Main Cast: Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone, Thomas F. Wilson
Release Year: 1988
Country: US
Run Time: 105 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Ex-football player Carl Weathers stars in this violent action film as Detroit policeman Jericho Jackson. The dedicated but brutal cop is plunged into nefarious doings concerning a crooked industrialist (Craig T. Nelson) and his drug-addicted girlfriend (pop-singer Vanity), breaking many people's bones before solving the case. Sharon Stone stands out in a cast of genre veterans including Nicholas Worth, Sonny Landham, and Robert Davi. Heavy on the sex and violence, this film harkens back to the glory days of 1970s blaxploitation, but is a bit too mean-spirited to be as much fun. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Bill Duke - Capt. Armbruster; Robert Davi - Tony Moretti; Jack Thibeau - Detective Kotterwell; Nicholas Worth - Cartier; Sonny Landham - Mr. Quick; Ivor Barry - Stuffy Old Guy; Alonzo Brown, Jr. - Big Lady With Purse; Roger Aaron Brown - Officer Lack; David Efron - Birch; David Glen Eisley - Thaw; Preston Hanson - Master of Ceremonies; Dennis Hayden - Shaker; Jim Haynie - Morty Morton; Prince Hughes - Ed; Diana James - Hooker; Matt Landers - 1st Desk Sergeant; Susan Lentini - VW Driver; Al Leong - Dellaplane's Chauffeur; Brian Libby - Martin; Perry Lopez; Frank McCarthy - Oliver O'Rooney; Michael McManus - Grantham; Armelia McQueen - Dee; Charles Meshack - Poolroom Bartender; Miguel A. Nuñez - 1st Poolroom Thug; Ed O'Ross - Stringer; Melissa Prophet - Newscaster; Branscombe Richmond - Poolroom Thug #2; Mary Ellen Trainor - Secretary; Thomas Wagner - 2nd Desk Sergeant; De'Voreaux White - Clovis; Chino "Fats" Williams - Kid Sable; Stan Foster - Albert; James Lew - Martial Arts Instructor; Bob Minor - Gamble; Glenn Wilder - Yacht Guard #2; Kenneth Belsky - Red Devil Bartender; Christopher Broughton - Pickpocket; Bill Burton Sr. - Policeman; Ronnie Carol - Party Guest; Diedre Conrad - Policewoman; Richard L. Duran - 3rd Poolroom Thug; The Knudsen Brothers - Streetsinger; Edgar Small - Raymond Foss; Karen Rea; John Lyons - Yacht Guard #1
Credit
Virginia Randolph - Art Director, Steve Perry - Associate Producer, Karen Rea - Casting, Paula Abdul - Choreography, Marilyn Vance - Costume Designer, Benjamin Rosenberg - First Assistant Director, Craig R. Baxley - Director, Mark Helfrich - Editor, Herbie Hancock - Composer (Music Score), Michael Kamen - Composer (Music Score), Jackie Krost - Musical Direction/Supervision, Jerry Allison - Songwriter, Kim Cage - Songwriter, Sue Ann Carwell - Songwriter, Bernadette Cooper - Songwriter, Autry de Walt - Songwriter, Kenny Gamble - Songwriter, Jerri Hubbard - Songwriter, Leon Huff - Songwriter, Lemel Humes - Songwriter, Anthony Jackson - Songwriter, M.C. Jam - Songwriter, Pee Wee Jam - Songwriter, Jesse Johnson - Songwriter, Mary Lee Kortes - Songwriter, Teresa Laws - Songwriter, Randy Muller - Songwriter, Stevie Salas - Songwriter, Kathy Sledge - Songwriter, Vanity - Songwriter, Kae Williams, Jr. - Songwriter, Scott Eddo - Makeup, Matthew Leonetti - Cinematographer, Joel Silver - Producer, Robert Solo - Producer, Phillip Leonard - Set Designer, Al di Sarro - Special Effects, Jim Webb - Sound/Sound Designer, Jophery Brown - Stunts, Craig R. Baxley - Screenwriter, Robert Scott Reneau - Screenwriter, Arlester Christian - Featured Music, Buddy Holly - Featured Music, Ruggiero Leoncavallo - Featured Music, Norman Petty - Featured Music
Detroit Police Detective and Sergeant Jericho Jackson, known as "Action Jackson", was a Lieutenant in the police force but demoted because of a case he headed involving the son of businessman Peter Dellaplane. After his demotion, "Action Jackson" begins investigating murders of Union members for Dellaplane's company. Dellaplane, it is discovered, is murdering his way to power, hiring assassins to kill unfriendly Union members.
Jackson has the help of a mistress of Peter Dellaplane, a singer named Sydney Ash, who is a heroin addict. Jackson is framed for murdering Peter Dellaplane's wife and finds himself on the run from the police. He receives help from an informant and finds a way to get to Delleplane. The showdown leads to Jackson and Dellaplane at the latter's mansion at the party of a Union Leader. Jackson wins the showdown, kills Dellaplane; and is promoted to Lieutenant as a result of this victory. Jackson, after much reluctance throughout the film, starts a relationship with a determined-to-rehabilitate Sydney.
