Black Mask 2: City of Masks.

[Dolph Lundgren]

Wow.  I'm admittedly pretty dumbfounded at what I've just watched.  On one hand, I realize that the movie was cheesy, over-the-top, centered around pro-wrestlers, suffered from the annoying kid syndrome, completely bizarre, AND universally hated by moviegoers everywhere.  However, on the other hand, for some strange reason, I liked the movie.  Mind you, I realize that a lot of things went wrong with this one.  But I'll also admit that watching a movie like this makes me realize just how much Tsui Hark and Yuen Wo Ping should team up to do a well-known comic book movie.  I swear that these two would do a good job if given competent material.  Just look at Hark's amazing and unique visual sense.  The FX were extremely bad during most of the movie.  But there were some shots that were pretty cool.  I thought that Moloch's fight at the end of the movie with Black Mask was pretty damn unique in a visual sense.  It might not have had the best martial arts, but it showed a hint of promise at what Hark can do with a small budget and limited resources.  

However, I just couldn't shake the fact that the movie seemed like one big Power Rangers episode on crack.  With more violence and cussing.  Anyways, if you like your movies surreal, check this one out.  If you're a serious moviegoer, avoid like the plague.  If you enjoyed the first Black Mask and couldn't imagine another actor other than Jet Li in the role of Black Mask, stay far, far away.  Actually, it's probably better that most people avoid this one.  It's probably one of my guilty pleasures that cause people to wonder if I'm insane.  Lots of alcohol and heckling friends would probably make this movie more enjoyable, now that I think about it..

Nick

[Haze]

I got the same reaction, but why I liked it was because it was cheesy and over the top!

The movie is extremely fun after a hard week.

[Foywonder]

I loved it so much that I bought the DVD. More GUYVER-like than POWER RANGERS. Of course, I also loved that second R-rated live action GUYVER flick so this was right up my alley.

Oh, funny little fact - The movie was released in the US before it was in Hong Kong. Over there the film was considered to be so ridiculously bad the film was comically redubbed before it's release to make it an outright comedy. I loved to see a subtitled version of that cut of the film.

[Damien01]

Is it me or does one of the wrestlers that is next to RVD is Kain (unmasked)

[Drezzy]

I hate this movie because it demeans "The Whole f**king Show," "Mr. Monday Night," "Mr. PPV"...ROB VAN DAM. The man took months off from ECW, when ECW needed him the most mind you, to film this dreck. And what happened? The movie became as universally hated as Backyard Dogs.

Let this be a lesson: DO NOT MAKE A MOVIE INVOLVING WRESTLING IF YOU DON'T KNOW JACK-s**t ABOUT HOW IT WORKS.

[Drezzy]

Just you. The only two actual wrestlers used in this movie were RVD and ex-New England indy worker (and actor in X-MEN and HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER) Tyler Mane. Also let it be known that these two were the only reasons to watch ANY of this garbage.

How long is the movie? 90 minutes? Because I stopped watching it after an hour because I couldn't stand a damn thing about it.

[Damien01]

Are you sure... Ive seen this movie like 3 times and it was fine by me..

Sure no way near the first black Mask, but it was kind of fun to watch... Maybe because it had RVD and (I can swear to god... the other guy is Kane without the mask) (Please any Wrestling fans out there check this movie and look at the wrestler that is next to RVD)

Also, RVD could make a fun actor as long as he dosent take his acting very seriously and just have fun behind the cramra... This worked for Arnold Schwarzenegger...

[Johnny Blister]

WTF are you talking about?

[Dolph Lundgren]

Damien, Drezzy's definitely right.  That guy is not Kane, although it does look like him, except for in the facial area.  To see what Kane looks like, go back to mid 90s WWF and look up a wrestler named Isaac Yankem, D.D.S.  That's Kane right there, aka Glen Jacobs, if I remember correctly.  The guy in the movie isn't Kane, but I can see why people would think it could've been.  

Although he was barely in the movie, RVD was one of the many bright spots in the Gary Daniels action flick called Bloodmoon.  Check it out just to see him in it, and for the awesome fights.

Nick

[Drezzy]

I rent Bloodmoon specifically for RVD. Wasn't all that happy when he was only in it for 10-15 minutes, but once I got past that, I got into the movie pretty easily.

Now, all he needs is a movie that a) doesn't completely suck and b) he's a major star of.

[Haze]

This has to do with opinion but I think that despite RVD not being the main character and the fact this movie is ridiculous beyond most reasoning, the movie is really a lot of fun. There is tons of action and yet most people that have seen it hate it because it was boring or for some other reason that is mostly at fault because they went into a movie without realizing this is a b-movie... although the amount of money spent on this is flabbergasting. I don't see how this can be boring, there is enough fighting in here to make most action stars s**t their pants.

I am not pointing fingers at anyone here but looking at this through a childish perspective makes this movie alot more enjoyable... that or try hard booze.

[Foywonder]

I hate to burst your bubble but having seen 3 different movies that Rob Van Dam has "acted" in (BLACK MASK 2, BLOODMOON, and SUPERFIGHTS: THE MOVIE) I think I can safely say that RVD will never actually star in a movie because:

A) He can't act.
B) He can't act worth a damn.
C) He can't act to save his life.
D) His martial arts skills aren't all the impressive on film compared to others.
E) Did I mention he can't act?

Sorry, but he needs to stick to wrestling because acting is not his forte.

[Drezzy]

That never stopped Josh Hartnett, did it?

Throw RVD into a drug-comedy/action movie, and we have ourselves a winner!

And Haze, I hated Black Mask 2 because it didn't make any damn sense, the fight scenes were fairly terrible, and the plot couldn't make up its mind.

[Foywonder]

As much as I dislike Josh Hartnett, at least he can recite a line without sounding like he's struggling to read a cue card. Acting wise, he's about on par with Hulk Hogan and that is not someone you want to be on par with.

[Dolph Lundgren]

Yeah, that's definitely one of the pluses about BM2:  tons of fights.  Some of them might not be too exciting, or make any sense, but at least they're there.  If I want to watch a movie like Black Mask 2, watching scenes padded with extraneous dialogue just gets boring after awhile.  At least they livened things up with a lot of action, and kept the slow parts to a relative minimum.

As for RVD, I think it's a simple lack of movie acting experience.  He does have a lot of charisma, but it's hard to tell whether than can transfer over to movies or not.  So far, it hasn't.  But look at the roles he's had so far.  Not exactly in his favor.  It's hard to say, but maybe acting just isn't his forte.

And c'mon guys, Hulk Hogan, a bad actor?  His performance in No Holds Barred was one of the greatest ones in recent history.  Rip 'em!  And what about Santa With Muscles?  Now THERE'S a bad movie..

Nick