I wasn't impressed by the first 'Ring Of Fire' as it went thru the barrel of story cliches, low level martial arts. However I've always been a fan of giving credit where credit is due and the follow-up 'Blood and Steel' up's the ante a little. Some legitimate cool explosions, returning faces and a few new ones. If you delight in cheesy beat 'em ups there's pieces to enjoy, but quality does drop off in a real way.
Doctor Johnny Woo (Don "The Dragon" Wilson) and his girlfriend Julie (Maria Ford) are at a jewelry store when a gang of masked thugs start robbing it. Woo leaps into action when Julie gets shot, taking down one of the goons as the rest escape. As she lays in the hospital recovering the gang and leader Kalin (Ian Jacklin) show up to retrieve the member who turns out to be his brother. Fighting them off, Johnny accidently makes the wounded member take a bullet to the head, Kalin swears vengeance, takes Julie hostage where the gang resides underground and men fight to the death in a ring.
With a recap like that, I don't have to spell out the big hunk of cheese that it is. Though it's notable how this pic (and ones like it) had to trim the fat and deliver action beats quick & steadily to it's core audience. Early on and for the finale this supplies those cool explosions I talked about. Like for real ... the pyro guy had a field day. Unfortunately when it retreats to underground the fisticuffs are generic, not shot very well and largely become a bore. Simple villains plus some downright weird ideas injected here. Through dark halls, basements you watch as Woo dispatches goofy dressed thugs then his trailing ragtag group of pals do the same.
Michael DeLano returns as Lopez (detective from the first) but is much less the a-hole. As do Vince Murdocco, Dale Jacoby who were enemies but now friends of Johnny. Ditto Eric Lee, Ron Yuan. Honestly the cast is the best part. Sy Richardson (Repo Man) gets a role as a new ally while Gerald Okamura (Sidaris regular), Evan Lurie (no stranger to martial arts flicks) do baddies. Models, T&A names Ashlie Rhey, Carrie Westcott but shockingly none of the ladies here supply any nudity.
'Ring of Fire II: Blood and Steel' is pretty much in the same realm as the original barring minor improvements. Fans of Wilson or PM fare might want to check it out, but it's nothing to get excited about. They'd follow up with another sequel a year later 'Lion Strike' to complete the trilogy (of sorts) about a doc who always saves the day.
