My review was written in June 1991 after watching the movie on Media Home Entertainment/CBS-Fox video cassette.
The traditional big-city cop movie is weighted in favor of martial arts in "Martial Law", an effective direct-to-video release.
Would-be genre star Cynthia Rothrock is showcased in support of undercover cop Chad McQueen (Steve's son), latter nicknamed Martial law by his buddies. He's sort of a Dirty Harry with high kicks, beating jup villains without having to shoot them.
Pic already has generated a recently filmed sequel "Martial Law Undercover", sans McQueen but with Rothrock bumped up to the lead role.
Main villain is David Carradine, who's selling sports cars stolen off the Los Angeles streets to buyers from Hong Kong. Farfetched plot has him as a part-time gunrunner to South America as well.
McQueen's younger brother Andy McCuteheon's gang leading to an inevitable confrontation.
Action footage is well-directed, and McQueen, who does not resemble his father, makes a sympahetic hero.
