The Perfect Weapon | Blu-ray (Kino Lorber)
RELEASE DATE: May 21, 2024
On May 21, 2024, Kino Lorber Studio Classics will be releasing a Blu-ray for Perfect Weapon, a 1991 martial arts/action film directed by Mark DiSalle (Kickboxer) and starring Kenpo 5.0 founder, Jeff Speakman. For the first time, the film will be presented with a Brand New HD Master – from a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative!
Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal certainly had the action movie market cornered during the early 90’s, but martial arts fans would be wise not to pass up this B-movie gem starring Jeff Speakman (Street Knight). The well-oiled Kenpo practitioner was granted the spotlight for only one or two theatrical ventures in Hollywood before entering the straight to video realm and his 1991 debut Perfect Weapon remains the standout. While Speakman’s acting leaves something to be desired, the plethora of fight scenes choreographed by veteran stuntman Rick Avery make “The Perfect Weapon” an action buff’s delight.
The film is known for its innovative fight scenes which feature rapid chain punches. The film also stars Mako Iwamatsu (Silent Assassins), James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China), Charles Kalani, Jr. (Black Rain), Seth Sakai (Hawaii Five-O), Professor Toru Tanaka (The Running Man), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Showdown in Manila), Dante Basco (Blood and Bone)
Features:
- Brand New HD Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative
- NEW Audio Commentary by Director Mark DiSalle and Action Film Historian Mike Leeder
- Street Speed: NEW Interview with Star Jeff Speakman (23:18)
- Deleted & Extended Scenes (9:01)
- Theatrical Trailer (2:00)
- Optional English Subtitles
Watch the film’s classic Trailer below (as well as its memorable opening sequence):
About damn time they get this movie out!
Color me excited!
I will have to wait & see whether I should be excited about this release or not, Kino will have to do better with The Perfect Weapon than the last guys who released it on blu-ray. I was happy to get this movie on blu-ray several years back, but that release was bare bones, not even a trailer! I hope Kino will make this some kind of solid special edition, including a commentary track with Speakman, deleted scenes, behind the scenes, etc.. And while we’re talking about Jeff Speakman movies, can someone release Street Knight on blu-ray, please? It was a step down in quality from The Perfect Weapon (it was a Cannon movie, after all), but Street Knight was still kind of fun.
I really hope they include the TV cut of the film where the female martial arts classmate plays more of a role in the movie. Only saw this version once on TBS (or TNT) and wanted to see if there were more cut scenes from the movie
Fun Fact: That “female martial arts classmate” is Mariska Hargitay, the lead in ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’.
Jeff Speakman,Brian Bosworth and Olivier Gruner were three one hit wonders. As they made one great B.movie and then proceeded to make nothing but terrible sludge. Perfect Weapon,Stone Cold and Nemesis were pretty awesome back in the day. Okay,Angel Town would make Gruner a two hit wonder. Basically though you look at Blu ray releases and note nada besides said movies. Not the most accurate way to determine, but does anyone think we’ll get a Blu ray release of Deadly Outbreak or One Man’s Justice.
It’s funny out it all works out. It can be argued that each guy made one good movie, but some people try to find merits to their other films.
Olivier Gruner is an interesting action star, and I want to watch Scott Adkins’ interview with him. I would have loved to see him inter the tutelage of a great fight choreographer with no restrictions, but I found most of his movies to have slow moving fights.
I was excited about Nemesis at first after my John Woo kick with the cast all wearing suits, sunglasses, and carrying huge pistols, but I found the action to be very sloppy, and the acting was awful.
The Boz is another interesting guy. I thought One Man’s Justice was fun, but was disappointed that Kurt Wimmer didn’t really direct it, and was fired early in the production. Stone Cold was a guilty pleasure.
Jeff Speakman had good screen fighting skills, and I need to give Perfect Weapon another watch. Even though The Expert, Street Knight, and Deadly Outbbreak have their moments, Jeff couldn’t elevate those movies to much. I should watch Scott’s interview with him as well.
I remember One Man’s Justice being okay, it’s just that also there was an interesting film called Phase IV where Bosworth proved quite good as the villain.
As for Gruner there was a sort of fun one where he was paired up against John Ritter. Otherwise they’re all pretty dreadful movies. And not entertainingly fun bad like Dolph Lundgren’s Punisher, Showdown In Little Tokyo and Bridge Of Dragons (All on Blu Ray, though under Fight Of The Dragon) . Just bad bad. Part of the problem is Gruner’s movies are heavy handed and often cliched in a boring way. A little silliness goes a long way.
As for Speakman, part of it his name. His name is Jeff, his last name is Speakman. Van Damme wouldn’t have made it if he gone by Van Varenberg. Also he’s a pretty dull presence. I heard how he was signed up to be in Speed, but in all honesty they dodged a bullet by recasting and giving it to Keanu Reeves.
I still hope we’ll get a Blu ray release of Midnight Ride with Dudikoff and Mark Hamill, and Cyberjack AKA Virtual Assassin but we got River Of Death and Platoon Leader instead, I guess people really liked thoseto have a cult following. Go figure.