Raven: Return of the Black Dragons

Jonathan Raven is a young lad learning standard Japanese defenses when he gets the news that both his parents have been dispatched by a secret group that everyone knows about called the Black Dragons. He joins the Black Dragons and becomes the only occidental to survive Black Dragon training. He turns on them unexpectedly at the last moment taking out some top dogs. Naturally this makes them extremely annoyed. By this time, he is married and has a kid that he never sees. Wife dies in child birth and the kid is sent away for safety.

This is where this story starts and in this episode Jonathan (Jeffrey Meek) is a bartender that has to protect his boss from a karetsu type take over. He enlists the help of the gun, knife, blunger, brass knuckle etc. Wielding buddy Ski (an old Lee Majors.) In the process everyone learns a lesson or two.

As with all pilots when all is settled Jonathan goes off to look for his kid.

The movie is lots of fun with formula plots and standard twists and more than natural martial arts.

I loved this series. I wished they would bring it back. I guess people weren't ready for martial arts in 1992. Jeffrey Meek was awesome, sexy, smooth and looked good doing the martial arts. I also think he is a good actor. The chemistry between him and Lee Majors was great. All I can say is bring Raven back at least for a 2-hour movie to bring closure.

Jonathan Raven is a young lad learning standard Japanese defenses when he gets the news that both his parents have been dispatched by a secret group that everyone knows about called the Black Dragons. He joins the Black Dragons and becomes the only occidental to survive Black Dragon training. He turns on them unexpectedly at the last moment taking out some top dogs. Naturally this makes them extremely annoyed. By this time he is married and has a kid that he never sees. Wife dies in child birth and the kid is sent away for safety.

This is where this story starts and in this episode Jonathan (Jeffrey Meek) is a bartender that has to protect his boss from a karetsu type take over. He enlists the help of the gun, knife, bludger, brass knuckle etc. wielding buddy Ski (an old Lee Majors.) In the process everyone learns a lesson or two.

As with all pilots when all is settled Jonathan goes off to look for his kid.

The movie is lots of fun with formula plots and standard twists and more than natural martial arts.

not terrible per se, but knowing from the outset that it's a pilot for a short lived NINJA series that co-starred LEE MAJORS and that i'll probably never see a single regular episode was an immediate downer.

still, it is somewhat enjoyable with a few nice action sequences mixed with the requisite witty repartee.

one can also take refuge in the fact that there is a plethora of better martial arts films available to see, and several more yet to be made. and eventually "the six million dollar man" and "the fall guy" will be released on DVD here in the states.

4/10