JADE – Review

I really got a kick out of the Blaxploitation films of the 1970s when they were new, and just as much recently when I found many of them streaming at one place or another. Pam Grier was a tough, smart and sexy sensation in a bunch of action movies. Same for Tamara Dobson – notably in a couple of outings as Cleopatra Jones. JADE tries to ply those waters in a 2020s setting, with a mixed bag of results. The title has been used several times in a variety of films unrelated to this 2025 release.

The eponymous character is played by diminutive British actress Shaina West, who appears as a Pam Grier Mini-me with an even bigger Afro. She’s a good person caught up in the underworld after emigrating to the US. Though trying to get out of that life after a tragic loss, she gets sucked back in. Ain’t that always the way it goes? Some henchman sticks her with a hard drive that all the good and bad guys want, with uncertainty as to who she can trust among them.

The one she absolutely should avoid most is a crime boss named Tork, played by the bizarre creature currently residing in Mickey Rourke’s body. Jade gets bounced around from one bad situation to another at a breakneck pace, leading to a generous serving of well-designed fight sequences, along with some gruesome bits of torture to several unfortunate souls.

Unlike that earlier generation of female-featuring flicks, this one leaves out the sexy and fashionista bits, and fronts a score that is less in-your-face. But Ms. West has done stunt work before and it shows to advantage here. At least I think it does. Most of the action occurs at night and in dark buildings, partially obscuring the efforts of the combatants. The highlight is the inevitable climactic fight that rivals Uma Thurman’s celebrated wipe-out of The 88 in KILL BILL: PART ONE. (Coincidentally, that’s the number of minutes director James Bradford needed to deliver this product in a lean, mean package.)

Rourke’s symbiote shows his menace without exerting much energy. Skilled martial artist/actor Mark Dacascos (head of the gang in the final fight for JOHN WICK 3, and star of many direct-to-video action flicks) was barely utilized. So those drawn by seeing his name the ads shouldn’t expect much of his presence. This one’s for popcorn night when the cerebrum needs a break.

JADE is available in digital formats from WellGo USA starting Tuesday, Feb. 18.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars