A Force of One (1979)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Dull. Monotonous. Routine. Boring. Tedious. Dreary. Mind-numbing. I could go on but you get the picture – this cheap, early Chuck Norris outing is lacking in all of the areas that made the later films he made for Cannon so popular. There is no choreography in the fight sequences, no budget, no semi-decent acting, no proper photography, and hardly any stunts or action to speak of. The quality of the video transfer I watched was appallingly grainy, detracting from any enjoyability factor I would have got from the film otherwise, but any way you look this film is a dud. A mess and a boring mess at that. The plot actually reminded me of those old Santo movies. Norris is basically playing himself as a worldwide karate champion who takes time off from his matches in the ring to help out the local police force, searching for the karate killer who butchered their companions.The clichés are dragged out so slowly that you'll feel like you're trapped in a time warp with this movie. There are the stock characters, from the badly-dressed female love interest to the overacting police lieutenant – although actually Clu Gulager's hilariously mannered performance is one of the funniest things in the whole movie. Aside from Gulager the performances are strictly routine, with Norris himself particularly bad as the wooden lead, not having developed any of the charisma or acting style he possessed in later years.The action is dreadful, both inside the ring and out. It's one of those films where most things happen at night so you can't really make out what's going on. It helps to disguise various shortcomings as well. The best action is saved for the finale in an extended fight/chase, but even this is a bit of a let down as the guys basically slug it out in a pitch black field until one of them makes a mistake and pays for it with his life. No guesses for who ends up surviving in this movie then. Despite some level of realism and an "on the street" aspect in regards to the atmosphere, A FORCE OF ONE is just so boring that I have no option but to regard it as the worst of the karate man's many films.

As if Chick Norris with the blonde Mustache isn't dangerous enough, but at least he saved some of the hair off his back. Then again, he could have killed appointments just by having them look at it.This is a good crime drama. it's about a new drug cartel whose deadly enforcer is a masked karate expert who has no problem killing anyone including cops to protect his boss' investment. The police force decides to bring in their own karate expert, Matt Logan played by the blonde mustache to train them. The only problem with the movie is Chuck Norris is not kicking enough ass in it. Made during the time when Norris is known best as a Marshal arts master on level with the legendary Bruce Lee, Chuck barely throws a kick in this film. Who wants to see that? Chuck Norris can't act and he knows he can't act so why would you down play the reason you hired him in the first place?Like I said a good crime drama, but not worth anything if Chuck an'it ripping a man's heart out of his body with a kick, and you know he can do it, too!

Karate champ and action movie star Chuck Norris got his third starring vehicle in this decent story credited to Ernest Tidyman of "The French Connection" fame. The fights are competently staged, and the cast includes enough familiar and reliable actors to make it quite watchable if not inspired.Norris doesn't have to stretch here: he plays a karate fighter and instructor who's hired by the police department of a California city overwhelmed by drug trafficking. The cops have figured out that two murdered detectives had to have been killed by somebody who knew martial arts. Matt Logan (Norris) is hired to train people such as Mandy Rust (Jennifer O'Neill) in karate, but he's also used for his connections: maybe he can find out who in his community is an assassin. Of course, his abilities make him a suspect as well.Not that we could ever doubt Chuck Norris. He makes up for any lack of depth as a thespian by remaining in superior ass kicking form throughout. He does get to show a softer side by being given an adopted son, Charlie (the likable Eric Laneuville); when tragedy strikes, he has all the motivation he needs to seek revenge. The beautiful O'Neill, given a very short haircut to try to sell her as a tough cookie, isn't bad in the love interest role. Among her fellow lawmen are Clu Gulager, Ron O'Neal, James Whitmore Jr., Pepe Serna, Ray Vitte, and Taylor Lacher. Clint Ritchie plays the evil drug dealing bad guy. Charles Cyphers (recognizable for his work with John Carpenter during this period) plays a doctor and future "Police Academy" series antagonist G.W. Bailey makes his film debut as a hotel clerk. Chucks' brother Aaron and son Michael have small roles. There's also a part for Chucks' peer Bill "Superfoot" Wallace as a conceited competitor.Director Paul Aaron, coming off the offbeat romance "A Different Story", does a passable job here, keeping things reasonably engrossing. The climactic slo-mo fights are pretty cool; Chuck and his brother served as fight choreographers and Aaron was the stunt coordinator as well.Chucks' best and most enjoyable stuff was to come in the 80s, of course ("Invasion U.S.A.", "Missing in Action", "Lone Wolf McQuade", etc.), but any action fan should still find this solidly entertaining.Seven out of 10.

What I found interesting was that Clint Richie was in this film. It was interesting to see Clint, who was a real bad ass, having to play second fiddle to a yuppie wanna be like Chuck Norris. Clint was not only a genuine tough guy, but he was a fast talking guy who would rather talk his way out of fight, than to actually fight. But when he was forced into a fight, he was terrifying. Clint could do it all.. Ride, shoot, fight, and a real ladies man. Not a bad actor either. Most of Clints earlier teenage friends are all dead or in prison.. Which gives you an idea of the kind of background he came from. Tough as nails, but a good friend.