This sequel to the blaxploitation hit Cleopatra Jones mixes in elements of the kung-fu genre and James Bond-styled spy adventures as it sends its colorful heroine to a high-flying adventure in an exotic locale. When fellow operatives (and childhood friends) Matthew Johnson (Albert Popwell) and Melvin Johnson (Caro Kenyatta) disappear during an undercover mission in Hong Kong, Cleopatra Jones (Tamara Dobson) travels there to find them. With the help of local detective Mi Ling (Tanny), Cleopatra discovers that her friends' disappearance has to do with The Dragon Lady (Stella Stevens), a much-feared woman who runs a Macao casino and controls a major chunk of the local drug trade. The finale finds Cleopatra and Mi Ling squaring off against the Dragon Lady and her minions in an explosive casino battle that involves kung-fu, gunplay, and roaring motorcycles. Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold didn't reach the same heights of success of its predecessor, but its colorful barrage of action has made it an enduring favorite amongst blaxploitation aficionados. Director Chuck Bail would go on to bigger success next year with the car-chase hit The Gumball Rally and star Dobson continued to play tough heroines in films like Chained Heat. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Review
This blaxploitation sequel is full of appealing elements, but never truly manages to gel. The culprit is William Tennant's screenplay, which attempts to throw in a nod towards every commercial action film trend of its time, including martial arts films, spy thrillers, drug-themed police action, and blaxploitation. As a result, the story feels overplotted due to its attempts to accommodate all these elements. This overabundance of plot also causes the film to lose sight of its heroine, who ends up feeling like part of an ensemble instead of its driving force. Most notably, it fails to give Cleopatra a major role in the action until the film is almost half over. Despite these key storytelling flaws, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold remains an entertaining affair thanks to a solid cast and slick direction. Tamara Dobson makes an entertainingly sassy heroine and Stella Stevens makes a sly yet menacing foe. Three's Company fans will also be delighted to see the future Mr. Roper, Norman Fell, in a supporting role as Cleopatra's perpetually exasperated boss. There are plenty of fun action set pieces, the highlights being a scene where Mi Ling has to fight off a room of attackers with her arms tied down and the explosive final assault on the Casino of Gold. This action look fantastic thanks to stunt coordinator-turned-director Chuck Bail, who uses his stunt choreography skills to give these moments the maximum impact they need. In the end, Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold is too slight an affair for most modern viewers, but provides enough excitement to make a fun curio for blaxploitation enthusiasts and action buffs. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Paola Borbini - Grandmother; Norman Fell - Stanley Nagel; Christopher Hunt - Mendez; Caro Kenyatta - Melvin Johnson; Albert Popwell - Matthew Johnson; Chan Sen - Soo; Tanny - Mi Ling; Eddy Donno - Morgan; Stella Stevens - Dragon Lady; Lin Chen-Chi - Madalyna
Credit
Johnson Tsao - Art Director, Chuck Bail - Director, Willy Kemplen - Editor, Dominic Frontiere - Composer (Music Score), Alan Hume - Cinematographer, Run Run Shaw - Producer, William Tennant - Producer, William Tennant - Screenwriter
