L.A. Bounty

B movie sexpot Sybil Danning also gets story author and producer credit on this routine but competently handled little picture. She casts herself as Ruger, a strong / silent type who never talks much but is capable of effortlessly taking out the trash. Ruger is a tough ex-cop turned bounty hunter who gets involved when a mayoral candidate (episodic TV veteran Robert Hanley) is kidnapped. The mastermind is a jovial psychotic who is unsurprisingly played to the hilt by ever-reliable Wings Hauser.

Ruger is definitely a change of pace for Danning; the movie never even really tries to sexualize her character (if the viewer wants sex appeal, that's what actress Max Wasa ("House of Manson") and other female bit players are for). Danning manages to give one of her better - or at least more interesting - performances, and it's worth noting that she speaks a grand total of about 31 words in the story. But it's the villainy of the smiling Wings that is the main attraction. The movie is uninspired, for the most part, but certainly watchable; one of the best sequences happens at the end when Wings is throwing every distraction at Sybil that he can.

Worth Keeter ("Illicit Behavior") directs capably, and "L. A. Bounty" does have some pretty good action sequences. The cast of familiar faces also includes Lenore Kasdorf ("Missing in Action"), Henry Darrow ('The High Chaparral'), Blackie Dammett ("National Lampoon's Class Reunion"), Branscombe Richmond ("Hard to Kill"), Frank Doubleday ("Escape from New York"), Bob Minor ("Forced Vengeance"), and Robert "Count Yorga" Quarry.

Howard Leese of the band Heart is one of those credited with the score; the cinematography is by the legendary, prolific indie D. P. Gary Graver.

Excellent stunts, nasty violence, a high body count, and a solid pace add up to a fairly good time for B movie lovers.

Seven out of 10.

Hauser plays a sadistic & cunning drug-lord in this one. He's a real madman & he's clearly having a lot of fun playing one. Sybil Danning plays a hard-boiled ex-cop turned bounty hunter out for revenge. Out to get Hauser, that is, because years ago he killed her partner. This flick really isn't that much worse than some of the early works of Steven Seagal, JC Van Damme or even Arnie Schwarzenegger. So, know what to expect and you'll have some fun with it. It's all nonsense, naturally, but we get some bloody shoot-outs (western-style, even), car chases, torturings & female nudity. Not much to complain about. One to watch if you're a Hauser fan for sure. He's stealing the show here.

This is the last film Sybil Danning made before "retiring" from the screen for about 18 years (and making a comeback now, in 2007). Starring, writing the story and co-producing, Sybil fashioned herself here as a female Charles Bronson - "the strong, silent type", as even another character calls her. The problem is that her character is such a blank that she isn't interesting - maybe a few one-liners and / or arrogant smiles would have helped. The other problem is that she relies almost exclusively on her guns and doesn't get to throw even a single punch. She does handle her weaponry in a very professional, serious-minded manner, but I, for one, was disappointed that she didn't have even one tiny fight. Wings Hauser tries very hard to make his villain eccentric, but his performance is only slightly less uninspired than the rest of the movie. The production is cheap and low-grade (though the stuntmen do a good job), and the big "twist" of the plot is ludicrous. (*1/2)

Absolutely mindless action, no character development, and not so splendid acting, permeate "L.A. Bounty". The only reason to see this is Wings Hauser in another demented bad guy role, and Sybil Danning as sort of a "Man With No Name"/ "Dirty Harry" clone. Explosions and shootouts prevail, with renegade ex cop Danning often appearing out of nowhere, seeking revenge on those responsible for killing her partner. Although she is portrayed as a bounty hunter, no money ever exchanges hands. The whole thing just sort of rolls along on the thin thread of a story. It is something about a supposed kidnapping of a mayoral candidate, but makes little sense. For Wings and Sybil admirers only, others beware. - MERK

A L.A. mayoral candidate is kidnapped by psycho Cavanaugh (Wings Hauser) and held for a $500,000 ransom. On the case is Ruger (Sybil Danning), a tough ex-cop turned bounty hunter who has a past with, of course, Cavanaugh. This was one of Danning's last vehicles before retiring in the late 80s and it is quite a change of pace for her. The story is credited to Danning ("Hey, let's make a movie where I am a bad ass.") and it is unlike any female action flick I can think of, mostly because her character is so tough and there is no focus on her sexuality. Ruger is the strong, silent type and only has maybe 7 lines in the entire film (IMDb trivia here says Danning only speaks 31 words throughout the picture). Director Worth Keeter was a product of Earl Owensby's North Carolina studio and handles all of the action well. The real highlight is, naturally, Wings Hauser in another trademark unhinged performance. Wings was doing lots of low budget cop hero roles around this time, so it is cool to see him slide back into the sleazy VICE SQUAD/Ramrod style. Quick supporting players include Robert Quarry, Branscombe Richmond, Bob Minor and Blackie Dammett.