Commonly referred to as the Queen of martial arts, Cynthia Rothrock is a legend in the world of action films. Rothrock rose to prominence in Hong Kong during the 1980s as the first non-Asian to become a major star in Hong Kong martial arts cinema. Although never achieving that same degree of fame in the United States, Rothrock gained a cult following during the straight-to-VHS martial arts B-movie boom of the 1990s alongside the likes of Billy Blanks and Don “The Dragon” Wilson. Also, worthy of note, is that Rothrock was the primary inspiration for the character Sonya Blade of the hugely successful Mortal Kombat franchise, which has seen many film adaptations. More than just sharing a likeness to Rothrock in appearance, one of Sonya’s signature techniques, the “leg grab,” have similarities to Rothrock’s signature move “The Rothrock Sting,” which she has used in many of her films.
Rothrock’s filmography is a bit of a mixed bag. Some of her films are genuine classics, some are so bad they’re good, and some are just plain bad. Something that has plagued Rothrock’s career, even in many of her Hong Kong films, is that she has almost always been underutilized, usually relegated to supporting roles. Many of Rothrock’s characters lack any range or personality and are little more than a tough fighter who beats everyone up. The roles in which she is actually able to show any real personality or acting ability beyond her usual martial arts and stunt performances are few and far between. From the “so bad it’s good,” to the undeniable classics, these are Cynthia Rothrock’s best films.
10 ‘Sworn to Justice’ (1996)
Directed by Paul Maslak
In Sworn to Justice, Rothrock plays Janna, a psychologist who comes home to find her nephew and sister have been murdered. After defending herself from the attackers and narrowly escaping, she realizes that she has ESP and seeks revenge against the people responsible for the death of her loved ones.
The sort of low-budget nonsense that only the 1990s could produce, Sworn to Justice is the best kind of train wreck. This film allows Rothrock to focus less on fighting and more on her acting abilities, which makes this one quite fun, and allows it to stand out in her filmography. Definitely one of Rothrock’s “so bad it’s good” films, Sworn to Justice is cheesy and entertaining for its comically bad acting from nearly all actors involved, but to its credit, everyone is putting in a real effort, and it has a couple of fights in it that are just okay in terms of choreography. The low-budget 1990s quality of this film works as a strength and allows the viewer to enjoy it, so long as they don’t do a lot of thinking.
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9 ‘China O’Brien’ (1990)
Directed by Robert Clouse
China O’Brien (Rothrock) sets out to become the sheriff of her hometown after the former sheriff, her father, was killed. On her mission to clean up the corruption in this town, she is joined by fellow martial artists, Dakota (Keith Cooke) and Matt (Richard Norton). The trio have their work cut out for them in this cheesy, but well-choreographed Rothrock vehicle.
China O’Brien serves as Rothrock’s introduction to American audiences. Directed by Robert Clouse of Enter the Dragon notoriety, this film is not only a favorite among Cynthia Rothrock fans, but it is widely regarded as one of her best. Although it lacks any real depth, China O’Brien is a quintessential B-movie of its time. An entertainingly low budget film with genuinely skilled martial artists giving a real effort, China O’Brien is a genuine cult classic that is a lot of fun to watch on a Saturday night with friends. Recently, Vinegar Syndrome has lovingly restored both China O’Brien and China O’Brien II in 4K Ultra HD.
This movie is currently not available to stream in the U.S.
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8 ‘Martial Law’ (1990)
Directed by Steve Cohen
Boasting the legendary David Carradine as the main antagonist, Martial Law is an extremely fun film. A police officer named Sean Thompson, who is known for his martial arts prowess, is attempting to solve a series of mysterious deaths. Sean struggles to keep his younger brother on the straight and narrow path as he gets mixed up with the very criminal organization responsible, led by Dalton Rhodes (Carradine). Aided by his partner Billie Blake (Rothrock), they go after the organization.
The best part of Martial Law is easily David Carradine, who steals every scene he’s in. The fights are far less complex than those seen in Rothrock’s Hong Kong films, but good nonetheless. With a decent story, straight forward action sequences, and far from horrible acting, this film and its sequel are required viewing for any fan of Rothrock.
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7 ‘Martial Law II: Undercover’ (1992)
Directed by Steve Cohen
Sean Thompson gets promoted to detective. After the death of his former partner is written off as nothing more than a drunk driving accident, Sean is not convinced and is determined to find out what really happened. Sean Thompson and Billie Blake (Rothrock) team up once again, to uncover the mystery surrounding this suspicious death. Together they go after the criminal organization responsible and take them down.
Within the first ten minutes, it’s clear that Martial Law II: Undercover is a major improvement over Martial Law. With the world and characters already established in the first film, things get going rather quickly. Fortunately, Rothrock’s character plays a more prominent role in this sequel. Improved acting and better martial arts sequences make Martial Law II: Undercover a much more enjoyable experience than its predecessor.
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6 ‘Yes, Madam’ (1985)
Directed by Corey Yuen
Cynthia Rothrock’s debut. Yes, Madam is a film about a group of low-level thieves who unwittingly steal a microfilm that can be used as evidence to put the evil businessman, Mr. Tin, behind bars. Determined to prevent this from happening, Mr. Tin sends henchmen to destroy the microfilm, while Investigator Carrie Morris (Rothrock) and Inspector Ng (Michelle Yeoh) go after Mr. Tin.
Yes, Madam is a film that is beloved by many and is widely viewed as the film that kicked off the “girls with guns” subgenre of action films. The uninteresting story and over reliance on goofy characters hold this film back from being as good as it could’ve been. The unfortunate truth is that Yes, Madam just isn’t all that funny or entertaining overall, despite its best efforts. Thankfully, each time another jaw-dropping action scene takes place, it becomes easier to sit through. The only real draw in this film is the finale, where Yeoh and Rothrock shine from start to finish. This final fight is so unbelievably great, that it makes the film worth getting through, and is arguably among the greatest fight scenes of all time. The highs are extremely high, and the lows are extremely low. Yes, Madam served as the launchpad for both Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothock, and because of that, it will forever be an important part of cinema history.
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5 ‘The Inspector Wears Skirts’ (1988)
Directed by Wellson Chin
Often compared to the 1984 film Police Academy, The Inspector Wears Skirts is an action comedy produced by Jackie Chan that focuses on an all-women team of police. Disrespected by their male counterparts, they learn to work together as a team and get into plenty of shenanigans throughout.
Rothrock’s screen time in this film is short, but the characters’ struggles are entertaining enough, and Rothrock’s presence while actually on-screen is so electric that it is easy to overlook her absence for most of the film. Possibly the greatest strength of this film, aside from the fights, is how charismatic the cast is. Nearly every character in The Inspector Wears Skirts is likable. Most of the humor lands and the fights are phenomenal. This is a solid and unique film in Rothrock’s filmography.
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4 ‘Lady Reporter’ (1989)
Directed by Mang Hoi
Lady Reporter (Alternatively titled The Blonde Fury) is the quintessential Cynthia Rothrock experience. Cindy (Rothrock) is an American FBI agent investigating counterfeit money in Hong Kong. Posing undercover as a journalist, she plows through everyone in her way with hard-hitting martial arts and impressive stunts.
Notably, the first and only time a western actor has had lead actor billing in a Hong Kong film, this is also the first film in which Rothrock plays the lead in her career. Shelved for a period of time, Lady Reporter is a bit of a beautiful mess, comically littered with continuity errors due to re-shoots. Lady Reporter features the best fights of Rothrock’s career by far. This is Rothrock in top form, and as such, the poorly written story is negligible. The fights are really all that matter when they’re this great.
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3 ‘Magic Crystal’ (1986)
Directed by Wong Jing
A wild ride from start to finish, Karov (Richard Norton) and his goons are hunting down an alien crystal, and they’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Cindy Morgan (Rothrock) is an interpol agent who is after the crystal as well. A child is caught in the conflict as he is in possession of and befriends the titular crystal. Groups with their own motivations clash in this bizarre sci-fi action comedy classic.
Magic Crystal is a strange film, full of jaw-dropping Kung Fu action sequences. A very light-hearted story at it’s core, this is a film that is easy to watch and only gets better as things progress and the action really begins to ramp up. A major highlight of Magic Crystal is Rothrock’s utilization of Eagle Claw and Praying Mantis Kung Fu against the big bad, who is trained in many different styles of martial arts. The fight choreography throughout is unique compared to much of what is seen in most of Rothrock’s filmography. An annoying downside is the dreadful music throughout, which the film could’ve done without, especially during the fights. A small setback to an otherwise enjoyable film.
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2 ‘Prince of the Sun’ (1990)
Directed by Wellson Chin
The final film Rothrock worked on in Hong Kong before beginning her infamous B-movie run in America throughout the 1990s, Prince of the Sun showcases an intimidating Rothrock, who is a joy to watch in every fight. A nefarious group of monks is searching for the living buhdda, a child who is the reincarnation of their leader, and Rothrock’s character is tasked with protecting him. Prince of the Sun notably shares many similarities to the Eddie Murphy film The Golden Child.
Prince of the Sun is an underrated film in Rothrock’s filmography. Although the majority of its attempts at humor are in poor taste, Prince of the Sun as a whole is quite a bizarre ride that features unbelievably well choreographed and brutal fights with a couple of comedic moments and gags that actually land better than many do in the Rothrock filmography. Straight forward and charmingly 1990, this film may be a trip, but when it works, it really works.
This movie is currently not available to stream or purchase in the U.S.
1 ‘Righting Wrongs’ (1986)
Directed by Corey Yuen
A brutal story about taking the law into your own hands, Righting Wrongs is a dark and compelling film. Hsia Ling-Cheng (Yuen Biao), a lawyer who is fed up with what he perceives to be failings of the justice system, goes down a dark path of vigilantism. Hsia Ling-Cheng is framed for a murder he did not commit. Convinced that he is the man responsible, Cindy Si (Rothrock) refuses to let up on Hsia Ling-Cheng until the two find a common enemy in the real culprit.
Not only is Righting Wrongs the best film starring Rothrock, it’s among the best martial arts films of its era, and possibly of all time. This film is an undeniable masterpiece. Yuen Biao’s stunts are next level and extremely memorable. Jam packed with unbelievable fights and outstanding camera work, this is a must-see for not only Rothrock fans, but fans of martial arts cinema. Rothrock and Karen Shepard‘s fight is one of, if not the best on-screen fights between two women of all time. Yuen Biao’s iconic 540 kick during the final fight is widely regarded as one of the greatest moments in Hong Kong cinema. Righting Wrongs is required viewing for fans and filmmakers alike. This is how it is done.
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