Remo Williams

tags: action, comedy, rewinding the 80s 

Synopsis from Amazon.com

When a street-smart NYPD cop (Fred Ward) regains consciousness after a bizarre mugging, he has a new face and a new identity! Now he's Remo Williams, the Number 1 recruit of a top-secret organization, and he's toppling evil at every turn, even atop the Statue of Liberty, in this "spectacular and funny adventure film" (Gene Siskel, Chicago Tribune)! Trained by a quirky Korean martial arts master (Joel Grey) to dodge bullets, brave terrifying heights and thwart attackers with his bare hands, Remo becomes the ultimate criminal exterminator. But when he faces off against a corrupt millionaire and his army of henchmen, the real adventure begins!

I've never heard of this movie nor the books it's based on. I watched it because I liked Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann, starring Fred Ward. Remo Williams is my kind of 80s movie - kinda cheesy, full of action and laughs, satiric, and politically incorrect. The "Korean" martial arts master, Chiun, is played brilliantly by Joel Grey (Jennifer Grey's dad, I learned). His hilarious one-liners and great delivery steal the entire movie. Fred Ward, although not matinee idol with regards to looks, is believable and does great in his action scenes. Kate Mulgrew is very good playing an army Major; looks pretty too.

Highly recommended. Currently streaming on Netflix.

I also downloaded for free from Amazon the first book - Created, The Destroyer and a short 67-page book The Day Remo Died.