Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film

ThrillMessage There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Matho The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

OllieSuave-007 This is a perfect little action flick starring Jeff Speakman as a young delinquent Jeff Sanders, who was enrolled in a kenpo school. Years later, Jeff would put his kenpo moves into good use as he takes on a mafia gang to avenge his mentor's death. Caught in the mix is his detective brother, played by Touched by an Angel actor John Dye.This is a fast-paced movie with a simple, but compelling revenge plot, with plenty of martial arts and gun-totting action. The acting was actually not too bad and the choreography was cleverly done. I particularly enjoyed seeing John Dye in an out-of-character role as the no-nonsense, gun-totting detective, versus his more tender and heavenly role in Touched by an Angel and fatherly roles in later made-for-TV movies.Overall, it is not a bad action flick. You'll have a pretty good time watching it.Grade B

Scott LeBrun The first starring vehicle for martial artist Jeff Speakman is overall a very routine affair, utilizing a tried-and-true theme of vengeance for its story. The good thing is that the action is effective, with Speakman delivering the goods in a great many fight scenes. He may be a little bland in terms of personality and acting talent, but as we can see here he is definitely very good at what is known as Kenpo. (The movie is dedicated to the legendary Ed Parker and the "spirit of Kenpo".) Director Mark DiSalle ("Kickboxer") does a decent job, telling a tight little story that clocks in at a respectable 85 minute run time. A supporting cast full of familiar faces also helps matters a lot.Speakman plays a guy named Jeff, a loner estranged from his family who decides to give his old mentor and friend Kim (Mako) a call. Unfortunately, Kim is currently being harassed by meanies representing the Korean mob. When Kim is murdered, Jeff's ripe for revenge, although he will have to deal with the presence of his younger brother Adam (John Dye), who's now a police detective.You do know you're in for some fun with a group of actors that includes James Hong, Beau Starr, Professor Toru Tanaka, Clyde Kusatsu, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Hong is great as always and the massive Professor, one of the most recognizable faces in the whole action genre, is typically amusing as a muscle man. Dante Basco is engaging as live wire kid Jimmy Ho, but if you're watching this because you learned that future 'Law & Order' actress Mariska Hargitay is in it, be warned that while she does *look* great, she basically has nothing to do. Mako is endearing for the duration of his role.The big finish is naturally the best part, with Jeff going one on one against the Professor.Good entertainment overall.Seven out of 10.

gwnightscream Jeff Speakman, John Dye, Mako, Toru "Professor" Tanaka and James Hong star in this 1991 action film. Jeff Sanders (Speakman) is a martial artist/drifter who returns home to visit his long-time family friend and mentor, Kim (Mako). He learns that Kim is threatened daily by the Korean mafia and is soon murdered by the syndicate's right-hand assassin, Tanaka (Tanaka). Jeff seeks revenge reuniting with his brother, Adam (Dye) who's a cop to catch Kim's killer and find the man responsible. Jeff soon meets Yung (Hong) who claims to be a friend of Kim, but is really the man who ordered his death. Jeff must choose between abiding by the law or his own code of honor when facing both men in a final showdown. I've always liked this film and Speakman is good in it. I recommend this good action flick.

Mike Helfield (Invictus) Jeff Speakman's performance in "The Perfect Weapon" is awesome. This plot is able to magnificently interweave furious action sequences with the literary theme of the return home. While the plot differs markedly from that of "The Odyssey" by the epic bard Homer, there is still one vital thread that can be explored: both heroes return home after a long exile to kick ass and reclaim their positions in society. The ensuing list of possible contrasts and comparisons is exhausting if not infinite. However, if one is to understand one point, it is that in both works, martial arts are employed to signify the process of social transition; the re-integration of the hero into society. To be a little less formal, let use the martial arts aspect as a segue into a nifty little observation. Jeff Speakman is a reasonably well known proponent of Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate, developed in U.S. during the 1940s and 1950s. "The Perfect Weapon" is an excellent primer on the power and wisdom of this art. The clearest example of this exposition is at Master Lo's Kenpo school, where Speakman learns both the skills and valuable lesson he will keep with him for the rest of his life; the most important being the difference between the tiger and the dragon. Yet, the movie is set in Koreatown, where Tae Kwon Do is the martial art du jour. The korean flags are prominent in the gym scene, and the references to Korean culture abound. There appears then, to be a subtle not so subtle match up between Kenpo Karate and Tae Kwon Do. The climax of this tension comes as Speakman confronts Leo Lee (Bandana) in the gym, looking for a guy who is 'good in Tae Kwon Do.' Does the ensuing three on one fight symbolize the clash of fighting styles? No one will ever know what Ed Parker or Mark DiSalle wanted to achieve here, but the contrast is too present to be simply a coincidence. Alas, all reviews must end somewhere, and though I have much more to say, I will end my two cents with a small criticism of the action in the film. Anyone with a decent amount of martial arts experience will note that in the final warehouse scene, the knife attacks are undoubtedly more akin to training exercises than to real street techniques, but then again that may have been purposely done. It is also worth noting that this author has minimal training in Kajukenbo (an art based on Kenpo) and is far from an expert in the field. The one thing that I can say with reasonable auctoritas is that this movie is electric from start to finish.