Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon (2004)

Original title

Max Havoc: Curse Of The Dragon

Directed by

Isaac Florentine

Genre

action film, martial arts film

Country

United States

Runtime

1h 30m

Rating

5.0 of 10 from 11 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

An ex-kickboxer turned sports photographer gets pulled into a conflict with a yakuza clan over a stolen jade dragon statue. He helps an art dealer and her sister escape the gang.

fast-pacedformulaiclightflightydatedgrungyearnestaction-oriented

What happens

Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon is a straight-to-DVD action film directed by Albert Pyun and Isaac Florentine on the island of Guam in 2004. Swiss actor Mickey Hardt plays Max Havoc, an ex-kickboxer turned sports photographer. Max has to help an art dealer and her sister, played by Joanna Krupa and Tawney Sabley, flee from a yakuza clan trying to retrieve a valuable jade dragon statue. Aimed at the European market, the film was planned to kickstart a franchise, which would have included a sequel and a syndicated television series in the United States, but these plans did not materialize. A sequel, Max Havoc: Ring of Fire, was eventually shot in Canada. The film was originally slated to be directed in Hawaii, but a series of mishaps led to filming on Guam. Most of the film was shot there by Pyun, including a cameo by Carmen Electra. A smaller part was added by Florentine to improve the film's marketability, including added cameos by David Carradine and Richard Roundtree. It premiered on Guam in 2005 and on DVD in 2007, earning around US$250,000. Most critics reviews were negative, chiding the plot, casting and the cliché portrayal of Guam, but some praised the fight choreography and the "so bad it's good" value. Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon has garnered press through lawsuits regarding its financing. Guam Economic Development and Commerce Authority (GEDCA) gave a $800,000 loan guarantee to producer John F. S. Laing, which was forfeited as the film failed to recoup the investment. GEDCA alleged Laing defrauded them, while he claimed Guam authorities promised him funding he did not receive. This kicked off a lengthy legal battle, ending with a settlement between Laing and GEDCA. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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