Gary Daniels is Forced to Fight
With his latest release, Forced to Fight, arriving in the UK later this year, Martial Arts movie favourite Gary Daniels will make his long-awaited return to the fight genre. With a career spanning 25+ years, he's starred in a wide range of Martial Arts gems and earned his place as one of the most iconic faces of the 80s and 90s VHS glory days.
In his new movie, ex-fighter Shane Slavin (Daniels) decides to turn his life around, promising his wife and young son he's fought his last battle. But when his younger brother betrays a ruthless crime boss (Peter Weller), Shane is forced back into the arena to pay his brother's debts and to protect his family. Clearly a throwback to the tournament genre, this is also a real nostalgia trip for fans who've been waiting for a return to his roots and the genre which made him a star. Forced to Fight is one to watch out for if you're a Martial Arts aficionado or Gary Daniels fan.
While waiting for this release, here are my top 10 where we see Gary do what he does best. This doesn't include The Expendables but rather the old-school gems he is best known for. There are many more but for new audiences who missed these first time around, I think this is a pretty good place to start. Enjoy!
Fist of the North Star (1995)
Based on the hugely popular Manga, this film adaptation centers around Ken (Daniels), the lone master of the North Star Martial Art school who is wandering a post-apocalyptic Earth in search of his nemesis Lord Shin (Costas Mandylor), the man who killed his master and kidnapped his fiancee. Since it's original release the film gained a huge cult following around the world.
Bloodmoon (1997)
Detectives Ken O'Hara (Daniels) and Chuck Baker (Chuck Jeffreys) are tasked to find a brutal serial killer (Darren Shahlavi) murdering Martial Arts champions in New York City. Trying to catch this cunning predator is the hardest assignment they've ever faced and will need to combine combat skills and detective work to find the target. Directed by master Hong Kong stunt coordinator and filmmaker, Tony Leung Siu-Hung, the film has a great HK action flavour and was an instant hit.
City Hunter (1993)
Jackie Chan stars as Ryu Saeba in this comedy-filled tribute to the ass-kicking, girl-chasing detective from the popular Manga strip, City Hunter. Richard Norton and Gary Danierls co-star as the high-kicking villains and contribute to some highly entertaining fight scenes. With extravagent Hong Kong director Wong Jing at the helm, this is one crazy action outing!
Cold Harvest (1999)
Isaac Florentine directs this B-movie favourite where a devastating comet strike has resulted in a world of famine, drought and rampaging disease. Mankind's survival rests with seven human guinea pigs who carry immunity to the deadly virus and enlist the help of Gary's heroic bounty hunter.
Recoil (1998)
Detective Ray Morgan (Daniels) accidentally kills the son of a violent mob boss who embarks on his own quest for revenge. After Morgan's family are caught in the crossfire, the once straight-laced cop goes on a destructive rampage for his own brand of justice. This PM Entertainment classic adds a nice streak of drama and emotion amidst the action and chaos.
Rage (1995)
Innocent schoolteacher Alex Ganier (Daniels) falls victim to the underground operations of a right-wing militia when he is kidnapped and injected with lethal chemicals known to induce murderous fits of rage that cause people to kill without conscience. When Alex escapes from the lab, he is hunted by police and must find a way to prove his innocence. More high-octane action from PM Entertainment with some of the most explosive action and stunts of Daniels' career.
Firepower (1993)
In a futuristic Los Angeles where criminally overrun zones are unpoliced and held by gangs, two tough cops, Braniff (Chad McQueen) and Sledge (Daniels), have a new mission. They must enter a violent, no-holds-barred fight tournament with the objective of locating a precious vaccine and exposing a black market ring. Classic early 90s Martial Arts action.
Deadly Target (1994)
Hong Kong detective Charles Prince (Daniels) arrives in LA to extradite a notorious Chinese criminal and escort him back to Hong Kong for trial. But after the prisoner escapes and an all-out gang war erupts on the streets of LA, Prince is partnered up with renegade cop, Jim Jenson (Ken McLeod).
City of Fear (2000)
Reporter Steve Roberts (Daniels) visits his scientist friend who has a lead on a hot new story. He's soon dragged into a violent cover up for a dangerous new drug called Blue Mist, with military police and gangsters hot on his tail. After his friend is killed, he must protect a beautiful associate who also holds the key to solving a huge underworld conspiracy.
Hunt to Kill (2010)
For some contemporary action, WWE legend Steve Austin stars as Border Patrol Agent, Jim Rhodes. When his teenage daughter is kidnapped, he's forced to lead a band of ruthless killers into the wilderness to retrieve their share of a missing heist score. And to rescue his daughter, Jim will use his unique brand of survival skills to outsmart the kidnappers before it's too late. Gary co-stars as violent criminal, Jensen, who gets a nice showdown with Austin in this solid Rambo-style actioner.
Forced to Fight arrives on DVD on 5 August 2013 from 4-Digital.