VHS Synopsis: RAGE AND HONOR is the ultimate action adventure film, featuring two of the screen's hottest martial arts performers in CYNTHIA ROTHROCK and RICHARD NORTON. Rothrock, star of numerous hit movies, including 'China O'Brien' and 'No Retreat No Surrender 2', is a five-time undefeated World Karate Champion and a member of the Kung Fu Hall of Fame. Norton is an equally renowned martial arts expert, whose ferocious talents have graced such films as 'Salute Of The Jugger' and 'Fight To Win'. Together, they form an awesome partnership, demonstrating a blinding array of fighting skills in this action-packed monster of a movie. Rothrock plays a tough inner-city teacher determined to protect her students from the lure of the street gangs and their seductive plague of drugs. Norton is an undercover cop who joins forces with her in an explosive battle to chop the city's most vicious drugs baron down to size. RAGE AND HONOR... death or glory!

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Views: Not to be confused with the 1987 Sho Kosugi vehicle Rage Of Honor, this action-thriller sees Australian cop Preston Michaels (Richard Norton) team up with high school teacher Kris Fairchild (Cynthia Rothrock) after witnessing a murder involving some corrupt cops from his precinct, and the city's biggest drug dealers. At the same time, one of Fairchild's students captures the murder on video and soon finds himself chased and hunted down by the cops. Now, framed for the murder, Michaels must go on the run while trying to clear his name with the help of his new friend as they survive fight after fight, and deal with a host of unlikeable characters who are intent on making things even more difficult for them!

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Had this been made in Hong Kong and directed by the likes of Ringo Lam or Corey Yuen Kwai (for example), I reckon Rage And Honor would have been something very special and perhaps a little more highly regarding among martial arts film fans. But alas, it wasn't and was left in the hands of writer and director Terence H. Winkless – which I found to be an interesting choice, and while he had made a small number of movies before this, such as cockroach horror The Nest and little-known comedy Corporate Affairs, his first foray into the world of martial arts action came with Don Wilson's original Bloodfist in 1989. It's clear he had a love for action as the mid-90s saw him become a popular director for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers television show, as well as Beetleborgs and Masked Rider, which secured his place as a television director for many years after. Personally, I wouldn't say he's the most exciting director on the block and very much a by-the-book kind of guy, so I wasn't shocked to see that he didn't return for the sequel – replaced by stuntman Guy Norris in his directorial debut. That said, his work on Rage And Honor provides a pretty tidy production for the most part – albeit for a few silly technical issues such as sightings of boom-mics and crew reflections...

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As well as leading the way, Rothrock and Norton also serve as associate producers. Of course, the pair had been working together for a number of years already after meeting on the set of Sammo Hung's classic Millionaires Express in 1986. The awesome Magic Crystal soon followed, as did Fight To Win, China O'Brien 1 & 2, and Lady Dragon before this project came about. Personally, I don't think they ever did enough together (on-screen), especially during their time in the Hong Kong film industry – although both of them took part in enough kick-ass movies separately to keep us happy. I really enjoyed their pairing in Rage And Honor, with both coming across decent in the acting department and keeping things exciting with the action. Since leaving Hong Kong behind her just a couple of years before with the China O'Brien movies and Prince Of The Sun being her last, Cynthia kicked off her US career with a host of decent titles such as Tiger Claws, Fast Getaway, Martial Law, Karate Cop (Martial Law 2), and Honour & Glory for Godfrey Ho (as well as the low budget but fun Triple Cross and Lady Dragon). Rage And Honor continued that trend along with its sequel, and it's such a shame we didn't get to see a third chapter. Norton, on the other hand, had been flitting back and forth between east and west for some time fitting in the likes of Sword Of The Bushido, Ironheart, and Jackie Chan's City Hunter between the Rage And Honour films. I love seeing both of these guys together on screen and in kicking-ass, and this is probably one of their more mature and better-made western offerings for sure.

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Interestingly enough, the rest of the cast weren't as dreadful as I remembered. Yes, there are the typical early 90s bad guys – over-actors in terrible outfits throwing out the odd cheesy line – but it's certainly not enough to distract from how good the film actually is. While the big baddie, Conrad Drago, is played by Brian Thompson – he doesn't actually get to do too much until the end. Muscles and mullets were clearly the main ingredient for any main villain of late 80s/early 90s martial arts B-movies, something of which Thompson carries well along with the huge square jaw and some decent moves. To be honest, he's actually quite a decent actor (here) and makes the character of Drago interesting enough that made me want to know more about him. Starring in over 100 films and still going, Brian Thompson's first acting role in the film world came about in 1984 when he portrayed a punk in the classic Terminator movie. From there, he popped up in television shows such as Street Hawk and Knight Rider before appearing in Stallone's Cobra, Alien Nation, A.W.O.L. and many more. His right-hand woman and bit-on-the-side is Rita, the wicked woman in red played by Terri Treas, a television actress who would have starred alongside Thompson in Alien Nation. Perhaps the most annoying character is that of Hannah The Hun – a scene-chewing bad-ass who looks like a reject from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and keeps referring to herself as a third person. She is played by Alex Datcher who had only been on the scene for a year, with roles in the Beauty And The Beast television series, and Passenger 57 with Wesley Snipes. From Rage And Honor, Alex went on to star in a host more shows and appeared in films like The Expert with Jeff Speakman. It was also nice to see a few noticeable faces from the martial arts world show up also, such as Toshishiro Obata – Norton's co-star from Sword Of The Bushido and both China O'Brien movies, Kathy Long in her first role before starring with him a few years later in Under The Gun, and small roles from fan favourites Roger Yuan and Peter Cunnigham..

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It's been quite a few years since I last watched Rage And Honor and to be honest, it actually holds up quite well. I would even go as far to say I'd really love someone like 88 Films or 101 Films to do both these films some justice and release them on Blu-ray in full HD and in glorious widescreen. I've often said how much I hate early 90s American B-movies, especially in this genre, but Rage And Honor is perhaps one of the better ones out there. The on-screen pairing of Richard Norton and Cynthia Rothrock came and went far too quickly in my opinion and it's such a shame we didn't get to see more sequels to this series before it ended!

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Overall: One of the best films starring Rothrock and Norton, Rage And Honor is a well-made action thriller well worth a watch!