Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Talons of the Eagle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 29, 2022

In his quest to become part of the action movie movement of the early 1990s, producer/co-star Jalal Merhi returns with 1992’s “Talons of the Eagle,” which strives to give viewers a swift, slamming offering of physical harm and dented heroism, while a buddy cop film attempts to break out every now and then. Director Michael Kennedy is in charge of this picture, and his vision is simple, endeavoring to put Merhi and co-star Billy Blanks (the Tae Bo king) into some sense of danger every ten minutes, forcing the characters to fight their way out of trouble. “Talons of the Eagle” isn’t complex, but that’s what makes it mostly appealing, watching the production set limited creative goals as it concentrates on feats of strength and self-defense. It’s a fun sit, but it definitely requires a general relaxation of expectations when it comes to thespian skill and spectacle, with the feature happy to get away with the least amount of effort at times, trusting in body blows to guide the viewing experience.

Tyler (Billy Blanks) is a New York City DEA agent who’s recently botched his latest assignment. His superior elects to send him to Toronto for a bit, pairing Tyler with vice cop Michael (Jalal Merhi), who also has a history of making a mess of things. The men are tasked with infiltrating a fight tournament involving Mr. Li (James Hong), an influential gangster looking to increase his control over the city, embarking on merging of crime families. Mr. Li is involved in all kinds of evildoing, and while Tyler and Michael prove their capabilities at the tournament, it’s their thwarting of an assassination attempt that gets them close to their target, hired as security by the kingpin. Working in Mr. Li’s backroom casino, Tyler and Michael meet Cassandra (Priscilla Barnes), a deep undercover agent close to the bad guy, and they face suspicion from Mr. Li’s enforcer, Khan (Matthias Hues), who wants to know more about the new hires.

Supercop heroics and slight incompetence are established right away in “Talons of the Eagle,” with Tyler mangling a cocaine bust, forced to prove his “steel balls” and fight his way out of danger. Michael has his own issues with illegal drugs in Toronto, creating a violent standoff that pushes him to use his martial arts skill as well. This is the overall tone of the movie, keeping Tyler and Michael busy with challenges to their safety, with the writing attempting to give them an opposites attract relationship (Michael loves classical music, Tyler is a hip-hop fan), which leads to leaden banter, also reinforcing the limited acting skills of Blanks and Merhi, who are here to slap villains around, not deal with dialogue. Their partnership is cemented with a Toronto airport car chase, which keeps “Talons of the Eagle” on the move.

While the tournament is presented as a destination for “Talons of the Eagle,” it’s quickly dismissed, with more time spent on training for the big fight, pairing Tyler and Michael with Master Pan (Qingfu Pan), a premiere martial artist and teacher who wants Mr. Li brought to justice. Preparation involves perfecting the “eagle claw” move, and feats of strength are explored. Also present is Michael’s weird impishness, hiding clothes from one of Pan’s students while she swims, and he makes an M.C. Hammer joke, slamming an amusing time stamp on this endeavor. The guys are primed and ready for competition, but after a few fights, the writing turns them into security guards dealing with Mr. Li’s casino, getting to understand the creep’s power plays, using blackmail, drugs, and threats to control the system. And there’s Cassandra, here as an inside woman, but she also becomes an incredibly awkward love interest for Michael, even leaving her clothes on in the shower when they have sex (perhaps this is a Toronto tradition).

Talons of the Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm camera negative. There is a noticeable issue with camera performance, as a portion of the picture is slightly out of focus, creating a mildly disorienting viewing experience, akin to repeatedly taking a pair of glasses on and off. This appears to be an inherent issue, as the rest of the feature plays with wonderful sharpness, capturing rough and aged skin surfaces, and costuming is fibrous, showcasing martial art gear and nightlife apparel. Casino interiors are open for inspection, and exteriors retain dimension. Colors are alert, highlighting bright primaries throughout, especially with the production's lighting schemes. Clothing and hair color are also defined, along with distinct greenery. Skintones are natural. Delineation is precise. Grain is fine and film-like.

Talons of the Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix supplies a fresh, wide listening event for "Talons of the Eagle." Dialogue exchanges are crisp, helping performers who aren't quite as skilled with enunciation as others. Dramatic offerings are balanced. Scoring cues support with defined synth and bass, giving action sequences intended emphasis. Crowd atmospherics are satisfactory, and sound effects are sharp, bringing physical confrontations to life.

Talons of the Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features producer/actor Jalal Merhi.

• "Blood, Blades, and Blanks: Sculpting 'Talons of the Eagle'" (27:13, HD) is a making-of featuring interviews with producer/actor Jalal Merhi, and actors Billy Blanks, Matthias Hues, Harry Mok, and Michael Chow. "Talons of the Eagle" was created with Blanks in mind for the hero role, with Merhi setting out to use real martial artists for the production, trying to add some physical realism to the film, without the use of stunt doubles. The state of careers in the early 1990s are shared, with Blanks trying to make extra cash with his "Karobics" training, which eventually became Tae Bo. Stunt work is assessed, and choreography challenges are detailed, reinforcing the use of trained professionals in fight sequences, while trained actors were hired to make the feature more dramatically legitimate. Hues analyzes his approach to movie stardom at the time, remaining tan and buff to help sell himself, and the interviewees share their memories of co-stars such as Master Pan and James Hong, with Chow stunt doubling for the veteran actor. The gang shares their reaction "Talons of the Eagle," happy with the work and its cult longevity, with fans still expecting a sequel.

• And a Trailer (2:13, HD) is included.

Talons of the Eagle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Talons of the Eagle" isn't going to win over viewers with plot or performances, though Hong is incredibly entertaining as Mr. Li, bringing some disco energy to the part, pretending he's back in the 1970s. Showdowns are the big draw here, and while this is a low-budget production, the hits keep coming as Tyler and Michael take on numerous stooges, while Kennedy keeps things lively with shootouts and car chases, eventually settling on a bomb countdown to inspire suspense in the big finale. "Talons of the Eagle" keeps the cast busy with fights and fleeing, and that's all it really needs to do to satisfy. Blanks and Merhi are never going to impress as actors, but they can beat the snot out of stuntmen, allowing the picture to do what it does best.