Miami Connection (1987)

Miami Connection (R) - Review

"D.A.R.E. to keep Ninjas off drugs"

A new drug cartel has set up shop in 1980s Miami, and their violence and depravity knows no bounds.  These ninjas on cocaine are about to rule the streets, and only the synthrock groove of local martial arts and musical group Dragon Sound can stop the madness!

Lost for over 20 years, Miami Connection has gained cult status thanks to a Drafthouse films rerelease in 2012.  The film was purchased on ebay for $50 and ran for a couple midnight showings, where its infectious violence, 1980s dance scene music, neon laden visuals and happy go lucky attitudes caught on like wildfire there and spread to the internet, saved from obscurity.

The movie is the brain child of martial artist Y.K. Kim, a self help guru and master of taekwondo and friend of Korean director Park Woo-sang.  Kim, a tireless self promoter, wanted a larger platform to philosophize and show off his talents.  Recruiting his students and shooting in authentic Florida locales, the film revolves around a group of orphans lead by Kim who perform martial arts and music together until they are confronted by a deadly army of motorcycle ninjas who are trying to smuggle cocaine into the country.  Entire sections of the movie are disjointed and surreal, there is an apparent reel of shakily performed taekwondo practice footage all done in slo motion that can only be included here to pad run time, show off real martial arts and setup situations for the big finale.  The synthdrum heavy soundtrack is catchy, which is good since Miami Connection teeters into music video territory with whole entire songs being performed on stage by the band ala Purple Rain.  The evil ninjas, joined by outlandishly characterized local ruffians, are miffed by Dragon Sound's snubbings (and the datings of their sisters) and begin an all out rumble in the jungle (or perhaps a tromp in the swamp is more appropriate), an emotional all out war expertly paced and choreographed by Park and Kim, delivering a satisfyingly brutal conclusion.

The orphans are the heroes and stars here and what with the atrociously amateur acting and insanely bizarre character subplots these good guys brazenly outshine some of Hollywood's recent attempts at making a "so bad its good, on purpose" film.  This is "so good its good, on purpose" on a shoestring budget (but still with fun gore effects and good action), with a group of guys who were obviously friends of a likeable and enigmatic (though barely intelligible) Korean-born but all American entrepreneur/Grand Master guru.  The result is pure joy, kids playing ninjas in a swamp and slashing each other with katanas, people jumping up and down on stage pretending they can play an instrument, people way over emoting on screen while the rock track blares and the neon burns.  This movie is everything that was right in the world of the 80s, made by a man who didn't know what he was doing but doing it so well, instilling in it a precocious love of martial arts and a philosophically positive attitude that everything will work out (especially if you reshoot the ending!).

Miami Connection is a retro80s sugar high whose only comedown happens when the movie ends and you notice no one is wearing legwarmers anymore.

8 Songs about Ninjas out of 10 (GREAT)