Ley marcial

I never thought I'd see another flick feature the Dim Mak "death touch" like 'Bloodsport', but it's here. 'Martial Law' is a b-movie through and through. The type of which I'm starting to have an appreciation for, but it can't be denied that the story on display is second rate. Carradine and Rothrock have their moments though in this standard beat 'em up.

Sean Thompson (Chad McQueen) is a cop that goes by the nickname "Martial Law". Yes, seriously. Crooks around town call him that. He spent a few years in Japan so of course he's a martial arts expert. After ridiculously busting up a hostage situation in the opening, he has to contend with his younger brother Michael who's gotten himself in too deep stealing cars for Dalton Rhodes (David Carradine). An all around bad dude dealing in a lot of shady stuff, owner of a martials arts studio and a badass himself. Lending Sean a hand is fellow cop, martial arts practitioner and part time lover Billie Blake (Cynthia Rothrock).

Carradine was no stranger to b-movie roles in the 80's and early 90's, but he puts in a sober performance here. Cynthia plays 2nd fiddle but still gets to display her chops. Chad McQueen - son to the legendary Steve McQueen - is another matter. He's not quite out of shape, but looks a little doughy for the hero tough-guy role he's supposed to be pulling off though his martial arts are on point. Oh and when your brother is arrested for GTA after hopping out of a Porsche 911 and feeds you the story he was just hitchhiking and you believe it - you're an idiot. What kind of Porsche owner gives random strangers a ride!?

'Martial Law' has some gunplay, the fisticuffs you expect, but you gotta contend with a few annoying characters and a few too many stupid moments in the story. Kill an informant right in front of the cops for instance. A step-up sequel followed a year later with Rothrock and Jeff Wincott taking on the Sean Thompson role and is a better package.

I've yet to watch a movie starring Cynthia Rothrock that wasn't rife with peculiarities, and at that, usually all the same ones. Her films are generally blunt and over the top in most significant aspects, including writing and acting if not also direction, and often ham-handed and inauthentic on top. She's not uncommonly no more than second fiddle in her own starring vehicles - and yet for all that, the fight choreography is broadly well done. It's an odd mixture at all times, and 'Martial law' doesn't try hard to convince us that it's any different. From excessive sound cues (such "whooshes" as fists or feet flying through the air or hitting their marks), to massively done-up and visually distinct hair, makeup, or costume design; from small, gratuitous flourishes, to an enjoyable but curious score from Elliot Solomon that oscillates between guitar fireworks, fanfare that wouldn't sound out of place opening 'Saturday Night Live,' and synth-driven ambient pieces - there's a lot going on here. Most prominent actor Chad McQueen, playing actual protagonist Thompson, really does look like a Joe Piscopo impersonator; a scene set in a nightclub features a very 80s hair metal band and song (accordingly Tempest, performing "Sauza" - I won't lie, I liked it); and there's a brusqueness to the execution of some action sequences that somewhat defies suspension of disbelief.

Through it all, I'm surprised to find myself thinking that 'Martial law' is, in some ways, better than I anticipated. Maybe it's director Steve Cohen's guidance of the cast that we have to thank, but the acting feels unexpectedly restrained and sober compared to other Rothrock films. For all the flair here and there, including sequencing and otherwise editing that echoes that cheeky tenor, it almost seems like the production is played straight, declining the greater bombast we're used to seeing from her and those with whom she shares the screen. David Carradine, Philip Tan, John Fujioka - and yes, even Rothrock - all show glimmers of real nuance in their acting that's a far cry from the tomfoolery we saw in, say, 'Honor and glory,' or 'Tiger claws.' Even when performances are overdone (for better or worse I'm looking at you, Vincent Craig Dupree), it's unmistakably intentional, and though he has a small part, it's always a minor joy to see Professor Toru Tanaka. The cinematography and sound design are crisp and clear, the orchestration of every shot and scene is suitable - honestly, in a lot of ways, 'Martial laws seems pretty well made.

The biggest question,though, is of course the writing. Richard Brandes doesn't have a lot of credits to his name in that capacity, with one of the few others being this picture's sequel. There's no substantial depth to most characters, and they mostly fill familiar action-thriller crime flick archetypes. There's occasional cleverness to the dialogue, but so much of it just feels unremarkable and downright uninteresting. The scene writing is a little stronger, but varies wildly in accordance with the needs of the story - some bits seem well thought out and work to engage our attention, advance the plot, or enrich the experience as a whole, while other instances just feel overblown or unnecessary. And as to that plot: it's complete, coherent, and cohesive. It's also oafishly slow and meandering as it switches gears at intervals from criminal enterprise, to criminal investigation, to family drama, and back again, with martial arts sprinkled throughout. For that matter: apart from some key scenes, the cinema-ready disciplines are weirdly deemphasized in the screenplay, letting the other elements take precedence to the disadvantage of 'Martial law' - while antagonist Rhoades' (Carradine) signature finishing move is overused until it fails to provide invigoration. The result of it all is a title that's hard to get excited about, not least of all as the core plot doesn't seem to go much of anywhere until the last third of the runtime, and even then it comes and goes with minimal impact.

The feature has a leg up on some of its brethren when it comes to technical craft, so I suppose that's worth something. But even if we generously put aside the major dearth of screen time for top-billed Rothrock, which still blows my mind, there's still so little about the movie that inspires, or gets the blood flowing. As the length lackadaisically saunters to the climax - and a final fight that is admittedly quite well done - one can't help but ask what it was all for. Everyone involved does their part, more or less - so what? I'd much sooner watch a romp buzzing with ridiculous, exaggerated ham-handedness and questionable construction than a solidly built snooze. Unfortunately, by and large, that's just what we get in 'Martial law,' and I wonder if I'm not being too kind in my assessment as it stands.

What's kind of sad is that it really didn't have to be this way. More than anything else, all the feature needed was more martial arts - and, once more to highlight, more Rothrock - to improve upon the actual finished product. Oh well. Cautiously recommendable for martial arts fanatics and utmost fans of the cast, and halfheartedly enjoyable for those receptive to all the wide variety that cinema has to offer. There's just no need to seek this out, though, and actively keep your expectations in check if you decide to sit for it nonetheless.

Although her role is actually secondary to Chad McQueen's (who is an OK action lead), Cynthia Rothrock is at her near-best in "Martial Law", both looks-wise and fighting-wise. She even goes 1-on-1 against Benny "The Jet" Urquidez at one point, though her highlight is probably when she delivers 6 or 7 rapid kicks in a row to a guy's head! But the script & direction are perfunctory, the "family drama" stuff is so lame and tiresome that it should have been left out altogether, and David Carradine is a weak, boring villain. If you find yourself watching this movie, my advice is to fast-forward through ALL of the dialogue scenes and focus only on the fight scenes - you won't be missing a thing, and you will be getting the maximum value for your money. (**)

Now, I have been been a fan of Cynthia Rothrock, and I have always avoided her movies during my youth. But within the recent years, I have started to watch her movies, if I have had a chance to sit down and do so. Not that I am actively seeking out her movies, nor am I a fan of hers in any way, but since I haven't seen her movies before, I do so whenever I get a chance.

And thus I happened to come across the 1990 crime action movie "Martial Law" here in 2022. Sure, I knew about the movie by its title, but I had actually never seen it before now in 2022. Were I impressed? No, not really. Sure, "Martial Law" was a watchable enough movie, but it was a rather generic martial arts movie, so writer Richard Brandes and director Steve Cohen weren't exactly delivering gold here.

The acting in the movie was adequate, with the likes of Chad McQueen, Cynthia Rothrock, David Carradine and others on the cast list. While I still am not a converted fan of Cynthia Rothrock, I will say that she does know how to fight.

"Martial Law" had adequate martial arts and fighting sequences to it, which made the movie all the more bearable to watch, truth be told.

Having seen "Martial Law" now, for the first time, I am not particularly much a fan of the movie, and I doubt that I will ever return to watch it a second time.

My rating of "Martial Law" lands on a bland five out of ten stars.

Despite her being all over the cover, she's barely in this. Instead you get sub-Joe Piscapo look a like Chad McQueen in a dorky jacket stumbling through fight scenes and looking like a goof. Nothing to see here.