‘Manhattan chase’? ‘Manhattan saunter’ is more appropriate. This cheap action yarn suffers from some critical pacing issues, not to mention a poor sound mix and fluffed lines which, for whatever reason, have been kept in the film. Shot on the fly in New York, this has all the hallmarks of a Godfrey Ho head-kicker (sorry, “Godfrey Hall”), reuniting with his Honor and Glory star, Cynthia Rothrock, as well as veteran Hong Kong stunt performer and martial artist Steve Tartalia, who also acts as producer and stunt coordinator, as well as having a supporting role as a scumbag. Dashing Loren Avedon, in glorious double denim, is the film’s star. He has spent six years in the slammer and is determined to turn his life around by rekindling his relationship with his young son. But his criminal past catches up with him when he rescues a girl from a stick-up, orchestrated by his old boss. Rothrock plays a tough cop, afforded her own sub-plot involving an estranged sister who just happens to be the mother of Avedon’s kid. This gives Rothrock a chance to stretch her acting chops, and she’s very convincing, but the excessive amount of plotting burdens the film and gets in the way of all the potential fighting. There are glimpses of great action which echoes the vibrant Hong Kong style of fight choreography, but not quite enough. It ends with a John Woo-style gun fu routine instead of an all-out fight fest with Avedon, Rothrock and Tartalia which, again, is disappointing.