Overall, "Eye of the Tiger" basically gets by thanks to its cast. It's a pretty routine revenge saga of one good man (here played by Gary Busey) going up against forces of evil who institute a reign of terror in his peaceable small town. The antagonists in question are a lethal biker gang who of course aren't happy when Buck Matthews (Busey) intervenes when they attempt to rape a nurse (Kimberlin Brown). So they retaliate by invading Bucks' house and murdering his wife (Denise Galik), traumatizing Bucks' young daughter Jennifer (Judith Barsi) in the process. Fed up with an ineffectual jerk sheriff (Seymour Cassel) who's out to get *him*, Buck takes the fight to the bikers, but at least he won't be completely alone: his good friend J.B. Deveraux (Yaphet Kotto) joins him, albeit reluctantly.
Taking its name from the famous Survivor song popularized by its use in "Rocky III", it's very nicely shot (by Peter Lyons Collister), who creates some great visuals using the headlights on the bikers' motorcycles. Its small town atmosphere is enjoyable; it was filmed on location in Valencia, California. The stunts are good, Buck is equipped with a badass truck, and there's plenty of explosions to ensure the audience remains interested. There's also a real mean streak here that gives the movie some much needed edge. For one thing, the bikers dig up the wife's coffin and parade it in front of Bucks' home. For another, Buck displays some ingenious ruthlessness, sticking a lit stick of dynamite up a bikers' ass to get him to spill information.
The acting and directing talent involved guarantees some curiosity value. Richard Sarafian of "Vanishing Point" fame guides a cast including the spirited Busey and such consistently solid performers as Kotto, Cassel, and Bert Remsen. It's also hard to resist any movie with the almighty William Smith in a bad guy role, and he's perfectly cast as Blade, the leader of the gang. The final fight between him and Busey is worth waiting for.
Despite its predictable nature, this is a watchable B movie. For some viewers, it may not matter that it's not inspired stuff. Sometimes formulaic action fare is all you want, and that's what "Eye of the Tiger" delivers. Fortunately, at the very least it's never boring.
Seven out of 10.
Taking its name from the famous Survivor song popularized by its use in "Rocky III", it's very nicely shot (by Peter Lyons Collister), who creates some great visuals using the headlights on the bikers' motorcycles. Its small town atmosphere is enjoyable; it was filmed on location in Valencia, California. The stunts are good, Buck is equipped with a badass truck, and there's plenty of explosions to ensure the audience remains interested. There's also a real mean streak here that gives the movie some much needed edge. For one thing, the bikers dig up the wife's coffin and parade it in front of Bucks' home. For another, Buck displays some ingenious ruthlessness, sticking a lit stick of dynamite up a bikers' ass to get him to spill information.
The acting and directing talent involved guarantees some curiosity value. Richard Sarafian of "Vanishing Point" fame guides a cast including the spirited Busey and such consistently solid performers as Kotto, Cassel, and Bert Remsen. It's also hard to resist any movie with the almighty William Smith in a bad guy role, and he's perfectly cast as Blade, the leader of the gang. The final fight between him and Busey is worth waiting for.
Despite its predictable nature, this is a watchable B movie. For some viewers, it may not matter that it's not inspired stuff. Sometimes formulaic action fare is all you want, and that's what "Eye of the Tiger" delivers. Fortunately, at the very least it's never boring.
Seven out of 10.