I like Gary Daniels....I think he's a good martial artist with potential to do some really good things, and his acting is waaaaay better than a lot of direct-to-vid action stars. This movie had some "style" in the direction I thought, but all the slo-mo just got boring after a while, and the action sequences were the flattest in the movie. The plot was OK, the acting for the most part was pretty bad with lots of ridiculous dialogue. The big villain, who resembles a giant Rick Rubin was just funny, and the movie's moralizing toward the end was just plain sad. Not to mention the terrible explosion effect. The soundtrack was actually decent and I've seen a lot worse, but I really can't recommend it, except for Gary's two fight scenes. Don't bother....
20 Reviews
"Does the government train you guys to talk like this or do you write this (...) yourselves?"
The_Phantom_Projectionist1 March 2016
The brief alliance between action star Gary Daniels and director Darren Doane resulted in two movies, only one of which got a DVD release. Surprisingly, it was not the conventional, star-studded ULTIMATE TARGET but this oddball experiment wherein the only recognizable name is Daniels himself. BLACK Friday is among the strangest of starring flicks the British Danger Man has in his filmography, and it's far from his best. I'm not sure if I'd declare it one of his worst, but it's definitely not for everyone.
The story: When the home of a black ops agent-turned-lawyer (Daniels) is taken over by entities in possession of a devastating weapon, he must break past the government security to rescue his family.
Director Doane has not made an action movie, here – he's made an artistic thriller. This rough-around-the-edges adventure carries just enough fighting and shooting to earn the label, but rather than pumping adrenaline, its objective is to see how long it can stretch your attention before getting to its eventual twist. While this twist is pretty decent, it's not worth the wait. The film regularly takes three times as long as conventional movies to depict almost any event – whether it's an investigation scene, an assassination, or a character walking down the hallway – and there are many times when the fast-forward button was my best friend. The feature mixes stark (read: cheap) scenery with a schizophrenic soundtrack to create an uneasy mood that I never got used to, ensuring that I never connected with the story.
The DVD cover features Gary holding a sword that's nowhere to be seen in the movie. Beyond this, the sparse action in the film is less disappointing than it is odd. Daniels' initial bout with action coordinator Tsuyoshi Abe is fairly conventional, if longer than the average brawl and paced differently. The showdown with villain Ryan Kos runs even longer – it's at least three minutes long – and is pretty weird for Kos' reliance on an obvious double and an odd sequence wherein the two fighters are suddenly scrapping against a black background. The art show never ends with this movie, even when it comes to something as basic as punching and kicking.
For reasons I can't explain, I went into this movie with fairly high hopes. Maybe someone who approaches it with more even expectations will have a better time, but I am pretty disappointed at having wasted mine. This is not a movie for Gary Daniels fans – it's not even for general action lovers. Should this one fall into your hands, treat it as the experiment it was meant to be.
The story: When the home of a black ops agent-turned-lawyer (Daniels) is taken over by entities in possession of a devastating weapon, he must break past the government security to rescue his family.
Director Doane has not made an action movie, here – he's made an artistic thriller. This rough-around-the-edges adventure carries just enough fighting and shooting to earn the label, but rather than pumping adrenaline, its objective is to see how long it can stretch your attention before getting to its eventual twist. While this twist is pretty decent, it's not worth the wait. The film regularly takes three times as long as conventional movies to depict almost any event – whether it's an investigation scene, an assassination, or a character walking down the hallway – and there are many times when the fast-forward button was my best friend. The feature mixes stark (read: cheap) scenery with a schizophrenic soundtrack to create an uneasy mood that I never got used to, ensuring that I never connected with the story.
The DVD cover features Gary holding a sword that's nowhere to be seen in the movie. Beyond this, the sparse action in the film is less disappointing than it is odd. Daniels' initial bout with action coordinator Tsuyoshi Abe is fairly conventional, if longer than the average brawl and paced differently. The showdown with villain Ryan Kos runs even longer – it's at least three minutes long – and is pretty weird for Kos' reliance on an obvious double and an odd sequence wherein the two fighters are suddenly scrapping against a black background. The art show never ends with this movie, even when it comes to something as basic as punching and kicking.
For reasons I can't explain, I went into this movie with fairly high hopes. Maybe someone who approaches it with more even expectations will have a better time, but I am pretty disappointed at having wasted mine. This is not a movie for Gary Daniels fans – it's not even for general action lovers. Should this one fall into your hands, treat it as the experiment it was meant to be.
One of the worst films ever made
lekha1_845 March 2001
Not worth seeing. The acting couldn't have been any worse. While the plot wasn't too bad the screenplay and direction were horrible. The background music did not help the cause either. To top it all the film was too dragging. This is one film you would not miss anything not watching.
A movie for Gary Daniels`s fans!,
DaGaLa15 April 2002
This is an action thriller about a man`s family that is held hostage by masked terrorists and plans to get revenge! This is a low budget movie that has it`s ups and downs but it is entertaining if you can get by the bad music that is stuck on one beat,horrible dialogue,bad effects,bad color,way off camra work,and a conversation that goes nowhere for about fifteen minutes. We looked at the box and saw Gary Daniels was holding a katana sword and We found out that he didn`t even have a sword at all in the movie so don`t plan on seeing Gary use a sword on anybody. Now for the good stuff about Black Friday. It has a few fight scenes that last a long time and there is some good shooting scenes aswell. These scenes however are tilted and discolored by the camra so it`ll seem different. Black Friday is a movie that doesn`t have the greatest production and fight/shooting sequences so its not no Steven Seagal movie but if you are a fan of Gary Daniels this is a must see and a must buy or even if you are a movie lover that loves martial arts and shooting this is something to check out!
Really bad
raven11812 October 2001
Let me start by saying that I think Gary Daniels is a great martial artist and a good actor. Unfortunately, his martial arts skills and acting ability can't save this lame flick.
The box cover for Black Friday shows Gary Daniels holding a sword, but he never uses a sword in the entire film. In fact, a sword never appears in the film at all.
The beginning includes a long scene between Gary and an Oriental woman that has absolutely no significance to the plot at all.
The pacing is so slow at points that I started fast forwarding through it. This is compounded by the overuse of slow-motion sequences throughout the film. There's even a mind-numbing fifteen minute scene using a wide-angle camera shot of Gary and another actor sitting on a bench talking.
There are two overly long fight sequences that are poorly staged and poorly filmed.
There's also a laughably bad explosion scene that looks entirely fake.
Another bad aspect of this film is the blaring music that accompanies almost every scene. A good sound track can enhance a film, but here it's just plain distracting.
A bad script and poor direction make this flick one to skip.
The box cover for Black Friday shows Gary Daniels holding a sword, but he never uses a sword in the entire film. In fact, a sword never appears in the film at all.
The beginning includes a long scene between Gary and an Oriental woman that has absolutely no significance to the plot at all.
The pacing is so slow at points that I started fast forwarding through it. This is compounded by the overuse of slow-motion sequences throughout the film. There's even a mind-numbing fifteen minute scene using a wide-angle camera shot of Gary and another actor sitting on a bench talking.
There are two overly long fight sequences that are poorly staged and poorly filmed.
There's also a laughably bad explosion scene that looks entirely fake.
Another bad aspect of this film is the blaring music that accompanies almost every scene. A good sound track can enhance a film, but here it's just plain distracting.
A bad script and poor direction make this flick one to skip.
Borrrrrrrrrinnnnnngggggg
RickAn31 March 2001
I can't believe anyone spent money to make this movie. It was really boring. The fight scenes were incredibly long as well as most of the other scenes. Camera work was practically none existent. There was a fifteen minute scene where Gary Daniels and another actor chatted while sitting on bench. Most of the time the camera was on a single shot. I can't believe I finished the movie; I was really bored :-)
One of the Worst
wesingram5 September 2001
This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. For one thing they drag it out too long it makes the movie boring and there is also no good plot it has been way over dune in the past. What I mean by dragging it out is that they spend too much time one a single part. They also spent way too much time talking. Gary Daniels could have dune better. That is just my thoughts.
One of the Worst Movies Ever Made in USA-An Industry Disgrace
Herag20 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Worst direction with too many long and single shots and editing is piece meal with the worst annoying back ground music (was a broom used as an instrument?) ever in a movie. Most boring dialog ever in a movie between Parsons and Steve next to some drab building that is supposed to be a Federal prison. This movie is so awful, must be seen just to see how bad it is. The action takes place mostly around this mansion. The only action is people wandering around aimlessly with guns drawn and shooting each other. The story is non existent and none of them have any clue about acting and then this bald guy screaming like a dog barking out orders. Horrible movie. I have no idea how I ended up seeing this movie..must be some kind of bad movie Karma!
Slick with possibility but story line weak.
Anyanwu26 March 2000
Best thing about this film was the film quality and soundtrack. The soundtrack was done by a musician from the Sacramento band Far. It put a lot of energy and suspense into the movie. The movie had too many instances of long standing dialogue. The best films have quick interesting dialogue. I liked the look of the movie but the premise of the screenplay was lacking. If the screenplay could have been improved the film could have been a decent one. But character development was not present and there was not enough interesting characters.
S10 Reviews: Black Friday (2003)
suspiria105 July 2006
Martial Artist Gary Daniels is a top drawer attorney who comes home one day to find his family taken hostage by a bunch of thugs. He helps to police on the scene but soon discovers a more sinister scenario at work. It seems that 'The Man' wants to see how a local neighborhood could take a little biological warfare. But as we know shadow government agencies and bio-weapons don't mix but they get more than they bargained for when it is revealed that this lowly attorney is an ex-military butt kicker.
'Black Friday' is a passable action flick with a couple good action sequences. Daniels has skills but still suffers from that most odious action film cliché of bad acting, true the writing and direction can be some of the culprit but since most of the actors in the piece suffer the same affliction we'll strike it up to 'group effort'. Daniels does have the charisma for the action hero though.
'Black Friday' is a passable action flick with a couple good action sequences. Daniels has skills but still suffers from that most odious action film cliché of bad acting, true the writing and direction can be some of the culprit but since most of the actors in the piece suffer the same affliction we'll strike it up to 'group effort'. Daniels does have the charisma for the action hero though.
First and Second viewing comments! Not black but very discolored!
Movie Nuttball3 December 2002
Warning: Spoilers
When I saw the box I thought I was in for a very big action/fighting movie.Dang was I in for a big surprise.Here is what you are in for if you rent and fall for this very different movie that seemed like a very non-u.s.a. made film with very lazy camera work,stupidish dialog, very weak atmosphere and very little action that seems really poor planning that doesn't work! In the beginning you see these two guys arguing about nothing.The one guy says BS about 10 times. Its like he wanted your attention or that was his favorite thing to say. And then we see Gary Daniels fight this chunky guy.The camera poorly shows them fight like almost the whole time we only saw a part of their body's plus the camera was sideways and nearly upside-down. There is a lot more of this great camera work in other parts of the film. On the box Gary Daniels has a katana sword,I didn't see him use it in the film,where in the heck was it and according to the box his family is in a house and he wanted to get them out because bad guys were going to blow the home up and after all of the fighting you never saw him get them out or at the end or at any time at all. Daniels talks to this guy who in prison on a filthy bench for 15 plus minutes!What a waste of film and time.Is all the guy was talking about was I gotta stop taking drugs and get out of here.If I wanted to a conversation like that I'LL talk to MY next door neighbor. There was so much silly talk,some of the worst camera work and it looks like some one was rubbing the color on the film,oh it was so messed up.It looked like this was a practice feature instead of a movie.I can't even describe how horrible the score and music was. This movie was so dang bad I laughed and laughed and I said I can't believe this,that someone actually made a film like this.What a terrible piece of film,I just can't believe it.Its some of the worst I have seen.Do you believe ME?If not just rent Black Friday and see for yourself.Black Friday is one of best of the worst films ever made! So the bottom line is if you like really bad films this is thing is for you otherwise if want a really big time action flick but I rented Black Friday and gave the film another chance. The results was that it made Me laugh even more! The fight scene between Gary Daniels and co-fight coordinator Tsuyoshi Abe was even funnier in the green lighted car garage. The scene was a slow fight but Daniels delivers with a great kick with a mean look on his face to the sturdom area of Tsuyoshi Abe's character as he hits the wall hard. The conversation on the bench did last almost fifteen minutes! The villain I thought was better than before but he still said BS about six times during the beginning:) The music was very bizarre but yet it grows on you as the films goes on. I am glad I saw Black Friday again. Its an action film that's serious but make you laugh which is fine with Me!
Hard to understand, but still pretty good
greenflickerstick4 February 2005
Black Friday is a film that's really hard to pin down. It's slow moving, has a lackluster budget, poor character development, repetitive dialogue and an uneven script. With all that said and done you'd think my work would be finished here. But not so...Here's what is really intriguing about this particular film. Enter Gary Daniels. A well known martial arts actor that plays the role of an attorney with a checkered past with the government. One evening, while on his way home, he finds his house surrounded by a chemical defense agency that claims his house is now in the hands of terrorists that plan to make the whole city ground zero. But enough about the plot. This film had me at somewhat of a loss, but I still liked it. Why, you may ask? First off, the opening of the film is intense. Great camera work, a perfect lighting scheme and a real nail biting situation with guns and ski masks. That's all I'll say. The music is original and quite unique. It makes each new situation in the film seem fresh and exciting no matter how much of a dead spot came before it. There are only 2 real fight scenes in the film, but the choreography is brilliant to say the least. Especially the last fight which clocks in at over five minutes. There are still areas of the film that will have you scratching your head, like, oh..The poor lighting in the indoor scenes, the distant camera shots that last over 3 minutes (The first one takes place less than 5 minutes into the film and lacks a close up of a certain female that didn't get enough screen time either.) the lack of any real character development and no real resolve once the film is over. However, Black Friday is still worth a peak, but only if you really like Gary Daniels, or if you like low budget action films that aren't afraid to experiment.
Disappointing
HaemovoreRex31 May 2010
You know, I always feel really sorry for Gary Daniels for not making it bigger than he has. OK, so he isn't exactly a great thespian by any stretch of the imagination but in terms of martial art skills, our Gaz is without doubt, one of the very best the West has to offer. How sad then that he has invariably found himself landed in some rather mundane affairs at best. I also find it doubly sad to compare the wonderful production values of something along the lines of the criminally underrated, Fist Of The North Star to the vast majority of his subsequent efforts. Such is the case of the film reviewed here for instance, which if the truth be told, more closely resembles a student film in terms of production quality. Shot on cheap video stock, this somewhat bland effort meanders along pretty aimlessly, effectively completely wasting Gary's talents with even the fight scenes themselves hardly ticking the boxes.
I'll give it credit for a nice twist at about the hour mark but even this can hardly compensate for the decidedly lacklustre direction and excessive 'talkiness' that so permeates proceedings.
For fellow Daniels' fans it's probably worth a peek but just don't get your hopes up as this will likely leave you sorely disappointed. A real shame.
I'll give it credit for a nice twist at about the hour mark but even this can hardly compensate for the decidedly lacklustre direction and excessive 'talkiness' that so permeates proceedings.
For fellow Daniels' fans it's probably worth a peek but just don't get your hopes up as this will likely leave you sorely disappointed. A real shame.
Well, this was the first film i ever had to fast forward to get to the end of.
Kolobos855 November 2001
This film is probly the worst Gary Daniels film to date, although i have seen only the ones his fans seem to love most, u know the 5 pointers and so on. As this is the case i will advise anyone who sees this to instantly turn the box over so no-one else can see the attractive cover which is made up of pictures from his different films, and make the mistake of renting it. Firstly the plot was poor, action was bad, the dialogue was really,really slow and when i thought the movie had finished, after a black screen came up for something like 30 seconds or so,it came back on for another 5 mins which was really wierd. Ther is only two marshall arts fights in this film, the near beginning fight which is real good and the end fight which is real bad. so the odds are u'll despise this film and never watch another Gary Daniels Film again, but my advice is to keep hoping he'll get a new agent or somthing, star in a jet li blockbuster and make us brits proud.
Black Friday is a great movie!!! OWN IT NOW!!!!!
ImTheMasterTheRulerOfTheWorld15 November 2002
Black Friday is an awesome actioner! I just totally dig the cool music and the rad camera angles! The color content was toned perfectly and the fight scenes were flawless! Martial Arts and pure action fans, Own Black Friday Now!
Decent action movie. Gary Daniels has done better!
tuckernutz26 April 2001
When I heard the plot for Black Friday it sounded like it was going to be a good action movie, but I was disappointed. I am a big Gary Daniels fan so what he releases I go and see as soon as possible. The camera angles were poorly shot and the script was lacking in many areas. The fight scenes were decent but I have seen Gary do better in movies like "White Tiger" and "Fist of the North Star." I would only suggest this movie if you are a Die Hard Gary Daniels fan. I hope Gary will continue to improve in his movies but if he keeps making movies like this one and Epicenter he will never progress in his movie career. He has the potential to be a great action with the right direction!
The Music score in the film was Unauthorized by at least one band MINE!
kohm30317 July 2007
Let's start with a quote: "The soundtrack was done by a musician from the Sacramento band Far"
Absolutely FALSE, three bands music was showcased in this movie all of which are/were Christian bands (strange considering the dialogue of the movie.) "Project 86" - the rock stuff, Material from an album called Analogue from former label-mates of mine "Virus" from Springfield MO. originally, and 2 tracks from from my former 2 person band "prophecy of Panic" from the Inland Empire area of Southern California east of LA.
Though I thought it was fantastic to have my music be put in a movie I couldn't help but notice that we were not asked if our music could be used. I only found out about this movie while searching for net info and chatter about my band. Through net searches I was finally able to locate the director and writer Darren Doane and I spoke with him about the lack of asking for permission and he confessed that he failed to contact my band before his budget for the film ran out. He said that the distributor had to finish the post production work on this movie due to his lack of funds and swears he asked the distributor to clear all the music before going to the print. As it turned out, we were never contacted and the movie was subsequently released with 2 of my personal tracks without permission or compensation. Some of my earlier stuff can be found on I-tunes and I am still debating on putting up a myspace page. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my music or otherwise.
Absolutely FALSE, three bands music was showcased in this movie all of which are/were Christian bands (strange considering the dialogue of the movie.) "Project 86" - the rock stuff, Material from an album called Analogue from former label-mates of mine "Virus" from Springfield MO. originally, and 2 tracks from from my former 2 person band "prophecy of Panic" from the Inland Empire area of Southern California east of LA.
Though I thought it was fantastic to have my music be put in a movie I couldn't help but notice that we were not asked if our music could be used. I only found out about this movie while searching for net info and chatter about my band. Through net searches I was finally able to locate the director and writer Darren Doane and I spoke with him about the lack of asking for permission and he confessed that he failed to contact my band before his budget for the film ran out. He said that the distributor had to finish the post production work on this movie due to his lack of funds and swears he asked the distributor to clear all the music before going to the print. As it turned out, we were never contacted and the movie was subsequently released with 2 of my personal tracks without permission or compensation. Some of my earlier stuff can be found on I-tunes and I am still debating on putting up a myspace page. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my music or otherwise.
Jesus!
bob_san4 March 2004
Holy macaroni! What a waste. Gary does perhaps 10 seconds of watchable martial arts in this entire movie, so if your're a fan, there is nothing to hesitate about, buy it :)
For all you non-fans, stay away, movies like this gives you the inspiration to crash your apartment..
Picture quality: Terrible Sound quality: Terrible Acting: Terrible Effects: Terrible Story: Terrible Fight scenes: Terrible Gary: Wonderful, as always.
0 out of 10
For all you non-fans, stay away, movies like this gives you the inspiration to crash your apartment..
Picture quality: Terrible Sound quality: Terrible Acting: Terrible Effects: Terrible Story: Terrible Fight scenes: Terrible Gary: Wonderful, as always.
0 out of 10
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