Firecracker

Perfect boobs, perfect skills.

a long time ago, I reviewed a 1974 blaxploitation classic known as TNT Jackson. Such film was produced by the legendary Roger Corman, and it just so happens today's review will be about the 1981 remake of the blaxploitation martial arts cult classic.ironically, the remake was once again produced by Mr. Roger Corman, so, enter Firecracker, AKA NAked Fist. 

One can tell by a few major set pieces that this is more than just your garden variety exploitation; veteran director Cirio H. Santiago definitely cooks with gas here. Having co- written the screenplay with actor Ken Metcalfe, he makes this a continuously snappy affair. The movie isn't wall to wall action, but there's still quite enough of it, as we get treated to many fine fight scenes that start almost right away. The feisty and fetching Jillian Kesner, may she rest in peace, is a delight to watch as she plays a karate champion & instructor, newly arrived in the Philippines, hellbent on finding out what happened to her missing sister. This makes "Firecracker" sound like something of a rehash of Santiago's "T.N.T. Jackson", where the plot was very similar, but "Firecracker" is even better, a fast paced, furious, bloody thrill ride highlighted by a shoot out staged in a striking location, a love making scene that is prefaced by the male CUTTING the clothes off of his partner (sex and violence are mingled in a memorable manner here), and the one scene that us fans of this movie will always have first and foremost in our minds, as Susanne Carter (Kesner) is pursued by two would be hit men and ways are constantly contrived to remove her clothing, until she's nearly nude (and showing off one extremely fine body) yet still very capable of defending herself. 

Female underwear: Ideal for karate fighting.

Shit! I was fingerin' my pussy & now these thugs make my day.

Early Fatalities.

The supporting cast contains a few familiar faces that are very welcome to B movie lovers: Darby Hinton ("Without Warning", "Malibu Express") as male lead Chuck Donner, the understandably ubiquitous Vic Diaz as Grip, Metcalfe himself as crime boss Erik, and Chanda Romero ("The Last Reunion") as undercover cop Malow.

The plot in this kind of films, is usually weak, and it barely gives us enough substance to believe our eyes & ears, and since Firecracker is a new take on the original TNT Jackson the story is nothing new as it is about a female looking for revenge, although there are some minor updates as the lead role is a karate champion who has to travel abroad (to the Phillipines) to investigate her sister's disappearance and suddenly stumbles on a drug ring and a tournament of no-holds-barred fights to the death!

I'll kick your ass before I swallow your cum!

Perfect vintage tits.

I need no clothes to kick your ass.

The film is mainly a showcase for the beautiful, athletic, voluptuous woman and convincing, tough fighter Jillian Kesner - and I have no complaints there: she has about 10 fight scenes in this movie, the first one of which occurs after only 2 minutes! The production is very cheap, but the fight choreography is actually quite good - not exactly on the level of early Jackie Chan but certainly vastly preferable to the heavily wired, computer-enhanced crap that so often passes for martial arts today. The long scene in which Kesner ends up topless as she tries to fight off two attackers is not just exploitation, but almost a statement: here is this undressed, unarmed, completely feminine woman and these two men can't touch her, can't even go near her without getting hurt. I'm surprised this B-movie mini-classic is so little known today.  

I deserve a facial after all the fights.

Oh, my tits are so hot!

Thanks for cumming sugar!

Overall, a little slicker than your typical potboiler, "Firecracker" is exciting and enticing stuff, and the viewer can groove along to the funky electronic score courtesy of Nonong Buencamino. The movie always makes sure to get right to the point, and deliver what fans of the genre want, and it deserves respect in that regard - and once it's over, it's OVER. It's 78 straight minutes of no-fooling-around fun. Eight out of 10. 

Here's the movie trailer: