Bullet Points: Max Havoc: Ring of Fire
The fact that there is a sequel to Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon is nothing short of a miracle considering all the behind the scenes trials and tribulations the 2004 movie faced. But I guess where there’s a will there’s a way. Or maybe in this case where there’s financing there’s a movie to be made… and that movie was 2006’s Max Havoc: Ring of Fire.
- Tennis, Anyone?: Max Havoc: Ring of Fire traded the surf and sun of Guam for the cool, crisp air of the Pacific Northwest. Former champion kickboxer turned world class photographer Max Havoc (Mickey Hardt) has made his way to the Colonial Hotel in Seattle for a photo shoot with a tennis star on the comeback, Suzy Blaine (Christina Cox, Street Law). Things get off to a rocky start for Max when a kid, posing as an employee of the hotel, manages to snatch Max’s camera case which leads to a foot chase and one that the kid ends up coming out on top of… but Max did manage to pick up a clue that he hopes will lead him to the kid and his camera equipment.
- Hotel, Motel, Holiday Inn: Before I fill you in on IF Max got his camera back, I really do need to call out another of the main characters in the movie, Roger Tarso, played by a bleached blonde Dean Cain (Futuresport, Phase IV). The hair immediately made me think Dean had to be the bad guy in the movie, but for a split second I had my doubts and foolishly thought that he may just be portraying the proud owner of the Colonial Hotel… but not only is Roger Tarso connected to the riots and looting that is going on in an area adjacent to the Colonial, he also has a beef with one Max Havoc. Tarso, is a former Army man, had a brief altercation with Max at a bar years ago… the fight was stopped before it really got started and certainly before the better man could be determined. Not knowing if he could have beaten Max Havoc that day is something that Roger has obsessed over over the years, when he is not thinking of nefarious ways to expand his hotel and resort of course.
- Man on a Mission: The clue that Max picked up led him to St. Michael’s Mission, a church located in the rough and tumble Parrish District that has been plagued with violence in recent months. Sister Caroline (Rae Dawn Chong, Commando) runs the mission and when Max shows up looking from stolen merchandise she knows who her resident thief is… Emile. Max learns that Emile’s parents were killed tragically and his older brother Ramone has been recruited to the local gang that works for a mysterious man named “Tiger” that has been causing so much trouble in the Parrish District. Max also learns that Emile has an interest in the martial arts and even gives Emile and some of the other kids a quick lesson… but then the kids get an impromptu demonstration when the gang shows up (including Ramone) and attempts to scare Sister Caroline into packing up and getting out of town… Max steps in, kicks all their asses much to the delight of Sister Caroline and Emile. News of Max’s heroics also gets the attention of Suzy Blaine and the two are instantly on a romantic collision course. Suzy also joins Max in taking an interest in the well being of young Emile.
- Tiger Mask: But just when things are looking up for Emile, life takes a sharp turn in the opposite direction when Emile witnesses “Tiger” order the execution of Ramone… the Tiger turns out to be Roger Tarso and the man who shot Ramone was the head of security for the Colonial Hotel Andy “Don’t Call Me Bam Bam” Bigelow. Emile manages to make it back to the mission, he is equal parts in shock and looking for vengeance. But when Emile later disappears EVERYONE is out looking for him… Max, Suzy, Sister Caroline, the cops and worst of all Roger “Tiger” Tarso and his street gang. And at this point something told me Roger Tarso would soon find out who the better man was between him and Max Havoc.
Max Havoc: Ring of Fire didn’t set the world on fire and didn’t start a flame in my heart either. After watching the movie, I don’t know why there was such a desire to make this sequel. The powers that be clearly were not inspired to make up for the rocky first entry in the Max Havoc “franchise” and really knock it out of the park with this sequel… instead it was more of the same with Mickey Hardt showing some potential as an action hero but never really being given the opportunity to prove it. The supporting cast filled with some action movie veterans helped make Max Havoc: Ring of Fire watchable, but watchable doesn’t necessarily mean good.
Let’s max this review out with some Bonus Bullet Points…
- Familiar Face: Martin Kove plays Lt. Reynolds, a dirty cop who is in cahoots with Roger Tarso. Kove will forever be known for his work in The Karate Kid and Cobra Kai, but he’s had plenty of other action movie experience including Steele Justice, To Be the Best and Rambo: First Blood Part II.
- Directed By: Neither Albert Pyun or Isaac Florentine returned to direct the Max Havoc sequel, instead that task went to Terry Ingram who up until that point had primarily done television series work, directing episodes of such shows as Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, La Femme Nikita and Relic Hunter.
- The Name Game: Not to be confused with the PM Entertainment/Don “The Dragon” Wilson Ring of Fire trilogy.
