Talons of the Eagle

Director - Michael Kennedy (Kids in the Hall, The Possession of Michael D)

Starring - Jalal Merhi (Tiger Claws, Fearless Tiger), Billy Blanks (TC 2000, Expect No Mercy), and James Hong (Big Trouble in Little China, Forever Knight)

Release Date - 1992

Genre - Action

Tagline - "When you're fighting crime, killing is a way of life"

Format - Bluray (Personal Collection) 

Rating (out of 5):

     I was starting to think that my Billy Blanks Vinegar Syndrome marathon was going to be a bust after TC 2000 and Expect No Mercy let me down.  I was expecting some cheesy straight to video action with some wild and dated stories with lots of choreographed action.  Sadly the action was not as wild as I expected and the stories were nowhere near as compelling as they could have been.  I was finishing my marathon with 1992's Talons of the Eagle.  This one looked like a generic straight to video action flick with a story that blends crime with action hits like Bloodsport and the like centered around martial arts tournaments.  Regardless, i went into it with an open mind and this one ended up being the best of the three.  

     The film follows two federal agents who are tasked with infiltrating an evil crime bosses organization.  That opportunity arises when they protect him from a would-be assassin sent to take him out from a rival crime boss while competing in a martial arts contest.  Now, the two are among his numbers and have to secure the info needed to bring him down or face being caught and executed.

     Talons of the Eagle is painfully generic and unimaginative but it does fill the void for those of you looking for a direct to video action flicks with lots of kicks and corny dialogue.  It was entertaining and unintentionally funny which is something that often comes hand in hand with films like this.  It's an experience to say the least.  The acting in this one is so fucking cheesy.  Blanks is the biggest ham I've seen in front of the camera and this film is no exception. He delivers some extremely corny one liners and his personality is as flat as a cardboard cutout of himself.  The supporting cast tries to make up for it but they all just fall in place with Blanks for the most part.  The story for this one is organized crime meets martial arts.  This was almost standard with any film centered around martial arts from the late 80s to mid-90s.  I did like the set up to this one but I was disappointed in the lack of likable characters.  They are so cliched and poorly written that if the casting was changed half way through the film you would not have noticed.  Writing the story is just a small part of writing a film.  Finally, the action is fun and works for the film but I would have loved a little more bloody deaths and great practical effects.  Overall, Talons of the Eagle is probably the best action film to star Billy Blanks but that's not saying much.  Honestly, I enjoyed it for what it is and the Vinegar Syndrome release looks great on my shelf.  I highly recommend picking it up.