Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 11, 2021

The ending of “Tiger Claws II” promised a more fantasy-based sequel to come, but 2000’s “Tiger Claws III” is turned into a superhero story in many ways, with writer/director J. Stephen Maunder taking inspiration from “Superman II” and “Rocky IV” to fashion a new direction for the increasingly confused series. Thankfully, concentration remains on fighting, though “Tiger Claws III” isn’t nearly as engaging as the previous two chapters.

After screwing up another bust, Tarek (Jalal Merhi) and Linda (Cynthia Rothrock) attend a presentation of antiquities, where villain Stryker (Loren Avedon) manages to use special powers to bring the Three Masters of Shanghai to life, setting out to destroy the city. Jumping into action, Tarek is joined by Master Jin (Carter Wong), with the pair attempting to summon the power to fight back against evil.

Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm original camera negative. Crisp, snowy exteriors and colder urban areas are quite appealing, with bright primaries emerging on signage and some business interiors. Skintones are natural. Detail is strong on facial surfaces and costuming, dealing with more fantasy outfits and thick leather on Rothrock. Delineation is superb. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in excellent condition.

Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix provides clear dialogue exchanges, capturing heavy accents and balanced shouting matches. Scoring cues offers a harder techno beat, supporting action efforts without overwhelming them. Sound effects are sharp, exploring body blows and fantasy powers as balls of electricity are tossed around.

Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features producer/star Jalal Merhi.

• "Sharpening the Claws" (27:16, HD) is a dual interview with producer/actor Jalal Merhi and actress Cynthia Rothrock. Merhi discusses production origins on "Tiger Claws," forming an idea for the movie to take to Cannes, working to meet people capable of financing the effort. Rothrock emerged from her time in Hong Kong looking for work, getting to know Merhi, with the both of them trained martial artists. With money in place, "Tiger Claws" began shooting in Toronto, and Merhi discusses the shaping of the screenplay and the use of natural fight skills, also highlighting his relationship with co-star Bolo Yeung. Director Kelly Makin is assessed, and Rothrock recalls the lessons learned on the endeavor, helping her to prepare for the sequel.

• "Martial Art Porn" (17:58, HD) returns to Rothrock and Merhi to explore the making of "Tiger Claws II." Clearing up many rights issues, Merhi was finally able to produce a sequel, and one that featured stronger fight choreography, giving Rothrock a bit more to do, especially with weapons. Working to improve her acting, Rothrock attended classes at the Second City to sharpen her skills, learning to interact with others. Merhi closes with memories of a changing film market in the 1990s, and clarifies exactly why the conclusion of "Tiger Claws II" is so mangled, as Bolo Yeung walked off the shoot after completing 75% of his work.

• "Mystical Claws" (18:49, HD) examines the making of "Tiger Claws III" with Merhi and Rothrock. Without Bolo Yeung, Merhi was forced to create a new character, finding a game actor in Carter Wong. As for Rothrock's drastically reduced appearance in the movie, the actress was pregnant, only committing to a few scenes, during which she suffered tremendous morning sickness. Merhi only seems somewhat happy with the finished film, lamenting the loss of Rothrock, but he had plans for another sequel, which remain in play for a possible resurrection of the brand name.

• And Video Trailers for "Tiger Claws" (2:07, SD), "Tiger Claws II" (2:07, SD), and "Tiger Claws III" (2:45, SD) are included.

Tiger Claws III Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Tiger Claws III" suffers from the loss of Rothrock, who basically cameos in the picture, putting too much pressure on Merhi to carry the story. Wong is a nice addition (more appealing than previous co-star Bolo Yeung), bringing fresh energy to mix, and fight choreography is exciting at times. However, the streetwise simplicity of the first offering is missing, taking the series into an absurd direction with supervillains, which brings little to the second sequel beyond some unintended laughs.