LA Bounty

LA BOUNTY (1989)

Directed by: Worth Keeter
Screenplay: Michael W. Leighton
Starring: Sybil Danning, Wings Hauser & Lenore Kasdorf

A forgotten (well, probably never heard of) little action flick from the late 80s, LA Bounty is sufficient, low key action entertainment that gave one time exploitation queen Danning a leading role as tough as nails bounty hunter Ruger. She’s after a senator’s wife who has been pinched by bat-shit crazy bad guy Wings Hauser. With platinum blonde hair, pick-up truck and massive shotgun, Ruger gets down to blowing away the bad guys with aplomb.

Competently made by director Keeter (who also made another never heard of gem, Trapper County War) the film is nicely shot considering what must have been the budget and is evenly packed with action and the usual loony-ness that accompanies these cheap action flicks. Said loony-ness is courtesy of Hauser (the king of cheap action flicks) who is a riot as the unhinged bad guy who enjoys painting (naked women!) and putting his failing henchmen into crates before shooting them with an Uzi. Loony indeed. Danning doesn’t say much but makes for a memorable and tough female lead who packs a punch with her shotgun of choice. The action is staged well if hardly frenetic, Keeter even getting in a nice Sergio Leone homage in the build up to a shootout in an abandoned western town. The finale is also satisfyingly punchy and full of firepower with a sustained battle in a giant warehouse (the location of choice for cheap action flicks).

Nothing outstanding, LA Bounty is rare enough to warrant picking up if you find a copy and for those who are fans of Danning and Hauser and who enjoy these kinds of low rent/cheap action flicks. Precisely the reasons I picked it up and enjoyed it.