China O'Brien (1990)

China O'brien; big city police woman; martial arts trainer, is forced to hand in her badge and head home to her father and the small town where she grew up. The peaceful town she knew is ... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Clouse

Writers:

Robert Clouse (screenplay), Sandra Weintraub (story)

Stars:

Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton, Keith Cooke

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Cynthia Rothrock	...	China O'Brien
Richard Norton	...	Matt Conroy
Keith Cooke	...	Dakota
Doug Wright	...	Termite
Nijel	...	Jonsey
Arturo Rivera	...	Oscar
Scott McMillan	...	Police Captain
Patrick Adamson	...	Lickner
David Blackwell	...	Sheriff O'Brien
Chad Walker	...	Deputy Tyler
Stanton Davis	...	Barlow
Robert Tiller	...	Owens
Lainie Watts	...	Patty
Jaren Harbrecht	...	Man in Bar
Rip Black	...	Worden

Storyline

China O'brien; big city police woman; martial arts trainer, is forced to hand in her badge and head home to her father and the small town where she grew up. The peaceful town she knew is now struggling against the clutches of organized crime. When her father, the town sheriff, is killed China decides to run for his position and clean up the town. The poll results spark a series of confrontations that finally decide who runs the town . . .

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Plot Keywords:

martial arts | sheriff | kneed in the groin | female martial artist | kung fu | 

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Genres:

Action

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 January 1992 (Portugal)

Also Known As:

China O'Brian

Filming Locations:

Coalville, Utah, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Harvest Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which Cynthia Rothrock rides a car down the street to promote her running for sheriff was filmed during an actual parade in Utah; the spectators, organizers, and press were not alerted to this, and the local radio station reported her fictional run for sheriff as fact despite not knowing who she was.

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Connections

Referenced in Zen and Now: A Dinner with David Carradine & Friends (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Distant Storm"
Performed by TESS MAKES GOOD, vocals by Tori Amos
Words and Music by David Wheatley and Paul F.Antonelli

User Reviews

It's Walking Tall in heels.

China O'Brien stars Cynthia Rothrock as a big city gendarme who returns to her itty bitty home town when her father decides to retire as the local sheriff. Of course, the bad guys give him a dose of the ol' Lead Pension plan and before you can say Hackneyed Plot Point China is running for sheriff so she can bring in the desperados who gunned her Daddy down! She joins forces with that same Australian karate guy thats shows up in most of her movies(like Tiger Claws) and a one handed, motor cycle riding Indian kid who had a hand chopped off by the same guys what iced Daddy O'Brien.(These evil dudes are busy. Maybe the local Villains Union is understaffed) Everything is pretty typical and if you like Cynthia then you'll most likely enjoy this flick. However, if you aren't more than a casual fan of the star or genre, look elsewhere. The acting is waaaay too stiff. If the actors had lightened up and Rothrock was allowed to show some personality and charm the movie could have had some genuine appeal. That's all it needed.