User Reviews

Manhattan Chase, not to be confused with Chase Manhattan Bank, is the tale of Jason Reed (Avedon), a man who just got out of prison after six years. He's intent on re-forming his bond with his young son Tommy (Robin Berry), a terminally depressed tot with serious back posture issues. While on the road to fixing up his life, he runs into a woman named Jennifer (Zanzarella) who is on the run from armed thugs and killers because they think she has a cache of missing drugs. So, naturally, the next step is for the three of them to move into an apartment with Jason's buddy Victor (Roberto Gutierrez). Meanwhile, Tommy's mom is still in the picture, and her sister Nancy (Rothrock) is a tough NYC cop. Will Jason reunite the family? Will the baddies stop their harassment of our heroes? Find out today? In the canon of Godfrey Ho's shot-in-America phase of his career, we have Honor and Glory and Undefeatable (both 1993), but, based on the presence of Loren Avedon here, perhaps this one should have been called "Unlikable". If we could single out one major flaw in Manhattan Chase, it's Avedon. His smug smarminess is smeared all over the screen from the first second we see him. And the constant, annoying smirk he keeps on his face would put him right at home in the late-night Comedy Central lineup. We should also add that this movie is highly interactive. Every time he speaks, the overwhelming urge to shout "SHUT UP!" is just too strong to suppress. The fact that he somewhat resembles Jeff Speakman, but also rocks the denim-shirt-and-denim-jeans look of Jay Leno, perhaps makes him the first Jay Speakman in history. Or maybe Jeff Leno. But as demonstrated in Collision Course (1989), Jay Leno is a better action star than Avedon.

Or, to look at it another way, the movie needed more Rothrock. Her scenes, as usual, are gold. She's attractive, likable, charming, and a great Martial Artist. What more could you ask for in an actress? She should have been the main star. Even the kid who played Tommy, who never appeared in anything else, wipes the screen with Avedon. What's this guy's problem? Why does he have such a terrible attitude? You're working with Godfrey Ho, dude! You're living the dream! Stop acting like such a D-bag and, much like Tommy's spine, you should really straighten up. Tommy gets a bunch of quotable lines throughout the movie, and while Zanzarella did a fine job as Jennifer, Gina Carano would have been great for that role. Of course, because it's set in New York, the characters hang out near the Statue of Liberty, like all true New Yorkers do.

But, lest we forget, this is a Godfrey Ho movie, after all. There's all the funny, sped-up motion, silly reactions, disjointed plot elements, and styles of acting you see nowhere else in cinema. And because it's Ho in NYC, the time-honored Final Field Fight takes place in Central Park. His take on the NYC locations is indeed unique, and because the movie was shot in 1998, we see movie marquees advertising Bulworth (1998) and Dr. Dolittle (1998). Strangely, and awesomely, as a sort of reconciliation present after his time in jail, Jason gives Tommy a Game Boy. An old-school one from the 80's. In 1998. While most kids his age at that time were playing their PlayStation 1's, Tommy had to make do. It's a tough life.

Manhattan Chase never got a U.S. VHS release, as it was clear by that time the golden age of the action movie, the video store, and the whole DTV era was over. It was a very interesting, transitional time. Maybe it's all the fault of the unnamed theme song that plays throughout the movie, a tune with a hip-hop beat , and the only lyrics are "1, 2, 3, 4", "Yeah!" and "Break it Up" - all said, inexplicably, in a duck voice. A DUCK VOICE. The end well and truly was nigh for DTV.

First off, be warned (that is if the rating and the title I've given this review aren't warning enough that is), Cynthia Rothrock may well get top billing in this movie but she is by NO means the star of this movie or even it's main character. That dubious honour falls to Loren Avedon as former criminal, Jason Reed. Just released from prison after a six year stretch for... well... as far as I can tell, laying in the grass in Central Park with a black balaclava on his head and a sniper rifle in his hands, randomly targeting passers-by until the aforementioned Ms. Rothrock pops up and arrests him after, of course, kicking his butt. It later emerges that Loren is a hit-man for what has to be the smallest criminal organisation in the history of New York, consisting of all of five guys! This does even out though as throughout the course of the movie it emerges that there are in fact only three cops in the whole of New York, Cynthia, her crooked partner and, "Moustachioed Uniform Cop," who is the only other cop to show up at any arrests. As in, he's there when Loren gets busted then, six years later (!!!) he's there to help Cynthia kick some mugger butt, (a fight scene which contains the, "Amazing Appearing Table," as in, in the middle of an alley, there is suddenly, out of nowhere, a table for Cynthia to kick some guy through! Thank goodness for randomly appearing furniture!) completely unchanged of course (in fact he may even have the same lines) AND to help her bring her crooked partner down in the finale. By the way, did I mention that Loren Avedon got SIX YEARS for playing sniper in the park with a high powered rifle? Good job he didn't actually shoot anyone otherwise he might've gotten like.... what? Six-and-a-half years? So, this is definitely NOT a Cynthia Rothrock movie. She is shoe-horned in to do a few moves every now and then but the rest of the movie revolves around Loren Avedon's character and his attempt to go straight and build a new life with his son, Tommy, which are sent awry by him becoming mixed up with a girl who just happens to have stolen a stash of drugs, which the five guys in the, "Big Criminal Organisation," want back (just think, "Kitchen Sink Drama," crossed with, "Enter the Dragon"). Yes, coincidentally, the gang after her is Loren's old gang but, then again, this is one of those films where everybody is, "coincidentally," involved with everybody else. Either because the script writer was too lazy OR because they can't afford more actors so, in order to have it all makes sense (and I'm using the phrase, "makes sense," in the loosest terms) everyone you DO have has to be involved in the main plot. I'm going for both. Seriously, not only do we have the whole, "Loren's old gang," connection (so no need to have any different bad guys!) this a movie wherein Loren's ex-wife (and mother of his child) shows up after ten years and is, amazingly enough, Cynthia's sister! And the, "Mysterious Bad Guy," in charge of it all just happens to be Cynthia's partner! Who was sleeping with, "Girl In Trouble's," best friend! Who stole the drugs and gave them to Girl In Trouble's brother! Who Girl In Trouble then stole them off! And was saved by Loren who just happened to be driving past at that exact same time! If only they could have all arranged to hook up for a coffee at the start I wouldn't have had to sit through the next ninety minutes! And that's just the half of it. For your money you also get some dire martial arts action, the kind where guys do triple forward flips after getting lightly slapped across the face. Only the direction and choreography is so bad you can see the stunt-guy missing by miles (which is helpfully underlined by the regular use of slow motion). Loren desperately trying connect with a surly son, who is obviously more interested in playing on his GameBoy, and falling in love with the woman who has caused it all for no readily apparent reason (other than to add, "depth," to their characters). Though that does at least mean we get to hear him utter the immortal line, "You've taught me to love," with a straight face. It's all capped off with the world's worst, "chase," through Central Park wherein bad guys (ON ROLLER SKATES!) are chased by Cynthia Rothrock (ON A POWERED FOLD-UP SCOOTER!) going all of 0.3mph! (On reflection I'm thinking that was in there to warrant the title of the movie). There is also what has to be the most unintentionally hilarious sex scene I have ever seen committed to celluloid. In the end, as Loren bravely sacrifices himself to save his new love, we're taught that crime doesn't pay but you can change your life, connect with your son, and do something good.... but you WILL get shot for it.... and the girl who started it all by stealing drugs to sell and wound up getting you, all your friends and all her friends killed over it WILL wind up with custody of your son... and his GameBoy.

I honestly wish I could rate this beyond a 10, I genuinely think this is a great movie. Director Godfrey Ho delivers great, fast and explosive action to the screen. The story, while complicated, is refreshing from most films nowadays, because it constantly introduces new characters and new story lines. A lot of newer films nowadays treat the audience like they're stupid, so they introduce all the characters in the beginning and that's it, aside from a comic relief or two. The use of the color blue works perfectly for an action thriller set in New York, and Godfrey Ho's wide-angle cinematography is spectacular. A good watch, and definitely one of the best and most exciting action films set in New York.