Bullet Points: Day of the Panther
For those of you out there who have been clamoring for more Ozploitation content here on Bulletproof Action, do I have good news for you…
In this edition of Bullet Points, I’ll be reviewing the Australian martial arts film, Day of the Panther…
- Initiation: The movie begins at the Temple of the Panther in China. The Temple of the Panther trains would be special agents to become elite martial artists. Two students, Jason Blade (Edward John Stazak) and Linda Anderson are about to complete their training and be initiated as Panthers. Blade may be the best the Temple has ever produced and Linda is following in the footsteps of her father, William Anderson, who is at the initiation ceremony and serves as the narrator for the opening scene.
- Their First Assignment: We learn that William Anderson has decided to retire, but while his secret agent days are now behind him, his daughter Linda and Jason Blade are given their first assignment. The rookie agents go undercover in Hong Kong to investigate the rumors of a drug smuggling operation between the Triad and a nefarious Australian businessman, Damien Zukor. Zukor has sent his right hand man, Jim Baxter, to negotiate a deal with the Triad and Linda and Jason end up being flies on the wall during this negotiation process… things certainly don’t go as the Triad planned when the double crossing Baxter ends up with the suitcase full of a money and the drugs and all the Triads end up with are bullets inside them.
- Divided and Conquered: After the raw deal, Jason stays in Hong Kong (for reasons unknown) and Linda returns to Perth where she continues to follow Baxter and the drugs he brought back with him from Hong Kong. Linda gives Jason a long distance call and fills him in on the latest… she’s getting antsy and Jason knows it. Jason tells Linda he’ll be in Perth the next day and that she should wait for him. Linda tells Jason she’ll wait as long as she can, but she fears the merchandise will be moved by the time Jason gets there and that will blow the case against Zukor. So she goes in without Jason and almost immediately finds herself in trouble as she has to deal with three masked men (who presumably are on Zukor’s payroll). The masks these men chose to wear were interesting to say the least… one was a skull mask, the other a creepy old man mask and last but not least, a boar’s head. This leads to a long action sequence between Linda and the three masked men as they battle all over and around an abandoned building. But just when it seems like Linda is in the clear, Baxter shows up and kills her!
- Welcome to Perth: Jason arrives in Perth and the local (and inept) authorities immediately start watching him… the reason for this, they believe Jason’s Hong Kong cover is 100% legit and that he is a Triad enforcer. Once Jason gets settled into his hotel room, Jason learns about the death of his partner Linda. This makes a visit to Linda’s father William Anderson top on Jason’s agenda. William is handling the death of his daughter surprisingly well, basically saying “she knew what she signed up for”.to see how he is holding up. While he’s there, Jason also gathers what information he can about Damien Zukor. This is where we also meets William’s niece, Gemma, and presumably Jason’s soon to be love interest.
- Man at Work: Jason decides to pay Damien Zukor a visit and enquire about employment opportunities. Jason ends up getting into it with some of Zukor’s low level goons and as he walks away from the carnage he caused, Jason cockily tells Zukor what hotel he is staying at in case Zukor would like to talk to him about a job. This gets Zukor’s attention and seems to impress him. But Jason’s actions at Zukor’s also gets the attention of the police and they bring him in for questioning. At this point, they figure out that Jason is not really a Triad enforcer, but they fear Jason’s quest to avenge the death of his partner will compromise their ongoing Zukor investigation, so the chief tells Jason to stay out of it or else he’ll be forced to deport him.
- Party Time: Jason goes back to his hotel and that’s when he receives a call from Damien Zukor inviting him to a party. Zukor has his boy, Jim Baxter, pick Jason up in his boat and take him to Zukor’s swanky pad right on the water. Zukor lays out what he expects from Jason and warns him not to cross him… then he gives Jason an errand to run, deliver some drugs to some buyers and return with a briefcase full of money. The drop ends up being bogus and merely a test by Zukor, a test Jason passes with flying colors. It also gives a chance to see the martial arts skills that Jason learned at the Temple of the Panther. Zukor is pleased as Punch… but the same can’t be said for Jim Baxter, who doesn’t trust Jason Blade.
- Suggestion Box: Jason learns that Damien Zukor holds a big martial arts tournament each year, a tournament that Jim Baxter has easily won the past three years. Jason suggests they get the word out that Jason kicked Baxter’s ass after the two had a disagreement to throw off the high rolling gamblers who attend the tournament and bet on the outcome of the fights. Then Jason would take a dive in the tournament finals against Baxter and Zukor would make out like a bandit on all those who bet against the unstoppable Baxter. At this point I was pretty stoked to see a martial arts tournament… but it never happens because Baxter finds out the truth about Jason Blade well before the tournament and soon Jason Blade, William Anderson and Gemma find themselves going up against Zukor’s criminal empire.
I had no idea that 1988’s Day of the Panther was even a thing until it popped up in my Prime Video suggestions. And when I think of Australia and martial arts, my brain immediately goes to Richard Norton… I had no idea who Edward John Stazak was and that he starred in an Australian martial arts movie. Come to think of it, I didn’t even know there was a martial arts subgenre in the world of Ozploitation.
So at the very least I can honestly say that Day of the Panther was a learning experience for me. And if you’ve learned anything from reading my reviews in the past, it is that this is where I throw it to some Bonus Bullet Points…
- Awkward Scene Award: When Jason goes to workout at the gym operated by William Anderson and Gemma, Gemma decides to perform a dance routine for him in an attempt to entice him to go out later that night.
- Favorite Quote: “You’re sharp Blade. I like your style.” – Damien Zukor
- As Promised: We don’t get a tournament finale between Jason Blade and Jim Baxter, but fortunately we do get a final battle between the two martial artists.
- Is That a Threat or a Promise?: Before the end credits start to roll we are informed that Jason Blade will return in Strike of the Panther.
