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Tiger Claws II

1997

Director: J. Stephen Maunder

Stars: Cynthia Rothrock, Jahal Merhi, Bolo Yeung

Taking place about a year after the original movie, this sequel has Jahal Merhi as a New York City cop (minus the greasy mullet this time around) on the trail of a gunrunner, who has ties with Chong (Bolo Yeung), a deadly killer that Merhi and Cynthia Rothrock busted in the first movie. The investigation eventually leads to San Fransisco and an underground martial arts tournament.

Though the first movie was no great success, it did deliver some decent fight scenes. Even though Tiger Claws II's budget is higher than its' predecessor, most of the cost seems to have went into producing gratiutious location shots in order to prove that at least some of the movie was made in New York and San Fransisco. Almost all of the outdoor shots have some kind of landmark in them (the Brooklyn Bridge, Trans-America Pyramid, etc.) which the camera lingers on even after the actors have left the frame. If I wanted to watch a travelogue, I'd turn on the Discovery Channel. And obviously no extra money went into the script. Even though there are a few good bits (such as one part where Bolo tries to disguise himself as a short-order cook, complete with paper hat) the lines the actors have to work with are lousy and the plot exposition is just plain absurd, switching from crime movie to almost science-fiction (complete with cheesy special effects) as there is some lame (and confusing) plot line about a special "tiger gate" which allows people to travel back in time.

These shortcomings might have been forgiven if the action was decent, but it's pretty bad. The fights are way too short and choreographed badly. It doesn't help matters that none of the performers seem to be into their roles. Cynthia Rothrock -- normally one of my favorites in this kind of movie -- is particularly disappointing. She (or the producers) seem more interested in showing off her breast implants rather than her martial arts skills. Rothrock displays little of her trademark speed or flexibility, and doesn't even use a staff, which has been a mainstay of her movies. Disappointingly, Rothrock -- along with some of the other actors -- also seems to have been pretty heavily doubled.

Tiger Claws II is just a poor movie from beginning to end that's better left on the bargain bin video shelf.

RATING: 3

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