A Force of One (1979)

"Maybe it's one of those karate weirdos, like in the movies." - Orlando

Detectives hire a martial arts expert to help protect them.
Starring: Jennifer O'Neill, Chuck Norris, Clu Gulager, Ron O'Neal

Link to IMDB

Det. Mandy

When two undercover narcotic agents are brutally killed by a masked man using deadly karate moves, the entire task force is confused and alarmed. They have no idea why the men were targeted, so the police seek help from the local martial arts community.

Matt Logan is a karate instructor and champion fighter, and the police ask him if he's willing to train some of the detectives in karate self-defense. Matt's reluctant to get involved because he's got a big fight coming up, but Detective Mandy Rust convinces him by proving that he can help make the city a safer place.

The training begins, as Matt teaches the team how to protect themselves and not take karate chops from strangers. The cops better be paying attention, because the masked killer has murdered two more of their peers!



Mandy and Matt begin to bond, and they make a great team as they both investigate the murders in their own way. Mandy follows the clues, while Matt takes to the streets to track down some of his old fighter friends that might have gone crazy.

The plot thickens when tragedy strikes and the investigation suddenly becomes personal for Matt, who is now fueled by anger to stop the killer himself. Mandy and Matt can only rely on each other, and together they need to find (and fight) who is preventing them from bringing the masked killer to justice!

This is quite a serious police drama, so there's not as much fighting and action as I expected, but what we do get feels authentic. Laughs are also sparse in this gritty murder/drug plot but I was pulled in pretty quick, and although some of the twists are predictable they fit into the story with plausibility. It definitely has the 70's crime vibe permeating throughout.

Chuck isn't going to be mistaken for a good actor, but this is one of his best dramatic performances. This was when he still had interest in showcasing the skill and art of karate, before he picked up a machine gun and started making mindless action movies, and that sincerity is appreciated here.

Be sure not to miss:
- Pizza delivery on a skateboard? Genius.
- A face full of scrapyard cabbage.
- Written by Ernest Tidyman, who is known for some classics.

Internet review:
"This is a must see if you're a die-hard Chuck Norris fan." - ma_cortes

Should I watch it?
Yeah, it's a bit of a hidden gem. Just don't expect an action movie.

Where can I find it?
The vidzi link here.

A Force of One gets...