"Blind Fury" is a solidly entertaining film certain to please action fans, as it attempted to do an American version of a Japanese Zatoichi film.
Rutger Hauer is fantastic as Nick Parker, an average Joe nice guy blinded during his tour in Vietnam. He comes to Miami to look up his old comrade Frank Deveraux (Terry O'Quinn), only to have to deal with a variety of goons. It seems that Frank, a compulsive gambler, has gotten himself into a lot of trouble, and is now being forced by corrupt casino boss MacCready (Noble Willingham) to create designer drugs. So, in order to ensure Franks' cooperation, MacCready has dispatched a ton of goons to snatch Franks' young son Billy (Brandon Call) and then try to dispatch the blind swordsman in their way. Fortunately, Nick proves up to the challenge.
He's not superhuman, but his instincts are good and his skills undeniable. He's also a pretty engaging guy who never takes himself too seriously; the viewer can hardly fail to notice that this film has a real sense of humour about itself.
The action scenes are top notch. One is interestingly staged in a cornfield and the finale is great fun as it sees Nick do battle with an assassin played by martial arts legend Sho Kosugi, whose appearance is brief but welcome.
The excellent cast also includes Meg Foster as Franks' ex-wife (she'd played enough blind roles herself during her career that it's a nice gag to have her play a sighted person here), Lisa Blount as Franks' new lady friend, the always amusing Randall "Tex" Cobb as a towering heavy whose gruesome demise is a hilarious highlight, and Nick Cassavetes and comedian Rick Overton as the comedy relief henchmen Lyle and Tector.
Director Phillip Noyces' direction is efficient, and the pacing is superb, with the running time coming in at a very reasonable 87 minutes. One problem, though, is that the confrontation with the bad guys is just too rushed, and we never actually see what happens to one of them.
Still, this is an agreeable diversion that does satisfy, keeping up a steady body count, and coming up with some entertaining violent gags, but never getting particularly bloody. Hauers' presence kicks it up another point.
Eight out of 10.
Rutger Hauer is fantastic as Nick Parker, an average Joe nice guy blinded during his tour in Vietnam. He comes to Miami to look up his old comrade Frank Deveraux (Terry O'Quinn), only to have to deal with a variety of goons. It seems that Frank, a compulsive gambler, has gotten himself into a lot of trouble, and is now being forced by corrupt casino boss MacCready (Noble Willingham) to create designer drugs. So, in order to ensure Franks' cooperation, MacCready has dispatched a ton of goons to snatch Franks' young son Billy (Brandon Call) and then try to dispatch the blind swordsman in their way. Fortunately, Nick proves up to the challenge.
He's not superhuman, but his instincts are good and his skills undeniable. He's also a pretty engaging guy who never takes himself too seriously; the viewer can hardly fail to notice that this film has a real sense of humour about itself.
The action scenes are top notch. One is interestingly staged in a cornfield and the finale is great fun as it sees Nick do battle with an assassin played by martial arts legend Sho Kosugi, whose appearance is brief but welcome.
The excellent cast also includes Meg Foster as Franks' ex-wife (she'd played enough blind roles herself during her career that it's a nice gag to have her play a sighted person here), Lisa Blount as Franks' new lady friend, the always amusing Randall "Tex" Cobb as a towering heavy whose gruesome demise is a hilarious highlight, and Nick Cassavetes and comedian Rick Overton as the comedy relief henchmen Lyle and Tector.
Director Phillip Noyces' direction is efficient, and the pacing is superb, with the running time coming in at a very reasonable 87 minutes. One problem, though, is that the confrontation with the bad guys is just too rushed, and we never actually see what happens to one of them.
Still, this is an agreeable diversion that does satisfy, keeping up a steady body count, and coming up with some entertaining violent gags, but never getting particularly bloody. Hauers' presence kicks it up another point.
Eight out of 10.