Watch One Down, Two to Go For Free

Just perfect...

Fantastic!

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Low budget and highly entertaining aren't always terms that meet up in the world of filmmaking, but ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO is an exception. Directed by and starring Fred 'The Hammer' Williamson, who kept on making blaxploitation type flicks throughout the 1980s, long after the boom had ended, this little movie is a lot of fun and doesn't let a lack of budget get in the way of telling an engaging story.The film starts off with some real-life fight footage (unfortunately recalling that terrible 'documentary', FIST OF FEAR, TOUCH OF DEATH) before moving onto stronger territory. Jim Kelly and Richard Roundtree star as a couple of fight organisers who are ripped off and betrayed by the Mob, in the form of small-town redneck goons and their suited, gun-wielding counterparts. Finding themselves no match for their enemies, they call in the help of a couple of old timer buddies, Jim Brown and Williamson himself.This is where the fun starts. Brown and Williamson have a natural camaraderie and good sense of humour, and watching this pair strolling through town and cracking heads (with the cigar never leaving Williamson's mouth) makes a great evening's entertainment for this viewer. Okay, so the story is nothing to write home about and the supporting cast (aside from a cameoing Joe Spinell) are pretty poor, but who cares when four – count 'em! - of blaxploitation cinema's greatest stars are teaming up and crushing skulls! Fast pacing works in the film's favour, the running time flies past and aside from an anticlimax ending, this one rarely puts a foot wrong.

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs Ralph (Richard Roundtree) and Chuck (Jim Kelly) are two kung fu champions who have set up a tournament to see who is the best.However,they've encountered a problem in the shape of the mob,who are putting pressure on them to rig their tournament.When they instinctively offer resistance,they find themselves the subject of an attack and find themselves relying on pals Cal (Fred Williamson) and J (Jim Brown) to stand up to them and offer retribution.Throughout the 70s and into the early 80s,the 'blaxploitation' movie was a big thing and enjoyed a huge following as it did it's thing and played a huge part in bringing black culture into mainstream cinema.Two of it's most iconic figures,Jim Kelly,the unforgettable Williams in Enter the Dragon and Shaft himself Richard Roundtree,who added much to the action element of this movement with their baaaad-asssss attitude and hard personas,enjoy prominent billing in this one,but each have only supporting roles and very limited screen-time.As it is,this movie is carried by two other black players,Jim Brown and Fred Williamson,fairly charismatic guys with a fairly effective rapport and presence between them.The main problem with the film is the story.It is simplistic as hell and churns on at a robotic pace as the movie rolls on and on.Aside from being one of the lead stars,Williamson also administers directorial duties here and sort of allows his own pet project to meander along at his own comfortable,slumberous pace.The film is simply okay but so nothing special from any other of it's ilk.Overall,this is,for the most part,a robotic and plodding entry into it's genre.However,if you want to watch a fair bit of 'black attitude' and style,a cool,funky soundtrack,not to mention some okay martial arts here-and-there,this might just fill a hole in your stomach.***

This movie looked like it would be pretty good. I read somewhere that Fred Williamson was part of the 'blaxploitation' genre, but the cast looked good. The movie didn't, though it wasn't terrible. I suppose given the subject matter--karate fighting in a boxing-type ring, with the fights fixed and partners stealing from each other, and killing to prevent their scheme from being found out--it was not a particularly violent movie, but it was more violent than I cared for. I did get the impression that Richard Roundtree, Jim Brown and Fred Williamson gave better performances than the white actors. And given the fact that Williamson directed and was a producer, surely black people would be presented with some dignity. I guess they were, but I couldn't avoid thinking I was seeing my first 'blaxploitation' film. Still, I had to enjoy watching Roundtree's character (or was it Williamson's? I couldn't remember which was which) act tough toward those who weren't being honest with him. I guess it wasn't really so bad, but I wouldn't make a habit of watching other movies like it.

In this hoped for "revival" of the Blaxploitation genre, you have the superstars of Black '70s cinema: Jim Brown (always with the biggest gun with the longest barrel), Jim Kelly (who I always thought was a posturing joke), Richard Roundtree (still looking good post-Shaft), and Fred "Da Hammer" Williamson (so cool, he has ice dripping down his back!).Only Roundtree has kept his actor's dignity of the four. Fred still cranks out his Po Boy Productions straight to video flicks, but I will say he still does well in Europe. These low budget films actually are profitable there. I'll give him that. Brown has had his own share of woes in the press in recent years and just walks through this one. Jim Kelly has to be thee WORST actor of the group. GI Joe (with the Kung-Fu grip) could whoop him easily. (In one scene, his woman is getting gang-banged, and he's getting his KF stance on against one bad guy). And Roundtree didn't embarass himself, and has at least has maintained a long list of character roles, most notably the "Shaft" update with Samual L. Jackson in 2000.This is one turd of a movie, lovingly directed by Williamson. Bland direction, hokey lines, low budget hoettas, you name it. Yet it's considered a cult favorite, by whom I don't know. I'll skip the plot. It's so banal it doesn't bear repeating. On the level of a Cynthia Rothrock film. But the best scene is at the end when Fred "Hammer" sticks one of his trademark cigars into a pooch's mouth.So there you have it. Gets a 2 out of 5 from me.And most of the soundtrack was "moonlighted" by Jazz Fusion keyboardist Rodney Franklin, but credited to others.