From
1849 through 1851, San Francisco was a real tinder box that almost burnt to the
ground seven times. Building methods were somewhat safer by 1878, but rival tong
gangs still might just incinerate the city with their open warfare. Frankly,
the city’s various white political factions would be only too happy to let
them, because it would serve their secret agendas. A newcomer named Ah Sahm
will walk headlong into this dangerous environment. If that name sounds
familiar than you probably really know your Bruce Lee. The iconic martial arts
star’s concept for an American Asian action television series finally hits
small screens over forty-five years after his death when the first season of Warrior premieres on Cinemax.
Lee
pitched the network a show about the title character, a hard-fighting recent
immigrant navigating San Francisco’s rough-and-tumble Chinatown neighborhood. They
passed, but soon thereafter, they greenlit the white-washed Kung Fu series, starring David
Carradine. It was not a great moment in American media, so it is rather satisfying
to see it finally get corrected.
Ah
Sahm is still one cool customer. He has come to San Francisco in search of his
sister Mai Ling. Unfortunately, he will find her quite easily, because she is
the lover of the leader of a rival tong outfit. Thanks to her influence, the
two major factions are poised on the brink of a major gang war. Initially, Mai
Ling wants nothing to do with Ah Sahm, but they will furtively come to each
other’ aid, even though their respective tongs are mortal enemies.
As
the freshly-minted and less-than-thrilled leader of the department’s new
Chinatown squad, it is Sgt Bill O’Hara’s’ job to keep the peace. He is not
doing it well, but in his defense, he is somewhat distracted by his compulsive
gambling. However, there are a few progressive San Fransciscans who might even
become allies of Ah Sahm at some point down the line, including O’Hara’s Savannah-born
junior officer, Richard Henry Lee and Penny Blake, the wife of the city’s corrupt
Mayor (is the any other kind?).
As
you would dearly hope from a series based on a Bruce Lee concept, Warrior features some absolutely terrific
fight scenes. Stunt coordinator-fight choreographer Brett Chan does some first-class
work in each episode. At one point, director Lin Oeding teases us with the promise
of a big street battle at the end of episode seven, but he duly delivers it at
the start of episode eight. Regardless, fans should not be disappointed by the
level of action Warrior delivers.
Plus, the main theme composed by Reza Safinia and H. Scott Salinas is seriously
funky
Most
fans will also appreciate the performance of Andrew Koji as the English-speaking
Ah Sahm. Although he never tries to slavishly channel Bruce Lee, he plays the tong
fighter with similar levels of cockiness and brooding intensity. Jason Tobin
nicely offsets him as the roguishly hedonistic and recklessly energetic Young
Jun, the heir apparent to Ah Sahm’s tong. Kieran Bew and Tom Weston-Jones (from
Copper) play off each other well as
the mutually distrustful O’Hara and Lee. Frankly, Joe Taslim (of The Raid) is mostly under-employed as
Mai Ling’s lover and champion, but his promised big showdown with Ah Sahm has us looking
forward to episode nine (one through eight were provided to media).
Indeed,
the combination of original Bruce Lee material (an eight-page treatment and some
sketches) combined with the presence of executive producers Shannon Lee (Lee’s
daughter) and Justin Lin (from the Fast
and Furious franchise and Finishing the
Game) and Taslim from The Raid should have many fans giddy with
anticipation. So far, it definitely delivers some strong fight scenes and plenty of hip attitude. Recommended for martial arts fans and connoisseurs of meathead TV
shows, Warrior premieres tonight (4/5)
on Cinemax.
