Lone Wolf McQuade

This is actually a pretty nifty little action film, fashioned as a modern day "spaghetti western." Solid direction by B-Movie veteran Steve Carver and a well-written script combine with a first rate performance by Norris (his absolute best to date....this character could be seen as a prototype to his current smash hit on TV, "Walker: Texas Ranger")to make this great escapist entertainment. David Carradine is also memorable as the chief villain of the story.

I saw this film in a packed theatre when it was first released and the audience just ate it up. The scene where he drives his truck out of a grave that the bad guys have buried him in was a particular crowd-pleaser!

Chuck Norris and David Carradine make this one heck of an action movie by virtue of their performances, alone. It's dated, and in serious need of a remake, but above average for its time. While seriously dated, this film has become an institution among action fans, so if you are a fan of the genre and haven't seen this, you should really give it a viewing.

The performances and execution of this work are typical of the age, and the dialog is pretty stiff, especially when "at the station," but otherwise, it's a decent Chuck Norris film.

Some say it's his best. Unfortunately, I cannot agree with that assessment. He got better, as he grew more mature, in my opinion, but this is the first of the best, at any rate.

It rates a 6.8/10 from...

the Fiend :.

Any parents thinking of watching "Lone Wolf McQuade" with their young children because the movie got a "PG" rating should be warned - even by today's standards, it's quite violent and has plenty of profanity. Though in my book, those facts are part of what make the movie very entertaining. It's kind of an update of spaghetti westerns made in the 1960s and 1970s, right down to the catchy and tangy musical score by Francesco De Masi. There's plenty of style and action as well. And while I have certainly never thought of Chuck Norris as a good actor, this particular role - where he mostly eschews dialogue and instead communicates with action - fits him pretty well.

If the movie has a weakness, I think it's that it runs a bit too long; the 107 minute running time stretches out the movie somewhat too much. Some tightening by the editor to make a number of scenes play out more quickly would have helped considerably. But I feel I should add that even though the movie is somewhat too long, it's never boring. There's always something happening on the screen to keep your interest. If you have somehow never seen a Chuck Norris movie, this particular effort would be a good introduction to him.

Released in 1983, "Lone Wolf McQuade" inspired the TV series Walker, Texas Ranger that came out a decade later. Chuck Norris stars as the eponymous McQuade, a kick-axx ranger from El Paso who's known for being a 'lone wolf.' He takes on a drug kingpin (David Carradine) whose gang uses automatic weapons while protecting his daughter (Dana Kimmell) and romancing the kingpin's babe (Barbara Carrera).

While it's easy to write off this film because it's so cartoony, melodramatic and unrealistic, it's a quality action flick if you can embrace it for what it is. The action's good, which includes a few martial arts sequences, and the screenwriter at least attempts to add some depth to the characters. Carradine hams it up as the villain dripping with evil while Norris plays an effective loner protagonist. Kimmell is cute and Carrera is ravishing, but they could've done more with them. The spaghetti Western score by Francesco De Masi is excellent and the authentic Southwest cinematography is a plus.

The film runs 107 minutes and was shot in El Paso, Texas.

GRADE: B-

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