Red Sun Rising is a 1994 American martial arts action film directed by Francis Megahy and starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, James Lew, Terry Farrell, Mako, Michael Ironside and Edward Albert.

Wilson plays a Japanese cop who travels to Los Angeles and teams up with a reluctant American counterpart (Farrell) to track down the gang responsible for the murder of his partner, whose hitman (Lew) is an expert in the ancient art of the death touch.

Maslak and Neva Friedenn, a veteran martial arts film distributor and PR, had co-produced Wilson's previous vehicle Out for Blood with PM Entertainment, and the pair was now looking to branch out into production full time.

[2]: 3:09  He kept a hands off approach but helped them get the best possible cast for their budget, and was crucial to the film's financing, notably securing favorable terms on their completion bond thanks to his proven track record.

[2]: 4:31 [6]: 6:57  Ever since learning that the current Japanese police descended from reformed samurai, Maslak had wanted to retell their ancestral rivalry against the ninja in the context of a modern cop film.

[10] When Penn departed the project, Maslak suggested making the American sidekick a woman to add romantic depth to their relationship, although her dialogue relating to the main plot was left largely unchanged.

[11]: 3:00 Chris Penn, who was originally going to co-star as the American cop, dragged his feet to sign his contract after he was cast in True Romance, and confessed to Wilson that his agent had asked him to refrain from participating in lower-budget films.

[4] The term "World Premiere" employed by HBO was only loosely defined, and the film had in fact already appeared in some international markets such as the U.K., where it arrived on VHS through distributor Guild Home Video on August 12, 1994.

[27] Red Sun Rising received a 10th anniversary screening at the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival on September 13, 2003, in presence of leading man Wilson and director Megahy.

Writing for News Publications' TV Guide and Motion Picture Annual, Brian Camp said: "While still a low-budget potboiler with a far-fetched story line, Red Sun Rising is far superior to most similar efforts, including Roger Corman’s ongoing series of Bloodfist films."

Wilson's acting was said to have "gradually improved to the point of adequacy", while Farrell combined "a sense of humor and a warm, feminine side" and Lew made for "an imposing and formidable villain".

"[30] Writing in his syndicated Video view column, British reviewer Peter Dean wrote that the film "[has] got a better-than-average screenplay and the action sequences are well choreographed.

"[31] Anne Wheeler, home video columnist for magazine Hit Parader, was most positive and simply hailed Red Sun Rising as "the best American martial arts film ever made", with particular mention for Lew's villainous turn.

[33] Ballantine Books' Video Movie Guide was along the same lines, assessing that "[e]ntertaining players rise above pedestrian material in this modest martial arts saga, starring the always appealing Don 'The Dragon' Wilson [...] Mystical elements are played too broadly, but the formula still works.