FIST OF HONOUR (1993)
Directed by: Richard Pepin
Screenplay: Charles T. Kanganis
Starring: Sam Jones, Joey House, Harry Guardino & Abe Vigoda
This PM Entertainment flick may not be as full on firepower heavy and car chase crazy as some of Pepin and Merhi’s later efforts (Rage, Last Man Standing, Zero Tolerance) but Fist of Honour is some fist flying, knuckle dusting, bone crunching entertainment. One time Flash Gordon and action film mainstay Sam Jones plays Fist Sullivan (awesome name!) a bare-knuckle fighter scraping a living as muscle for crime kingpin and all round scuzzball Dino Diamond (Guardino). When Diamond betrays a truce formed with crime boss Malucci (Vigoda) he sets up Fist for the death of Malucci so he can move back in on his former squeeze Gina (House) who just happens to be Fist’s lady love. Can Fist fight his way out of prison and prove his innocence? You bet your ass he can and he’s going to punch a hell of a lot people in the face doing so.
Fist of Honour is a solid early 90s PM Entertainment effort that what it lacks in super charged car chases (though a few automobiles do get blown up) it makes up for in fist smacking fight scenes. There is a ton of them. Whether it’s Fist taking part in tournament fights for his employer’s entertainment, or when he is collecting debts from low life's who owe Diamond money, or even when he is taking out justice on those who set him up, the flick is jammed with nifty bare knuckle fight scenes. They may not be very complicated or extravagant but they’re punchy and crunchy giving them a distinctive old school feel. Sam Jones is likable as the hero and convincing in the fight scenes and considering his height, build and conviction in throwing a punch you believe he can handle himself when he has to takes on group after group of goons.
Joey House is quite lovely as his lady squeeze and Harry Guardino makes Diamond a memorable sleaze ball. There is ample B-movie cheese on supply from various recognizable supporting characters, though Abe Vigoda and Police Academy’s Bubba Smith look a little lost and confused on how they ended up in the flick. Still, for knuckle crunching fights and some PM Entertainment cool, Fist of Honour fits the bill.
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