Cynthia Rothrock is one of the most unsung action heroes of the 1980s. This chick is an absolute monster, with perfect form, lighting fast moves, and some serious athleticism that lets her perform Jackie-Chan-esque acrobatic feats.
Yes, Madam is her 1985 film debut, she kills it. She has multiple black belts, and was formerly a competitive martial artist before making the transition to film, and you can clearly see that legitimacy on full display here.
It’s strongly rumored – I believe even semi-confirmed – that Rothrock was the inspiration for Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat, and honestly, that would be zero surprise to me. The MK design team took very direct inspiration for the original cast. Bruce Lee for Liu Kang, Big Trouble in Little China for Raiden, and, well, just look at Cynthia in this clip. Her body type, movements, and even hairstyle all strongly resemble the look Cynthia is rocking in this movie. If being immortalized via tribute in Mortal Kombat isn’t a high honor for a martial artist, I don’t know what is.