A Bodyguard With Her Own Kind Of Justice…
Starring: Cynthia Rothrock, Daniel McVicar, Lydie Denier, Marshal Teage, Ken McLeod, John O’Leary, Dale Jacoby
Director: Richard W. Munhckin
1993 | 95 Minutes | Rated R
“Look, I know you have to do whatever you can to bring Lindell in. But I don’t want a bunch of rent-a-cops hanging around my house eating donuts. I want somebody who’s dedicated, I want somebody who has a personal stake in this and I want somebody who can give me a massage once in a while.” – Lawton Hobbs
“I can’t believe I’m on your side.” – Christine McKay
The first Action Movie Fanatix Review for a Cynthia Rothrock movie and I’m not too impressed. Guardian Angel isn’t much more than a 90s B-Movie reminiscent of a lot of the movies that Gary Daniels has pumped out.
First police officer, Christine McKay’s (Cynthia Rothrock) partner is murdered during a counterfeiting case, then her fiancé who was also a cop. After the two losses McKay quits the force and becomes a bodyguard for hire. Lawton Hobbs, a rich playboy, hires McKay to guard him against his psychotic ex-girlfriend, the same woman that killed McKay’s fiancé.
In the opening scene we are treated to a poorly choreographed fight between Cynthia Rothrock and some of the most stereotypical nameless gang members all decked out in denim and bandanas with greasy slicked back hair. You can tell that Rothrock is the only one here that actually knows what she is doing.
The martial arts are well performed but look pretty unrealistic. It is filled with spinning punches and kicks that don’t appear to connect. It isn’t until the final fight that Rothrock gets an opponent that can put together a realistic fight with her.
The special effects are surprisingly good. There isn’t anything crazy but the gun and blood effects as well as the couple explosions all were the highest quality.
The sets were another thing that impressed me. For the most part nothing seemed like it belonged in a B-Movie. B-Movies often have small feeling sets and Guardian Angel didn’t. There are a wide variety of locales for the action. From a prison to a mansion to a horse race to the final boat chase out on the open sea, it all looks solid.
Cynthia Rothrock’s martial arts were already talked about. She is top notch in this department. Her acting here shows that it needs some work. At times it isn’t bad but at times it just plain isn’t good. She isn’t alone though. There isn’t a single actor in Guardian Angel that I would call good.
Just about every male character is a sexist male chauvinist stereotype. Every guy is either hitting on McKay every time they see her or saying she isn’t worthy of being a cop/bodyguard because she’s a woman. I suppose this is meant to be some sort of payback for all of the women portrayed as nothing more than completely helpless and needing of rescue from our larger than life male heroes.
I guess I could buy into that until the most sexist character of the movie, Hobbs, says “Let me ask you something. Are you a sexist asshole because you can’t get laid or because you are secretly attracted to men?” Then of course our strong independent female falls for Hobbs, telling her dog how tall and handsome Hobbs is. Ugh. We men are more than just pieces of meat for all of you women to drool over.
Guardian Angel is forgettable 90s cheese. My main reason for watching it was to see Cynthia Rothrock in action and that would be the only reason I would recommend it to anyone else.
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