Movie Review: Gladiator Cop

Gladiator Cop a.k.a Gladiator Cop: The Swordsman II
SC Entertainment, Canada, 1995. 

Alexander the Great's mystical sword is now in museum. Naughty museum director Chris Kilos (George Touliatos) arranges its violent robbery. Cop Andrew Garrett (Lorenzo Lamas) is reborn Alexander who sometimes runs into the vengeful reincarnations of his enemies. He investigates the sword-robbery and also the case of sword murders. Someone is again running an illegal sword fight club. If you have seen "The Swordsman", there is a strong sense of déjà-vu.

Andrew Garrett

Chris Kilos

Chris uses swordfighter Jodar (Christopher Lee Clements) to gain money, as anyone who has Alexander's sword is invincible. Triad boss Parmelion (James Hong) comes to search for the King and is disappointed as Jodar is not a real royalty. Jodar barely survives his fights so without the sword he would be toast in no time. As Alexander killed Parmelion in the ancient times, Parmelion wants revenge arranging a fight between Alexander, I mean Andrew, and bulky Mongol (Garry Robbins).

Jodar

He is not going to chop trees with that one

Parmelion

There is so much material that was taken from leftover reels of "The Swordsman" that it is questionable if Lorenzo Lamas or Claire Stansfield had any new scenes filmed at all. Cop partner Nick (Nicholas Pasco) who was whacked in the last movie is alive again. In "The Swordsman" Nick was peacefully watching TV, when someone stuffed a remote control into his mouth and threw him into the pool. Thanks to Andrew's magickal resurrection powers (or lazy script writing) Nick is alive and kicking in the sequel. Well, at least alive. This is schlocky cut and paste film-making á la Godfrey Ho. However the action scenes are entertainingly energetic and brutal. The enemies are hulking monsters, gigantic wrestler Garry Robbins performs the role of Mongol bellowing like a mad bull. And there is a ninja too - another resemblance to uncle Godrey's efforts.

In "The Swordsman" Nick was murdered but he recovered from it and made it to the sequel.

Muscle Woman (Astrid Falconi)

Mongol (Garry Robbins)

Lorenzo had some leftover love scenes from the previous film so naturally they had to be included. His girl friend Julie (Claire Stansfield) has a storyline that is quickly forgotten when the action begins. As Lorenzo didn't have much of unused fight scenes from the first movie, it takes forever before he gets into real action. Mostly he drives around in his car searching for clues and has flashbacks from the history. And when he turns into Gladiator Cop.. let's use a masked stunt double! Hilarious! 

He has a ponytail so he must be Lorenzo Lamas, right?

Entertaining trash with a high cult value. There is third "Swordsman" film "G2 Time Warrior" a.k.a "Mortal Conquest" but I don't have it. That film is without Lamas as they finally ran out of archive footage.

Rating: So bad it is good

Starring: Lorenzo Lamas, Frank Anderson, Dan Carter, Eugene Clark, Christopher Lee Clements, Heather Gillan, James Hong, Steve Kendry, Peter Kerenyi, Joe Lalogga, Phil Morrison, Mary Jo Nadzalski, Paul Park, Louis Paquette, Nicholas Pasco, Brian Renwick, Garry Robbins, Henry Roth, Claire Stansfield, George Touliatos, Steve Viguola, Jim Walker, Chris Walpole, Jim Yee, David Zafiro, Joe Boux, Simon Fon, Mark Foreman, Dave Geneau, Stephaine Kotani Geneau, Gary Goodridge, Scott Hogarth, Harold Howard, Zack Kotlyar, Sandy MacMaster, Jim Miller, Layton Morrison, Howard Putterman, Rich Stadnyk, Pat Sweeney, Linda Webber, Bob Barrett, Astrid Falconi, Tig Fong, Louie Jannetta, Ric Randmaa, Anthony Vargus
Director: Nick Rotundo