After watching in horror as her young son is shot and killed in an ambush by a Yakuza hit-man upon a leader of the Italian mafia, a woman named "Gina Hayes" (Virginia Madsen) sets out to track down and kill all of those responsible. To that end, after buying a gun she subsequently hires on as a waitress at a nightclub frequented by members of that specific Japanese organization. In the meantime, however, the battle between the two rival groups becomes even more heated and this creates great difficulty for everyone involved. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this initially appeared to be a polished Hollywood production which had a good cast and definitely showed some promise. Unfortunately, like so many films made during this day and age, there was a lack of realism which strained its credibility to a certain degree. Additionally, the chemistry between Virginia Madsen and Toru Nakamura (as the Yakuza assassin by the name of "Seiji") was rather tepid as well. Having said that, however, I don't believe that this was necessarily a bad film by any means and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Searing, passionate and stylish revenge thriller that rises above its b- grade formula due to its well-written character dramas lead by a powerful performance from Virginia Madsen. Its her character's fierce determination of a mother that drives it, especially in her commitment as she gets the tattoo of the avenging red tiger on her back. Madsen really takes it upon herself to portray a damaged individual who's desire for revenge sees her character entering the dangerous underworld of the Japanese mafia seeking the identity of the killer of her son who was caught in the crossfire during an Yakuza hit. The only clue driving her was the glimpse of a tattoo of a blue tiger across the killer's chest. Fearsome action with heated drama and cold straight-faced villains… no surprises with the intrigue, but its well-made and there's perfect support parts led by Harry Dean Stanton.

After her son is shot and killed in a Yakuza hit, Virginia Madsen goes after the killers, using an ancient Japanese myth about dragon tattoos to plot her revenge. Unlike another female assassin film, "Ms. 45", the plot here is not straightforward, and is somewhat unpredictable. The movie is well photographed, and has an outstanding rhythmic soundtrack, that reminds me of the work of Philip Glass. There is plenty of violence, and things progress at an acceptable pace. It should be noted that Harry Dean Stanton has a very limited part as a tattoo artist. As female revenge thrillers go, "Blue Tiger" ranks with with the best of them. Recommended viewing. - MERK

"Blue Tiger" is a rare example of ambition almost overcoming budget, almost. The film tells the story of a young single mother who loses her 5 year old son when he is hit by a stray bullet in an attempt on a crime-lord's life by a Yakuza hit-man and her obsessive descent into the American Yakkuza underworld in search of her son's killer. The story which is rather original and urgent, is told in a straightforward manner, with some moments of stylish direction by Norberto Barba and cinematographer Christopher Walling who manage to give the film a much more lush look than would be expected from such a low-budget effort. But what truly sets this film apart are the combination of the stylish production and the energetic performances of the cast headed by the ever admirable Virginia Madsen who gives a touching and mesmerizing performance as the revenge-bent mother. Despite a mostly mediocre (and sometimes annoying) musical score, a first half that suffers from overly choppy editing that doesn't allow the first act enough time to breathe and develop properly and some misjudged moments of melodrama, this is one of those forgotten, ambitious B-movies that deserve a second chance for its sheer energy and ambition to transcend its humble origins.