My review was written in July 1986 after watching the movie on New World video cassette.
The fad of low-budget science fiction films inspired by the Aussie hit "The Road Warrior" reaches its nadir with New World's "Roller Blade", an amateurish junker released directly to the home video market.
Set in the "City of Lost Angels" during an unspecified post-W. W. III period of barbarism, pic has a female religious order controlled by Mother Speed (Katina Garner) battling with Dr. Saticoy (Robby Talor dressed like a "Road Warrior" bad guy) and his evil henchmen. The novelty of everyone performing on roller skates (except Mother Speed, who's in a wheelchair and young punkers called spikers who use skateboards) soon wear off nd the film becomes interminable.
Saticoy sends a foxy blonde girl (Shaun Michelle) to infiltrate Mother Speed's order and steal her power crystal, which has the ability to heal and even bring the dead back to life (it only works one time per customer, however, on stiffs). She ultimaely rebels and joins the good guys, who, led by Sister Sharon (Suzanne Solari) and a local cop (Marshall Goodman) destroy Saticoy.
Filmmaker Donald G. Jackson apparently shot this mess silent and poorly dubbed new voices for the characters, which only make it seem inferior to the numerous post-synched Italian films in the genre. Special effects (some of which appear to be executed by video techniques) are poor and there is no evidence of a futuristic society in the west coast locations and familiar looking freaks. Inane dialog fails to be funny and Saticoy's hand puppet/doll "baby" sidekick *(at one point it does a Froggy the Gremlin impression from Andy Devine's 1950s tv show) is too silly for a pro feature.
Obviously aware of the video marketplace, Jackson features a great deal of female nudity, including several porn actresses in minor roles.
End credits promote a sequel, subtitled "Holy Thunder".
