Lone Wolf McQuade

Rating:
Summary: My kind of trouble doesn't take vacations.
Review: This 1983 Lone Star state brawl has Chuck Norris, David Carradine, a really bad truck, and the scariest looking midget EVER.
Norris of course stars as Jim McQuade, a rough neck Texas Ranger who can do kung fu and drink beer. Carradine stars as a weapons smuggler who can do karate and smoke cigars. There's the conflict right there.

Classic (cliche) good guy/bad guy storyline includes:
1. Harassment from boss saying he's too dangerous and doesn't do things by the book.
2. The partner he doesn't want
3. The feds taking over the invesitgation
4. The kidnapped family member
5. Good guys take multiple shots to the gut but don't die. Bad guys die from pretty much anything.

So right there, the plotline is pretty much textbook. But let's talk about the acting!
Norris is a classic minimalist. So you don't get much from him, which is expected. Carradine probably delivers the best performance, as the cool, calculating arms smuggler. The rest of the cast is way over the top, especially the midget....the scariest midget EVER!

I don't know why this movie is so entertaining. Perhaps because it's just so low budget and ridiculous. Maybe the midget has some sort of spell on me. Who knows. So if you're a Norris fan, or just a fan of cliche action movies with plotlines thinner than David Carradine's hairline, give this gem, give it a shot.

Rating:
Summary: Lone Wolf McQuade: "....the best always have style (zip!)"
Review: 'Lone Wolf McQuade' on dvd! What can I say about my personal favorite Chuck Norris feature? Chuck Norris has always been criticized for his "wooden" acting performances in his movies, but 'Lone Wolf" should stand as a testimonial to Chuck's acting ability. In his previous vehicles, Chuck always portrayed the clean cut all-around good guy who had to be pushed beyond his limits before he took action; not so with 'Lone Wolf McQuade'. Chuck acquired a beard for the role of Texas Ranger J.J. McQuade, is often times dirty and sweating, he "cusses" and even drinks beer ('Pearl' as his beer of choice). But everyone knows the storyline by now, let's discuss the dvd version of 'Lone Wolf McQuade': 16:9 Widescreen 1.85:1 theatrical format, Dolby Digital sound, and Closed Captioning. Special Features: Original Theatrical Trailer, French and Spanish dubbing (Ever see Chuck Norris speaking French?), French & Spanish language subtitles. The picture quality is impeccable. I think that MGM did an outstanding job with this dvd version of 'Lone Wolf McQuade' and was well worth the wait.

Rating:
Summary: One of Chuck's Better Films
Review: A rather decent action film of the early 80s where Chuck Norris' character is almost the prototype of his Walker, Texas Ranger, television character. A good cast with David Carradine and Barbara Carrera allows for a decent film with good action sequences that keep it above your other average action duds from that time.

Lone Wolf McQuade (Chuck Norris) is, as his name suggests, the Dirty Harry of Texas Rangers, roaming the Texas badlands looking for villains and damsels in distress. McQuade soon comes upon arms trafficers who kidnap his daugther. Out for blood, McQuade comes to the isolated bandit's layer to start hell. The final showdown is a martial arts exchange between McQuade and his antagonist played by none other than David Carradine (Grasshoper from the Kung Fu 70s TV series.)

This is a fun action/martial arts film with plenty of wild scenes to keep the audience thrilled. The acting is decent and the film offers a memorable villain played by David Carradine. A fun film to rent or own.

Rating:
Summary: Worth a Revisit
Review: Although the DVD release is still reasonably recent, this rough tough "a man's gotta do" action yarn is now looking a little dated. However, don't be too put off by the year of production, as despite the wispy plot, this is actually still a good movie that could arguably stack up to some of todays counterparts. This is the tale of Walker, Texas Ranger before he was turned into a pious, moralistic clean cut nice police officer, honed to housewife revered perfection for reruns on the Lifestyle and Hallmark channels. Gritty, tough and rough around the edges, the action comes fairly thick and fast, and the movie also has the necessary formula for the genre:

1)The hero must be in law enforcement (of some kind)insubordinate, but always right, extremely tough and be able to take unbelievable amounts of physical beatings.
2)The villian must have inexhaustible resources, a private army the size of Mexico City, and nefarious and vindictive motives.
3)Anyone close to the hero must be kidnapped, beaten, killed, maimed or otherwise visited upon by the bad guys goons. (This must also include pets, partners, dry cleaners etc)
4)The final showdown must be hand to hand combat to attempt to disguise the predictable ending, despite the availability of an arsenal the size of Fort Bragg.

Having all of these characteristics (and more) in place, and like any good Norris/Seagal style movie, fans of this sort of stuff will find plenty to enjoy. This is NOT a bad movie by any means, and as long as can plant your sense of credibility on hold for a couple of hours, this will certainly liven up a rainy afternoon. Good supporting cast, and David Carradine gives an early glimpse of his more villainous qualities, he so well exuded in the more recent Kill Bill movies. Enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Worth a Revisit
Review: Although the DVD release is still reasonably recent, this rough tough "a man's gotta do" action yarn is now looking a little dated. However, don't be too put off by the year of production, as despite the wispy plot, this is actually still a good movie that could arguably stack up to some of todays counterparts. This is the tale of Walker, Texas Ranger before he was turned into a pious, moralistic clean cut nice police officer, honed to housewife revered perfection for reruns on the Lifestyle and Hallmark channels. Gritty, tough and rough around the edges, the action comes fairly thick and fast, and the movie also has the necessary formula for the genre:

1)The hero must be in law enforcement (of some kind)insubordinate, but always right, extremely tough and be able to take unbelievable amounts of physical beatings.
2)The villian must have inexhaustible resources, a private army the size of Mexico City, and nefarious and vindictive motives.
3)Anyone close to the hero must be kidnapped, beaten, killed, maimed or otherwise visited upon by the bad guys goons. (This must also include pets, partners, dry cleaners etc)
4)The final showdown must be hand to hand combat to attempt to disguise the predictable ending, despite the availability of an arsenal the size of Fort Bragg.

Having all of these characteristics (and more) in place, and like any good Norris/Seagal style movie, fans of this sort of stuff will find plenty to enjoy. This is NOT a bad movie by any means, and as long as can plant your sense of credibility on hold for a couple of hours, this will certainly liven up a rainy afternoon. Good supporting cast, and David Carradine gives an early glimpse of his more villainous qualities, he so well exuded in the more recent Kill Bill movies. Enjoy

Rating:
Summary: Chuck Norris' BEST
Review: Before Walker, Texas Ranger, there was LONE WOLF McQUADE, and it's Norris' best kick-butt film. Texas Ranger McQuade must find his kidnapped daughter and falls in love with beautiful Barbara Carrera. (Their lovemaking scene in the mud with the garden hose is great). Hard to believe that a crippled dwarf can make a convincing villain, but this little dude is as nasty as they come. Beltran in an early role is equally tough as McQuade's sidekick, and the scene where McQuade is buried alive is an unforgettable classic. "Get me a beer, kid." And sit back and enjoy this one over and over.

Rating:
Summary: Bloody brilliant!!
Review: Chuck Norris rescues a couple of martials from a band of horse thieves who he kills. Their ring leader boasts of how his father had his teeth kicked out by a Texas Ranger....'like father like son'! says Mcquade after capturing the hotshot who killed a police officer in cold blood. One of the rescued cops becomes Mcquade's juniour and turns into a courageous young man who is well blooded by the end. They track down an illegal arms racket and infiltrate it, but not before a good friend of Mcquade's is killed along with his daughter's boyfriend. His kidnapped daughter is rescued but his girlfriend is killed. Dozens die in the final battle and David Carradine and Chuck Norris take part in a great martial arts battle in the final scene. Good all round action!!

Rating:
Summary: Decent enough film.
Review: Chuck Norris star's as a Texas Ranger. My favourite bit is right at the beginning with the SSG 69 sniper rifle and the armour piercing cartridges. They are supposed to go through armour, but watch what happens when he shoots a man!.

Rating:
Summary: Native El Pasoan
Review: El Paso, Texas was formerly known as the "Captial of Gunfights" during the Wild West, it's not surprisely that gunfights continues today between the lawmen and outlaws, under controlled circumstances.

There was one scene where the camera aimed at the actors, you could look outside directly in the right middle of El Paso Street. El Paso Street was well known for numerous gunfights during the Wild West.

The most famous gunfight in still wild El Paso was conducted on April 14, 1881 by a 6'4" Marshal Dallas Stoudenmire who took office on April 11, 1881. Under his belt, he became the most feared and respected marshal who pulled his triggers that caused 4 men to fall dead in merely 5 seconds. Thus forming the famed "4 Dead in 5 Seconds" gunfight on April 14, 1881. Hard cored outlaws went into hiding or left town in fear of being shot by this wild, but law abiding marshal.

He was so dangerous that even the City Council was afraid to remove him because of his bruality under alcohol. He also cussed string of profanities and threatened the City Council under the influence. The Council couldn't make up their mind or agree with him which angers him even more.

Stoudenmire was credited for taming wild El Paso that continues today.

Rating:
Summary: Sam Peckinpah meets Sergio Leone meets Quentin Tarantino
Review: Fellini, Bergman, Trouffaut: if those names mean nothing to you, then, buddy, you are in the right place! Now that we are among friends, let me just say the Lone Wolf McQuade is one of the greatest movies ever made! If I were sitting in my '70 GTO convertible in a Drive-in, this would have to part of the double bill. My only criticism for it is-What? No sequel!?! Now, let me count the ways I love this movie:

1. The cast-Bold and brawling Norris vs. bad and nasty Carradine.
Outside of Kill Bill and The Long Riders, its Carradine's best cinematic work. Chuck Norris is inspired as the Lone Wolf whose workdesk is a shrine to sloppiness and whose hacienda is the ultimate machismo monument (not to mention his truck-a truly magnificent beast). Include Peckinpah favorites R.G.Armstrong and L.Q.Jones and you know they've scored a casting coup.

2. The music-Is that Ennio Morricone I hear? No? Well close enough. The soundtrack is a welcome return to the Spaghetti Western genre for this contemporary story. I wish I had gotten the album.

3.The over-all feeling one is left with-Satisfying violence (Peckinpah style), some good-lookin' fillies (Barbera Carerra at her finest), quirky bad guys (another nod to Spaghetti Westerns), a workin' class hero with extra-ordinary killing powers...dang, this is good stuff! And once again we are treated to the reoccurring theme of Chuck Norris movies: the "system" doesn't know it's a**hole from a hole in the ground and despite his utter disregard for the rules, our main man gets the job done and all is forgiven. This inherent truth is what connected Norris to millions of red-blooded Americans.

Now here's fodder for Q Tarentino: Take his Michael Parks character from Kill Bill back about 20 years and serve us up some more Texas Ranger hardcore chili. Maybe, just maybe, it could fill up that double billing at the drive-in with Lone Wolf McQuade!