Perhaps Chuck Norris' best movie - a really fun cheesy early 80s action flick, with tight direction by Steve Carver, who should have had a bigger career, very much in Sergio Leone mode. You've got a Morricone score and lots of sandy vistas, with Norris effective as the loner hero who works with a team.
Mind you it might be better for those close to him if he's stayed a loner - his daughter gets kidnapped, her boyfriend gets killed, her ex has to give up a dream job (it seems) at the end, his girlfriend is killed, his Sam Elliot-like friend is killed. Such is life for the friends of the hero in an 80s action film.
This is surprisingly progressive - the girlfriend character is decently well rounded (Barbara Carrera looks stunning), McQuade his helped by a Hispanic and a black, there is even a dwarf as a crime boss. David Carradine is a strong antagonist, there's some funny lines, the story is solid, and there's plenty of action. A lot of it is silly but its carried off with conviction.
John Milius provided some advice on the script, particularly the opening, and it made me wish he'd worked with more 80s action stars.
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