China O'Brien

China O'Brien; big city police woman; martial arts trainer, is forced to hand in her badge and head home to her father and the small town where she grew up. The peaceful town she knew is now struggling against the clutches of organized crime. When her father, the town sheriff, is killed China decides to run for his position and clean up the town. The poll results spark a series of confrontations that finally decide who runs the town . . .

Cynthia Rothrock displays her martial arts prowess in this enjoyable B-film. The low budget is obvious, the acting is a little amateurish, but there's a strong aura of a sense of right reeking from the three protagonists, especially from Rothrock, and you're rooting for them. Rothrock comes across sincere, sweet and likeable, but of course her main appeal is kicking the bad guys to oblivion and she does that numerous times in some well-choreographed fight scenes. There's enough spinning kicks to send you in a tizzy. And she is ably supported in the kicking the posterior league by Richard Norton and Keith Cooke, both are equally as impressive as Lady Dragon Rothrock. The fight scene in the gym is a standout and inventive. An enjoyable Rothrock vehicle, which I think is her best.

Saw this on TBS the other night, expecting the usual poor substitute for a good action movie. True, I did get a mediocre film overall, but as a form of reimbursement, I received a bunch of quality martial-arts sequences.

Yes, the plot is amazingly uncomplicated - the most unexpected thing (and also the dumbest) is when not just one, but TWO car bombs explode within two days of each other. But besides the improbability of a Utah native growing up with an Australian accent (can we assume he picked that up in the "Special Forces"?), at least it's not too unrealistic.

But this movie was basically created to showcase Rothrock's abilities, and they are readily apparent. Someone mentioned that this film was meant as a vehicle for Jackie Chan; this is also easy to see based on the beautifully choreographed fight scenes that make good use of the available props (the scene in the high school's weight room is particularly fun).

Overall score: With regards to the filmmaking process, this one gets a low rating thanks to bad sound effects, cheap production and minimal writing talent. However, the great fights more than make up for it. Five (5) stars out of a possible 10.

Cheesy but fun. Pure Battle sequences, lots of action. Whether intentional or not it was hilarious. In the beginning when the disgruntled student does not believe in the power of Kung Fu he wants China to go into an alley in the middle of a City to prove Kung fu! first Bruce Lee I don't think would do it with all the guns in the cities. Second she is Kicking arse one by one and explaining all the moves. Even better the Kung fu Muslim Brother comes to aid her. And the best comedy relief of the movie is the australian guy with his version of Kangaroo Kung Fu! what a riot. He has some martial arts moves but He manages to splice it with street gymnastics and drop kicks, yes two legged dropped kicks landing on the booty in the middle of a serious fight. Good for straight action raw on story 5 out of ten

China O'Brien was an attempt to bring Cynthia Rothrock as an action star to American audiences.

She had made an impact in Hong Kong action cinema. Robert Clouse who directed Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon, makes this low budget B movie.

It really is Road House redux, the movie released a year earlier.

China O'Brien is a tough city cop who moves back to her hometown in Utah after the death of a young boy.

Her dad is the sheriff of a small town that is being run by a crime gang headed by Edwin Sommers.

Some of the townsfolk including the local judge are in his payroll.

When her father is killed in an explosion. China O'Brien decides to run for sheriff, to challenge a corrupt cop backed by Sommers.

China and her friends decide to fight back each time an obstacle is put in place by the baddies.

The story is hackneyed. Some of the acting is below par. The movie is about martial arts action.

Here Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke deliver.

An obviously low-budget effort: the sound is lousy, the editing is sloppy, the writing is cliche. The acting, while not Oscar material, is surprisingly well done. But what really shines are the fight scenes (and that's what you wanted to see the film for, anyway -- right?) They're very well choreographed, and the actors very obviously know what they're doing. And of course, Cynthia Rothrock is a total babe (and that's *really* what you wanted to see the film for -- right? :)