“Edge of Fury” US Theatrical Poster
Director: Lee Tso Nam
Writer: Ding Sin Saai
Cast: Bruce Li (Ho Chung Tao), Dana Tsen (Danna), Tommy Lee, Yasuaki Kurata, Michelle Mai Suet, Wai Lit, Kao Yuan, Pak Man Biu, David Cheng Dai Wai
Running Time: 84 min.
By Jeff Bona
A wealthy business man is arrested and sentenced to death for drug smuggling, and it’s up to his trustworthy chauffer, Fang Pao (Bruce Li), to unravel the mystery behind his boss’s downfall. Was he really smuggling drugs? Was he set up? Does his boss’s sleazy girlfriend (Dana Tsen) have something to do with it? The closer Fang Pao gets to the facts, the more dangerous his life becomes.
“Edge of Fury” is a tale of gangsters, drugs, annoying little kids and money-hungry whores. Just like “Iron Dragon Strikes Back” (aka Gold Connection), “Edge of Fury” was made without “Bruce Lee” in mind, meaning Bruce Li is playing an original character, and not imitating Bruce Lee in any way, shape, or form.
I’ve seen the gist of every Bruce Li movie ever made. Some are great (Iron Dragon Strikes Back, Gold Connection), some are good (Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth), some are average (The Dragon Lives), some are bad (Deadly Strike) and some are so bad, they’re entertaining (Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story). “Edge of Fury” falls somewhere between good and average.
What I do like about “Edge of Fury” is the assortment of goodies it has to offer:
Babes: When you’re watching a Bruce Li movie and you see the name “Dana” pop in the credit sequence, you know you’re in for a slutty treat. Dana slightly resembles porn starlet Nautica Thorn (fellas, don’t act like you don’t know who she is), only much more cuter. Dana also appeared with Bruce Li in “Image of Bruce Lee” and “Bruce Lee in New Guinea.”
As a bonus, we also get the foxy Michelle Mai Suet (aka Michelle Lai), who plays Bruce Li’s girlfriend. Michelle and Dana look so much alike that I didn’t realize they were two different characters until the film’s third act. True story.
Music: Typically, most kung fu films of the 70’s recycle music from popular movies; I’ve heard and recognized it all: James Bond themes, Italian Westerns, disco tunes, etc; As far as I know, “Edge of Fury” has its own unique soundtrack. It’s screechy, rough, and hardcore; Which is very suitable for a movie titled “Edge of Fury.”
Annoying Little Kid: I swear, I’ve seen this little turd before (he looks like the ice cream cone kid in “Way of the Dragon”). You’re going to love to hate him, thanks to his retarded english dubbing. Is it me, or does he and Bruce Li like each other a little too much?
Yasuaki Kurata: You’ve seen this Japanese cat in movies like “The Angry Guest,” “Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars” and “Fist of Legend.” In “Edge of Fury” it’s him vs. Bruce Li, baby.
There’s definitely enough action to go around, which was choreographed by Tommy Lee, who also has a major role as a baddie. I haven’t seen enough of Tommy Lee’s work (as a star or choreographer), but from what I have seen, I don’t see what the big deal is. I remember having a copy of “Chinese Connection II” on VHS, and one of the selling points was “Action Choreographer Tommy Lee,” yet, after viewing it, I was like “and?”.
Carl Jones’ Bruceploitation book “Here Come the Kung Fu Clones,” states the film’s dubbing as “bad, flat and uninteresting…” — I TOTALLY disagree. For a Bruce Li flick, I found the dubbing to be witty, pleasant and sophisticated (minus the little kid’s dubbing of course).
“Edge of Fury” is far from a must see, but for what it is, it’s a passable.
Jeff Bona’s Rating: 6.5/10
