronavirus, but when we see a woman getting raped right in the street it is clear the problems are much worse.
• Novice Fighter – As a young attractive woman carrying luggage, TNT is a prime target in the bad part of town and it is not much longer that a whole bunch of nogoodniks try to get TNT’s suitcase. It is also around this time that we find out that TNT can handle herself in a scrap and is an expert practitioner of the martial arts. It is also around this time that we find out that Jeannie Bell is no martial arts expert and we will be in store for some choppy, cut-up, and down right slow (unless the footage is sped up like it often is) fights. One saving grace is that Jeannie Bell can pose and stare with the best of them.

• Terse Locals – TNT easily disposes of the ruffians and meets Elaine who gives TNT a ride to Joe (Chiquito) the man who TNT has been trying to find to help locate Stag. Elaine and TNT do not get along and there is no way that is going to become important later. Once a Joe’s place, TNT gets in another fight which leads to TNT being formally introduced to Charlie. TNT doesn’t know of Charlie’s connection to Stag, but the criminal takes a quick liking to TNT with her combination of looks and skills. It is not much longer than TNT and Charlie are intimately introduced and I don’t see any problem arising between the pair… that is unless TNT finds out Charlie was the one who murdered her brother.

• Nefarious Types – Charlie is working for Sid (Ken Metcalfe, P.O.W. the Escape) but he is not keen on being second in command, or sometimes even third to Ming. Charlie is really sabotaging Sid’s drug trafficking empire in order to become the top dog. Elaine is Sid’s side piece, until we learn she is really working for the government to take down Sid. Once enemies Elaine and TNT are now begrudgingly on the same side, but that is not before we see the TNT v. Elaine fight that everyone was waiting for after Elaine called TNT a bitch.
• Thrilling Ending – All the disparate groups who think they are working together but are subvertly working against each other come to ahead at a hotel on Isla del Sol during a festival. As an aside the festival looks like a boat load of fun, save for the copious racially insensitive costumes. The final fight features every single character still alive, although they all don’t end up that way, and features every inch of the hotel.

TNT Jackson is a fun short action film that combines blaxploitation with martial arts. Even though it was set in Hong Kong, most of the film has a Filipno filming location with Filipino actors. Once you realize that it was directed by the prolific Filipino director Cirio H. Santiago (Nam Angels) for Roger Corman’s New World Pictures it all makes sense. Another interesting tidbit is that the credited writers were Sid himself, Ken Metcalfe, and legendary character actor Dick Miller. TNT Jackson suffers from a lead that is supposedly a martial arts expert but it doesn’t come across on film, but I assume that is not the reason Jeannie Bell was hired for the role. You will have a good time with TNT Jackson, but I am going to make it an even better time as I leave you with some TNT Jackson Bonus Bullet Points.

• If You Ever… wanted to see a topless woman kick the ass of four men then TNT Jackson is for you.
• Favorite Scene – While the aforementioned scene might be the most memorable, my favorite scene was during a nice crane shot at the Isla del Sol festival when one of the extras looks right and the camera and points it out to his family so they can also stare directly at you.
• Favorite TNT Quote – “I am going to bust the mutha fuckers to pieces.”
• Charlie is Cocky Quotes – “When I give, I get.” “Baby, I’m always sure.” “You know you’ll love it.”
• Nice Hat – Charlie has to be confident to wear one of the most outlandish hats I’ve seen on film. I don’t know if it is a tam or newsboy or what you would call it but it is huge.
• Plausible – Joe says he invented spying and having seen some of Chiquito’s other films like James Bondant and Mr. Thunderball, I tend to believe him.