Painful – that's the first word which comes to mind when I think of describing this movie. As a film star, Ron Marchini has possibly the worst catalog of starring vehicles among any regular action hero, and KARATE COP represents his low standard well. Some B-movies are a chore to watch, but KARATE COP crashes beyond this extreme by not only being technically inadequate but by being almost completely joyless.
The story: On a quest to find a teleportation crystal for the leader of a gang of street children (Carrie Chambers), an ex-cop (Marchini) battles through the vicious gangs of a post-apocalyptic city.
Given that Marchini is a karate pioneer whose name is heard alongside the likes of Chuck Norris and Joe Lewis, I was expecting at least something out of the fight scenes, but the film offers me zilch. Every single one of the eight brawls stink and their collection provides an encyclopedia of things to do wrong in a choreographed fight. Lead-footed kicking, poor timing, slow pacing, poor extension on strikes, cramped camera angles, unnecessary slow motion, and that dreadful technique wherein a strike is filmed with multiple shots and edited together to give the impression of many hits. Marchini looks strong but entirely graceless. David Carradine appears in a small, non-fighting role, and while I'm usually disappointed whenever Carradine partakes in a martial arts flick without showing his own moves, I understand why he might not have wanted to have gotten involved here.
Speaking of David, his scene constitutes the one and only part of the film that entertained me, solely because Carradine's personality eclipses both his costars and the production in general. Many movies with ambitions larger than their budget have struggled with trashy sets, clunky costumes, and destitute filming locations, but this is one of the few wherein the sheer bleakness of the production depressed me. To be fair, there are flashes of energy in the performances and several moments wherein the filmmakers make creative use of their indie medium, but these are obscured by the tepid tone and tedious pace. Every development in the plot feels like a concession: the movie *wants* to be over and is grouchily doing us a favor by reaching its conclusion, dragging its feet as it goes while muttering "Whatever."
I only finished the movie for the sake of this review, and I don't recommend that anyone else put themselves through the ordeal. Don't get this one. Pick up any Fred Williamson junker or Leo Fong schlock before putting money towards KARATE COP, which is among the pickiest of niche features I've ever seen and a very steep gamble if you're looking for fun.
