Turkish First Blood aka Vahsi Kan (1983)

Vahsi Kan
TURKISH FIRST BLOOD (1983)
Directed by Cetin Inanc
Starring Cuneyt Arkin, Huseyin Peyda



For a film that comes from the year I was born, it's fitting that it should kick a ton of ass all over the place. The plot well since I don't speak Turkish...I'm going to have to take some liberties in my description.

First off some bikers dick around with some people, then some zombies (I kid you not they are zombies) attack a women driving with her family, killing all except her and then trying to rape her. She escapes and the film begins in earnest. Some guards are transporting Cuneyt Arkin, but they are overcome by flames when stumbling upon the burning wreck of the woman's car. From there Arkin after rescuing the guards escapes.

At this point it starts becoming more and more like First Blood. Just replace the asshole cops with asshole bikers and this one guy who is a villain in a ton of Inanc films. They capture Arkin and cut the crab out of him with knives while he is tied up. Of course this is a really really poor idea and Arkin escapes and starts to kill them all (a departure from First Blood where only one person dies, then again these guys are worse than the cops in First Blood). From there it's pretty much large chunks of First Blood with random Turkish weird shit thrown in for good effect.

I feel like I shouldn't spoil this film, because if some how I can get you to want to see this, then maybe I can convince Bill from Onar to release the film with subs.

This movie is really bloody as hell. I mean tons of gore effects from stabbings, shootings, and among others things flaming explosive sticks of DOOM!

There is a ton of stolen music in this film. Hell, it's the entire First Blood soundtrack, though a part of me wishes they used the vocal version of It's a Long Road instead of the instrumental version. Still, Inanc makes good use of the music, particularly It's a Long Road and the main Rambo action theme.

The action is also excellently done. Arkin really knows how to kick the living crap out of someone and make it come across well on screen. His Karate and Circus training is a huge plus here. Inanc also infuses the film with a bunch of crazy camera angles and with shots of Arkin sped up at times so it's like he's a cartoon character and/or smoked a ton of crack.

It's been said Arkin was on the skids at this point in his career for awhile and also drinking heavily. Hell, if I could tell, he comes across as a great lead and gives a ton of energy and passion in his acting even if I have no clue what the hell he is saying, it just transcends language barriers.

What does this all combine to? One really enjoyable piece of Turkish Rip Off Cinema with one of its best directors and actors. It's only brisk 73 minutes, but man will you enjoy every part of it. I had no clue what dialogue wise was going on, but man did I love every minute of it and so should you!