Dynamite Warrior (2006)

During a big boom in farming some villainous criminals decide to sell tractors by stealing all the buffalos that the local farmers use to harvest their crops.  This forces the small farmers who can’t afford tractors out of business and makes the wealthy men even wealthier.  Tossed into this situation is Jone, a mysterious warrior who uses fireworks in his martial arts.  Jone is looking for the buffalo thief with a distinctive tattoo that killed his family when he was a child.  But when he finally catches up with the man he finds a wizard that is impossible to defeat.  That is until he enlists the help of a dark wizard with an axe to grind as well to cast a spell to defeat the killer.  But then the tables are turned on Jone and he discovers that not everything is as simple as he imagined it was. 

Dynamite Warrior is a blast (pun intended)!  The movie jumps right to the action with Jone attacking a group of buffalo merchants with rockets and killer marital arts.  I mean what can you say about a movie that almost immediately treats you to the hero riding into combat on a giant rocket?  The action slows down just enough for the characters, both villains and heroes, to be introduced and set against each other.  And while it is fairly obvious that something is up and the allegiances will change before the end I still found the movie fun, if somewhat predictable.  I was also rather surprised at the amount of humor in the movie.  There are some funny bits about a very hungry bandit and his odd eating habits.  But make no mistake this movie isn’t about character development as much as it is about some entertaining action sequences. 

Lets talk a little about those action sequences.  I’ve noticed that a lot of fans of martial arts movies either prefer a more realistic kind of action or dig the over the top physically impossible almost cartoonish type of action.  Be warned that the action in Dynamite Warrior is of the second type.  You have multiple instances of Jone riding fireworks into battle, using rockets to defeat his enemies, leaping huge distances, and otherwise ignoring gravity!  I guess if you are a purist and want realistic Kung Fu then this movie might bug you.  Personally I was really entertained by the over the top nature of the fight sequences.  They are well choreographed with a quick pace that is engaging without being impossible to follow. 

They are making some killer movies in Thailand and Dynamite Warrior is another of them.  Just to recap the action sequences are fun, the story interesting enough to keep me interested in the characters, and overall I was entertained from start to finish.  Can’t really ask more from a movie then that.  So obviously I recommend Dynamite Warrior.  This movie is available from Magnolia Home Entertainment on a nice double feature with Exiled, which is itself a pretty good movie.  This is a great double feature that is well worth picking up.   

3 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer

© Copyright 2010 John Shatzer