Ace martial artist, international professional courier, and all-around cool dude Jefferson Bolt (smoothly played by the always dependable Fred Williamson) is assigned to transport a suitcase full of a million bucks from Hong Kong to Mexico City via Los Angeles. However, Bolt gets set up by a vicious crime syndicate that grossly underestimates him and incurs his formidable wrath. Directors Henry Levin and David Lowell Rich, working from a lively and eventful, if overly convoluted script by Quentin Werty and Charles Johnson, relate the entertaining story at a brisk pace, stage the thrilling action set pieces with aplomb (a lengthy car chase rates as a definite exciting highlight), and further spruce things up with nice touches of amusing wry humor. Of course, Fred's trademark cool, assured, and charismatic persona holds everything together as he braves perils aplenty, seduces a few ladies, busts out loads of fancy chopsocky moves, suffers a little acupuncture torture, and breaks into a remote island fortress. While Williamson clearly dominates the proceedings, he nonetheless receives sound support from Bryan Webster as pompous and slippery British agent Griffiths, Teresa Graves as foxy lounge singer Samantha Nightingale, Jack Ging as amiable casino owner Connie Mellis, Miko Mayama as seductive socialite Dominique Kuan, John Orchard as slimy limey lackey Carter, Paul Mantee as glowering thug Mickey, and Ken Kazama as lethal karate fighter Spider. The ubiquitous Patrick Wright has a quick bit as a security guard who gets knocked out by Fred. Gerald Perry Finnerman's slick cinematography and the exotic globe-trotting locations provide an impressive sense of scope. Charles Bernstein's funky and spirited score hits the get-down funky spot. Worth a watch for fans of the Hammer.
Review of That Man Bolt
