One Down, Two to Go (1982)

Best movie of this year hands down!

Sorry, this movie sucks

Simply A Masterpiece

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

Judging by the other user-comments around here, apparently I'm not the only one who's disappointed by this seemingly awesome early '80s reunion of '70s Blaxploitation heroes. Your day can't get any better than when you stumble upon a DVD with on its trashy cover image the names and cool faces of Fred Williamson ("Black Ceasar"), Jim Brown ("Slaughter"), Richard Roundtree ("Shaft") and Jim Kelly ("Black Belt Jones"). When you then notice that Fred Williamson is also the director, and that the plot revolves on four black buddies declaring war against the entire New York gambling mafia, you immediately purchase the DVD and you're convinced that you have a genuinely golden piece of Blaxploitation action cinema in your hands! Unfortunately, however, "One Down, Two to Go" doesn't even come close to the quality level of other Blaxploitation classics (the aforementioned titles, for example) and the whole film is actually even less than mediocre. The script is weak and far too talkative, especially during the first half, and the fighting/action sequences are poorly shot and clumsy. Furthermore it seems like the main roles aren't fairly divided. Director Williamson once again rewarded himself with the role of the cool and womanizing macho, while Jim Brown acts very passively and both Richard Roundtree and Jim Kelly don't have that much to do. At one point Roundtree's character even explicitly says to his pals Cal and J: "you guys are having all the fun, save some for me!" As said, this is purely a film to own in your collection because of the 4 terrific lead stars, although personally I would have preferred seeing a couple of extra ones as well, like Isaac Hayes or Billy Dee Williams. Or why didn't they think of hiring a Blaxploitation heroine as well, like the fantastic Pam Grier or Tamara Dobson?

This movie is so bad that it makes Dolemite look like the GodfatherNothing in this movie makes any kind of senseThe first 15 minutes takes place at a martial arts tournament and instead of introducing the characters of the movie the "director" (I use that term very lightly) decided to focus on the random martial artists fighting with very little actual dialogue and the actors merely observing the guys fightingAnyways after that the movie actually starts (I guess) but there's not much of a movie to speak of as it is random scenes with people jumping to conclusions based on nothing in one scene one of the guys asks for a orangejuice at the bar and the waitress says: "Orange Juice? You must be friends with them Karate guys from the other night" which makes a lot of sense since only Karate guys and friends of Karate guys drink Orange Juice.And the leads in the movie are allowed to kill and harass as many people as they want because they have a just cause and the sheriff just tell them they need to come in to the station so they can write a report, but most times the leads just can't be arsedIt's just a terrible piece of crap movie that doesn't make any sense and that only focuses on trying to make the leads look like cool guys and nothing elseI didn't even mention the fact that 40 minutes in they decide to change leads completely when they introduce Jim Brown and Fred Williamson they take over the show instead of Richard Roundtree and Jim Kelly who sorts of fade away from leads into co-stars instead

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.

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.