Dedicated to Tom Sizemore
(Nov 29, 1961 – Mar 3, 2023)
There are some movies that get buried under their reputation before anyone really gives them a fair shot.
Asian Connection is one of them.
Scroll through the reviews, and you’ll mostly find dismissal, jokes, and low scores.
If you actually sit down and watch it, especially now that it’s freely available on YouTube, you might be surprised by how much this movie gets right.
This isn’t a masterpiece. It’s clearly a low-budget action film. The sound mixing is uneven. Some scenes look cheap.
Underneath the issues is an original story, solid character work, and a rare example of Steven Seagal being used exactly the way he should be.
And it’s also one of the few films that had creative input from Tom Sizemore, making it worth revisiting in his memory.
Steven Seagal: Perfect as a Villain
By 2016, Steven Seagal’s reputation was already damaged. Many viewers passed on this one.
As Gan, the manipulative crime boss, Seagal’s usual traits: low energy, quiet delivery, distant presence, suddenly make sense.
Gan feels calculating, cold, and quietly threatening. He doesn’t need to do much physically. This villain controls people psychologically.
It’s one time where Seagal's hip-hop-western-monk persona fits the role.
Instead of forcing him into another “aging hero” mold, the film lets him be a villain. It works.
John Edward Lee (Jack) and Pim Bubear (Avalon) were a real emotional core
Jack feels like a real person:
Scared.
Makes bad choices.
Deeply in love with his girlfriend, Avalon.
Their relationship gives the movie emotional stakes that many low-budget action films completely lack.
You’re watching someone trying desperately to protect the person he loves.
A Strong Supporting Cast (and a Fun Cameo)
One pleasant surprise is Michael Jai White, who appears briefly as a gun dealer named Greedy. He's actually why I watched the movie. My goal is to watch through every film of his I haven't seen, and I started from 1989. White's only one scene, but his presence adds credibility and energy.
The main enforcer is played by Sahajak Boonthanakit (Niran), who has appeared in films like:
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Fistful of Vengeance
-
Hard Target 2
-
Never Back Down: No Surrender
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Skin Trade
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The Marine 2
In Asian Connection, he has personality, anger issues, and a believable edge. His character feels like someone who exists in this criminal world.
An Original Take on a Familiar Setup
On paper, the story sounds familiar: two men forced into crime by a powerful criminal figure.
The execution is different.
There’s no cheap “dead brother” motivation. Instead, Jack and his friend Sam are coerced into robbing banks at gunpoint by Niran.
They’re trapped.
Every choice makes things worse.
The tension comes from survival instead of melodrama.
The plot focuses on:
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Fear
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Manipulation
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Loyalty
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Desperation
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Moral compromise
That gives it more depth than most direct-to-video action movies.
The Tom Sizemore Factor
One of the most overlooked facts about Asian Connection is that Tom Sizemore had a hand in developing the story.
Sizemore spent decades in gritty crime films. He understood:
How
criminals think,
-
loyalty breaks down,
-
tension works in confined situations
-
and what dialogue sounds real
That experience shows in the structure and character dynamics.
This story was built around people and consequences.
Sizemore passed away far too early, at 61, after suffering a stroke and brain aneurysm. His career was turbulent, but his talent was undeniable.
That alone makes it worth revisiting.
Free on YouTube, Worth Your Time
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