Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
The archetypical renegade Texas Ranger wages war against a drug kingpin with automatic weapons, his wits and martial arts after a gun battle leaves his partner dead. All of this inevitably culminates in a martial arts showdown between the drug lord and the ranger, and involving the woman they both love.
Lone Wolf McQuade is a solid mid-tier Chuck Norris vehicle that blends spaghetti western aesthetics with martial arts action in an interesting way, essentially serving as a prototype for Walker, Texas Ranger. The plot is boilerplate revenge-and-drug-bust fare with thin characterization. Acting is functional at best — Norris is stoic to a fault, though David Carradine makes for a watchable villain. Cinematography has some genuine style, leaning into the Texas landscape with reasonable competence. The novelty comes from the fusion of western iconography with kung fu action, which gave the film a somewhat distinctive identity for its era. The ending delivers the expected martial arts showdown satisfyingly enough, though it breaks no new ground.