Ring of Fire (1991)

L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.

Directors:

Richard W. Munchkin, Rick Jacobson

Writers:

Jake Jacobs, Richard W. Munchkin

Stars:

Don Wilson, Maria Ford, Vince Murdocco

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Wilson	...	Johnny Woo (as Don 'The Dragon' Wilson)
Maria Ford	...	Julie
Vince Murdocco	...	Chuck
Dale Jacoby	...	Brad
Steven Vincent Leigh	...	Terry Woo
Michael DeLano	...	Lopez (as Michael Delano)
Eric Lee	...	Kwong
Jane Chung	...	Aunt Mei
Shirley Spiegler Jacobs	...	Grandmother
Marta Merrifield	...	Wendy
Gary Daniels	...	Bud
Shaun Shimoda	...	Cho
Ron Yuan	...	Li
Lisa Saxton	...	Linda
Diana Phipps	...	Nurse

Storyline

L.A.'s Chinatown is disrupted by the cross-town rivalry between two kickboxing clubs, as the competitive sport is catapulted from the ring of a gymnasium to a ring of fire.

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | ring of fire | kickboxing | karate | roundhouse kick | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for kickboxing violence and sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 December 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ringue de Fogo

Filming Locations:

950 Mei Ling Way, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

PM Entertainment Group

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Stereo DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was one of a three picture deal with PM Entertainment originally intended for Loren Avedon who turned it down looking for something bigger and Don Wilson signed on instead. The two other movies were _Out for Blood (1992)_ and Cyber Tracker (1994). Avedon later said that he regretted his decision.

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Alternate Versions

UK video versions were cut by 19 secs to remove nunchaku footage and head butts during a fight scene. The Prism DVD features the same cut print.

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Connections

Followed by Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel (1993)

User Reviews

Don Wilson IS Johnny Cash

There's racial tension on the streets and what can build those bridges? Lengthy talks? Kickboxing? How about accidentally stabbing an innocent bystander? That seems to work, but it takes a long time to get there.

Don "Draygo's guilt" Wilson is Johnny (Cash), an ex-kickboxer from the streets who is now a doctor patching up kickboxers at his local hospital. Seems like tension arising amongst the Chinese kickboxers and a bunch of white kickboxers who can't seem to tell the different between Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese folk. One of the white guys is played by Gary Daniels, who does his patented 'doing the splits' thing, only this time he does it at a forty-five degree angle! The other two white guys of note are Chuck and Brad. Now Chuck is going out with Brad's sister but after a change meeting at a Chinese restaurant Brad's sister now has the hots for Johnny, and vice versa, and this is where the film spends a lot of time being a romance instead of a kick arse nineties martial arse movie. Do I need to point out that these guys are racialists and aren't happy that Brad's sister is hanging around with a Japanese Chinese Vietnamese guy? More tensions arise when Tommy, Johnny's cousin, is all set up to fight Brad and Johnny says the best way to get Brad to back off is to make the fight as dangerous as possible by using gloves with glass on them. How do you think that turned out for Tommy? Couldn't you have just called the police there Johnny? This all heads towards a showdown at the end but I signed up to see Don "The Don" Wilson knock folk out with his feet. Too much romance, not enough fighting – the sequel is much better by the way.

Mad props however for this being the only film I've seen where a Chinese guy pees on Gary Daniel's head – I bet Jackie Chan wishes he thought of putting that in City Hunter!