A Force of One

A Force of One is a 1979 American martial arts action-thriller film directed by Paul Aaron and starring Chuck Norris, with Jennifer O'Neill, Ron O'Neal, Clu Gulager, and martial artist Bill Wallace in his film debut. Norris plays karate champion Matt Logan, who is hired to assist an anti-narcotics police unit, who are being targeted by a killer. The screenplay by Ernest Tidyman was based on a story co-written by martial artist Pat E. Johnson. This was the third film to feature Norris as the star, following Breaker! Breaker! (1977) and Good Guys Wear Black (1978). It was released by American Cinema Releasing on May 18, 1979, and received mixed reviews from critics, but was a financial success, grossing nearly five-times its production budget. Plot While investigating a suspected drug den inside a sporting goods store, two plainclothes police officers are killed by a masked assailant using martial arts techniques. In response, Officer Mandy Rust and Lieutenant Sam Dunne approach full-contact karate champion Matt Logan to train their unit in unarmed combat techniques. Logan has a personal stake in the matter, his adopted son Charlie is the son of an addict who died of an overdose. The drug ring is run by Melrose, who uses his chain of sporting goods store to stash and distribute narcotics to dealers. His chief enforcer, Jerry Sparks, is a ruthless fighter and Logan's martial arts rival. Following Sparks on a hunch, Charlie learns Melrose has a mole on the police force, Sgt. Rollins, but is caught by Sparks and killed, his death staged to look like an overdose. Logan is suspicious, because Charlie never used drugs, and vows to avenge his son's death. Mandy advises him to let the police find Charlie’s killer. She encourages him to win his match against Sparks.