Cynthia Rothrock stood relatively alone in the ’80s and ’90s as an action star. She broke down barriers for women in film, yet her contributions tend to get overlooked. Her work in Hong Kong is unrivaled, and she made her mark in American cinema with a slew of low-budget direct-to-video films that fans have grown to love over the years. It would be only natural that she would join forces with Joseph Merhi and Rick Pepin at PM Entertainment for one film, Guardian Angel (1994), aka Beyond Justice. Fokus Media has given it the premiere treatment on Blu-ray with a brand-new transfer that leaves fans breathless.
Christine McKay (Cynthia Rothrock) is a cop who has her mind set on taking down a major counterfeiting ring. In her relentless pursuit, numerous other officers lose their lives, including the man she loves. The leader of the gang, Nina (Lydie Denier), is caught and brought to justice, but her lack of remorse enrages McKay to the point where she attacks her at the courthouse. McKay quits the force and starts her own business working as a bodyguard.
Months later, she’s hired by Hobbs (Daniel McVicar) to protect him from his crazy ex-girlfriend, who just escaped prison, Nina. McKay saves his life before agreeing to be his bodyguard, and Nina becomes more relentless in her pursuit of a set of missing counterfeiting plates that Hobbs may or may not have.
In the early ’90s, Rothrock worked relatively non-stop, churning out film after film. Guardian Angel is undoubtedly one of the standouts from that time period. The first thirty minutes deliver numerous fight and action scenes, shootouts, and even a car chase. Once her character leaves the force, the film shifts more towards The Bodyguard, but the banter between her character and McVicar’s is pretty amusing.
Denier is a terrific villain, and the boat chase finale works just as it should. PM royalty Art Camacho appears in the film, as well as dealing with the fight choreography. Guardian Angel almost felt as if it were a transitional film for the company. It wasn’t one of the bigger budgeted productions with insane stunt work, nor was it a micro-budgeted feature; it falls somewhere in between.
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With so many gems on her impressive resume, it’s easy to overlook her sole entry in the PM catalog, but it’s also not one to miss. Richard W. Munchkin is a long-time collaborator with Pepin and Merhi, so it’s only natural that he lands himself in the director’s chair for this.
The new transfer is stunning, and the widescreen presentation is something to behold. You really get a sense of the film’s scope—and the brilliance of Pepin’s cinematography—during the final boat chase. It’s exciting stuff.
You can get Fokus Media’s Guardian Angel (released in Germany as Beyond Justice) in various packaging options, with the mediabook being the most popular. It’s a 2-disc set that includes both the Blu-ray and the film on DVD. The bonus features include interviews with Rothrock, Art Camacho, Gilbert A. Wadsworth, Rothrock’s biography, multiple features on the actress, and more.
Without question, an essential pick-up for Rothrock fans and PM loyalists alike. It’s a fantastic presentation you won’t want to miss out on.
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