Touches You

Simply Perfect

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Entertaining enough movie about a cop turned vigilante. (Drummed off the force as a fall guy in a scandal--Detective Blade--yes that his name--roams the streets taking out the gangs and keeping the peace in the neighborhood his own personal way) (Literally he drives around the town in a giant van which the local street kids recognize--at one point these two guys get the none too bright idea to try and break into it, and the other guy goes "Hold It--That's Blade's Car!!!!") A ridiculously young John Leguizamo is here as a wannabe shot caller/kingpin who hooks up with a group of out of work militia types to try and waste his various enemies so he can control the gangs and criminal activity of the area, but of course he's not very well aware that the leader of the militia he's working with is going to cede any actual power to him. (It doesn't help that he looks like he's about 12, that's how young Leguizamo looks here!) Anyways the plot is ehh--the plot doesn't really matter....you mostly watch a movie like this for the strength of the persona of the lead--and Steve James is awesome as Blade here. I actually feel bad that the man didn't get more (or any) recognition during his life (James died at the tail end of '93 according to imdb--weirdly one of his last movies was Weekend at Bernie's 2 where he played one of the two Jamaican guys tasked with resurrecting Bernie from the dead which is--I genuinely love Weekend at Bernie's 2 but that might not have been the best role to go out on for the man) Anyways he is just awesomely charismatic here, and you can't help but wish he had been given more chances to play the leading man in a whole bunch of B movies. He could've had an awesome career as a B movie hero, (I mean outside of his various sidekick roles in the American Ninja series of course) and well just based on his work here he would've 100% deserved it as he totally makes the movie watchable.

Street Hunter is like a kind of Punisher meets Lone Wolf McQuade...the classic renegade / loner cop (in this case a bounty hunter), bearing a grudge and with a point to prove...well maybe not. Logan Blade, whilst having resigned from the force, kept his dignity and remained level headed enough to single handedly (with the help of a Doberman, called 'Munch') take out all the garbage in New York City.The story whilst filled with all the clichés is a bit mindless but as the film goes on it does become entertaining. First of all there is a bunch of what appear to high school aged gangsters popping off rivals left right and center. The gang is lead by a very young John Leguizamo, (who overacts the part so badly it is hilarious),and a lunatic called the colonel, who seems to spend most of his spare time studying wars - more on that guy in a moment.Some of the films most entertaining parts include the fight scenes, involving Logan, his adversary Wellman. Logan's relationship with his lady is a funny one - she is put through the mill, all in a nights work. The bad guys are all stereotypical New York trash. The acting is at times diabolical.Frank Vincent is an interesting casting as a mob boss in this film and although he does not have too many scenes it is a good part in the film when the colonel and his unit storm his restaurant.As the film goes on, the Colonel is in a lot more scenes and actually takes over the gang lead by Leguizamo. From that point, he recites past wars and battles - educating his 'flock' in the process on things like Alexander The Great, Napolean and the Trojan Horse. He does not stand for failure or insubordination and follows it up with a pithy one liner. During his fight with Logan he is even reciting past victories whilst wrestling on the floor. Its pretty funny really, so fair play to the writers.Only disappointing part of the film for me was the colonel did not get a big send off during the Logan fight. You sense it is gonna happen but it doesn't.The script and look of the movie could easily have been adapted from a comic book and I would place it with the likes of The Shadow, Punisher and so on in terms of entertainment.

The great Steve James is a bounty hunter/detective in a low budget and often surreal film where he battles a young John Leguizamo as wimpy drug dealer who hires psycho Reb Brown and his band of mercenaries to be his muscle in an attempt to take over the criminal under world. James was an under rated actor who really should have achieved super stardom thanks to a winning personality and the ability to making acting look easy no matter who he was matched against. Here he's his stalwart self walking through his role with ease and charm that makes it all okay. Leguizamo is laughably awful in an early role for him. He is so not a match for James that the meetings are comedic and played as such. The need to take his villainy seriously requires the addition of Reb Brown who gives a merely adequate and one note performance as the head of the mercenaries. Thankfully Brown is a match for James in the action department and it makes for some good action sequences. The film as a whole is okay. Its perfect example of a late 1980's exploitation (even though it was released in 1990). It's undemanding and a perfect popcorn film.

An untitillating tale of murder, drugs...and shootings. "Street Hunter" is inept, mundane, and gauche. Pointless at times, this film also contains plenty of violence. Street Hunter" has a flashy musical score though...Logan Blade (the late Steve James) is an ex-cop who battles over-stereotypical gangsters. Blade predictably becomes inured prey for the street gangs once he witnesses an act of deception and violence. After the son of a powerful Mafioso gang is eliminated in a shoot-out, the Mafioso leader hires Logan Blade to track down and nail the killers. Blade is pressed against time for he has only 24 hours to complete his mission...Logan Blade has just waged war on both sides of the gang wars, and a bloodbath is soon to ensue...Blade must match his wits and fists with the crazed, philosophical Colonel Walsh (Reb Brown). Walsh happens to be a Vietnam Veteran with a predilection for murder. Comedian and future star John Leguizamo ("The Pest", "Super Mario Brothers") is Angel, the sardonic underling of nemesis Reb Brown ("Space Mutiny", "Robowar"). Angel adds substance to this film as an often amusing, always idiotic side-kick for Colonel Walsh. John Leguizamo's performance as Angel is the only standout and is the pure, sole reason to watch this otherwise incoherent, opague obscurity.Still, in spite of a fine performance by Leguizamo, Street Hunter" remains a miserable movie that does not guarantee any thrills. In fact, there is not a modicum of excitement in this movie. Not much of a plot, no discernible theme, and not even enough action! Performances are unfortunately inconsequential because they fail to enliven a dreary plot."Street Hunter" is a destitute thriller that tries to make up for a bereft of plot and logic with inept philosophies on how people throw their lives away and such. However, the vigilante-on-the-rampage film has been done so many times, already; this theme after experiencing it hundreds of times becomes simply erratic. Nobody can commiserate with the characters, and much of the violence is repellent.Street Hunter" gives new meaning to the phrases "anemic" and "pro forma." This film fails to even warrant as a "so bad, it's enjoyable" junk. The action is poorly choreographed, the acting is unacceptable (except for Leguizamo's show-stealing performance), and the pace of this film is dreadful. With no originality, thrills, or suspense, "Street Hunter" is simply just a snoozer...RATING: NO STARS out of ****.