JBall75487

I tuned in to 'Martial law' a few days ago on UK satellite TV. Well, I've never seen a 'police' series quite like it - it makes Hawaii 5-0 look positively archaic by comparison, Sammo,Grace and Company combine to offer a beautifully choreographed and seemingly non-stop sequence of action packed episodes (aided by some dazzling stunts and clever camerawork ) One can forgive the fact that the rest of the city police force appear to be surplus to requirements and that the plots are sparkling gems of improbability - the whole programme is propelled forward by an irresistible combination of incandescent martial arts skills, transcendental displays of the powers of deduction,coupled with what appears to be an undercurrent of good humour which is never far from the surface.This is a programme which is a fine example of the type of professionalism which maintains credibility but doesn't take itself too seriously.A first class example of comedy/action which is a sheer joy to watch, and mercifully free from cliches and stereotypes.Strongly recommended to those who want to enjoy themselves !

This film is,of course, a mirror image of 'Fistful of Dollars', without the style. Generous helpings of bad acting, character stereotypes,poor storyline and improbable scenarios are cleverly woven into a virtually non-stop fusillade of gunfire, remarkable for the quantity of ammunition expended and an incredibly high bullet to body ratio ! Add to this the unlikely prospect of a derelict town with, apparently, only two inhabitants, located in a desert, being terrorised by two gangs, each vying with the other for both the accolade of sartorial excellence and the profits from various nefarious activities, but who are, apparently, out-thought and out-gunned by a stranger in a ramshackle old car, who needs to fire about 30 bullets to see off one man, perhaps leading one to believe that an eye-test, followed by a course in the effective use of fire-arms, might not go amiss ? Nevertheless, our hero, by adhering closely to the script, triumphs after all, and is, as far as can be ascertained, left as the 'Last Man Standing' At the end, you might be forgiven for asking what it was all about, as this film contains lots of action, but little else.

A fatuous plot, wooden acting, stereotyped characters, dialogue noteworthy only for its predictability, littered with set-piece cliches, this film combines all these defects into a unique representation of cinematic dysfunction which is symptomatic of the dearth of film making talent in contemporary cinema. This one makes the typical 1930's Three Stooges offerings look like epics ! My advice to prospective viewers is 'Don't waste your time (and money) on this insult to the intelligence.