Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins

[amagoodman]

have loved the destroyer series ever since i was in school.i actually studied it and began to practice the moves and boy am invincible.i beat martial arts students with ease and its plain incredible.i just want to know where i can get the books.i live in lagos nigeria.

[Greg]

God I loved this movie as a kid. I grew up on reading my dad's hand-me-down Destroyer & Executioner novels. They were great part satire part bloodfest, all action. I handed in some interesting book reports in 4th grade.

Does anyone remember Jake Speed? It was about a family that hires a "men's fiction" character to rescue a daughter (i think). John Hurt played the villain.

[UnRepentant]

Damn, but I loved this film.  This is a true Cheesesteak Theater Classic.  So cheesy, so satisfying.  At one time I had close to 75 of the Destroyer novels.  You could rip thru one in about two hours.  Great park your brain at the door fun.

Yes, it has to be said:  Chuin IS The Man!

[marco]

This movie was nomminated for a Golden Globe in 1985! It didn't win, but it deserved to.

[Radar]

There was a pilot shot for a Remo Williams TV series years ago.  I only remember one scene of interest though, Chiun, breaking down the fourth-wall and addressing the audience, said while Remo was climbing up the side of a wall; "Notice how overfed American student climbs like drunken gorilla." I sprayed Coke outta my nose at this line.  Don't even remember the story or why Remo was climbing the wall though.

Meow!

[Swamprat]

Terrific Movie! I saw it when it was first released to cable years ago. Fred Ward's one of those actors that just pops up everywhere. In one film he's wadding through giant monster s**t, in the next, he's a dead on serious character actor giving an Oscar worthy performance. Like an American Michael Caine, you never know where he's gonna pop up. And...like Caine, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Stieger, and several others...no matter how bad the movie is, you'll never see a "bad" performance from him. No matter how s**tty the script, how hokie the story, or how many plot holes litter the way...Fred Ward's a fine actor, dramatic or funny, the guy's a favorite of mine. I find him very, very, funny in this movie. A prototype urban slob-tough-street cop, transformed into an elite James Bondish-ultra-fine-tuned-upper level-secret agent-assassin. The poor guy doesn't have a clue at first. WHY ME? I loved how he got his new name. This whole film is one giant tongue-in-cheek roller coaster ride. And like Buckaroo B. it left me wondering if there was going to be sequels. Or was that just part of the parody? My favorite scene is the one where after months of failing to jump from pedistal to pedistal, one foot at a time, high above the floor, or hero finally succeeds. He shows off for his teacher, the Master Joel Grey, and ends up standing on the highest point, balanced daintely on one foot. A proud and somewhat arrogant child showing off for his father. He wants to know what the Master thinks of him now. The Master simply says, "Now, come back down..." Flips the lights OFF and walks away to watch his beloved soap opera on his fingertips, leaving our super-hero-agent-in training to eat the hardwood floor or spend the night doing the stork alone in the darkness. Kate was wasted in this movie...she usually is in anything she appears in. It's a shame actresses like her have to appear on television to get good roles and exposure. Remo Williams is one of those oddball films that come around ever so often. I remember most Critics liking it, but not recommending it...a guilty pleasure sort of thing for many of them. I don't think anyone went to see it in theatres. Like Buckaroo B. I think it was a film that was made out of Sync. Wrong place, wrong time, fell through the cracks. Really a shame. If you like Super-secret-agent type movies, or great parodies of the genre...Remo Williams is a must. Fred Ward fans, (Yes, we exist)...He's just as good as always. Joel Grey, I hated him in Cabaret, didn't deserve that Oscar for it, should have gotten it here. If you didn't read the credits, you wouldn't have a clue this was him. You would swear he was an Asian character actor. And Kate is one sexy woman in a uniform...I wish she would've had a real part in the film. Her scenes in the logging truck rollover are great as was the look on her and Fred's faces when they find the Master stuck in the wreckage...in the glove box! He isn't happy and lets them know it. Great little overlooked gem of a movie. Rent and enjoy!
 

[da Mojoman]

Yes. Chiun is THE MAN! what can be added to the comment already made? Perhaps only that this movie was based on a series of books written by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy called The Destroyer (as in 'I am created, Shiva, destroyer and creator of worlds'). To truly experience Chiun, you must read them. You can also check out a Destroyer (more accurately a Chiun) website at http://www.sinanju.com/ .
I used to have about 33 of the books but they were misplaced in one move and I suspect they wound up at a used book store.
Like the Mack Bolan series, these books are pablum for the mind but they are worth the read if for no other reason than to give you your daily sarcastic wit fix.

[DARKWOLF]

One of my favorite action film of all time I wish I went to see it at the movie theater back then. Fred Ward is really good in this film just like in Time Rider Joel Gray is great as Chiun. I love The Destroyer books I only got one but gonna try to find all of them. On that web site sinanju.com I found out there are a Sinanju in North Korea I bet they do that kind of martial arts there if they do I would like to visted there to get teached.

[Yannick]

I just love Remo Williams i wanna buy this one on DVD, this movie is great.

[Eddie]

This is a movie that keeps popping up on channels like Showtime and Cinemax, and I keep wondering why... Then again, the fact that I stop to watch it each and every time might explain why!  The interaction between Chuin and Remo alone is worth the whole movie... I keep thinking, this concept, properly updated, could produce a good series nowadays!

What did I learn from this movie?  You CAN run over water, but in order to do so, like Chuin says, "You must run VERY fast!" Hah-ha-ha!

[Ludovico]

This movie was a wasted opportunity.  It had good potential and some funny elements, but never really managed to shine.

[Joey]

I must object to one statement in your review; Yoda defeating Count Saruman by 'skill alone' would have ruined the movie.  The only reason AOTC was worth the money I spent on the ticket was because I got to laugh myself to tears watching superball Yoda.

[val]

I was totally blown away when I found out after watching the film that Joel Gray played Chiun ... I went & saw it again ... it is still one of my favorites it has a mix of funny, cool & touching moments all rolled into one.
It's really cool to see Remo transform into a true martial artist.
Chiun is an awesome Sinanju Master & teacher!

[Shane]

Chiun is the man! Sure it's been said before, but the point deserves stressing. Chiun is the highlight of Remo Williams for sure, but Fred Ward does a great job as well.

For those of you who like to read, try Terry Pratchett's, "Thief of Time," for a character--LuTze/Sweeper--who resembles Chiun in attitude in a big way.

[Terry]

this movie was great.Had they used a better title, instead of,..."the adventure begins.." --i think Americans would have went for it.Hey , does anybody know how i can get a copy of the tv series pilot? this pilot was good also! And i liked jeff meek as remo better than the movie version.