• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chicken Dynasty

  • Home
  • Web Series
    • Safety First
    • Scientific Method
    • Redeemers
  • Blog

Miami Connection

September 20, 2013 Leave a Comment

A group of martial artist college students, who are also in a rock band, fight drug smuggling ninja bikers, a gang, and a rival band. We learn about friendship, family, love, and sacrifice in this incredible film.

Group of men going with drugs

Drug guys doing drug guy things

Plot Summary

Somewhere in Miami, a group of armed guys carrying conspicuous boxes of drugs are ambushed by a team of motorcycle-riding ninjas, who slaughter everyone and take the drugs for themselves.

Tom playing guitar on stage

Introducing Dragon Sound!

Friends

In the next scene we meet our heroes, the pop band Dragon Sound, performing at a club for their many fans. The band consists of Mark, the leader of the group, Tom, John, Jane, Jim, and Jack. Jane is a new addition to the band and is the girlfriend of John – a relationship that Jane’s brother Jeff doesn’t approve of. Geez, these names are really generic.

confrontation between two groups

Confrontation between Dragon Sound and Jeff’s gang

Enemies

At the University of Central Florida, Jane takes John to a parking lot and introduces him to her brother Jeff, who promptly gives John a punch to the face. Conveniently, the other members of Dragon Sound just happened to be walking by, and they run to their friend’s aid. Jeff threatens them, saying they should stay away from Jane. “You don’t scare me at all,” says Mark.

Jane and Jeff

Jane and her brother Jeff (“A friend?!”)

Revenge

After another musical number, Dragon Sound is ambushed by a large gang led by…a band they replaced? Okay. Another fight scene ensues, and despite being vastly outnumbered, Dragon Sound comes out on top.

Large gang vs. Dragon Sound

Ambushed!

Later, at the house where all the Dragon Sound members live, Jim anxiously waits for a letter with information on his long lost father. Sorry, Jim. Nothing tonight.

Jim crying in front of the others

Poor Jim

The next day, after spending the day at the beach and eating at Uncle Song’s restaurant, Dragon Sound finds a letter from Jeff: “Meet downtown. The railroad tracks.”

Jeff in car

Jeff lets his goons handle all the fighting in this scene

Showdown

Both groups meet at the tracks, and Dragon Sound is once again vastly outnumbered, but the fight ends a draw. The police arrive and everyone runs away.

Beaten, tied up Tom

Tom is kidnapped by Jeff’s gang

Later, Tom gets kidnapped by Jeff’s gang and Mark and co. mount a rescue; Jeff is killed and his buddy Yashito (leader of the motorcycle ninja gang) plans to get revenge.

Mark fighting Jeff at night

Mark fights Jeff

Final Fight

The next day, Jim checks the mail and is overjoyed to find the letter he’s been waiting for: he finally found his father.

Jim reading letter

The infamous letter scene

He takes Mark and John along for the ride to the airport, but they’re attacked by Yashito’s motorcycle ninjas! There’s a long fight scene in a nice-looking park; in the end, the ninjas are defeated, and Mark kills Yashito. Of course, this victory had its price – Jim is wounded and screams for a very long time.

Mark holding sword

Mark fights Yashito

Don’t worry, though! He gets taken to the hospital where he recovers and meets his father (who doesn’t look much older than he is).

Dragon Sound with Jim's father at hospital

“Let’s all go home”

At last, the fighting is finally over. The film leaves us with a screen of text:

Only through the elimination of violence can we achieve world peace

Thoughts

What an amazing movie. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Admittedly, most of this enjoyment is ironic due to the lackluster acting and editing; despite these flaws, it was entertaining from start to finish and kept my attention the entire time. That’s more than I can say for other films with the same problems.

Mark's fist in Jack's mouth

A knuckle sandwich

The Good

Miami Connection was made by people who didn’t know the first thing about filmmaking, but that didn’t stop them from making one. They hit the books and learned as they went along, and the fact that this, being their first film (and a feature-length one at that), was actually completed is a major accomplishment. Not only that, but from a technical standpoint, it looks and sounds GREAT for an amateur film.

Dragon Sound driving to beach

Dragon Sound goes to the beach

The Not-So-Good

One major issue with the film is how disjointed it feels, and how there are quite a few scenes that are pointless or could be trimmed down, like the beach scene. It’s great to see the members of Dragon Sound hanging out, but did we really have to see John and Jane kiss each other from THREE different angles?

John thumbs up

John approves

Also, there was one too many factions of baddies to keep up with. You have the motorcycle ninja group, Jeff’s gang, and then the other band. I also don’t see how Yashito saw Dragon Sound as a threat to his drug operation. Does Dragon Sound have a history with his group? Or a reputation as vigilantes? As far as we see in the movie, they’re fairly reactionary – only fighting after provocation.

Yashito and ninjas

Yashito with his ninjas

Characters

The characters were fairly standard, cookie-cutter, flawless heroes, but for this kind of movie, that’s fine. I do like how some of them had their own little storylines going on, like John and Jane’s Romeo and Juliet-esque love story, and Jim looking for his father. It’s a shame the other characters couldn’t have gotten as much screentime, especially Jack, who was the least memorable of the group.

Dragon Sound band performance

Dragon Sound performing Against the Ninja

I’m a big fan of the music in this film, especially Friends: Friends through eternity, loyalty, honesty Will stay together through thick or thin Friends forever we’ll be together We’re on top ’cause we play to win

Rating

4 out of 5 eggs rating

Bonus

I first heard about this movie in an episode of RedLetterMedia’s Best of the Worst. Check it out if you want to see more of Miami Connection without having to watch the actual film.

Also, VICE did a most excellent video examining the “true story” of the making of this film.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)

Decade: 1980s Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged: live action, martial arts

Related Posts

  • Manborg hero
    Manborg
  • Erol writing on whiteboard
    I'll Follow You Down
  • Star Trek Movie Comic Thumb
    Star Trek Movie Adaptation
  • Dylan computer
    Fateful Findings

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe

Sign up to receive notification of new posts by email.

Connect

Find me on RSSFind me on TwitterFind me on YouTubeFind me on IMDbFind me on Newgrounds

Reviews by Category

  • TV Shows
  • Movies
  • Comics

Reviews by Series

  • Andromeda
  • Doctor Who
  • Dragon Ball
  • Gundam
  • Metal Hero
  • NFL SuperPro
  • Saint Seiya
  • Scooby-Doo
  • Star Trek
  • Tales from the Darkside
  • TekWar
  • Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic
  • Twilight Zone
  • X-Men

Recent Movie Reviews

  • Money Train
  • The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania!
  • Rooster Doodle-Doo

Rating Key

5 Egg

Above and beyond, a true pleasure; re-watchable.

4 Egg

Very good, quality work.

3 Egg

Average, nothing special but inoffensive.

2 Egg

Weak, but may have one or two redeeming qualities.

1 Egg

Horrible, causes pain. Get it away from me!

Spoiler Alert

I spoil (near) everything in my reviews. If you want to remain spoiler-free, I advise you to close your eyes. But did you know that spoilers are actually good for you?

RSS iconTwitter iconYouTube iconIMDb iconFind me on Newgrounds
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact Me

Copyright © 2022 Chicken Dynasty | Site Design by Spica Creative