Reviews (28)

No spaghetti, but lots of sauce in this Eastwood western!
Clint Eastwood gives a rare "arthouse" performance in this decidedly off-beat Civil War tale. Clint is the wily fox trapped in the proverbial henhouse as a wounded Union soldier discovered in the woods and nursed back to health by the members of a Southern girls' school. Director Don Siegel (who played Scorcese to Eastwood's DeNiro in a series of 70's collaborations) was not usually associated with making "art" movies, but this one came the closest. Mostly somber and Gothic in tone, with a dash of black comedy thrown in (especially in the scenes where Eastwood gleefully manipulates and seduces various teachers and students). Of course, the chauvinistic soldier eventually gets his due (Stephen King style), but it's an interesting ride along the way. Geraldine Page leads the excellent supporting cast in top form. The depiction of the girls' mass sexual panic amid a claustrophobic, fever dream atmosphere recalls films like "Picnic At Hanging Rock" or "Black Narcissus". Eastwood's boldest performance features a scene in the opening moments that very few "movie stars" would even touch...where he kisses a 12 year old girl in a somewhat lustful manner; repellent behavior, yes, but essential to establishing the character. In other words, don't expect another typical Eastwood shoot-'em up!

Deeper, Darker American Gothic
During the American civil war, wounded Yankee soldier, John McBurney is rescued on the verge of death by a teenage girl from a Confederate boarding school. She manages to get him back to the school, and at first the all-female staff and pupils are scared. As he starts to recover, one by one he seduces the sexually repressed women and the atmosphere becomes filled with jealousy, deceit and brutal revenge.

Eccentric, offbeat melodrama combining the conventions of both Western and Grand Guignol chiller, and directed as if it were an art movie, this is one of Eastwood and Siegel's strangest collaborations. Beautifully shot (especially the nightmarishly skewed first person camera perspective of that famous amputation scene, and chiaroscuro lighting effects [such deep, dark shadows]}, carefully paced, this is a haunting, elegant work that seems to have influenced the much later - and inferior - Misery.

No disc extras as such, but excellent production notes, and a crystal-clear transfer with well-preserved colour separation make this an essential DVD purchase.

Now pass the mushrooms...

Don delivers another caustic comedy with a few moral lessons
Interesting and unusual, if not unsettling, this is a fine comedy in a fine setting (the South) that shows that everything has a price and a finality. The hero-protagonist (a wounded, recovering Confederate soldier), finds himself as the only male in a purely female environment, and is almost compelled (by desire, by necessity?) to use his charm in order to survive in a (politically/sexually?) rather hostile/agressive environment (a house in the deep South inhabited solely by women, in the midst of the Secession War). By doing such, he somehow tries to use behaviour (seduction) and tactics (outright lies) that are usually the apanage and panacee of females, and gets thereby rather badly burned, as it finally turns out. For this kind of a game, it appears, the female is far better equipped than the male (no real king bees, just queen bees? well, maybe...)

Well, you are left pondering, what chance does a single good-looking female in a purely male environment have? Every single one, probably. And what does a single good-looking male in a purely female environment have? In the end result, not a single one, it appears. As it often turns out, at least in this vitriolic comedy of seduction, females tend to act and react in an almost concerted instinctive behaviour, bound by either common desires or common interests, in an almost lemming-like fashion. In the end, if not outright misogynistic, this movie makes you wonder whether males and females belong to the same biological specie. Mind tickling and interesting, I'd recommend this intelligent movie to anyone who likes Eastwood as an actor, but is not the kind of guy to feed exclusively on Spaghettis dished out with ample Tomato Sauce servings.

Bayou Brothel
THE BEGUILED is a Clint Eastwood film you seldom hear about, and it really isn't worth seeing. It involves Eastwood playing an injured Union soldier who is wounded in the south and taken up by an all-girls boaring school. Instead of turning him over to the Confedrates, they decide to nurse him to health, andf the result is all the women literally fightin over him.

Directed by the late, great Don Siegel, THE BEGUILED is a type of movie I have never seen before. It involves Eastwood being the victim and the antagonist at the same time. Having mutiple affairs in the boarding school eventually leads to intense conflicts which results in the women plotting to kill him. The sad ending coupled with the bizarre plot are the reasons why this is not of Eastwood's better films. He does give a good performance as John McBurney, and the agony he suffers after his leg is amputated will really shake Eastwood fans.

A Journey Into The Darkness of The Human Soul
The Beguiled is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen,contributing to my early love of cinema,and sadly remaining underrated to this day.
While it is hard to pigeonhole the film into one specific genre, be it a thriller or a psychological drama,it is one of the very few films that without the use of blood and gore,manages to be very disturbing and violent.A raw and primitive violence that is directed more at the viewer's mind and psyche.
Don Siegel is one of the best American directors,who like Sam Peckinpah,understood the meaning of this violence and did not shy away from showing it without tantalizing the 'voyeur' in his audience.
His collaboration with Clint Eastwood is one of the most successful in cinema..(Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, Escape from Alcatraz, Two Mules for Sister Sarah)..And with the Beguiled he managed to direct an original film that had the best performances his star had to date,(a transitional role in Eastwood's career, in between the westerns of Leone, and the toughness of Harry Calahan.)
The whole mood of the film has this creepy and sinsiter atmosphere that appears quite subtle on the surface,yet as your delve deeper,it slowly unleashes much darker and well hidden forces.
It is the story of a wounded Yanky soldier(Clint Eastwood)evading capture in the south during the civil war,finds refuge in an all girl boarding school.The headmistress (the geart Geraldine Page)takes him in and provides him with a sanctuary and care that befits her Christian duties and sensibilities.Yet this stranger awakens many feelings in the house: curiosity,jealousy,sexual fantasies, up to the will and determination to murder.
The increased confidence of the recuperating soldier in manipulating the sexual vulnerablity of these girls and their headmistress,goes hand in hand with the change that occur within them,from gentle and virtuous to cold and calculating.
I liked the fact that the contrast between the raging war outside and the serene and peaceful sanctuary inside turns to be only an illusion.
I liked too the fact that despite the rift that the soldier caused directly and indirectly among the girls,they at the end link their fates and bond together,like they carefully did in the face of war, even if this means getting rid of the 'disturbance' that turned their world upside down.
I also loved the fact that ultimately the message of the film is about what a person is capable of doing in certain circumstances, and how a ideal world can hide many deep hidden frustrations that,pushing the right buttons, can be as menacing and deadly as any war.
What is quite interesting too, is how a deeply religious environment and person, can also hide strong sexual desires and energy that are truly haunting.One particularily powerful scene, among many, is the sexual threesome dream that Page has,an unrestrained and perverse passion mixed with religious guilt: an explosive mixture.
The Beguiled reflects a time when directors had the artistic freedom and clout to make the film they wanted.The original script had a happy ending, but Siegel opted to change it to its darker conclusion, something very few studios would allow these days.
The Beguiled is a powerful movie that on no accounts should be missed.A journey into the darkest recesses of the human soul that you will not easily forget. ... Read more

Description

In the underworld of the American Midwest two rival gangs, the Ravens and the Spiders, rule the streets.Goose, the leader of the Ravens, decides on one final drug deal before leaving the gang and settling down with his psychic girlfriend.His life crumbles around him, however, when his girlfriend is brutally clubbed to death by members of the rival gang. After burying her in a trash compactor, Goose hides out with his junkie psycho father and plots his revenge!His rampage culminates in a massive street brawl with Kung Fu, gory decapitations, vivid throat slashings, car stunts and bloody gunfights. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Easily one of the best action flicks ever made...
Finally, Jim Van Bebber's immortal exploitation classic is back in print, and it's a beauty. Shortly available in a badly tranferred, overly bright VHS tape from Ketchum Video and a staple of video bootleggers everywhere (with some of the boots outshining the original), this is probably the best we will ever see the film look. As it is quite grainy and dark at times, the image is sharp, the colors are stable, and Van Bebber's gritty aesthetic shines through.

However, I take offense to the remarks made by Andrew MacEwen concerning this motion picture. It appears that Mr. MacEwen is the one who (as he snidely puts it) feels as if it makes a serious statement about modern society. Sir, you can feel however you want, but....Deadbeat At Dawn was a film intended for the drive-ins and hearts of B-Movie fans everywhere. While it may be about a very depressing scenario, Van Bebber's movie is meant to be little more than dumb gory fun and succeeds admirably. Maybe you should take out the pretentious attitude and rewatch the movie from another viewpoint.

a great film despite some slow spots....
With such a meager budget, it was only natural for the film to seem royally tacky and cheap at times, but somehow Van Bebber was able to make the film effective in its own right. Basically 90 minutes of Van Bebber wandering aimlessly around the ghettos of Dayton, Ohio (I didn't even know such a place existed), the film really picks up once he rips off $100,000.00 from a particularly violent gang of redneck and trailer trash.

This film is the epitomy of the trashy backwoods midwest mixed well with the wrong side of the tracks in an urban nightmare. We have sleazy losers doing drugs and beating up their girlfriends, later philosophizing about their place in society while they stab and shoot each other.

Van Bebber really found his nitch with this film in the annals of White Trash filmmaking, and made it exciting enough with non-stop violence, gore, and chase scenes to get the blood going (literally). It's too bad his career never took off after this film, and as I've heard his rampant drug use played a major factor in that... plus he spent a long stay in prison recently for rather dubious reasons. Deadbeat really shows how multi-talented Van Bebber can be with his mind set to it; he acted, directed, did the fight chooreography, and the gore effects... which were pretty darn impressive.

A sledgehammer to the gut
The company that released Jim Van Bebber's low budget cult classic "Deadbeat at Dawn" had an amusing if slightly disturbing experience with this director. Several years ago, right after releasing the disc, you could go to Synapse Film's website and listen to one or two messages Van Bebber left on the company's answering machine. It was quite the experience. You could tell immediately that Van Bebber was less than happy about the DVD release. In a torrent of language best left omitted here, the director accused Synapse of messing up the picture quality during the transfer to disc. There were a few other problems Van Bebber had with the DVD that I don't remember now, but the whole thing allowed a rare glimpse into the sometimes tempestuous behavior of artistic types. And Jim Van Bebber is an artist if "Deadbeat at Dawn" is any indication. Made for under ten thousand dollars in the early 1980s, the movie is a massively entertaining action/crime film about two gangs fighting, robbing, and loving in the gritty back alleys of Dayton, Ohio. While the picture quality of the DVD might not reach Van Bebber's high standards-a claim I happen to disagree with, by the way-the disc is a worthy addition to any B movie fan's library.

Van Bebber not only directed the film, he starred in it as well. He plays Goose, the tough as nails leader of a gang named the Ravens locked in eternal struggle with the Spiders. A violent showdown towards the beginning of the film reveals in bloody detail how much enmity exists between the two groups. Goose challenges Danny (Paul Harper), the head goon of the Spiders, to hand to hand combat in a cemetery. As the other gang members look on, the two beat and slash each other before the police arrive to break up the fight. Later, at home with his girlfriend Christy (Megan Murphy), an argument erupts between the two about Goose's involvement in the gang. Christy wants a normal life of jobs, kids, and a house while Goose isn't willing to give up the lifestyle of a criminal. Eventually, love conquers the day as the Raven's leader agrees to change his life for the sake of his woman. He just needs to do one more deal so the pair will have enough cash to start their new lives and then he leaves the gang. Unfortunately, Danny isn't about to let Goose off so easily. He sends Bone Crusher (Marc Pitman) and another ruffian to Goose's apartment to rough up Christy and thus teach his nemesis a lesson.

Things rapidly go to far, as an action designed to intimidate turns into murder. Predictably, Goose arrives home, finds the body, and vows revenge against his enemies. He soon finds out that the Ravens aren't that interested in allowing Goose back in the gang. Aside from the fact that he left his comrades in the lurch, the new leader is working on an alliance with Danny. Only if Goose accepts the role as an underling will either gang have anything to do with him. This he does, but only so he can bide his time until the moment for revenge arrives. He doesn't need to wait long. Danny, a criminal with grandiose ideas, decides to use the two groups to rob an armored car. The crime goes off as planned, Danny gets his big bag of loot, and Goose exacts his revenge. He snatches the money right out from under the noses of the Ravens and Spiders and runs. Both groups now start searching for Goose, leading to a series of violent confrontations that culminate in the ultra bloody conclusion to the film. The last twenty or so minutes of "Deadbeat at Dawn" consists of one slam-bang scene after another, scenes guaranteed to warm the heart of the most fervent action film aficionados.

This summary leaves a lot out. I could mention the religious symbolism in the movie, or the film's unnerving and pervasive nihilism unfolding against the backdrop of a blighted urban environment populated by individuals with absolutely no hopes or dreams. The scenes between Goose and his father, perhaps more than any other, underscore the despair of life in the inner city. Christy and the love that she offers represent a flicker of light in this otherwise dismal picture. Her demise, and Goose's plans to avenge her, thereby allows him to transcend his wretched existence. Perhaps I am reading more into "Deadbeat at Dawn" than Bebber intended, but I don't think so. The last line of dialogue uttered by Goose is compelling evidence that the creator of this film intended his project to be more than a gory, shoot 'em up gang picture. Violence is central to the plot, however, so the viewer can sit back and enjoy watching the mayhem even as the message of the film slowly filters into the mind. Too, the acting goes a long way to realizing the vision Bebber intended. A few of the performances go over the top, especially Bone Crusher's misanthropic soliloquy on murder, but most of these amateur actors do a competent job. Yep, "Deadbeat at Dawn" is a worthwhile experience for the lover of low budget cinema.

The Synapse disc contains scads of extras, including a commentary with Van Bebber and producer Mike King, outtakes, a massively disturbing trailer for a film called "Chunkblower," and a short film entitled "My Sweet Satan." Starring a creepy looking Jim Van Bebber, this little picture is the story of a devil worshipper caught up in several unsavory activities. Expect to see some extremely disturbing gore in this short nightmare. The "Deadbeat at Dawn" DVD is a can't lose proposition. Add it to your list of must sees soon.

Fun!
The acting is bad, the script is embarrassing, the production values are practically non-existent, and I love this movie. There is just enough story to support the action, which is really the point of the movie. All of the action scenes are really incredible, helped along by razor-sharp editing and some pretty good gore effects. This is a great example of how a miniscule budget can actually help an action film. Hollywood could learn a thing or two from Deadbeat.

wow!
I watched this film with a bunch of stuntmen..everybody was freaking out...We all loved it. Since then I'd sought out and seen all of Jim's other films..loved them too..I really want to check out "Charlie's Family" Mr.VanBebber's latest.. I hope it comes out soon. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Back in 1952, during the waning days of film noir, directorRichard Fleischer made The Narrow Margin, a cheaply produced, tightly structured B movie thriller about a cop forced to protect a gangster's widow while on a train. While it's no work of art, Fleischer's noir features a shocking climax of mistaken identity, an ominous, claustrophobic atmosphere, and tough, nearly unlikable protagonists screwed by fate, who spout sharp-witted dialogue and feel little more than contempt for each other. When Hollywood remakes itself, all the understatement and charm is usually lost when the filmmakers try to "modernize" the subject matter. This is one of many problems with writer-director Peter Hyams's remake (given the slightly shorter title Narrow Margin). He'sdumped the surprising plot twist (it's now an action set piece atop a moving train) and softened the characters (now played with sleepwalking intensity by Gene Hackman and Anne Archer) with preposterous motivations. All that seems to be intact is the train premise, but Hyams is more interested in its action potential than any kind of menacing atmosphere. He's dropped the ambiguous relationships and smart dialogue in favor of pumping up the action sequences and daredevil stunts to ridiculous levels. Instead of adding excitement, all Hyams's expensive tricks do is drain Narrow Margin of any tension it might've retained from the original. --DaveMcCoy ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A DEFINITE NAIL BITER...
This is a terrific thriller with excellent performances by Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, J.T. Walsh, James B. Sikking, M. Emmett Walsh, and Susan Hogan. There are also some terrific action scenes. This film is guaranteed to keep the viewer on the edge of one's seat.

The plot is simple. A woman, Carol Hunnicutt (Anne Archer), goes on a blind date with an attorney (J.T. Walsh) with whom a well meaning friend has set her up. He gets a business call that he needs to return, as soon as possible. She accompanies him to his apartment. She excuses herself, while he makes his call, and goes to use the bathroom. In the meantime, he is visited by one of his clients, Leo Watts, and another man. Watts confronts the lawyer with the fact that he knows that the lawyer has gotten himself into a financial hole and has, consequently, stolen a lot of money from him. The lawyer, knowing Watts to be a ruthless mobster, begins to cry. Carol, overhearing the commotion, cautiously opens the door, only to see the other man with Watts execute her blind date.

Terror stricken, she sits mute for some time and then disappears to a remote Canadian location, where she is ulimately tracked down by Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Robert Caulfield (Gene Hackman) and a Los Angeles Police Department Detective, who has accompanied him. They are working on the case involving the death of the attorney, and they believe that she may have some relevant information, as her fingerprints were discovered at the crime scene and traced back to her via an old anti-war protest arrest.

Unfortunately, Watts' men also find her, almost simultaneously, and the games begin in earnest with the detective killed in the process. Robert and Carol make a run for it and board a train headed towards Vancouver. Right behind them are the hit men, who also board the same train, hot on their heels. A life or death cat and mouse game commences. What happens on that train will keep the viewer riveted to the screen. This is, without a doubt, a well executed thriller.

Gene Rocks!!!
Gene Hackman is surely one of the greatest living actors. Even in a film like Narrow Margin, Hackman rises above the material. The Plot - Woman sees murder, Woman flees. Hackman tracks her down and must bring her back to testify. The Twist is it all takes place on a train. The tension is so thick you can cut it with a knife. Hackmans character is a tough guy in the best sense of the word, not like a Stallone or a Swartzenegger character. We see and Feel Hackmans pain. Anne Archer is also fine as the Woman in question. Also with J.T and M.Emmett Walsh,And James B Seking. The Dvd has no extras but for the price it's not bad.

Within The Margin Of Error
At first glance, Narrow Margin sounds like a modest thiller, with a rather generic premise. After watching the film though, I realized that, it's actually better than its plot suggests.

L.A. District Attorney Robert Caufield (Gene Hackman) must find unwilling murder witness Carol Hunnicu (Anne Archer), who fled to Canada, and bring her back to the United States to testify against a top-level mob boss. Locating and convincing her to return are the least of Caufield's problems. The pair is sent scrambling as they attempt to escape two deadly hitmen sent to silence her. Soon, they decide to board a Vancouver-bound train, only to find that the assassins are also on board the train. For the next 20 hours, as the train makes its way across the isolated Canadian wilderness, it becomes a game of cat and mouse, in which their ability to tell a friend from foe becomes a matter of life and death.

Peter Hyams has spent some time over his career, directing thrillers, some good, like Outland and some that are pretty bad, like The Presidio.Here though, having Hackman along somehow elevates the film, as he presents a believable character that really helps to sell the idea. After causing a stir with Fatal Attraction, Archer contines to walk that fine line between being vulnerable and a certain strenth that she wears quite well. The film's last act is pretty exciting and filled with some truly tense moments. Hyams keeps a brisk pace to the movie and that also viewers avoid a few of the script's problems as well.

The DVD is pretty much bare bones when it comes to the bonus material. The theatrical trailer, a few production notes, and some cast & crew information is all you get. The lack of any substantaial extras is very much in keeping with most of Hyams's films (if not all) as presented on DVD.

Extras and a few script issues aside, Narrow Margin, is still very much worth a look. Recommended

MISSED BEING A CLASSIC BY A "NARROW MARGIN" INDEED
If it weren't for the rushed ending, this movie'd be listed high up there with LA Confidential and Fugitive in terms of an action packed thriller. And for good reason -- it's lean, crisp, and nail-biting suspense.

The original movie, a 1952 noir with the same name, had a stunning Charles McGraw cameo as well, but I am one of those who don't usually drool over B&W prints. This new version has some mild adjustments, e.g., the rail trip that makes the movie is now based entirely on a Canadian train ride. In that, the claustrophobic train interior is contrasted very well with the wide open Canadian wilderness. The cinematography and the screenplay are immaculate.

Gene Hackman is riveting. Tension is built through a series of one-on-one confrontations, each with electric undercurrents. The best by far is the gentlemanly chat between Hackman and James Sikking (one of the villians also aboard the same train) in the dining car.

What does the movie in, and leaves you with a lame parting shot is the super-quick ending. After the whole breathless action-packed rigmarole of getting a witness to LA, the case indicting a mafia boss happens all too soon to give a fitting closure. But don't let this stop you if you're into suspense films.

Great thriller!

More Suspense Please.
I was diapointed. I was expecting more of a Fugitive or Enemy of the State kind of movie. My 17 and 14 year old sons didn't finish watching with me because they thought it was to boring.
The first part with the mountain cabin and helicopter chase was good. Once they were on the train it fizzled out. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Jean-Claude Van Damme stars as maverick cop Lou Burke, the only lawman tough enough to go undercover in a prison recently plagued by suspicious deaths. Posing as a hardened con, Burke stands up to sadistic guards and makes martial arts mincemeat out of brutal inmates, all the while investigating those mysterious murders. Following the standard Van Damme formula at the height of the actor's B-picture popularity, the script essentially inserts him in a series of increasingly nasty situations from which he then has to kick, punch, and chop his way out. For services rendered, the Muscles from Brussels gets to kiss Cynthia Gibb, who plays a lawyer assigned the dubious task of posing as Burke's wife. With Van Damme safely tucked into his story formula, a slightly more discriminating viewer can find pleasure in a supporting performance from Robert Guillaume (as an aging inmate), while freakier types will enjoy top-drawer nemesis the Sandman (Patrick Killpatrick), a psycho killing machine who forces poor Burke to break a sweat. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Another Van Damme punchfest
Jean-Claude is at it again as a cop who goes undercover in the prison system to investigate a plot involving corruption among the cell guards.

The film heats up when Van Damme's arch-rival, a psychopathic killer who for some reason, which is never explained, can withstand bullets and other fatal moves, shows up at the prison and exposes him as an undercover cop.

If you're in for Van Damme, you know what to expect though this is a lot slower and less action-filled than a lot of his other features.

Van Damme takes it to a whole new level...
If you would of said Van Damme back in 1990,people would of responded he was in Bloodsport or Kickboxer which were simply martial art type of films.Van Damme stepped up to the level with Schwarzenegger and Stallone in this box-office hit.Even though jail movies have been done before like Stallones "Lockup" and Sean Penn's "Bad Boy's" Death Warrant took it into overtime,having a convincing villian in the "Sandman" and a believing hero in Van Damme.An undercover cop in jail?Dangerous if you ask me but Van Damme fights the odds and comes up victorious in an all out supercharged war.With fast pace kicks and fight sequences Van Damme is your ticket to nonstop action...

A LITTLE MEDIOCRE AT FIRST, BUT GIVE IT SOME TIME
A COP [VAN DAMME] IS ASSIGNED TO POSE AS A NEW INMATE AT A PRISON TO INVESTIGATE THE REASONS BEHIND A SERIES OF MURDERS THAT'RE HAPPENING AT THE PRISON. IT STARTS OUT KINDA BORING, BUT AFTER A WHILE, IT GETS BETTER. THIS MAY NOT RANK AMONGST THE BEST MOVIES THAT VAN DAMME HAS DONE, BUT IT IS A LOT BETTER THAN MANY OF THE VAN DAMME MOVIES THAT'VE CAME OUT IN RECENT YEARS. IT'S WORTH RENTING IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SEEN THIS.

WOW!! Van Damne is in prison
I liked this movie, filled with a couple of fight scenes.At the end he fights the sandman,across Van Damne kicked his ass.This is a good slambanging Van Damne flick.

Van Damme in Prison!
Van Damme (immortal genius) goes undercover to investigate mysterious murders in a prison. That's the whole plot. How genius of the writers and director. He encounters "The Sandman" and fights him in front of the whole ward. "The Sandman" thought he was smooth by breaking a lightbulb and trying to hurt Van Damme with it. He didn't succeed and Van Damme kicked him with his trademark noise and facial expression. Ultimate appreciation for that lord. The man wouldn't go down; Van Damme tried everything, until an ultimate Van Damme kick sent him to destruction. Astonishing! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

F/X 2 is a great ingenious movie with plot and action!
F/X 2 is a great ingenious film with plot and action! F/X 2 stars Brian Brown and Brian Dennehy as Rollie Tyler and Leo McCarthy and they are together for one last adventure to stop Mob from stealing gold Medilians from Vadican embassy in intaly!Great film! Very inventive and well thought out! I Like this movie despite what the movie critics thought about this fim in 1991! I wish there was an F/X 3 but unfortunatly that didn't happen. Despite what others say the movie great and is better then the original movie from 1986. Go find it! It's great movie!

todavía resulta original
Todo y que pueda resultar un remake de su predecesora,FX2 logra aprovechar de una forma notable el hecho de que el protagonista utilice su experiencia cinematográfica, y concretamente en el asunto de efectos especiales, para conseguir desarticular a un gang terrorista.De las multiples secuencias de acción, cabe a destacar el payaso robot,que comparte protagonismo con la pareja principal, y las persecuciones en el supermercado y a posteriori, en la residencia de los "malos".Buenas actuaciones y bastante imaginación para un film que vale la pena.

A memorable sequel
It's not often we see a sequel that excels the original, but F/X 2 is impressive in accomplishing just that. In this version, Brown has left the film world to work on special effects for himself. He's into toys this time, and Bluey, his remote robot is a prize! Again, the Mafia is involved in the story development, this time over a set of gold coins stolen from a Vatican art exhibit years ago. Brown's again co-opted by corrupt cops [what an enduring theme!] and again he's on the run. This time, Dennehy extends his 'good cop' role from the first F/X in coming to Rollie's aid.

Unlike the first film, F/X 2 raises Brian Dennehy's participation significantly, giving him many opportunities to engage in droll wit. He manages the role with style and honesty. The exchanges with Joanna Gleason as the Ass't DA are quality Dennehy. Gleason herself adds a lustre to the film, providing an engaging contrast to Rachel Ticotin's role as Tyler's girl friend.

F/X 2, likes it predecessor, is a timeless film. The repeated themes of corrupt cops and Mafia intrigues doesn't make this film boring. Quite the opposite, showing how prevalent and wide ranging their activities can be, both for good as well as sinister reasons. This film is worth a place in your inventory, if for no other reason than Brown's performance. He's a quality actor when given the opportunity - and this film was an even better expression of his worth than the original.

Better Than I Remembered
I watched both "F/X" films at the same time and was surprised that the second one holds up better than the first. This movie has a raffish charm, like Hitchcock in his playful "To Catch a Thief" mode. Highly recommended.

Excellent Sequel
This movie's villian, Cylack, was brilliant. Also, who can forget the moving scene where Neely elicits the location of the medalions from the dying con? This scene was brilliantly acted, full of emotion and pathos. In short, the villians Cylack and Neely made this movie superb. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

BEST BOXING MOVIE EVER!
Penitentiary 2 is the best of the Penitentiary flicks. It has the drama of Rocky, the comedy of an old Rudy Ray Moore flick, and the edge of an episode of OZ (HOOOOOOAAAAH). Speaking of OZ, this flick has Ernie Hudson in it. Oh and don't let me forget to mention that this movie has the ultimate action TV hero of the 80's MR. T! My favorite character in this movie is Mr. Seldom Seems. This guy's beard is as thick and round as the afro on his head and he's always telling people not to touch him. He's got a thing about people touching him, he's sort of like Rain Man except he doesn't scream when he's hugged he just starts throwing blows. If you want to watch a classic boxing movie, then P2 is it.......OOOH YEAH, there's a drag queen and a midget in this movie also

T is my unholy master!
Sometime around 1983 I was wrought with such viable emotional disturbances as dialapetes of the panchreas and triaceotomy of the plebes, the only way I could have overcome these ailments was to sell my soul to Mr. T. Who is, consequenTly, the jesus of our time. Mr. T was born of the virgin mary and will rise again in three days, to judge the living and the dead, his kingdom will have no end! Join T and all his followers to bask in the glory of his eTernal kingdom. He is eated at the right hand of the father and shall proclaim his worth to the masses through the profits. Hail T! Hail adrian! Hail satan!

Crazy Potato-Salad Scene!
This film is a cross between the "Rocky" films and Rudy Ray Moore flicks (Dolomite, The Avenging Disco Godfather... and HE does make a special appearance in this Fanaka classic). With loony character names like 'Too Sweet", 'Half-Dead' and 'Seldom Seen', this story-line is peppered with demented scenes like the scary "potato salad scene", or the dwarf-prostitute pursuit. A must see for all Mr. T fans.

Crazy potato-salad scene!
This film an interesting cross between the "Rocky" flicks and basically any movie with Rudy Ray Moore (Dolomite, Avenging disco Godfather...and he does make an appearance in this film). With crazy character names like 'Too Sweet', 'Seldom Seen', 'Half-Dead', one can't go wrong. Go 'Too Sweet', 'Half-Dead' will never bring you down!

Under rated
What can you say about a movie that has Mr. T as a boxing instructer, smoking a bong, and drinking wine? Well I rank this movie high because the clothes of Mr. T are better than any thing worn to the oscars. I meam He dresses as a genie....come on the man is a genuis. ... Read more

Amazon.com

An ultimately futile attempt to make lightning strike twice, this so-called spinoff from 1993's blockbuster The Fugitive avoids the label of "sequel" by forging ahead without the first film's star, Harrison Ford. The idea is to showcase the return of Tommy Lee Jones in his Oscar-winning role as tenacious U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard, this time testing his mettle against a covert government operative (Wesley Snipes) accused of murdering two secret service attachés. Unfortunately, Jones and the entire cast have been trapped in a rambling plot, and the underdog status that made Ford such a compelling hero is sacrificed to an evenly matched and eventually tiresome game of cat and mouse, with a villain whose identity is far too predictable. With no dramatic buildup and several superfluous characters to distract its focus, the film's momentum plays out like a rote exercise compared to the high stakes of the earlier film. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (56)

"U.S. Marshals" has its moments but ultimately unsatisfying
The idea of making "U.S. Marshals" was not a bad idea. After all, Tommy Lee Jones had won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Chief Deputy Marshal Samuel Gerard in "The Fugitive," basically because he stole every scene he was in, whether it was with Harrison Ford or somebody else. Not only was this was one of those "roles of a lifetime" for Jones, there was also the fascinating dynamic between Gerard and his eccentric cadre of assistants. So putting together a sort of "sequel" around these characters made sense, as well as giving the film its title. The only question them would be coming up with a script.

The screenplay by first time screenwriter John Pogue follows the lead of "The Fugitive" by having Gerard suddenly find himself in the pursuit again of an innocent man (not that this becomes clear to Gerard until late in the film). The key differences from the first film is that the character being pursued, played by Wesley Snipes, is some sort of government super spy instead of a naive doctor, and Gerard is saddled with a government special agent, played by Robert Downey, Jr. The story line has to do with an international intrigue where not only Gerard does not know what is going on, but the audience is left in the dark as well. Then, to add insult to injury, this time it is Snipes that is doing the scene stealing.

Ultimately, I think it is the convoluted plot that gets in the way of this film working as well as "The Fugitive." This is a film that should be about the characters, especially the rest of Gerard's groups, but instead you keep trying to figure out what is really going on. In fact, this time around that question ends up overwhelming Gerard's attempts to track down people. Besides, "U.S. Marshals" is one of those films where the big surprise twist does not surprise anybody. This is why the film ends up being so unsatisfying, which is unfortunate because if this film had clicked it could have been a decent little franchise. But instead of focusing on the characters there was a concerted effort to try and top "The Fugitive" which only ends up making it something of a mess, which is why this movie ends up being so unsatisfying, Besides, we had such high expectations for these characters and cast.

...Ive Never Seen the Fugitive...
After I saw "The Client" w/Tommy Lee Jones in 1994, U.S. Marshals appealed to me as it did to probably anyone else watching it...Tommy Lee Jones WAS the star. The good thing about this sequal is that it takes off from it's own feet, without relying on events that took place during the first movie. Jones and his all-star team are out to get a Federal fugitive (Wesley Snipes) who is accused of killing two agents in cold blood. Snipes, proclaiming his innocents, runs from the Marshals while chasing yet another focus of the manhunt to clear his name. Ironically, the one man responsible for this whole scenerio is harbored unknowingly under the wing of the law. The plot is easy to follow, unlike puzzle movies like "The Saint" (which a friend made me suffer through years ago), which was so overdone in this 'spy' kinda thing that you couldn't even follow the plot line at all. Robert Downey Jr. makes a guest appearance on the Marshals squad, the star-packed cast is like an insurance policy for the movie which relys on the award-winning talents of the actors if the plot fails with some people. Up-to-date and smart 'cowboys and Indians' flick, plenty of great acting and one hell of a cast.

Falls a bit short...
Supposed to be a sequal to the amazing movie 'The Fugitive'...it falls a bit short in comparison.
Tommy Lee Jones is still as sassy as ever in U.S. Marshals - but it's a bit too predicable.
Still has some good suspense - which I do enjoy.

good sequel to a great movie
though it doesnt have the title The Fugitive 2...it takes another look at a wanted man who is framed for a murder he didnt committ...good and solid performances by Tommy Lee Jones(The Fugitive, The Hunted), Robert Downey, Jr.(Gothika, In Dreams) and the awesome Wesley Snipes(Blade 1 and II, ZigZag)...this came out in the same year his smash Blade did....and I always say..hey, thats the movie Snipes did before he did Blade...cool..anyway. the plane crash is good, chase scenes are good and the finale is down right Downey deadly..though lacking in some parts it picks it up with energy..for the fans of the stars or for whoever like The Fugitive with Harrison Ford. also starring Irene Jacobi(1995's Othello remake), Tom Wood(The Fugitive and Under Siege), Joe Pantoliano(The MAtrix, The Fugitive, Memento), Daniel Roebuck(Money Talks, Final Destination), Kate Nelligan(The Cider House Rules, Wolf), LaTanya Richardson(Lone Star,The Super), Michael Paul Chan(Spy Game, Batman Forever), Patrick Malahide(The Long Kiss Goodnight, The World Is Not Enough) and Rick Snyder(The Generals Daughter, The NEt)

So Much Like the Fugitive
They could have named this one the Fugitive II and gotten away with it. There was a slight lack of originality, but the spectacular cast pulls it off. Overall the movie was good. Tommy Lee Jones does a wonderful job and Robert Downey, Jr. was memorable as well. The comic relief was a must and was appreciated as it helped counterract the amazing suspense level present. I think I will add this one to my collection. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid 70's Action Flick
Big, brawny Jim Brown makes a convincing hero in this two-fisted, jive-talking blaxploitation thriller. The story moves with great speed and plenty of tough action as Brown hunts for the slayers of his parents and encounters a nest of racist gangsters.
Everything about this flick is a notch above the average blaxploitation flick of its era. The direction is tight, the cinematography inventive and slick, and the performances are hammy without going too far. A very young and very weaselly Rip Torn does a fine job as the pinched, hateful villain who really gets what he deserves. Indeed, all the villains go down hard in this movie, which builds to a climactic conflict with a body count like a Spaghetti Western's.
Mention must be made of Stella Stevens, who has a number of short, but memorable, nude scenes. Not to mince words- she's so fine that virtually any man watching will likely gape at the screen in awe.
Superior entertainment for blaxploitation fans and anyone who likes a rip-snorting action movie.

Fairly Good Action & Answer to Shaft; Jim Brown Is Slaughter
So, MGM hit the goldmine with Richard Roundtree's "Shaft," so why not other companies? Samuel Arkoff's AIP (American Internationa Picture), known for many exploitation films (a kind of films you might have seen at local drive-in theaters back in the 50s and 60s), gave an answer to John Shaft. Yes, it's Slaughter, ex-Green Beret who takes the law in his hand for revenge. And Jim Brown, former American football player, and previously seen in films like "The Dirty Dozen" was chosen. Very Good casting, as it turns out.

Plus Brown (later seen in Tim Burton's "Mars Attack!"), we have a good supporting cast, namely Rip Torn and Stella Stevens. It was too good, I guess. Anyway, with the presence of them, "Slaughter" is barely raised above from other average blaxploitation films, some people say...

Interesting thing is, the film's supporting cast almost all consists of white actors. As a result, the atomosphere of the film is different from that of other blaxploitation films like "Coffy" and "Shaft," and you may be disappointed because of that. However, the good pace of the film (thanks to the director Jack Starret's deft hand) will keep you interested. In my book, "Slaughter" is a better-than-average action film. Oh, and there are nudity, which is No. 1 rule of this genre, including that of Stella Stevens (original "The Nutty Professor" and others). Is this misjudge on her side when choosing projects? Probably. (She again shows up in blaxploitation film, the sequel of Warner Brother's "Cleopatra Jones.") But I am happy with her appearance, I confess.

On top of her participation, there is a rousing title song by Billy Preston, whose electoric keyboard with his trademark howling sound can be heard. Probably "Slaughter" should be rated as an average three-star movie. Well, his song, however, is another virtue of the film, and with this and Ms. Stevens, one notch up. Yeah, I like this film. ... Read more

Amazon.com

They don't make detective thrillers like this anymore. Madigan isa gem from the '60s, anticipating the more popular French Connection and Dirty Harry with its gritty urban realism. However, this film has a wonderful poetry and sense of camaraderie, thanks to Abraham Polonsky's writing and Don Siegel's inspired direction. Richard Widmarkplays a hardbitten New York cop who must redeem himself after losing his gun to a psychotic thug (a plot somewhat reminiscent of Kurosawa's Stray Dog). Henry Fonda costars as a stern police commissioner overwhelmed by his day-to-day decisions. He can't stand Widmark's freewheeling attitude, but he's a hypocrite when it comes to his own private life. Moral decisions don't come easy in this contemplative film. Fine support is providedby Harry Guardino as Widmark's partner, Inger Stevens as Widmark's wife, James Whitmore as Fonda's slightly corrupt pal, and Steve Ihnat as Widmark's charismatic nemesis. --Bill Desowitz ... Read more

Reviews (10)

60's police drama...
New York City detectives Madigan (Richard Widmark) and Bonaro (Harry Guardino), mess up making a routine arrest, allowing a murderer (Steve Ihnat) to escape. This sets the stage for a look at the activities of the NYPD over a three-day period, while the two detectives try to recapture their man.

"Madigan" follows two loosely connected story lines, one the pursuit of the fugitive, and the second involves the activities of the Police Commissioner (PC), played by a prim Henry Fonda. This separation of focus, keeps the movie from reaching it's full potential, as the story elements related to the PC are banal and distract from the chase. There is almost no personal interaction between Madigan and the Commissoner to connect the two stories, and keep the movie's focus tight. While the detectives follow leads to the killer, the PC deals with corruption, accusations of misconduct, and his own moral hypocrisy.

The film does boast a top-notch cast, including Inger Stevens, James Whitmore, Michael Dunn, Don Stroud, Susan Clark and Sheree North. Ihnat is particularly effective as the vicious killer on the run. Stevens is luscious as Madigan's attention starved wife. And Clark is the Commissioner's adulterous young mistress. "Love", Hollywood style is wonderfully realistic, matching the young with the old. Widmark (54) is paired with Stevens (34), and Fonda (63) with Clark (28).

"Madigan" is dated, and may not be well received by today's audience. What was gritty action back then, is tame by today's standards. But if you are into the late 60's, you will probably enjoy the many familiar faces found here. Brought to you by the same people who did the NBC Mystery Theater, and programs like Colombo, McCloud, McMillian, and Banacek.

'Madigan' is enjoyable police drama
As others have noted, "Madigan" is at its best in basic cops-and-robbers mode, when Detectives Dan Madigan (Richard Widmark) and Rocco Bennaro (Harry Guardino) are pursuing insanely dangerous gunman Barney Benesch (Steve Ihnat). Director Don Siegel knows what he's doing when it comes to movement and violence, and that's more than evident here.

A subplot involving the embattled police commissioner (Henry Fonda) and his struggle with possible graft on the part of his long-time friend and captain (James Whitmore) works reasonably well.

The commissioner's affair with a married woman (Susan Clark) isn't too much of a distraction, especially since Clark is nice to look at, as usual.

But the subplot that doesn't work is the unhappiness of Madigan's wife (Inger Stevens). Stevens does what she can to bring the woman to life, but the script defeats her, particularly in a scene following a police ball.

Production values are very high, as 1968 New York emerges vividly in the location shooting. Don Costa's score deserves to be released on CD - it's a very memorable and exciting one, especially the main title and the build-up to the climax.

The nitty gritty of police work.

Director: Don Siegel
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: January 5, 1999

Cast:

Richard Widmark ... Det. Daniel Madigan
Henry Fonda ... Commissioner Anthony X. Russell
Inger Stevens ... Julia Madigan
Harry Guardino ... Det. Rocco Bonaro
James Whitmore ... Chief Insp. Charles Kane
Susan Clark ... Tricia Bentley
Michael Dunn ... Midget Castiglione
Steve Ihnat ... Barney Benesch
Don Stroud ... Hughie
Sheree North ... Jonesy
Warren Stevens ... Capt. Ben Williams
Raymond St. Jacques ... Dr. Taylor
Bert Freed ... Chief of Detectives Lynch
Harry Bellaver ... Mickey Dunn
Frank Marth ... Lt. James Price
Lloyd Gough ... Earl Griffin
Virginia Gregg ... Esther Newman
Henry Beckman ... Philip Downes
Richard O'Brien ... Det. O'Brien
Woodrow Parfrey ... Marvin
Robert Granere ... Buster
Dallas Mitchell ... Tom Gavin
Lloyd Haynes ... Sam Woodley
Rita Lynn ... Rita Bonaro
Ray Montgomery ... Det. O'Mara
Gloria Calomee ... Policewoman Doris Hawkins
Seth Allen ... Subway dispatcher
Robert Ball ... Prisoner
Kay Turner ... Stella
Albert Henderson ... Lt. Strong
Toian Matchinga ... Rosita
Abel Fernández ... Det. Rodriguez
Paul Sorenson ... Benesh Look-Alike in Saloon
Robert Biheller ... Man
Ollie O'Toole ... Man
Al Dunlap ... Man
Pepe Hern ... Man
Scott Hale ... Ambulance driver
Sean Kennedy ... Man
Bob O'Connell ... Man
Conrad Bain ... Hotel clerk
Ed Crowley ... Man at precinct
Tom Rosqui ... Man
Diane Sayer ... Doreen
Mina Martínez ... Woman
Kathleen O'Malley ... Woman
Elizabeth Fleming ... Woman
Madeline Clive ... Woman
Philippa Bevans ... Mrs. Hewitt
Nina Varela ... Woman
Kate Harrington ... Woman
Al Ruban ... Kowalski
Lincoln Kilpatrick ... Patrolman Grimes
Ralph Smiley ... Captain
John McLiam ... Dunne
James Nolan ... Detective
Hal Taggart ... Dance Extra
William Bramley ... O'Brien
Ralph Brooks ... Dance Extra

Originally planned to be titled "The Commissioner," Fonda thought he had the title role, but it was re-titled Madigan, Widmark's part, which miffed Fonda who had an ego problem. However, he had played five movies with Widmark, whom he liked and respected, so he swallowed his ego. But it always bothered him that he had been relegated to the second string.

This is the story about policemen and their wives, friends, and colleagues. A good friend and coworker once told me that prison work involved weeks, months, and often years of boredom interspersed with moments of sheer terror. He was right. This movie, and most such films, show a succession of the "moments of sheer terror" pretty much to the exclusion of the boredom, because boredom does not make a good story, of course.

Still, the stress and pressure are relatively constant, and that is perhaps why the divorce rate among peace officers is so high. This story graphically depicts how the policemens' marriages suffer from the stress. In that respect, it accurately depicts, I think, one slice of reality. I base my opinion on twenty years spent working in prisons--a differenct occupation, but similar in many ways.

Daniel Madigan and Rosco Bonaro are detectives--partners--who, while making a bust allow the crook to get the drop on them, get their weapons, and get away. They are given 72 hours to catch him. It turns out that he has been upgraded from a suspect to a killer. The Police Commissioner, Anthony Russell (Henry Fonda) is most interested in the case and under pressure himself, maritally as well as professionally.

This film was, accidentally or on purpose, a good portrayal of some of the aspects of a policeman's life, although when the dangers are so telegraphed together for the sake of the story, it does have the effect of making it a caricature of reality, rather than the true depiction of reality it purports to be.

Nevertheless, I recommend the film.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

GOLD STANDARD FOR ITS TIME
Richard Dougherty's THE COMMISSIONER, upon which MADIGAN, is based was one of the first works of fiction to accurately portray cops problems away from the station house. MADIGAN, one of the best films of 1968, is true to that part of the book and Don Siegel implants his own brand of genius on the rest. MADIGAN shows a not too distant era when there were blood-and-guts hat wearing detectives who worked their own angles to solve their cases. The portrayls by Widmark and Guardino are lasting and solid to the core. For it's time, MADIGAN was a gold standard in police procedurals. The NYC landscape bolstered by the Don Costa soundtrack is stunning.

Journeyman Cop Movie.
One can only wonder what might have been made of a pretty good story with a great cast and director if it had been made somewhere other than the Universal factory which churned out more garbage over the decades than practically any other studio.

Constrained by the loosening but not yet free film-making environment of 1968, Don Siegel keeps the film moving at a brisk pace while alternating his story from the efforts of two detectives (Richard Widmark & Harry Guardino) with 48 hrs to redeem themselves after losing the drop-on and their guns to a suspect, and the political and personal problems of the NY Police Commissioner (Henry Fonda). This view of the street cops who can and will bend the rules and the politics and stresses at the top of the beauracracy was fresh in 1968, but have been done to death since with the result that Madigan seems tame and dated now. While a little tougher in depiction for its time, and aided by location shooting and a tad more sexual explicitness, the movie is quaintly on that cusp between the sanitized early 60's and the explosion of explicit sex and violence in film that was yet to come. It bends the stereotypes but it doesn't break them.

Still and all, Don Siegel was a director that could move a story, and no film with Richard Widmark, Henry Fonda, James Whitmore and Inger Stevens is without interest or merit. I was still entertained and found the characters & story very watchable, but I could only wish for a different studio and a later time that would have allowed for a grittier and more honest film. Nonetheless, it was a solid effort and had something to say about the dilemmas and conflicts of loyalty and honesty and doing the right thing. A good film at 3-1/2 stars that with this cast & story, might have been much better. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

One of the best crime films ever made
"One False Move" is a lost classic that is great films on many levels, acting, screenplay, direction, mood, etc. But what makes it really special is its authenticity. In the middle of the film there is a scene of a highway patrolman pulling over a carload of suspects that could be a training film at any police academy. The patrolman does everything right, until he makes one minor but ultimately deadly mistake. The violent scenes are quick and realistic, like a punch to the gut. Bill Paxton as the erstwhile motormouth "hero" and Billy Bob Thorton as the high Strung "villian" turn in career making performances. Even the small southern town that serves as a backdrop for the movie feels totally authentic. Anyone who enjoyed "Sling Blade" or "A Simple Plan" will love this movie.

CYNDA WILLIAMS. . .enter my world!

ONE FALSE MOVE

Bill Paxton, Cynda Williams, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Beech, 1992

Synopsis

Two men and a woman steal some money and drugs and head out from Los Angeles. Along their path, they decide to let Fantasia (Cynda Williams) go home
to Arkansas to visit her family. Little do they know that waiting for them there is a small town cop who is ready to handle whatever they bring.

My Review

This is one those little known treasures that most people would be pleasanly surprised with. It was only her second film, but Cynda Williams displays a very confident and
bold presence on the screen. She is very effective in portraying a young woman caught up is a disastrous situation. The viewer will feel great sympathy for her character. She deserved an Oscar nomination for this role.
The film was written by Billy Bob Thornton, who was married to Cynda Williams at the time.

i never get tired of this one....
i saw OFM when it first came out, over ten years back. it was on cable the other day. it still keeps me glued to the set. bill paxton, billy bob thornton, michael beach....great work. too bad this one didn't get more media and a larger audience.

Move Over "Jaws"
This review refers to DVD edtion(Columbia Tri-Star) of "One False Move".....

"One False Move" is one truely good thriller. Directed by Carl Franklin, who has a knack for bringing us some great noir("Devil In A Blue Dress"), and really engages us in the story and the characters.

Ray,Pluto and Fantasia are on the lam. They are drug dealers who just committed the most horrific murders and are heading from L.A. to a smalltown in Arkansas. The law is hot on their trail and notifies Chief Dale "Hurricane" Dixon of Star City to be on the look out for these big time criminals. Dickson is a big fan of the L.A.P.D. and is eager to get in on this big case and apprehend these ruthless thugs. But does he really know what he's getting himself in for...as his wife says "He watches TV..I read non-fiction". And..there's more...Fantasia brings with her to this small town a big secret that has our hero "Hurricane" personally involved as well.

The cast is fabulous. Billy Bob Thornton and Cynda Williams play Ray and Fantasia, the Bonnie and Clyde type lovers on the run. Michael Beach is their co-hort.He is educated, has an IQ of 150, and makes "Jaws" look like the family pet! And Bill Paxton is simply outstanding as Chief Dickson, the small town cop with big ideals. The music score is as chilling as the story and the screenplay(Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson) will have you hanging on every word.

The film was nominated for and won several international awards,including an "Independent Spirit Award" for Carl Franklin for Best Director, and an "International Fantasy Film Award" for Thornton and Epperson for Best Screenplay.

The picture presented on this DVD is excellent. It has the choice of anamorphic widescreen 1.85:1 which is the intended ratio, or full screeen format. The colors and clarity were very good. The sound was good in DD 2.0, all sounds were distinguisable, but I had to keep turning it up and down throughout the movie, as the dialouge seemed to get higher and lower at times.(this film is begging for 5.1). There is commentary by Director Carl Franklin which may be viewed during the film if you choose.The problem with this is that you can not go in and out of the commentary without turning the DVD off and on. There is no "Resume Film", you would have to go to the scene selection to pick up where you left off, if you only wanted to hear certain portions of the commentary. The Tech info here and the "Special Features" listed on the case state that there are subtitles in Spanish and French. If you are needing these..fahget about it...the "Spanish" subtitles come up in English and I could not find the French subtitles anywhere. It may be viewed in Spanish though.

Four stars for the package....a terriffic and chilling story,great transfer to DVD, but let's fix up those subtitles for those who may need them Columbia....

Thanks and enjoy...Laurie

it's alright
Normally I wouldn't review a movie like this, but the reviews were a little too kind and I regretably bought it because it wasn't available at the local rental store. Anyway, I didn't think it was an undiscovered gem but decent, pretty watchable, scenes are sometimes boring and non-relavent, but quality acting and an easy to follow plot help make up for it. A little predictable too. Basically, go rent it if you've nothing better to watch. ... Read more

Description

Riggs wows the pretties of a hotel spa before getting to Getz. Murtaugh receives bad bodywork news from an auto repairman after his beleaguered station wagon sees some Riggs-piloted street action. Plus, feisty Leo shares a newly included scene in which he recalls a suspect's address by complex spins of numbers that, well, no one can tell it like Leo. And no one would follow his lead but Riggs and Murtaugh. It's police procedure, Lethal style. Ant it's yours to enjoy as the duo draws a head on criminals hiding behind diplomatic immunity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After making his action-hero debut in 1988's Above the Law, Steven Seagal followed up with this typically formulaic action thriller, in which the ponytailed crime fighter is shot full of bullets and left for dead after he uncovers a powerful circle of corrupt politicians. After seven years in a coma, he returns to consciousness and is nursed back to health by--surprise, surprise!--a gorgeous woman, played by Seagal's then wife Kelly ("don't hate me because I'm beautiful") LeBrock. Once in peak condition, snarlin' Steve sets out to satisfy his hearty appetite for revenge, and the bone-crunching action kicks into high gear with the requisite chases, hand-to-hand combat, and escalating body count. This is one of Seagal's best vehicles, establishing the star's screen persona before it grew stale in later films. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

THE GOOD OL DAYS OF STEVEN SEAGAL
AFTER SPENDING 7 YEARS IN A COMA, A COP [STEVEN SEAGAL] GOES AFTER SOME CORRUPT PEOPLE THAT KILLED HIS WIFE. THIS MOVIE SHOWS THE OLD STEVEN SEAGAL THAT ACTION FANS REMEMBER AND LOVE. THIS MOVIE HAS GOOD ACTION AND A LOT OF EXCITEMENT, WHICH IS MISSING FROM A LOT OF SEAGAL'S RECENT MOVIES. FOR FANS OF SEAGAL, THIS SHOULD BE A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.

Best Seagal flick of all time
Many reviewers will not give credit where credit is due. Seagal is a master in his art, and a good actor with great on screen presence. Hard to Kill is Seagal's best film ever. This is an action film, when was the last time an action film was supposed to be completely realistic. In this movie Seagal's character is Mason Storm, a high ranking detective who is violently murdered along with his wife by hitmen (fellow LAPD detectives) whom are corrupt and close-knit with an up and coming senatorial candidate Vernon Trent, after he learns of Seagal secretly taping a planned hit of his while undercover at a dock (beginning of the movie). The bad guys think Storm is dead when he suddenly appears to be alive but in a coma. Storm's best bud and fellow detective keeps it a secret for 7 years until Storm awakens from the coma. From there it's pure action as he both tries to escape the grasps of the bad guys once again and heal, and deliver some much deserved payback. Hence the name "Hard to Kill". To any Seagal fanatic, this is his best film ever, hands down. Everyone else who is just an action movie buff might not think so, but then they truly don't understand what Seagal is all about including his great martial arts backround and poise. This flick is great suspense and adreneline with a stupendous story, so grab the nachos, popcorn, snowcaps, goobers, sodapop or whatever, and hit the lazyboy and relax, and get ready to see an awesome film. If you're new to Seagal, start with his first flick "Above the Law", then this one, and go from there. If you want to see a most horrible Seagal film, see one of his latest flicks "Half Past Dead" Seagal gets a bad rap due to his more recent films in the mid 90's till now when he gained a lot of weight and picked and directed bad scripts and screenwrites while resting on his early accomplishments. Hard to Kill, however is pure action, and you can take that to the bank!

Hard to Watch...
Don't get me wrong, I love these types of films but this one took WAY too long to get going. Once it did nothing great really happened. LOTS of broken wrists and arms but no really interesting action sequences. This director is no substitute for Andrew Davis. From what I've seen of Seagals movies, I rate Under Seige and Above the Law as his finest moments, and both were under the direction of Andrew Davis...

Great Action Scenes!
Hard to Kill is an entertaining movie filled with some very impressve action scenes, ok acting and an interesting story though sometimes the dialogue is a little corny but the action scenes are the best part of the movie and I recommend Hard to Kill to fans of action movies.

Not what I remembered, but...
I had these memories of Hard to Kill being an awesome movie. Back in the late 80's it was, but according to today's standards it's pretty tame stuff. Maybe we're all spoiled. I no longer consider this one of his best movies (-1 star). I liked him in The Patriot and Glimmer Man, for instance. Nevertheless, this movie has a place in action film history. Back in the late 80's, early 90's Steven Seagal was the premiere action star. So this movie is a must-have as one of the better Seagal films (4 stars). It's a classic action film of days gone by. Although you can still see Seagal in his latest efforts playing the same role, this file was his second and was one of the two that put him at the top. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Take off your thinking caps and toss 'em in a corner, 'cuz you won'tneed 'em when you're watching this deliriously dumb thriller from 1997. Bruce Willis stars as a demoted FBI agent who comes to the aid of an autistic boy whose mind holds a potentially deadly secret. It seems that by gazing on a puzzle magazine and making order out of a hidden system of numbers, the 9-year-old autistic boy (Miko Hughes) has accidentally deciphered a sophisticated top-secret government code. This makes him the prime target of the ruthless bureaucrat (Alec Baldwin, in one of his silliest roles), and Willis comes to the rescue. This formulaic thriller sets up this plot with a lot of entertaining urgency, but you can't give any thought to Mercury Rising or the whole movie collapses under the weight of its own illogic and nonsense. The redeeming values are the performances of Willis, young Hughes, and newcomer Kim Dickens as a woman who agrees (perhaps too easily, it seems) to aid Willis in his plot to outmaneuver the bad guys. Mercury Rising is not a waste of time compared to other formulaic thrillers, but its entertainment value depends on how much you enjoy being smarter than the movie. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Ringo Lam action fest.
Look, Van Damme films will never be in a class that I consider good fare. His stuff is usually thin on plot, full of laughable dialogue, and fist-thick on martial arts. Does that mean that I don't watch his stuff? No it doesn't. I've watched his movies because there are times that I don't want to think, just escape, and he provides just that in "Maximum Risk". Out of his movies that I have seen, this one turned out to be one of his best, if not the best (but honestly, he doesn't give us a lot to choose from).

"Maximum Risk" is an extremely violent movie with a very high body count. I lost track of the dead early on. While the plot is as thin as always (Russian mafia, twin brother, beautiful girl), Ringo Lam pumps it up with some nifty car chases (if you like that sort of thing) and provides the viewer with one heck of a ride as we step over the bodies. This is non-stop action from the get-go, and the fight scenes (yes, there are many) are hard-hitting and brutal, yet believable (almost a first).

For those that like Van Damme, this movie should be high on your list. For the rest of us, well, it is violent and even mean-spirited, but I ended up enjoying the ride, and the credit must go to director Lam. Between 1 and 10, "Maximum Risk" gets a solid 6.

Van Damme's best movie
I am a fan of action movies, but I've found some of Van Damme's previous flicks (most notably, Knock Off), to be below average. After seeing this movie on TV, however, I was quite impressed and ended up buying it.

As with most action movies, this one features a hero (Van Damme) who has to kick some butt, aided by a beautiful girl (Natasha Henstridge). The movie starts off with a pretty good car chase, followed by lots of scenes with guns firing and martial arts sequences. The plot isn't extensive -- Van Damme's character's twin brother is killed and he now assumes his twin's identity, only to be hounded by the Russian mafia and corrupt FBI agents.

I've only seen the VHS version, so unfortunately I can't comment on the DVD sound and video quality. Nevertheless, this is a good standard action flick -- in my opinion, Van Damme's best movie (or at least it rivals Bloodsport), and I recommend it for any action movie fan.

One of JCVD's best movies!!!
This was a great flick that had action from start to finsh! If you like a lot of shootouts, car crashes, and SUPER HOT women like Natasha Henstridge then you will love this movie. The director Ringo Lam (from Replicant) does a great job with all the camera angles. The best angles were when JCVD does his shooting and the stunts were amazing. This is plain and simply a great movie.

Damme Good Action Movie!!!
THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF VAN DAMME'S TOP 3 MOVIES. There is plenty of action and excitement that will make you want to watch it over and over again. Natasha Henstridge is down right sexy and georgeous. She played a perfect role in this movie. The movie was well-acted and thought it deserved a 5 star. This movie is a must-own on DVD. The sound quality is great as well as the picture. *Van Damme kicks plenty of...

utterly Van Damme's best
Van Damme has Derailed and went In Hell for some of his career, but this one I would say is his best, well next to Universal Soldier and Bloodsport I'd say its right up there with them. basically about Van Damme getting killed and then Van Damme coming into his brothers life. fast action and a good finale make this worth while ... Read more

Amazon.com

Set in the cinematically picturesque Southwestern desert, Willem Dafoe plays a small-town lawman called out to a remote location after a dead body is found by some tourists. Along with the body, there is a briefcase with half a million dollars in it. Well, he becomes absolutely obsessed in solving the case. The audience never knows why he feels the need to solve this case instead of turning it over to the federal authorities, other than to spice up his otherwise boring job. Judging by his muscle car and quest for adventure, and despite being happily married with a kid, he seems to be going through a bit of a mid-life crisis. He gets his adventure when he finds a phone number on (actually in) the dead man's body, calls it, gets some instructions, and decides to go undercover as the dead man. Pretty soon he's meeting up with a shady Mickey Rourke and falling for Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Meanwhile, the script goes through plot twists and double and triple crosses. The strangest thing is that the movie works. It's a lot of fun, and Dafoe plays the most difficult and unbelievable character with such an easy charm it's hard not to go along with him. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (14)