I know what you're thinking: "Why the heck is a Chuck Norris movie being reviewed in a blog that mainly covers sci-fi?". Remember, 80's movies in general are a favorite here, and in some ways Lone Wolf McQuade qualifies as sci-fi. Well, not really but here we are with a review...
J.J. McQuade (Norris) is a Texas Ranger who plays by his own rules. He guzzles beer on the job, shows up late for an awards ceremony, and has a general disrespect for his superiors. McQuade also lives on his own in a dump of a house and has a wolf for a pet. Rawley Wilkes (David Carradine) is a drug trafficker/arms dealer that the Rangers need help in capturing. McQuade reluctantly joins up with a young state trooper (Robert Beltran) and later an FBI agent (Leon Isaac Kennedy) to rescue his kidnapped daughter from Wilkes' fortress.
Lone Wolf McQuade is part western, part action film, and it exudes cool with the opening scene featuring McQuade taking out dozens of bad guys. The coolness continues with the intro of Carradine's Wilkes, as he takes out other bad guys, therefore proving that he is THE bad guy. Sure, there are a few bland moments in the film, but they take a back seat to outrageous characters such as an underutilized little person in a motorized chair who loves video games. William Sanderson (Newhart) appears as a coke-bottle glasses wearing goon, and L.Q. Jones (The Mask of Zorro) is a retired ranger with a crazy streak. A slo-mo make-out scene involving a water hose and McQuade driving his supercharged truck out of a hole in the ground are other highlights. Perhaps the film is uneven with such bizarre characteristics combined with straight-laced action, but it all works to provide a thoroughly entertaining experience.
Some dismiss Norris and his films, but fans know there are some strong titles in his filmography. Missing in Action, Invasion U.S.A., Code of Silence, and The Delta Force are all strong action movies from the decade that brought the best in the genre. Even Sidekicks was an enjoyable Karate Kid ripoff. Lone Wolf McQuade is perhaps Norris' best film, and one of the best action movies of the 80's.
