Ka Leo O Hawaii

Issue date: 1/17/08 Section: Mixed Plate

Media Credit: Courtesy of www.cinemotion.net Donnie Yen's vision of mixed martial arts fight scenes in kung fu movies is captured in 2007's "Flash Point."

As a long-time fan of martial arts cinema, I've longed for kung fu movies to incorporate mixed martial arts-styled fighting into movies. Only recently, with the cheesy yet entertaining "Undisputed 2" and the mesmerizing "S.P.L.," has this been established in this genre of film. Awaiting the release of David Mamet's "Redbelt," I came upon another film by the team behind "S.P.L."

"Flash Point" adheres to Donnie Yen's promise of further embedding mixed martial arts into kung fu movies. Where "S.P.L." made full use of mixed martial arts in only one fight, the style is used in every fight in "Flash Point."

"Flash Point" revolves around Police Inspector Ma (Yen) and his undercover buddy Wilson (Louis Koo), who is slowly on the path to being exposed to a trio of Vietnamese brothers who run the gang to support their senile mother. When Wilson is found out, Ma is sent on a rampage, dismissing the demands of his stereotypical superiors. The story doesn't have a chance alongside sparse fight scenes and a 90-minute time-slot.

Chou isn't as menacing as Sammo Hung was in Yen and Yip's "S.P.L.," but he does get a longer, more realistic fight that was a nice return to practical application after the preposterous "Dragon Tiger Gate." Most who buy this DVD will find themselves skipping to the last chapter, where Yen and Chou collide hand-to-hand after a gunfight. The fight may be worth $20, but it's better to just watch it religiously on YouTube.

"Flash Point" is a pretty straightforward action movie that is hindered only by its plot. It's not as focused as "S.P.L.," but still quite entertaining. My only regret is that Yen and Yip have not yet exaggerated a body count and continue to humanize villains that are probably better off being terrible people.

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