Rapid Fire hurts more because of what might have been. As a film it would have remained a dated genre piece from the early 90s were it not for the undoubted appeal and ability of Brandon Lee – son of Bruce and tragic victim of an onset stunt gone wrong that ended his life during the making of The Crow.
Lee has all the tools, though Rapid Fire doesn’t utilise them fully. He is charismatic, handsome, charming, athletic and boasting undoubted martial arts prowess (not to his Dad’s level but c’monnnn).
In Rapid Fire Lee is Jake Lo, a nice young college student who just wants to mind his own business, something that proves difficult as he is the son of a Tianamen Square massacre victim, and therefore a sought after asset for those who would use him for political gain.
Jake will have no part of it, choosing to keep to himself and stay near friends and cute girls, that is until he is the unwitting witness to a gangland murder.
Now, Jake must stay alive for long enough to testify when it seems all around are conspiring to betray him. When witness protection proves a misnomer in breathtakingly quick fashion and Jake’s trust being thrown back in his face more than once, he begrudgingly sides with grizzled veteran cop Mace (Powers Boothe) and the shapely Karla, who he inevitably shares a bow-chicka-bow-bow scene with later on.
As the crooked cops and bad guys from two rival groups all close in, Lo has little choice but to trust only himself, and his mad martial arts skills.
Rapid Fire is only really notable for a couple moments, all highlighting Lee’s athleticism and all contained in the trailer, which as I recall was everywhere in the early 90s when the industry was proclaiming Lee as the ‘Next Big Thing’ in action.
This never eventuated with his untimely death, but I have no doubt would have come to pass. Rapid Fire isn’t sure fire proof of this, but the hints are there and are obvious enough to suggest much more would eventually come.
Final Rating – 6.5 / 10. The Crow will always be Lee’s signature role, but Rapid Fire is the one that martial arts’ fans look back upon with regret.
