Disgraced former D.A. William Lawson (Brian St. August) becomes The Fixer after gaining special powers through a freak accident. Working alongside his teacher of ancient knowledge, Master Yeb-beb (Alfred Guy), he and his mentor/Master Zen Martial Artist go wherever their help is needed including the rescue of a teenager (Victoria Lynn) held captive by an Asian gangster (Kim Hoang).

Done in the style of old school grindhouse and 70's style urban action flicks, Lee Doll's The Fixer is a campy, action-packed martial arts flick filled to the brim with everything you both love and hate about those old 70's flicks that you quietly rented on weekends but would probably never acknowledge to even your closest friends. Doll, the current manager of teen pop singer Louanna Lee, has most assuredly crafted a film that won't please everyone (or even most) but should find an audience on the DVD market with folks who embrace its devoted tip o' the hat to 70's cinema.

Officially titled The Fixer Episode 1, the film is considered to be the first in a series and given its 55-minute run time it becomes even more apparent that Doll regards the film as equal parts television and cinema. Indeed, a more natural place for the film might be on late night cable television with its unique characters crafted by co-screenwriters Steve Rifkin and Ryan Thomas along with D.P. Jeff Herberger's solid action camera work.

The performances often feel like they came straight out of the cut-outs and bloopers from 70's television series like, say, Starsky & Hutch or even Baretta. There's an inherent corniness in Episode 1 that is unquestionably intentional, and despite the film's rather obvious low-budget production quality there should be an audience for it. As was always true in 70's cinema and among the 70's and 80's series upon which the film models itself, the acting itself is hit-and-miss with the action sequences being the primary selling point for the film.

Currently available on DVD through JBH Video, The Fixer comes with a boatload of DVD extras and will prove to be a blast for fans of old school martial arts flicks and cheesy 70's grindhouse. For more information on the DVD, visit the film's website.


© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic