"This is America, Baby. Everybody steals."
— Johnny
High Voltage is a 1997 film, starring Antonio Sabato Jr. and Shannon Lee. It was written by Mike Mains and directed by Isaac Florentine.
This film provides examples of:
- Action Dad: Carlos is helping Johnny during the Final Battle. Strictly speaking Carlos is just a cousin of Johnny’s late father. In real life the two actors are father and son.
- Action Hero: Johnny is able to shoot guns and jump at the same time.
- All Bikers are Hells Angels: When the bikers in the bar hear about the money, that Johnny has stolen from Phan, they immediately try to take it from him for themselves.
- An Ass-Kicking Christmas: The holidays are mentioned several times during the movie.Larry: I hate to kill somebody just before Christmas!
- An Offer You Can't Refuse: This is a part of Carlos’ backstory and the reason why he had to leave his native Sicily.
- Big Entrance: Bulldog arrives on his motorbike at the place of the final battle – inside the building!
- Bad Boss: Mobster boss Phan tells one of his lieutenants, that he forgives him for not stopping Johnny’s gang escape. The next moment he kills him nevertheless.
- Big Bad: Obviously Phan.
- Clothing Combat: Phan uses his scarf three times to either kill or threaten people by strangulation.
- Damsel in Distress: Jane, Phan’s mistress, is in this situation, because she is not allowed to leave the mobster. During the fight in the bar she suddenly turns into a Damsel out of Distress and stays this way for the rest of the movie.
- Did You Actually Believe...?: Larry ironically shows his surprise, that Jane bought into his faked betrayal of Johnny.Larry: You didn’t really think I can betray Johnny, now did you?
- Dying Curse: After Bulldog is mortally wounded by Johnny, he curses his opponent.Bulldog: Go to hell, Johnny!
- Et Tu, Brute?: Phan is angry about his mistress Jane fighting against him.Phan: How could you betray me like this?
Jane: It was easy! - Fake Defector: Larry calls Phan to tell him Johnny’s whereabouts. This is just a setup to kill Phan.
- Family of Choice: The main characters grew up on the street.Molly: Sam and Johnny and Larry – they’re the only family I ever had.
- Final Battle: All parties meet for the concluding shootout at the Sunshine Hotel in Yuma, Arizona.
- The Heart: Although Molly is badass during the fight, she tries to ease the tensions within the group (except during the Mexican Standoff).
- Honor Among Thieves: The members of Johnny’s gang stay loyal to each other.
- Inside Job: Molly is working in the bank that her gang is robbing as an intern. Nevertheless she has not been able to find out that they are Robbing the Mob Bank.
- The Lancer: Larry is questioning Johnny’s actions several times, but stays loyal to the end.
- The Leader: Johnny makes the decisions. He let the others individually decide, if they want to follow him, but in the end he always has his way.
- Lovable Rogue: Johnny cares for his gang and Phan’s girlfriend, Jane. He kills several mobsters plus Bulldog, but usually in self-defense.
- Mêlée à Trois: In the Final Battle there is a shootout between Johnny’s gang, Phan’s mobsters, and Bulldog.
- Mexican Standoff: Between Larry on one side, and Johnny, Molly and Sam on the other.
- Nice Guy: Tammy accuses Bulldog that he is too nice to Johnny. She wants him to claim a larger share of Phan’s money.
- Nobody Here but Us Statues: Before the Final Battle two of Carlos’ henchmen pretend to be mannequins (bride and groom).
- No Honor Among Thieves: Although they had a deal, Bulldog tries to rip Johnny off.
- One Last Job: Although the members of Johnny’s gang are still young, their attempt to rob a bank is supposed to conclude their criminal career. After this fails, the attack on Phan shall be their last job.
- Oh, Crap!: Johnny notices that he is Robbing the Mob Bank
- Robbing the Mob Bank: This kicks off the plot.
- Say My Name: After his girlfriend Tammy is killed, Bulldog shouts "Johnny!", although Phan was the one who shot her.
- Super Window Jump: Two of Phan’ mobsters make their appearance this way during their attack on the gang’s apartment.
- Widowed at the Wedding: Pushed to the extreme, when a priest is forced – at gunpoint – to give Molly in marriage to an already dead Sam.
