Black Cobra (2012/Lionsgate DVD)
Picture:
C Sound: B- Extras: B Film: C+
Sizwe
Biko (T.J. Storm) is on a mission to save his father must travel to America to sell
the family diamonds, but unfortunately for him, what was to be a simple deal goes
south when he is double-crossed by his contact. Now he must fight the local yakuza to win back
both his diamonds and his money in Black
Cobra.
Sizwe is
a champion martial artist from South
Africa that is a desperate need for money.
He travels all the way to LA to meet his cousin to hook up with his contact. While the local yakuza boss is a man of his
word and delivers the money, his so call underlings do not follow such values. Soon after the transaction, Sizwe finds himself
mugged and penniless. The Yakuza's son
wants the money to take over the 'family' business, his contact wants the money
to start his own movie, and on top of everything Sizwe fiancée flies into town
to find out what Sizwe is doing.
This
movie was like gigantic cliché martial arts fest movie thrown together, a man
needs money to save family/friends and must fight greedy gang lords to get back
the money that was stolen from him. Two
directors likely did not help and it was also like an early Bruce Lee or Jackie
Chan film, of a hero/underdog character, good, naive and easily tricked by
others, but he has incredible fighting skills. He starts small thugs and works his way to
final boss. It is basically a martial
arts movie with American pop get to lingo, but does not help launch Storm as a
star. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa also stars.
The HD
shoot is soft here, but lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 mix has some nice surround
moments. Extras include deleted scenes, alternate
ending, bloopers and trailers.
- Ricky Chiang
