To those who like to indulge in the lower spectrum of the genre, 'L. A. Wars' is everything you want it being. It's the type of flick that doesn't get made anymore. A real snapshot into the 80's and early 90's dtv low budget landscape. You'll either enjoy what this flick stands for - action, simplicity, boobs - or you won't and should turn back now.
An ex-cop who got unjustly tossed off the force, Jake Quinn (Vince Murdocco) is a man who doesn't have the time for rules, criminals or talking. Working security for a bar, he happens to rescue the daughter of a mob boss when she's almost abducted in the street and quickly becomes her official bodyguard. Meanwhile the on-going mob war allows him a chance to regain his badge while also falling in love with his responsibility.
Shot for under 200k, the filmmakers did their best to put out a half decent product and for the most part succeed. The story is functional, but the fights are a little stilted, too slow. Could have benefitted from better choreography (which they probably couldn't afford) or at the very least more editing. As a guy with professional kickboxing in his background, Murdocco is at least convincing mixing it up physically and his one note acting perfectly fine in a flick such as this.
The bodies drop either thru fisticuffs or gunplay as does a healthy level of swearing. Betrayals, double crosses, silly villain escapes, cocaine, a cranky ex-superior police captain and an almost invincible main hero. Sidaris regular Rodrigo Obregón turns up as a rival mob boss while stripper / porn star Holly Body displays her enormous talents.
If you aren't the most discriminating for your action fix or you're feeling a bit nostalgic, 'L. A. Wars' has some good pieces and checks a lot of the cliché boxes. Even if there's some groaners, rough spots along the way or laughs at things you weren't meant to - you're still entertained.
