Runtime: 106 minutes
Directed by: Steve Carver
Starring: Chuck Norris, Richard Roundtree (RIP), Mako, Maggie Cooper, Christopher Lee
From: Embassy Pictures
RIP Richard Roundtree. Finally I have the time to note that while he’ll forever be immortal for being a bad mother… in Shaft, it was always a delight to see him in even the worst of films, Theodore Rex the “highlight” in the worst category. As I just so happened to DVR this from HDNet Movies channel before he passed away, it was how I paid tribute by watching one of his pictures for the first time. He did deliver with his performance, albeit in a cliché role.
He has a co-starring role as a stereotypical police captain while Chuck Norris was the lead, of course as a loose cannon cop. His partner Terry Kiser is killed so he’s looking for revenge against the drug-dealing Triad A-holes responsible for it. He also teams up w/ old mentor Mako to kick some ass. What a cast this has: there’s also Christopher Lee, Rosalind Chao, Matt Clark, and Professor Toru Tanaka in the expected henchman role. Incidentally, if IMDb is to be believed, the producers thought of using Andre the Giant in that role; as Andre was a big attraction in pro wrestling at the time, I’m sure it was easier just to get another pro wrestler not as highly in demand at the time.
There is a “hey, wait a minute” moment or two and Chuck made better films w/ director Steve Carver (Lone Wolf McQuade) and writer James Bruner (Invasion U.S.A.). That point duly noted, I was still entertained by the story, the action, the elements that lingered on from the 70’s-the score, some rough moments-and such moments as my predicting who was actually a heel due to their crazy eyes & correctly guessing that Norris would have sex w/ a woman he barely knew.
It's a film where Lee has a mustache but Norris has no facial OR body hair. That is irrelevant to An Eye for an Eye except for curiosity’s sake.
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