Hot Potato Game - Fun & Fast-Paced Family Party Game for Kids & Adults - Perfect for Indoor & Outdoor Gatherings, Camping, and Game Nights

"Hot Potato" (HP) has been routinely dismissed as a poor outing for its star Jim Kelly. Make no mistake about it "Hot Potato" is not great cinema by any stretch of the imagination. But after viewing the film again recently I have adjusted my overall opinion to what is probably a more appropriate level given the time the film was made and the overall expectations."Hot Potato" follows the well received and what is universally considered to be Kelly's best effort in a starring vehicle "Black Belt Jones." Kelly reprises the role of "Jones" the ultra cool Afro sporting spy who is as adept at martial arts as he is with the ladies. The expectations for "HP" were high given the success of "Black Belt Jones" and the overall feeling that Kelly might be the heir apparent to the late Bruce Lee. Ultimately, Kelly would not live up to these lofty expectations but when considered on its own merits Kelly's performance in "HP" is actually okay sometimes good."HP" is produced by Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller who are the same team responsible for "Enter the Dragon" (Kelly's breakout role in support of the legendary Lee) and "Black Belt Jones." So, the production value is relatively high while filmed on location in Thailand and it would be reasonable to conclude that putting Weintraub, Heller and Kelly together again would have good results. Unfortunately, the problem is with the routine story which essentially has our hero Jones sent off to exotic Thailand to save the daughter (Judith Brown) of a U.S. Senator who has been kidnapped to blackmail the Senator.The script not withstanding perhaps the biggest problem with "HP" is the casting. Putting Kelly with two non-descript actors including Geoffrey Binney (as Chicago) and the unfortunate George Memmoli (as Rhino) does little more than bog Kelly down with silly high jinks that does little to move the story or film forward. It's unclear if it was the Producers or Warner Brothers who made the decision to include Memmoli and Binney because there is no doubt that "HP" would have been better without them. There is however some modest chemistry between Jones and Thailand operative Pam played by Irene Tsu. Sam Hiona as the heavy Rangoon is clearly based on Shih Kin's Han from "Enter the Dragon" but Hiona plays the part to one dimensionally to establish the gravitas of Kin's Han.The only other reason to watch "HP" is for the fight sequences. It is here where "HP" is at its most consistent particularly in those scenes that feature Kelly which he was also responsible for choreographing. While Kelly does not quite display the form exhibited in "Black Belt Jones" he is for the most part good and worth seeing. So, after all these years I have adjusted my opinion of "HP" I would stop just short of an unqualified recommendation but for Kelly fans this is a film worth checking out.