Title: Tekken
Directed by: Dwight H. Little
Starring: Jon Foo, Kelly Overton, Tamlyn Tomita and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Running time: 91 Minutes, rated R, available on standard DVD
Based on world renowned fighting video games by Namco, the year is 2039 and the world has been ravaged by world war. Territories are now run by corporations, the largest of which is Tekken. The only event that keeps public morale going is watching the Iron Fist tournaments. When Jin Kazama’s mother is murdered, Jin volunteers in the tournament and is set to take vengeance upon the Tekken leader Heihachi Mishima whom he knows was involved. He discovers his mother was once a Tekken fighter and his legacy as a fighter goes deeper than he had imagined.
I’ve played a few Tekken games, but I wouldn’t call myself an avid fan. One thing I’ve noticed that video game adaptations miss when they bring to the screen is story; that didn’t happen here. The action was showcased for sure, but there was a simple yet engaging story to go alongside the fighting. The choreography was great, with believable stunts and injuries. Sometimes when I watch an action flick, I find myself yelling at the screen “that couldn’t happen!” I was very surprised as well as pleased to find out that Chuck Norris’ son Eric Norris was the stunt coordinator.
The acting by all was over the top at times, but because it was based on a video game where the characters are fairly melodramatic, I was willing to forgive. Action films are like porn, nobody really watches them for the acting anyway. For the most part, Jon Foo and Kelly Overton had good chemistry on screen, and their acting was adequate. However, one scene I found myself saying “that couldn’t happen” when it involved a cattle prod-like object to the stomach and they didn’t puke; nobody’s that tough.
The DVD extras only included the theatrical trailer, but also a really great 50-minute behind the scenes look at the extensive fight scenes and what the actors and stuntmen had to endure in order to accomplish them. Of one thing I’m certain, fight choreographer Cyril Raffaelli is a sadistic badass.
Total rating: B
Reviewed by JM Willis
