âTouch that gun, Iâll shove it up your ass and pull the trigger!â
Even 23 years after its release, Ballistic is a breath of fresh air. I put off buying it for a long time because of the higher-than-average price tag it goes with these days, but that was a mistake; itâs worth every penny. This isnât the perfect action movie and it isnât quite unique enough to be in a class of its own, but it gets enough of the genreâs necessities right while also adding some extra touches to make for a genuinely worthy video entry. Putting its assets to good use while avoiding any glaring faults, this is a great vehicle for first-time star Marjean Holden and a real hidden gem in the VHS mine.
The story: When a straight-shooting detective (Holden) is falsely implicated in a murder, she must prove a conspiracy between the department and a sleazy arms dealer (Sam Jones).
Marjean Holden is a fixture of the U.S. action scene, but despite her career spanning theatrical, video, and TV work, sheâs been underutilized as a martial arts star. Sheâs best known for her exotic but disappointing role in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), and to date, Ballistic is the only action picture she stars in. Thereâs no apparent reason why sheâs seen so little lead roles, as Holden uses the opportunity to prove herself the complete package. She has an engaging screen presence and more than one note to her acting. Her martial arts lack the world-class sheen of a Cynthia Rothrock but sheâs yards better than, say, Mimi Lesseos. Or Michael Dudikoff. In a perfect world, Ballistic would be the rough freshman effort that helps lead to a polished solo career. As is, itâs a good demonstration of how to build up a potential star, especially when you have plenty of other assets at hand.
The production values are what youâd expect from an upper-level DTV studio like Imperial, and the cast is surprisingly great for this kind of film. Sam Jones is an appropriately smug villain, and Charles Napier brings some dramatic clout to the ensemble. Cult hero Richard Roundtree plays Holdenâs onscreen father, and while Iâve grown to regard Roundtree as someone who gets top billing and then only appears in a handful of scenes, heâs a genuine character here and is made full use of as an action veteran. And amid a fair number of recognizable enforcers and onscreen combatants, the great star-to-be Michael Jai White shows off his moves as he does in few films that heâs not actually starring in. Everyone plays to their strengths, whether that be martial moves or dramatic prowess. While nobody was about to win awards for this film, no oneâs phoning it in, either.
The things that set this movie apart are Holdenâs relationships to some of the other supporting figures â specifically Richard Roundtree and her onscreen boyfriend Joel Beeson (The Dragon Ring). You can guess that martial artist Beeson will make his way into the greater story, but itâs not until the filmâs second half when Roundtreeâs character is released from prison and joins in the plot that both assume prominence almost equal to Holden. In a lesser movie, this might give the impression of the filmmakers not having confidence in their starâs potential to headline, but surprisingly good writing conveys the importance of family in this scheme. Thematically, Holdenâs family â defined by their entertaining, well-established interrelationships â proves itself stronger than the shifty criminal enterprise. Itâs probably not what the 18-36 male demographic was demanding, but the filmâs all the better for it.
The fight content is a mixed bag, but even here there are definite high points. Again, Michael Jai White is fantastic, even if he canât always find opponents to match his acrobatic skills. Joel Beeson is a pretty decent kickboxer; in any other incarnation of this film, heâd be the lead. And while Marjean Holden may technically be the least skilled performer to have more than one fight, she proves versatile in a weapons-based match and has a fun climactic brawl against Corinna Everson â the bodybuilder from Double Impact who youâll subsequently agree was severely underutilized in her fight with Jean-Claude Van Damme.
All of this plays out under the direction of Kim Bass. Bass is one of the very few women whoâve directed a martial arts film in the U.S., and while her aesthetic approach is virtually indistinguishable to my eye, sheâs got a sense for action and deserves much credit for everything she gets out of her main characters. I canât think of many directors whoâd produce the same familial kinship in a picture while also filming skillful karate encounters, and in light of that, itâs a shame that Bass has yet to direct another martial arts feature. On the other hand, that just makes Ballistic stand out all the more. I like this movie a lot, and the fact that there are few others like it makes it a little precious. Thereâs a good chance others will like it, too, so give it a look if you happen to find it on TV or in a thrift shop.
Ballistic (1995)
Directed by Kim Bass (Kill Speed)
Written by Don Lamoreaux (creative consultant for Day of Days)
Starring Marjean Holden, Joel Beeson, Richard Roundtree (Shaft trilogy), Sam Jones (Flash Gordon)
Cool costars: Charles Napier (The Silence of the Lambs), Corinna Everson, James Lew (Balance of Power), Julie St. Claire (A.J.âs Time Travelers), Michael Jai White (Blood and Bone), Vincent Klyn (Cyborg), Robert Miano (Broken Blood), Nils Allen Stewart (Mercenary), Georges Bejue (Cage II)
Content warning: Sexist dialogue
Copyright Imperial Entertainment Corp.
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