Black Creek
Summary:
Directors - Shannon Lanier & Mike Möller
Writers - Cynthia Rothrock, Robert Clancy & Jeff Gress
Stars - Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton, Patrick Kilpatrick, Don Wilson, Keith Cooke, R. Marcus Taylor & Benny Urquidez
Synopsis - Martial Arts, Revenge Western - When the sheriff of a small western town is murdered, his family killed or terrorised and towns folk start to have their lands plundered and their daughters sold into prostitution by the evil Damien Sinclair (Richard Norton) it’s up to the sheriff’s sister, Cynthia Rothrock, to put things right again.
Quick Review -A gutsy, beautifully lit, grindhousey, action-packed, and very independent film that’s unique in Rothrock’s body of work and, thankfully, her hardworking, passionate fingerprints are all over it. There’s a surprising amount of brutality and blood-letting that gives it a scuzzy little jolt that surprised me. Sure, it’s got some flaws — some amateur editing, the odd clunky camera move, and occasional stilted or soap opera-style line readings — but as a low-budget flick with very big ambitions, it gets way closer to nailing them than missing. Also the leads are great, with Richard Norton, especially, leaving no slither of scenery, unchewed.
Full Review:
There is a world where Cynthia Rothrock returned from Hong Kong - as one of the only caucasian martial artists to be repeatedly successful over there for many years - did the 2 Golden Harvest produced, American movies - China O’Brien 1 & 2 - was noticed by William Friedkin and Sylvester Stallone, tapped to co-star in a big Hollywood film “The Executioner” with him, got herself a Hollywood agent and lawyer - and instead of what happened when that project got sucked into development hell and Hollywood had zero ideas what to do with her because they’ve always been a bunch of unimaginative fools - she, instead, had a huge career in a similar vein to Jean Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal and became a household name.
Sadly, that one hypothetical Stallone movie turned into nothing, her big powerful agent put a stop to any more China O’Brien sequels, a proposed return to Hong Kong to film with Jackie Chan - and, even, potentially, anymore films with a mini-studio like PM Entertainment who were working consistently with her friend and contemporary, Don “the Dragon” Wilson. Instead they crowbarred her into a couple of Corey Haim movies, a Stacey Keach TV movie (neither of which knew what to do with her martial arts ability or her take no nonsense attitude) and eventually got bored and let her go back to pick up her career again starring in smaller films, usually with one or more of her friends and colleagues from the worlds of martial arts and indie film.
Thankfully there was still a thriving straight-to-video market and Rothrock was never one to rest on her laurels and so she did what she’s always done in her career - just kept working and working hard. She hustled and she stayed true to herself, even when the films around her were sometimes too small or too cheap to truly contain her.
Now, while Stallone may be a complete and utter idiot for not casting her in The Expendables franchise - surely a massively missed opportunity if ever there was one (that’s strike two Sly) - the release of those movies did lead to the familiar, straight-to-video likes of Marc Dacascos, Don Wilson, Billy Blanks and Cynthia Rothrock appearing either in cameos or as an ensemble in a series of indie films attempting to ride a similar nostalgic wave to the Stallone and Statham franchise. This, thankfully, kept all our childhood, video rental, action stars, working and for those who never left that world or those that have discovered it more recently by following the gaggle of once A Listers - like John Cusack, Nic Cage, Aaron Eckhart and even Robert De Niro down into that world - just like the days of the video shop, now streaming fills up daily with a mishmash of action films that veer wildly from the not too shabby to the down right awful and all too often stopping at the “dammit! that was a bit of a disappointment” depot.
So here comes Black Creek.
After years of giving her name, martial arts skills and her ever growing and always improving acting talent to other people’s films, at the age of 68 and still able to bend, stretch, move and, yes, fight better than I have ever been able to - he writes as he shoves jelly beans into his mouth - Cynthia Rothock has written, produced, cast, designed the costumes for and starred in her own film. All while, if you follow her on social media, seemingly never being at home or in the country for more than 3 days in a row - because she’s either filming, teaching seminars, doing personal appearances, accepting martial arts awards, opening martial arts museums, learning to scuba dive and/or traveling the world. If you ever want to feel truly under accomplished, just check out everything Rothrock does on her social channels and think to yourself, “what the hell is your excuse? you flabby arsed waste of skin!” (seriously even writing this review is taking a lot out of me)
Raising part of the funds through very successful crowd source campaigns, recruiting friends and former co-stars Don Wilson, Keith Cooke, Benny Urquidez and, in his last full role - before his untimely passing - the legendary Richard Norton (along with a handful of other actors and fighters who have played in this pond for a while) and collecting some truly impressive industry professionals to help make it - from fight coordinator, action director and co-director Mike Möller (of John Wick 4 Stunts fame) to legendary power ballad composer Jim Peterik (Eye of the Tiger from Rocky III) - Rothrock has crafted something entertaining, empowering and, in a way, completely unique to her body of work.
Black Creek is a martial arts western, revenge film and while the premise and plot might as well have been plucked from a mad libs sheet someone found lying around Liam Neeson’s apartment - A sheriff's sister seeks revenge against the terrifying leader of a group of outlaws after discovering he brutally murdered her brother, his wife, and other family members in a gritty southwestern town - the execution of the movie is what will set it apart from other contenders.
One thing is very clear from the outset - this is a VERY independent movie - by which I mean, yes, the budget is small, some of the actors and crew are relatively new at this and there are a few things we are going to have to overlook by exercising some empathy, some understanding of very low budget filmmaking and a little “could you really do it any better?’ attitude. Yes I am not a huge fan of CGI blood or explosions, yes some of the camera work and editing is a little questionable, and yes there is the odd line reading that is going to make you wince but if you’re seriously going to poke holes in a film that so clearly has had blood (CGI and real), sweat, tears, skill, attention, passion and sheer fucking force-of-will chutzpah poured into it from everyone involved (and a thousand fold by Cynthia Rothrock) then you have come to the wrong rodeo and I have no time for your small minded ways. Take that nitpickering elsewhere partner.
What I want to do is unadulteratedly praise Black Creek for its many strengths and not cut it down for its few flaws.
First of all the effort put into the way the film looks and sounds is remarkable. For a low budget indie, it looks pretty great. The decision to shoot so much at night or by lamp light is a smart one for the viewer’s enjoyment (although I hear it was cold for the performers) as the photography really pops. The browns, oranges, yellows and deep reds of the location, the costumes, the fire and the lighting really go to add some authenticity but also a warm cinematic feel. They also, initially make good use of a dolly track - which often can step a production up in terms of quality - there is a slight problem of over use in the second half where we seem to be relentlessly dollying through every scene but, it’s a very small complaint.
In terms of the score - composers and songwriters, Benjy Gaither, Marc Scherer & Jim Peterik have created a dark brooding score to accent the sadness and frustrations of the lead characters and the brutal action while never forgetting to pepper a little 80s/90s power ballad flair in when needed. It also, thankfully, doesn’t suffer from the soundtrack disease that can plague other low budget films where the music sticks out like a sore thumb hitting the jammed key on a Casio keyboard.
The tone of the film is what I think surprised me the most. In my interview with Cynthia Rothrock over on our PM Entertainment podcast she talked about the brutal nature of the action and how she wanted it to be gritty and violent. I’m just not sure I was expecting scalpings, beheadings and disembowelings along with the pull no punches, take no prisoners, hardcore martial arts that I assumed would be present, and is - quite a lot of it! For this film viewer, who loves his indie movies with a slice of grindhouse, a sprinkle of horror and a pinch of gore, these elements were a welcome and fantastic addition.
It’s not just the violence that has a gritty edge though. The character of Rose Jennings, that Rothrock plays, might be her toughest and coldest yet. While she obviously has deep emotions around what has been done to her family and their land, there is no hanging around where the retribution and vengeance are concerned. Not long after learning about her brother’s demise she’s already kicked a bunch of guys, shot a few in the head and impaled one on the end of a pitchfork. Brilliant. This is what we came here for.
A, strong, serious and no-nonsense lead performance like Rothrock’s requires a ruthless, maniacal villain with a penchant for the gruesome and, thankfully, the ace up this movie’s considerably well sewn sleeves, is Richard Norton as Damien Sinclair. Dressed to the nines, rocking a vicious looking cane topper that you would not want to be on the receiving end of and prowling and strutting through the film like an alley cat hell bent on destruction, Norton’s final, feature length, performance is one you’ll want to delight in again and again. He seemingly rings every last drop of menace and madness out of the part and pulls the audience in, egging them on to hate him in the pit of their stomach and selling Cynthia’s brutal revenge.
To know that we got one last, absolutely tremendous Rothrock and Norton pairing on screen and that it is this good, is worth the price of purchase alone. It is a tragedy that he is gone but he leaves us with an absolute triumph of an antagonist that you will most definitely love to hate.
Rounding out the main players are Don Wilson as Xiyang a half native American, half Chinese gentleman who dwells out on the plains in a camp with Roy played by R. Marcus Taylor (Straight out of Compton) and who proves to be a valuable ally to Rothrock when she needs somewhere to heal up, rest, regroup, retrain and get ready to rumble. These scenes give us the chance to get weird iowaska trips featuring a donkey, training montages that, pleasingly, lean heavily into the old 70s Shaw Brothers’ films and gives Rothrock a little back up when she’s strong enough to go back into town and clean Norton’s clock. Lastly there’s Keith Cooke (from China O’Brien) as Richard Barton who is an ex-flame of Rothrock’s Rose Jennings and who initially presents as a friend who saves a family member of hers, but chooses to protect his own ass when Norton’s devilish Sinclair comes calling.
They’re all good in their roles, play to their strengths and make a pleasing ensemble for Cynthia to interact with. In fact the majority of the cast that populate the town of Black Creek do their best with the material and always know to keep the thing moving - are some moments a little amateur or melodramatic? sure, ok, no one is going to be winning an Oscar any time soon but, like I’ve said before, if you’re picking on a film like this for things like that, you are completely missing the point!
Lastly then, to the action. Here I am glad to report that there is no drive to the disappointment depot in this one. The action is, all things considered, fantastic and frequent. If there is any small criticism to lay at the action scenes it’s that they are all over pretty quickly but there are so many of them and so many moments of punching, kicking, slapping, weapons play, shoot outs, fights in the ring and even a few people being thrown through windows, PM Entertainment style that this action junkie finished the movie well and truly satisfied. Also let’s put this in perspective - most of the main people in this movie are either in their mid-late sixties or early-mid seventies and while age is clearly just a number to these phenomenal athletes - and I do not bring it up to disparage any of them - anyone coming to Black Creek expecting 45 minute long, John Wick, style set pieces is a moron. What we get is fantastic, exciting and impressive.
To close out I just want to applaud again, the tenacity, energy, passion, integrity, hard work, performance and style of one, Cynthia Rothrock. As I said at the start, her finger prints are all over the movie and I, for one, am glad. It’s always inspiring to be able to see what a film means to a filmmaker and if there’s any part of my hobby as a film fan and amateur writer that I truly, truly love it’s shining a light on and supporting filmmakers who, regardless of budget, shooting schedules and various, seemingly, insurmountable odds that stand in the way of making the movie you want to make, go out and do it anyway. Those that work hard, put their all into a project and come back with something that far out succeeds the obstacles that were put in its path are always the ones I am going to love the most and cheer for the loudest. From launching the crowd funding, to developing and keeping all the rewards and recipients organised, to writing, producing, designing the costumes, casting and starring in the film, to promoting it relentlessly on social media and making sure every backer gets what they are owed - Cynthia Rothrock has been and always will be - absolutely unstoppable.
If you like even 5 minutes of Black Creek and my hope is you like the vast majority of its 2 hour running time, it is mainly thanks to Cynthia and as the post credits scene hints at - and from what Cynthia told me when we talked - Black Creek 2 is coming and its going to be bigger, badder and better. I cannot wait.
Black Creek is now available to rent or buy:
Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/black-creek/
Amazon: https://www.primevideo.com/region/na/detail/Black-Creek/
Fandango: https://athome.fandango.com/content/browse/details/Black-Creek/
And wherever else you can rent or buy movies on streaming.
Also when you’re done watching it - go rate and review it absolutely everywhere - it helps indie productions like this hold their own next to studio product.
