What a waste of my time!!!

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This rubbish ought never to have been made, it makes for rather embarrassing viewing. Real life Karate and Kickboxing champion Joe Lewis had the potential to become another martial arts leading man in films. He had the look but also the talent as a martial artist. Sadly, it wasn't to be. Joe Lewis was one of these outspoken types, especially regarding injustice - which didn't endear him to Hollywood producers. He claimed they made promises to him which weren't fulfilled whilst he made "Jaguar Lives." The story is just the same old damn thing, so I won't comment there. Donald Pleasence, for all of his one scene appearance, was paid about $35,000. Not bad for a couple of days work! The same applies to Christopher Lee. At least Joe Lewis knew what he was doing during the choreography sequences and pulls it off well. Otherwise, this movie is completely forgettable.

Lay the blame for this one where it belongs: with the filmmakers. In his first at-bat as a movie star, Joe Lewis shows glimpses of some genuine acting ability. Unfortunately, director Pintoff (whose resume, I see here, reads like a season by season who's who of forgettable television shows) wasn't up to the task. JAGUAR LIVES! looks and feels more like a travelogue than anything else, with establishing shots of internationally famous landmarks and reel after reeling reel of home-movie style sequences that add up to nothing at all in the end. Allow me to belabor this point: Lewis, the first full contact heavyweight karate champion of the world, apparently took his acting lessons as seriously as he does his martial arts- and it shows (again, briefly, in glimpses). I remember liking his next film, FORCE: FIVE, better than this one, but I've been unable to find a copy of it (this one I found at Netflix). Lewis fared no better than in JAGUAR LIVES! in DEATH CAGE- but, even there, he demonstrated some acting ability. That his career wasn't handled better by those entrusted with it is nothing less than a crying shame.

"Jaguar Lives" is very slow and plodding entertainment, despite a tip-top cast being associated. The action (well that's when it gets around to it) is too little and unexciting martial arts... because we have to wait through long dry spells of talk. The climax battle is the only thing worth waiting around for. Not helping is that the twists in the story are plain easy to pick up on and it doesn't make too much sense. Wow, just look at the names! The main reason I decided to give it a look. The likes of Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach are simply wasted, and Joe Lewis is just too deadpan in the lead role. Fun this is not. No wonder why it's not too well known, as it's largely dismissible.

This flick has one of the most incredible casts ever assembled for a B-movie! You've got Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence (fresh from "Halloween"), Barbara Bach (former Bond Girl), Woody Strode (those who've seen "Spartacus" aren't likely to have forgotten him), Capucine (Inspector Clouseau's wife in "Pink Panther"), even the legendary director John Huston (not his first useless supporting role; remember "Tentacles"?). Unfortunately, none of those performers get a chance to stand out and do anything memorable, the story is confusing (although the main villain's "hidden" identity is easy to guess) and karate expert Lewis, who stars, knows all the right moves but has little acting charisma. (*1/2)