I love HANDS OF STEEL and am a little surprised that so many seem to brush it off as bad. Sure enough, it had a low budget but I think it's immensely enjoyable, engaging and fun. I'm not the biggest action movie fan because I've suffered through so many bad and impossible to like Hollywood actioners. I don't have very big demands for action films - the only two things that I absolutely need in order to enjoy an action film is a hero that I actually like and a bad guy that I hate. Unfortunately, most American action movies aren't able to provide that. Instead we get some boring, unlikable asshole hero who I just want to die. It's never a good thing when you find yourself rooting for the bad guys we're supposed to hate but that's what I frequently do. Not in this one, though. HANDS OF STEEL got it right. I also think it has a good story, I like Daniel Greene and the rest of the actors, I love the Simonetti score, the actions scenes and the arm wrestling sequences.
Janet Agren looking frumpy...? well, I guess she has looked hotter than she does here but I think she was supposed to look like this. I mean, she's a tough gal who's used to living alone and taking care of herself, and there aren't many interesting men for her to dress all fancy for. I think Daniel Greene falls for her because she's a genuinely nice person who gives him a chance and shows him the kind of respect he isn't used to getting. I think the relationship between them was very convincing, and the fact that I cared about both their characters made the film all the better. Oh, and there
is one scene where Janet wears a dress and lets her hair out

As for Martino considering HANDS OF STEEL to be a trash film... well, the guy has made lots of films that had bigger budgets and bigger stars, and that made more money, so this was probably a minor film for him. Besides, Claudio Cassinelli had made lots of films together with Martino so they were probably good friends. The fact that Cassinelli died during filming and that Martino had to continue filming without him probably made the rest of the shoot a very bitter experience that he doesn't remember too fondly. To be honest, I don't blame him. I'm sure I would feel the same way if it was my good friend who had died. But the film still turned out great.
Ok, sorry for the long rant but we have to stick up for our favorite films. I'm sure Lefteris agrees me
