China O’Brien

China O’Brien

Year: 1990

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: Robert Clouse

ActionThriller

China O’Brien, a top‑tier city police officer and martial‑arts instructor, is forced to surrender her badge and return to the small hometown where she grew up. She finds the peaceful community under grip of organized crime. After her father, town sheriff, is killed, she runs for his post, leading to confrontations that decide who controls the town.

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In a world where the pulse of a bustling metropolis collides with the quiet rhythms of a remote mountain town, China O’Brien carries the weight of a hard‑earned reputation. Once a top‑tier city police officer and the charismatic instructor of a police martial‑arts program, she is forced to surrender her badge after a tragic incident and to return to the small hometown of Beaver Creek, Utah—a place she left long ago in search of a simpler life. The town’s tranquil façade hints at deeper undercurrents, and the contrast between her city‑honed skills and the sleepy streets creates a charged atmosphere that promises both tension and possibility.

Back in Beaver Creek, China discovers that her father, the long‑standing sheriff, struggles to keep the community steady amid whispers of organized crime that threaten to eclipse the town’s peace. While reconnecting with familiar faces, she encounters Matt Conroy, her former high‑school sweetheart, whose presence rekindles old memories and adds a personal layer to the unfolding situation. Alongside them is Dakota, a rugged biker whose ties to the local landscape provide a gritty, street‑wise counterpoint to China’s disciplined approach. Their interactions blend camaraderie, unspoken history, and a shared willingness to confront the town’s hidden challenges.

Drawn by a sense of duty and the pull of familial legacy, China decides to step into the political arena, aiming to run for sheriff. The prospect of an election that could shape the town’s future brings together a community eager for change, while her martial‑arts background suggests that resolution may involve more than paperwork. The tone balances crisp action with an undercurrent of hope, painting a portrait of a woman determined to fuse her urban expertise with the earnest spirit of a close‑knit town.

As the campaign gathers momentum, the atmosphere thickens with anticipation. China’s resolve to protect the people she loves, combined with the support of familiar allies, hints at an inevitable clash between order and the forces that seek to undermine it. The stage is set for a struggle that will test her skills, her heart, and the very soul of Beaver Creek, leaving the audience eager to see how she will steer the town toward a steadier future.

Last Updated: December 03, 2025 at 23:41

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Small Town Justice Stories like China O'Brien

An outsider returns to a troubled hometown to fight corruption and restore order.Explore movies like China O'Brien where a protagonist brings justice to a corrupt small town. If you enjoyed the theme of returning home to fight organized crime, you'll find similar thrilling action and heartfelt stakes in these films.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives typically follow a straightforward arc: a peaceful community is revealed to be under the thumb of a criminal element, a catalyst (often a personal loss) forces a skilled protagonist to take a stand, leading to a series of confrontations that culminate in a decisive battle for the town's soul.

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These films are grouped by their shared setting of a tight-knit community, a classic good-versus-evil conflict, and the empowering journey of a lone underdog challenging a powerful, entrenched foe to protect their home.

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A highly skilled woman uses extreme force to avenge a personal tragedy.Discover more movies like China O'Brien featuring a powerful female lead who uses martial arts to seek revenge. If you liked the intense combat and determined heroine, this collection of female-led action thrillers is for you.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves establishing the protagonist's exceptional abilities, a traumatic event that shatters their world (like the murder of a loved one), and a relentless, direct path of vengeance or justice filled with escalating physical confrontations against the perpetrators.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here based on the core archetype of a physically dominant female hero, the motivational theme of personal revenge, and a high concentration of intense, skill-based action sequences that drive the plot forward.

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Characters, Settings & Themes in China O’Brien

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