I love cheesy 80s action cinema. But even with my heavy bias, this movie sucked. First off, there isn't a single charismatic character. Brandon Lee lacks anything remotely qualifying as a personality as he dully recites badly written lines. His partner, a father-figure cop who fails to convince anybody of that, spends the entire movie telling cliché' "you can do it" lines. And the two main bad guys are boring as stale turds.They could have saved this movie by cranking up the bad acting--it's worked for countless actors who can't act: Van Damme, Schwarzenegger, Lundgren, etc. But the audience can forgive their lack of Oscar winning performances if they are at the very least memorable. After the credits roll, everyone in Rapid Fire is rapidly forgotten.According to IMDb, John Woo was Brandon's first choice for director. It's truly sad that a potentially awesome movie was butchered into mediocrity by an incompetent director.The fight scenes and shot outs are fairly decent. Don't expect any spectacular stunts or awesomely choreographed battles. Some of the fights were outright disappointing considering they play up Brandon as a martial arts bad ass. The gun play is enjoyable at best.The story was total garbage and Brandon couldn't pull off a single convincing emotion or joke. The dude was a mannequin with six-pack abs. And don't get me started on that godawful love story they tried to shove up our asses at the last second (face palm). With so many awesome 80s movies to watch, take my advice: Look elsewhere.

Disappointing film that is somewhat saved by some excellent action scenes. The shootings, wreck scenes, car chases and other excitement are about the best of what this weak film has to offer.Having survived the uprising in China's square in 1989, Lee is to be honored only to witness a rub-out of someone by a mafia type person dealing in heroin.The film becomes one of who shall be trusted. Cops really aren't cops and this can become confusing at times.Lee is taken in charge of by veteran cop Powers Boothe and the two team up to thwart the drug ring. Of course, when Boothe catches a bullet at the end of the film, Lee rushes in to save him from a raging fire. The film might have been better had they further emphasized the rapport that had been building between the two.

**SPOILERS** Rapid fire and non-stop action with Brandon Lee-the late Buce Lee's #1 son- as art student and martial arts expert Jake Lo. Jake takes on the Chicago crime Syndicate and it's drug suppliers who, as Jake is battling both of them, are at war with each other over how to split the drug profits and who's to get the lion's share of them.Jake's a survivor of the Tienanmen Square massacre back in 1989-when he was a US exchange student in China- where his dad, who worked for the US State Department, ended up getting crushed by a Red Chinese tank. Since then Jake has been suffering from deep guilt feelings in that he wasn't able to save his dad when he really needed saving. Back in L.A while attending a fund raiser for Tienanmen Square victims, like his dad, Jake ends up witnessing out of out town Chicago's mob boss Tony Serrano, Nick Mancuso, murder one of L.A's top drug dealers Carl Chang, Michael Paul Chan. This happened when a defiant Chang refused to cut Serrano in on his very profitable illegal drug business.Serrano determined to keep Jake from talking sends his hit-men to track down and shut up, by putting a bullet in his head, Jake permanently. Put under around the clock federal protection Jake ends up in a Chicago safe-house only to get his cover blown by the very people, the FBI Agent, who were assigned to protect him. As things turned out, when they looked like they were about to turn on him, Jake was rescued by, in fighting the city's police corruption, Chicago Dirty Harry-like cop Det. Mace Ryan, Powers Boothe. It's Ryan who's been trying to get the goods on Serrano for the last ten years and now with Jake's as an eye-witness to him murdering Chang he feels he finally got them or him.***SPOILER ALERT*** The movie "Rapid Fire" takes a sudden U-turn in what later was to be an even more formative hood then Sarrano for Jake & Ryan to tangle with who turned out to be Tommy Tau, Kinman Ta. Tau by having him knocked off ended up taking over Sarrano's city drug operations that he was, back in the Far East, the main supplier of. Both Jake & Ryan together with Chicago lady cop Karla Winters, Kate Hodge, find out just how, with Jake working on the inside, Tau is smuggling his drugs into the city right under the Chicago Police Department and FBI's noses! Tau has them hidden inside the clean and sparkling white sheets that are washed and dry cleaned at his downtown Chicago laundry factory! It's when the bullets, as well as fists and feet, start flying Jake by going solo, with both Ryan and Karla neutralized by Tau's henchmen, ends up putting and end to Tau's drug operations. Jake does that by putting and end, together with his army of hoodlums, to Tau himself in the movies electrifying final sequence! Jake also puts an end to the guilt he's been having over his father's tragic death by preventing-in fate giving him a second chance- the same thing from happening to his friend and what seems like adopted father figure Det. Mace Ryan.

Jake Lo (Brandon Lee) is a college student, who unexpectedly finds himself between in a drug war. When he sees a gangster Antonio Serrano (Nick Mancuso) guns down a corrupted Chinese business (Michael Paul Chan) at a small event. After protecting himself, now Jake is forced to help the FBI (Lead by Raymond J. Barry) to testified against Serrano. But Jake himself betrayed by the FBI, which they are trying to kill him. Since the mob has payed them to kill him. Now a dedicated police detective (Powers Boothe) and his intelligence officer (Kate Hodge) tries to protect him before the Mob and the FBI gets to him. Which Jake has no other choice to bring these drug lords down himself in the process to get his life back.Directed by Dwight H. Little (Halloween 4:The Return of the Michael Myers, Murder at 1600, The Phantom of the Opera "1989") made an extremely typical but entertaining action-thrill ride. It was also amusing to see Lee in a action here, who has an refreshing sense of humour. Which he has plenty of star quality before his breakthrough role on "The Crow". Which sadly it was his last starring role. The cast members seems to be having a great time with this movie. Especially Mancuso is fun to watch as the heavy bad guy. This wasn't quite success in theaters but it's the kind of picture that plays well on video. If you are an fan of action movies, you will find good entertainment here. It's worth seeing. Screenplay by Alan B. McElroy (The Marine, Spawn, Wrong Turn). From a story by Cindy Cirile and McElroy. (*** ½/*****).