Watch Force: Five

Force: Five is an action-packed martial arts movie from 1981, directed by Robert Clouse, who also directed Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. The movie stars martial arts legends Joe Lewis, Bong Soo Han, and Sonny Barnes, along with Richard Norton, Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, and Daga Bool. The plot of the movie revolves around a group of mercenaries who are hired to rescue a group of hostages from a powerful drug lord named Mr. Lee. The mercenaries, who call themselves "Force: Five," are led by John Saxon's character, who plays a retired cop named Matt Logan. Together, Force: Five travels to a remote island where Mr. Lee has his hideout and are faced with numerous obstacles.

The first challenge Force: Five faces is a team of four black-clad ninjas who are sent to intercept them as they disembark from their boat. The ensuing fight is intense, with each member of Force: Five displaying their unique fighting style. The ninjas are formidable but eventually overpowered by Force: Five's superior skills.

Force: Five quickly realizes that the island is crawling with Mr. Lee's henchmen, who are all heavily armed and highly trained. As they traverse the island, the team encounters more groups of attackers who give them a fight for their money. But even as they encounter setback after setback, Force: Five soldiers on, determined to complete their mission.

The fighting scenes in this movie are spellbinding, conveying the sheer speed, brutality, and finesse that goes into martial arts combat. Each member of Force: Five has their unique style, which they deploy to devastating effect in the face of their enemies. However, the movie isn't all action and fighting. There are also moments of introspection, where the mercenaries take stock of their lives and motivations.

Bong Soo Han's character, for instance, is a devout Buddhist who is shown meditating and practicing katas amidst the carnage. He is presented as a spiritual warrior who is more interested in enlightenment than material gains. Joe Lewis's character, on the other hand, is a stoic, no-nonsense fighter, who is willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

One notable aspect of this movie is the way it incorporates different martial arts styles into its narrative. While most martial arts movies typically showcase one style, Force: Five features a diverse range of techniques, from taekwondo to kickboxing, to karate. The movie's final fight scene is a showcase of these various styles, with each member of Force: Five taking on an opponent in a thrilling display of physical prowess.

Another interesting aspect of Force: Five is the way it portrays its villain, Mr. Lee. Played by actor James Lew, Mr. Lee is a menacing figure whose motivations are shrouded in mystery. He's the mastermind orchestrating the hostage situation, but the movie doesn't delve too heavily into his backstory. Instead, Mr. Lee functions primarily as a catalyst for Force: Five's mission, driving the plot forward and serving as a formidable adversary for the mercenaries.

Overall, Force: Five is a movie that will satisfy martial arts fans looking for a thrilling, action-packed experience. The movie's blend of different fighting styles, coupled with its talented cast, makes for an engaging and entertaining watch. While the movie's plot may be formulaic, its execution is top-notch, delivering one exciting fight scene after another. Clearly, this is a classic movie that helped to define the martial arts genre in the 1980s.

Force: Five is a 1981 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.