I hadn't watched this infamously bad flick since I bought it way back when, and upon viewing it over 20 years later, can remember why!
24 Hours To Midnight is definitely one of those so-bad-its-good movies that just keeps you laughing the whole way through. I get that its an independent film (although with a budget), and very early on in the fantastic Rothrock's career - who incidently was dating the producer at this time. She had made her debut in HK the same year with the incredible Yes Madam (aka Police Assassins 2), but I'm not sure what came first. I'd like to say this one...
In fact, only because of her fame as an action star soon after, I firmly believe that she became the main lead on promotion for 24 Hours To Midnight to help sales. Cyndy gets a couple of brief scuffles in the early part of the film which hardly match her HK action standards but let us see that she can move. She goes on the run after her husband is killed and starts dressing as a ninja to exact revenge on the bad guys that did it! But only, the ninja assassin is very clearly not Cynthia Rothrock!!
With recognisably different eyes and voice, fake Cyndy ninja keeps thinking back to her (dreadful) crying scene in the car before picking a weapon off her bed and going out to kill. Once she (or the ninja) gets a bit of action going, she grows a couple of foot and turns into a man.
The film has two storylines going on that would make Godfrey Ho proud. One with Cyndy ninja getting her revenge, and another with two cops (who reminded me of an early Rothrock and Norton team-up) who dress bad and like kicking ass. They kind of pull themselves together at the end, but by that stage you don't care...
While the acting isn't terrible from everyone involved, at times you can see a tiny wee bit of potential trying to creep through - and a times, it plays like a poor mans China O'Brien due to its mid-west setting, ridiculously costumed gangs and dialogue, but honestly, there isn't much that could put this 80's flick down as a classic. I would quicker grab for Rothrock and Fong's second outing - Fight To Win - before going back to this.
Overall: For Rothrock completists only - or anyone who loves bad movies! (I'm still laughing)
