You know, over the past few years the steady rise to prominence of Russian performer and director Michael Lucas and his New York-based production company have reminded us of the old -- really old -- division between the East and West Coasts in porno production. Back in the 70s, New York companies such as P.M. Productions specialized in gritty, realistic, well, relatively realistic, porn, as opposed to the more idealized California porn. In the past two decades porn production has largely been focused on the West Coast. But Lucas has developed a new "New York School" of sorts, and it has a lot of the raw energy and realism of the old days. The Fire Island series is his longest-running group of flicks set, appropriately enough, in this famous gay summer resort area with its legendary free-wheeling sex.
As part four in the saga opens, it's another sunny day on oh-so-gay Fire Island, and cute skinny twink Aaron Heights is giving Tom International a blowjob on the deck. The nearby geraniums are an interesting contrast to Tom's fierce-looking dragon and merman tattoos and his dual nipple piercings. We're not sure what makes Tom "international," but he gives Aaron a good rimjob, and Aaron's hole seems visibly to open up for the inevitable fucking, right there on the nice wooden bench. Reverse-cowboy succeeds doggy-style, and Aaron's much larger dick is shown to nice advantage. As they switch to missionary, Michael Lucas peers at them between the geraniums. His mouth drops like he's surprised. Ha! Michael Lucas as the shocked onlooker? Hardly typecasting. Anyhow, Aaron enjoys his fucking and shoots a geyser-like load worthy of Spike, while Tom keeps pumping until he finally pulls out and shoots his own gigantic load.
Spy-boy Michael returns to his luxurious Fire Island timeshare (we assume) where Carlos Morales is snuggling with Christophe Blanc and handsome Marco Rochelle is perusing a cookbook. Michael allows his inner bitch to surface as he cattily tells Marco that he just saw his boyfriend fucking someone else. Marco retaliates by telling Michael that his own boyfriend Trent Everett had an encounter with Chad Hunt and his monster schlong. Then he stomps off in a huff.
We then see the photographic evidence of Trent's indiscretion as he worships at the altar of Chad's incredible phallus. After mucho oral between them, with Trent valiantly but unsuccessfully attempting to get more than four inches of Chad's dick in his mouth, Trent rims Chad's ass before Chad inserts his size-XXL peg into Trent's size-M hole. He does manage to take it all and actually seems a little surprised at himself. He really enjoys having his hole stretched out, and cums while Chad continues to pump. After Chad cums, there's a (mail-order only) bonus scene of Chad pissing on Trent outside by the geraniums.
Cute cuddling couple Carlos and Christophe are just as fickle as the rest, as they part each other's company with Carlos lying that he's visiting a depressed friend, while Christophe claims he has work to do. Right. The work turns out to be that six-man orgy he's been meaning to get around to for so long. There is a nice variety of guys here. Christophe is the tight-bodied, big-dicked French hunk that so impressed the Emperor in Kristen Bjorn's "Dreamers" (Sarava). Not surprisingly, he's pretty much the center of attention, although there are other cuties as well. Beefy brunet Brandon Williams is another standout, particularly his fleshy ass. Tommie is a skinny little twink with a man-sized cock, and a startling contrast to the more masculine Christophe and Brandon. Jony Kfir, Aaron Heights and Kevin Roberts round out the orgy, with Christophe, Jony and Kevin taking on topping duties. Macho, older Brandon looks particularly good getting his fleshy butt pumped by young Jony. There is some versatility as Brandon and Kevin switch roles before everyone cums. This is followed by a solo where skinny, big-dicked Kevin whacks off while he sticks a few fingers up his butt poised over a scenic pond. He makes a valiant effort, but he never gets the whole hand up there. He eats his cum, following the lead of Brandon in the orgy scene.
Carlos's troubled friend turns out to be hard-bodied Diego Alvarez, whose only real trouble seems to be uncontrollable horniness. Diego is muscular with about 1% body fat. Carlos is rapidly developing one of the finest bodies in gay porn to go along with his handsome face and big dick. The two suck and rim frantically in the hot tub before Carlos plows Diego's tight ass. Diego has one of those bodies that's so hard it looks like rock, so it's really fun to see Carlos's fat dick penetrate his tight asscheeks and into his hairy hole. There are some nice shots of Diego's pink, muscular, distended hole during Carlos's withdrawals. The scene is daringly filmed in semi-darkness, which some viewers might not like, but which we thought was a nice change. There are also plenty of long shots of these studs' bodies in action, and when the bodies are like these, you definitely want to see all of them and not just disembodied genitals. There seems to be genuine fire between these two, and their sex has a kind of horny urgency that makes it seem like the real world. (Hey, maybe this is an episode of "The Real World: Fire Island"?) Cumming is a real production for these two, and then they clean up by pissing all over Diego's cummy torso (this is probably just in the mail-order version as well).
Catty bitches Marco and Michael kiss and make up, literally, in front of a fancy fireplace in an oh-so-carefully-designed living room. (Boy, that's some expensive timeshare they have.) They coyly wonder why they never got together, given that they both "trust" each other. So making up for lost time, they do it right there in front of the fireplace, as two Hindu deities look on. We're not kidding. Take a look at those statues on either side of the fireplace. There's a lot of oral here, and the sometimes aloof Michael seems to be into Marco. Who wouldn't be? Marco is a very handsome man with more than ample meat. (Then again, maybe Michael's new, shorter haircut has something to do with it.) And lo and behold: after Marco rims Michael, he actually finger-fucks Michael's theoretically virgin butt. It's slow and sensuous, and Michael really seems to enjoy it, moaning and tossing his head ecstatically. (We think it's time for Michael to give up his on-camera cherry.) Of course, he soon returns to his stereotypical top position and gives Marco one of his patented deep-fuckings after a 69 session. Marco's big dick looks good in the straddle-fuck, and he shoots his load as Michael pounds him missionary. Michael really sprays a wad; evidently that finger-fucking really milked the juice from him. They then profess undying love in front of the fireplace. Somehow, considering the way relationships work in Michael Lucas's Fire Island love nest, we're skeptical that it will last.
The DVD includes some fun extras. There are some outtakes and two casual, relaxed interviews with Diego and Christophe, both of whom are intelligent and charming as well as sexy. There's even a scene of Michael using the clippers on somebody's pubic hair and butt. The extras conclude with a dinner of the cast and crew where we learn that there are at least ten different nations represented among them (and it turns out Tom International is from Siberia). Michael drones on with a lengthy anti-drug statement that turns into a bit of a sermon. But it's mostly shop talk about shooting and photography schedules. There are also extensive trailers and a preview slide-show.
As we mentioned, the realism of Lucas videos heightens the eroticism. There's no music, just sex noises. And hats off to videographer Andre Adair and editor Fay Dubois who seem to have a lot to do with keeping Michael Lucas's videos fast-paced, horny and interesting to watch. He's developed a successful signature style, and "Fire Island Cruising 4" is another horny installment.
The DVD also includes an easy-to-navigate menu (with a generous chapter breakdown); Dolby sound; and playable worldwide (no regional coding, with Macrovision copy-protection).
A DVD Review by The Porn Emperor