Bullet Points: Fist of Steel
What do you do when you realize it has been a few months since you last watched a Dale “Apollo” Cook movie?
You go out and find another Dale “Apollo” Cook movie to watch. That is exactly what I did when I found a post-apocalyptic entry in Cook’s filmography, Fist of Steel on YouTube…
- Nailed It: After some mushroom cloud stock footage, the movie opens in the desert with Amp (Dale “Apollo” Cook, Triple Impact) and Lyssa (Cynthia Khan, In the Line of Duty IV) on the run from the evil Mainframe (Greg Douglass, Fighting Spirit) and his minions! Amp does his best to fight off the pursuers but the numbers game comes into play. Lyssa is quickly killed and Amp finds himself crucified in the desert because Mainframe wanted Amp to have a slow and agonizing death. To Mainframe’s credit, he does have a few minions stay behind to actually watch Amp die as opposed to the usual bad guy move of assuming his adversary will die. Amp starts to free his hands of the spikes that have nailed him to the ground in gruesome fashion, about that same time a sandstorm kicks up and that is the opening Amp needs to flee. Amp makes it to a small village just before he passes out from a combination of exhaustion and blood loss.
- Things Get Wild: Amp wakes up to find himself being nursed back to health by who he believes is Lyssa. It’s not Lyssa however, it is Wild (also played by Cynthia Khan). Not everyone is as welcoming of Amp in the village… specifically the village elder Whaler (Mike Monty, White Force). As soon as Amp’s hands are healed he wants Amp out of there. Amp complies and starts making his way to get revenge on Mainframe, however he ends up with an unexpected companion in the form of Wild, who followed him on his journey. Amp objects and while he does give in and let her camp with him, he decides the next morning that he is going to escort her back to her village. At this point Mainframe had gotten word of Amp’s escape and sent his right hand man Wires (Don Nakaya Neilsen, Blood Ring) to lead a search (and destroy) party looking for Amp. So when Amp and Wild arrive at her village they find it decimated and everyone dead… now Amp has to take Wild with him, since she no longer has a home and it is his fault.
- Desert Kickboxer: At this point the movie becomes a lot of Amp and Wild fighting off all sorts of desert foes (including fighters who are promoted by the shower cap wearing Lucy played by Nick Nicholson of Terminal Virus fame) as Amp looks to return to the city and challenge Mainframe in the Arena. Fortunately for our heroes they get some help (and transportation) along the way from Amp’s old buddy Scudder (Jim Gaines, Final Reprisal). There’s even a big three on three battle, featuring Amp, Wild and Scudder vs. Wires and two of Mainframe’s minions where Wild seemingly kicks Wires to his death! After that fight the pace of the movie really picks ups as did my interest which was admittedly starting to wane… we get some developing romance between Amp and Wild, a short training montage with Scudder putting Amp through the paces in the hot desert sun and then Amp going incognito as one of the fighters looking to test his skills against Mainframe in the Arena, but something unexpected happens…
- I’m a Lover, Not a Fighter: Incognito Amp backs out of the competition… he’s now a man in love and doesn’t want to lose what he has with Wild by potentially fighting to his death with Mainframe. Amp may have decided he did not want to get his revenge against Mainframe, but Mainframe still wants Amp dead… which puts Scudder in a bad spot. Scudder ends up captured and tortured by Mainframe. Like a true friend Scudder does not give his friend up and ends up paying for that choice with his life… The sight of Scudder’s dead body is more than enough to bring Amp out of his brief retirement from fighting. Wild isn’t going to let him go up against Mainframe on his own… she’s coming with! Is this going to be a 2 on 1 battle in favor of our heroes?? Don’t count on it!!
My biggest takeaway from Fist of Steel is that sweatpants seemingly didn’t survive the apocalypse. I mention this because some of my previous Dale “Apollo” Cook movie experiences did not place him anywhere near my Best Dressed Action Hero list. In Fist of Steel, Cook actually seems like he is wearing (cheap) movie wardrobe and not what he worked out in that morning.
While Cook’s Amp looked more like an action hero, “The Arena” left a lot to be desired… it was a brick wall backdrop with crowd noise. I also really wasn’t sold on Mainframe as the villain. Some more positives, Cynthia Khan was the MVP of the entire movie. She definitely deserved the top billing. I have to say it is always nice seeing Jim Gaines in a more substantial role and the nunchaku were a nice bonus!
Speaking of bonuses, check out these Bonus Bullet Points…
- AKA: Fist of Steel is also known as Eternal Fist. In Germany and Hungary, Fist of Steel is known as Death Zone – Blood for Blood.
- Penis Related Quote #1: “Mainframe, those stubs you call teeth are probably about as big as your dick.” – Amp
- Penis Related Quote #2: “I guess a blow job is out of the question.” – Amp
- Words of Wisdom: “This world is too full of shit.”
