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Cast:
Phillip
Rhee
Gina
Gershon
Christopher
McDonald
Mark
Rolston
Peter
Simmons
Dee
Wallace Stone
Action:
Simon
Rhee
Writer:
Barry
Gray
Deborah
Scott
Producer:
Peter
E. Strauss
Phillip
Rhee
Director:
Phillip
Rhee
Score:
  
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BEST
OF THE BEST 3: NO TURNING BACK
AKA:
Best Of The Best III: No Turning Back
Year:
1995 Reviewer: Phil
Mills
When
Tommy Lee (Rhee) visits his sister in a small town in
America's heartland, he discovers that violence and hatred
have become commonplace amongst the city streets. The
main protagonist behind this uprising is a television preacher who
promotes racism on his show and encourages the youth of the
town to band together to make the villagers life hell and
force anyone who isn't white out of town. When the group
take it one step too far and a black Baptist minister winds up
murdered, Lee decides to take the law into his own hands and
starts using his fists and feet to stand up against the scum
that are threatening those close to him. Of course, this
does draw significant attention to him and when the leader of
group sees him as a threat he goes after his family in an
attempt to get rid of him. Now it's up to Lee to prove
once again that he is the best of the best and put the skills
he has learnt in the ring into good use on the streets.
The
third part in this dependable series takes a step
back from the prevailing Martial Arts theme that occupied it's
predecessors in favour of a far more run-of-the-mill action
movie storyline. Unfortunately, this departure also
proves to be the films biggest downfall as Rhee (now going it
alone) relinquishes all connections that link his character to
the past, forcing the film to lose it's identity and dip into
the realms of mediocrity. Fortunately it isn't all bad
news though as Rhee is clearly a likeable solo lead and the film's
"hero
cleanses bad guys from small-town" plot makes sure that
audience wind up routing for for the star to dish out his own
brand of justice. The minimal action on display is also fun
although nothing flashy, demonstrating that Rhee is clearly a
talented fighter but never stretching his abilities or over-elaborating
the choreography. Basically what the movie boils down to
is your typified b-movie that is fun while it lasts (mainly
thanks to Rhee) but is unlikely to leave a significant
impression.
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