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The boys are back in town, but they're wearing their carbon-paper suits in this frantic but not nearly as funny sequel to the action-comedy hit. The first time around, the combination of Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte had the element of surprise going for it: Who expected these two to have chemistry? This time, chemistry is virtually all they have in a veritable rehash of the first film. What plot there is has to do with Nolte's needing Murphy (who is just out of jail) to help him clear his own name and save his job on the police force. Director Walter Hill is back in place, but this time the script is the work of action hack Jeb Stuart and the movie barely gives Murphy room to unleash his comic riffs; when he does, we're expecting them (though he's still entertaining). --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (17)

More of a remake than a sequel
Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) has been tracking an elusive druglord named the Iceman for the last few years. During a botched arrest attempt he discovers that the Iceman has arranged a hit on old friend Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) who's about to be released from prison. Cates is certain to face the loss of his badge if he doesn't wrap this up, so he turns to Hammond to help him bring in the Iceman. Three sadistic bikers (hired by the Iceman) are also hunting the pair, one of whom is the revenge hungry brother of the psycho Cates killed in the first film. Nolte and Murphy still click, and the movie is never boring, but this is basically a rehash with minor changes made here and there. We revisit their fistfights, another redneck bar, another hotel shootout, and so on. One plus is that the profanity has been toned down (at least by Murphy's standards) and there is some exciting gunplay amidst all the shattering glass you would find in a Walter Hill film. Hill might have turned in a much better film had he veered away from all this familar territory.

the boys are back in town
they are back. nick nolte and eddie murphy return in this smash hit sequal another 48 hrs. this time around a killer known as the iceman ganza's brother from the first 48 hrs is doing the dirty work and nick nolte is the only cop on the force who thinks he exists. just like before nick and eddie get 2 days to track this guy down. not to many people like this movie,but i thought it was a very good sequal. of course the first is better but this one is very good to. how can you not like it we have a bus that flips over 17 times with eddie murphy in it,eddie murphy holding up another redneck bar,and the ending is very good as well. rated r for strong violence,strong language,and some nudity

Can anyone please answer this question???
Why didnt Reggie recognize the Iceman (Detective Keyhoe) in the first movie...In the first movie, Reggie was in the precinct quite often, why didnt he recognize the Iceman then??????

I like this movie, but Reggie was the only one who knew what the Iceman looked like and the Iceman worked right next to Nolte?? his friend??...it is just a huge hole in the plot, but I did find the movie fun

Egad!
Should never have been made. A deflated carbon copy of the original. Inaugerated Murphy's early 90's slide. Murphy and Nolte can barely be bothered to show up for this nonsense.

Bad Sequel! Bad, BAD Sequel!
They get in fistfights again, they still treat eachother like dirt, Eddie does "Roxanne" again, Nolte shoots at the guy holding a gun against Eddie's head again, another redneck bar, the same "sky blue Cadillac", the list goes on and on. Never have I seen a sequel so desperate to cling to its predecessor as this one. And sequels are NOTORIOUS for clinging to their predecessors ("American Pie 2" and "American Wedding" anyone?). It has its moments, but trouble is you've seen most of them before when they were still fresh and original. Worth renting if you're a fan of the original, but certainly not a "must-own". ... Read more

Reviews (219)

rush hour 2
Rush Hour 2 is an unbelievably hilarious, action packed, better-than-the first sequel to Rush Hour. I strongly recommend that you rent and watch the first one before you go see Rush Hour 2 because much of the humor and jokes are based on the original one, however, this is not necessary because you will catch on quickly and only miss a couple of the related jokes. Rush Hour 2 begins exactly where the first movie leaves off. If you watch both movies in order it will just seem like one long movie. This is a nice feature because it makes the movie easier to follow and understand.
Rush Hour 2 is about two detectives, Detective Lee (Jackie Chan) and Detective Carter (Chris Tucker). While on their vacation to Hong Kong Lee and Carter are called back to duty to investigate and bust an international counterfeiting ring. This is no easy task, however, as they soon find out. Carter and Lee find themselves locations around the world such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and even Tokyo.
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker give a perfect and encore performance doing what they do best. Jackie Chan plays the serious logical and skilled martial artist Detective Lee. Chris Tucker portrays the never serious, ego boosted LAPD officer, Detective Carter. I don't believe that this movie would have had the same punch without these talented actors working together in this fabulous duo.
The action in this movie is spectacular. As always, Jackie Chan performs unbelievable stunts during his fighting rendezvous. At one point in the movie he jumps and dives through a very tight slot, much like one at a cashiers cage. On the other hand
Chris Tucker, let's just say... is not very good at Kung Fu, but nevertheless great comical relief.
The humor in this movie is absolutely bladder busting. Ethnic and personality differences between Carter and Lee create humorous situations. For instance: Carter speaks his own version of Chinese. Obviously, he just says a bunch of random gibberish and makes himself look like a total idiot in front of a rather large group of Chinese people. Carter is quick to the tongue and is always bashing on the Chinese culture. Lee is just simply funny while acting so serious and straight-faced: A perfect contradiction.
I recommend that you go see this movie or rent it when it comes out in January 2002 It will be worth your time and money, and because it stars Jackie Chan, you will get to watch the comical, and quite painful out-takes at the end of the film during the credits. You'll laugh your way through Rush Hour 2 with its wonderful blend of action and comedy.

Feel the Rush...
A sequel that exceeds its predecessor. That in itself is an anomaly these days, but Rush Hour 2 packs enough wallop for both movies. How about some of the best lines in an action comedy in recent years? From one liners to the chemistry that has evolved between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, this movie will make you pause the scenes until you finish laughing. Hit play again and you'll be slapped with more humor. Carter runs through downtown Hong Kong, where no one knows what he is saying, yelling, "Get outta the way! L.A.P.D!" There's a moment in Hong Kong where Carter meets up with a chicken vendor and the laughs keep coming. Rush Hour 2 opts for a more sexy approach with the Chinese massage parlor scene, and the 2 main female characters who are sure to boggle the eyes of the male population. As for action, there's plenty of it to support the clever dialogue. The movie is so realistic and unrealistic at the same time, you'll be bringing the first movie back out and panting for Rush Hour 3. I can't leave out the fact that a story goes with this and it's told quite well, and for what this movie is, it doesn't burden the high-jinks, but supports it. Simply put, Inspector Lee has an old vendetta with the man who killed his father and Carter is pulled along from Hong Kong to L.A. A few plates need to be found from a counterfeit ring using them to make a "Superbill," which is identical to a real bill. Not quite an original story, right? Well, it's all in the way you tell it and Rush Hour 2 pulls off a good time and that's what we wanted to see.

Robert Eldridge (...)

Funnier Then The First...
Slick, chaotic, and decently entertaining sequel picks up where the first movie left off. LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) is on vacation in Hong Kong with his friend, Detective Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan). Carter just wants to relax, have fun, get some "mu shu", but Lee can't stop doing his job even for a minute. This time, he's hot on the trail of gangster Ricky Tan (John Lone), who may have been behind an Embassy bombing.

More-of-the-same in terms of content AND style, but still pretty engaging, with lots of action and thrills. Chan and Tucker still share the same chemistry, and overall there are some good laughs. (Worth it just to see Tucker perform Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough"...) For me, one of the perks of this sequel is watching "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" beauty Zhang Ziyi as a very fetching and lethal assassin.

Terrific High energy sequel is GREEN!
Not satisfied to just build on the personalities and chemistry created in Rush Hour -RH1, this action movie delivers an inventive script and great action. I would have given 5 stars but I down grade for language.

Chris Tucker delivers another high energy, comedic performance. Since Chris first caught my attention in the Bruce Willis vehicle, Fifth Element. He has proven himself to be a real comedy - action star. This movie might have worked with a different actor playing chans part, but jackie chan is the genious that created these incredible films and may now be our top action star.

Highly recommended, but only partially family friendly.

Better than the first, alot better!
Take peoples word for it when they tell you this is better than the first Rush Hour movie, even Chris Tucker is much funnier in this one. The movie is funny, not amazingly funny but you can expect for laughs than the first one. Though there's alot of stupid things in this movie it wasn't made to be serious, now really two guys fighting off 10 guys at once on several different occasions. The ending was not bad, it was a pretty cliche ending but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. After watching it, I am looking forward to a possibly Rush Hour 3 and I hope they make one, if you're into action/comedies this is a must watch. ... Read more

Reviews (124)

Easily John Woo/Chow Yun Fat's best!
The Killer is a beautiful action/drama masterpiece. It is the best work I have yet to see done by both director John Woo and HK superstar Chow Yun Fat(both of whose movies I am familiar with.) The rest of the cast (including Danny Lee and Sally Yeh) are superb. The sheer grace and flair of the seamlessly choreographed gunfights to the poignancy of the gripping story of a professional hitman trying to cut clean, while gradually falling in love with a victim he accidently blinds in a shootout are all executed perfectly. This movie is not your standard action fare, as it goes deep into the mind of the killers, and depicts the characters trying to live a life that is honorable in a world that is so corrupt and sinister. The bottom line of the movie is quoted by CYF toward the beginning of the film: "Not everybody in this world is untrustworthy." Underlying the blazing guns and implied emotional battles, lies a tale of loyalty, trust and friendship. John Woo epitimizes this movie by proving that the action is not present simply for the sake of action, but instead for clean moviemaking and plot. As for the quality of the DVD itself, the picture is very clear for an older movie (1989) and the features and menu setup is very stylishly done... just don't watch the trailers, they do severe injustice to the featured films (The Killer and Hard Boiled) and contain spoilers. For hardcore HK movie buffs, the Cantonese language track with English subtitles is the definite route to take. The English track is butchered and incomplete, not to mention hard to understand and silly-sounding. I highly recomend watching this movie in it's original language (the way it was intended to be heard) as it is much more powerful this way. If you plan on purchasing this movie, though, I would instead recommend you buy the John Woo 2 DVD pack, which includes both this edition of The Killer and also Hard Boiled, another John Woo/CYF compilation.

The Story of a Hitman with a Heart
Because I'm a 13 year old boy(and a fan of Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo), I was just looking for the best action movie of all time. I ended up with something better, a dramatic, well though-out action film. It may not be "The Matrix", but "The Killer" was awesome. It was a movie filled with mayhem and bullets. And there was so much action. Jeffrey is a hitman with a heart who, during his last hit, accidentally blinds a woman with a gun. Because he's not a cold-hearted hitman, he decides to do one more hit to pay for an operation that will keep her from going blind. Lee is a cop who wants to stop Jeffrey from making his last hit. Jeffrey is betrayed by the mob that hired him and is put in war against all odds. Jeffrey and Lee put aside their differences to blur the line between them. Together they blast through the war leading to a climatic battle that is John Woo's best battle ever. Even though I'm only 13, I know good acting when I see it. This movie has been throned "THE Movie of Mayhem".Don't bother renting it, just buy the DVD.

"One Vicious Hitman. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets."

John Woo & Chow Yun Fat...nuff said!
The Killer is the perfect example of cinema in its most powerful form. Expression...every bullet, every conversation & every scene just flows so beautifully & expressively it just blows me away. Unexplainable. Very deep & mythological story, unlike anything ive ever seen! U just have to see it. & see it. It will make u think to yourself, "what the hell is the average Hollywood budget gettin wasted on?? Promotion!!?? " John Woo on the other hand does not need $100,000,000 to truley express himself, hell, he doesn't even need the highest quality celluloid to make his films stunningly beatiful.. The Killer is no exception, John Woo is such a masterful director, no wonder why Hollywood have been ripping him off long before they invited him to join 'em!
& unlike most action films of mindless "invincibilty" plots & stupid reasons for massive shootouts, this has a cause for every piece of stunningly choerographed action...& consequences to join the equation.
If youve only seen Chow Yun Fat in his American films (Replacement Killers & Bulletproof Monk e.t.c), you really havent his true styles & capabilities. Get THE KILLER, & youll know why Hollywood have copied J.Woo's style of genius direction more times than a photo-copier has copied paper!
This is John Woo at his purest form, & Chow in his true style.
The John Woo & Chow Yun Fat combo is like the Sergio Leone & Clint Eastwood combo= Classics!
Get this if u like a deep, moving story, awesome acting, & action that sychronizes perfectly. (Also check out other J. Woo classics, Hard Boiled, A Better Tommorow 1 & 2, & Bullet in the Head!)
.....Nobody does action like Honk Kong...Nobody does Honk Kong like John Woo...

Best...action movie...ever!
Filled with grit, emotion, and psychological depth, not to mention lots and lots of blood, "The Killer" is the kind of passion play that is seen all too rarely in any style of film, let alone the action genre. In fact, John Woo's Hong Kong shoot-'em-up masterpiece resembles nothing so much as Shakespeare with thousands of bullets flying around. In this case the role of the tragic hero is assumed by Jeffrey, played in career-defining fashion by Chow Yun-Fat. Jeffrey is an amiable enough sort, who also just happens to be a fearless, unstoppable assassin with a steely glare and a deadly accurate shot. But when he accidentally blinds a lovely torch singer named Jenny while mowing down about a dozen criminals in a crowded bar, Jeffrey finds some new meaning in his life by assuming responsibility for the woman, even going so far as to try to get her a vision-restoring cornea transplant. However, everything is far from hunky-dory for Jeffrey and his ward: after committing one last job to get the money for Jenny's operation, Jeffrey finds himself pursued by a small army of thugs as well as Chang and Li, two relentless detectives. Oh, and his best friend and associate Sidney has (temporarily) betrayed him. With all that's going on, the stage is set for a struggle on an operatic scale, with Chow giving his character just the right mix of warmth and gravity.

As one would expect from a film directed by Woo, with Chow in the starring role, "The Killer" contains more than its fair share of shootouts and chase scenes, all filmed with Woo's signature frenetic visual style. However, it's what happens when the movie slows down that sets it apart from the pack. "The Killer" is as much a drama as it is an action yarn, and it's a mighty good drama at that. There are a bunch of scenes here that got my adrenaline flowing, but even more impressive, some moments practically moved me to tears (emphasis on the word "practically"). Behind the constant action is an often-moving tale of devotion, honor, redemption, and friendship in the unlikely setting of the criminal underworld. The lines between good and bad, right and wrong, cop and criminal, are all blurred in a haze of moral ambiguity and divided loyalties. While Jeffrey and Sidney attempt to restore trust after Sidney's betrayal, an unlikely bond forms between Jeffrey and Li as the detective and the assassin realize they're not that different after all.

As the story unfolds, building toward the inevitable confrontation, the tension and the emotional stakes only rise along with the body count. Woo manages to elevate the crime drama to poetry, whether during a taut action sequence or a subdued conversation scene. The movie's deservedly legendary finale, involving a crazed gun battle inside a church, is the only appropriate conclusion. The viewer certainly needs some catharsis after such a harrowing journey, and Woo more than delivers the goods. "The Killer" is one of the few movies of its ilk that can legitimately be called art.

=====Respect Hong Kong Cinema =======
===========Hong Kong action and John Woo should be greatly respected by Hollywood b/c most of his movies like THe Killer, Hard Boiled and The Better Tomorrow Series are being ripped off by Hollywood directors such as the movie "DESPERADO," "RESEVIOR DOGS" and etc. The Hong kong cinema should be credited by hollywood.==================== ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Before the action-oriented "buddy movie" formula settled into place in the 1980s and 1990s with the Lethal Weapon films, Walter Hill's 48 HRS. presented a much more irreverent and politically incorrect version of the genre. Eddie Murphy made an auspicious film debut alongside veteran Nick Nolte's consummate performance as a worn cop. Murphy plays a convict on a two-day furlough from prison to help capture his former partner (James Remar). The intense animosity between his character and Nolte's impatient detective is rude and violent--albeit in a comic way--and the film's racist and sexist banter is so ubiquitous that some viewers might be turned off. (This early, raw Murphy is not the Murphy of The Nutty Professor.) Then again, sometimes deliberate overkill is funny in itself, which is certainly closer to Hill's intention. There are a couple of scenes for the ages in this film, especially Murphy's single-handed shutdown of the action in a redneck bar. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This is the REAL thing. Accept no imitations.
In order to appreciate this film fully, you hafta turn yourself back in time to 1982, an' try an' remember the political an' social mindset of the day. Then imagine watching '48 HRS.' an unabashed an' raucous cop thriller that breaks the very foundation of political correctness. Now how does that make you feel? If you say, sick to your stomach, then maybe you needa loosen your jock strap an' try it again. E'ybody knows the plot, the hard-drinkin', chain-smokin' San Francisco cop Jack Cates, played by Nick Nolte (who looks almost TOO comfortable in the role of a wasted, burn-out), is lookin' to put two recent prison escapees an' vicious cop killers away after he tried an' failed to apprehend them. In going over the case he comes across several members of their old gang an' decides to go talk to one'a the incarcerated ones. Here's where Eddie Murphy comes in. Reggie Hammond is the smooth an' dapper, fast-talking convict who convinces Cates to get him out of jail an' on the street to help him solve this case. Cates reluctantly does so, an' from there is' jus' the two of them together goin' from place to place, crook to crook, bar to bar, lead to lead, tryin' to keep from killing each other in the process. Cates is a rough-edged, semi-bigot with an apparent vendetta toward these crooks (though apparently jus' for stealing his gun), Reggie is the charming, jive-talking criminal, with a more obvious vendetta toward the crooks (they dropped the dime on him, got him locked up, an' are now tryin' to steal a half a million dollars of his hard-earned, er, um, hard-stolen cash). Both are on the same mission, but with two TOTALLY different personalities an' when they mix it up, oh, is' gunpowder. E'ybody talks about the scene with Murphy in the country-western bar playin' cop ("Alright listen up. I don't like white people. An' I HATE rednecks. You people're rednecks. That means I'm enjoyin' this s---.") an' although it is funny, my favorite scene comes right after they question the two ladies who were s'posedly in cahoots with the killers, when Nolte an' Murphy finally drop the trash-talkin' an' jus' have a drunken brawl in the street only to be broken up by two cops on the beat.

This is the original buddy cop flick. With two guys who're ironically ANYTHING but buddies. Depending on the way you've come up watching movies, this one will either be a wonderfully offensive cop thriller, or a horribly offensive cop thriller. Of course, no matter how you look at it, '48 HRS.' will forever be a hallmark, because it was one'a the first movies of its kind: a rough-edged, blatant politically-incorrect film centering on characters that are so sleazy at times you hafta force yourself to like them, an' revolving around racial stereotypes an' sexist banter thas' thrown around like it's nothing, not to mention some brutal violence. Now it'd be much harder to overlook all the coldness if it wasn't for the charm an' appeal of Eddie Murphy, in his film debut. He is the main reason to watch the flick, although Nolte's character also provides the perfect counterbalance. Directed by Walter Hill, '48 HRS.' set a new standard for the way action flicks were to be played for the rest of the 1980s. With laughs, wit, chemistry, an' a not-so-serious attitude set against a very serious backdrop.

Fun cop buddy flick
Eddie Murphy made his debut in this Walter Hill film, and he is really the star here, even though Nick Nolte gets top billing. Nolte does a fine job, but his part is not as showy, and one's eyes are not drawn to him as much as Murphy, at his best in the country-western bar scene.

You probably know the story, but I'll summarize it here by saying that this is simply a buddy movie with an antagonistic twist. Murphy is the con, in for three years with six months left. Nolte is the cop on a search for James Remar, who stole a lot of money with Murphy long ago.

The story is set up as a mystery, with the pair questioning several possible connections, but the story doesn't really matter. The main attraction is the relationship between Murphy and Nolte and the slow growth towards friendship.

One complaint is that since this was filmed in 1982, they had a different idea of gritty police drama than today. The police department's atmosphere is incredibly tame compared to shows like NYPD Blue. Nolte does his best, chain-smoking and nipping from a flask (I read once you could tell an '80's movie by how much they smoked), but he still doesn't come across as jaded as any scene with Andy Sipowicz.

It's still fun and good entertainment, especially if you are looking for a film with an American Indian character that dresses like a '50's relic.

Wonderful
This is Eddie Murphy in is prime, when he was at the height of his acting career. He is so wonderful in this movie. He steals the show from Nick Nolte.

Worth Owning on DVD
At less than $15, this movie should be flying off the shelves. Both Nolte and Murphy are great. Their characters are are perfectly scripted to each actor's abilities and personality. Murphy plays a loudmouth penny ante punk. Nolte plays a grumpy, rascist tough guy. They, of course, learn to respect and like each other as they chase down the bad guys. The story isn't bad either. The soundtrack is good and 48 Hrs is set all over San Francisco. If your a fan of either or of comedy action or movies set in SF, you can't go wrong. My favorite Eddie Murphy movie.

Murphy's best is his first
Some of the best 1-liners ever reside in this film. Simply put, its a great comedy with a flare for drama, and in the cop buddy genre. Lots of cursing, some nudity, but ultimately, a great flick. It kicks today's cop buddy flicks in the Mother F-ing Aholes Mother F-ers! ... Read more

Reviews (39)

I give you "BENJAMINS", you give me funny!
Here is a movie that you don't have to take seriously to have a good time. Ice Cube as a bounty hunter was really on the money, because he had the grit and savvy to pull it off, but the show belonged to Mike Epps, who played the con artist. Epps is no Chris Tucker, but he's also not afraid to go the distance, and that is what makes his appearances memorable. This time around, Mike portrays a con-artist with more on his plate than his latest scam. Not only is he being chased by Cube, but he makes the mistake of stumbling onto a murder involving 26 million dollars in diamonds. On top of that, he loses his wallet with the killers. Scary enough they know where you live, but what if the wallet contained a lottery ticket that your girlfriend paid for with her hard earned money, and it hit for sixty million? Throughout this flick, both actors looked like they were having a ball. If your looking for a load of comedy mixed with a little mayhem, this could be for you.

Very good plot and hella funny!
This is a very good movie and Ice Cube has proven himself as a filmmaker. Mike Epps is one of the funniest people out there today and if you don't think so then you don't like or understand black comedy. That's cool though because a lot of times I don't understand white comedy. We as people just think different and there is nothing wrong with that. Anyway, before I get to deep with y'all out there, back to the movie. Like I was saying, the movie has a very good plot or theme to it. It was well thought out and was not just a movie to make you laugh, but make you think "what's go happen next." It had twist in it that you was not expecting. I don't want to write a whole two page article about the movie because it is time consuming and plus I'm not getting paid. I bought it before I ever saw it and I was very pleased with the purchase. Rent it or buy it, you won't be diasppointed.

It's entertaining and fun.
Fun movie to watch. It's even ok to watch over again. I do have a question though. How in the world did Reggie survive all of the shots into the van? Was he was able to anchor himself to the top of the van while the Bucum was shooting?

Get that money!!!!
I thought the movie was okay. It's one I would watch once in a while. Mike Epps has some serious big screen potential if he continues to pick some decent roles, and does not get type cast. He and Ice Cube make a good team. Decent flick.

bloody daft...and the bad guy wasn't Irish!
I was hoping for a good, light-hearted laugh on a Friday after a trying week. I didn't get it with this film. I found the whole thing to be stupid, sexist and downright offensive. I don't think I'm going to be getting this one any time soon. I've seen better writing from twelve year olds!
BTW, the bad guy in this is Scottish, not Irish! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Right turn, Clyde
This is a great movie, even if it is a sequel, and even if it is a little bit on the thin and choppy side.
It opens in classic style, with Philo Beddoe (Eastwood) getting ready to take down another sucker at yet another fight, and just rolls along from there. The main gist of the movie that Beddoe is recruited for a major fight, against a man from the East who has a nasty reputation for crippling and killing his opponents.
At first Beddoe agrees to the match, but with the resurfacing of his relationship with old girlfriend Sondra Locke, he eventually decides the risks are too high. Desperate to stage the fight, and save their own rears, the two crooks running the show kidnap Philo's girl in an effort to force his hand.
The rest is somewhat predictable, but fun to watch regardless....
There are a few side stories on the go as well - particularly, Clyde's interest in the newest addition to the orangutan enclosure at the zoo, and Ma's wild ride in the pick-up truck with a car wreck hooked up to the back (at least, at the start of her trip).
Also, if nothing else, it's worth watching for the insane antics of the Black Widows bikers' gang. These scene stealers get plenty of air time, and are worth every minute of it - especially their hapless leader.
Scenes to watch for - the tar scene, and every time Clyde gets into a police car.
This is a movie to sit back and roar laughing at. Forget logic. Just enjoy yourself.

Redneck But funny
i thought this movie was really good considering clint eastwoods movies are really all the same. The famous pick up truck,the ape,bikers,g/f it all in one movie explains that this is a really good way for clint eastwood to show his other side

Addicted to This Movie
I'm a huge Clint Eastwood fan, and I enjoy watching and discussing his deep, dark movies like "The Beguiled" and "Unforgiven." But my guilty secret is: whenever "Any Which Way You Can" show up on cable TV, I get a big goofy grin on my face, drop everything I'm doing, and watch it. I realize this film is an acquired taste, but I *love* it. It's my redneck roots coming out. The overage bikers, Clyde the orangutang, William Smith, crazy old Ruth Gordon, Geoffrey Lewis, Clint crooning with Ray Charles on the soundtrack, even Sondra Locke's singing and acting (which comes off as enjoyably campy in this context)--it's all great! And I love the message of "we rustic rural types are just as interesting as anybody else" (because these *are* my people, as I've said.) I don't think Eastwood has made a more enjoyable movie.

Any Which way you can
I thought this was some of the best work that Clint Eastwood did. Than the shoot'em up and kill'em films. Clint has a notch for comedy especaly when he told clide "To strip the car." I'll never forget how far he through the parts of the car. It's a funny film for the whole entire family.

Dead meat, Beddoe. Dead meat!
The Clint Eastwood-Orangutan sequel to the amazingly popular "Everywhich Way But Loose." The Man with No Name, Dirty Harry, Josey Wales, and Will Munny is shown here cavorting around with a monkey, listening to country music, pursuing the dreadful Sondra Locke, and bareknuckle boxing.

This movie is very dumb, but still alot of fun. The highlights are the Black Widows biker gang's encounter with tar and the fight scene between Eastwood and his rival, Wilson(William Smith). On that fight scene, it is fun to note that Eastwood has never shied away from paying tribute to older films in his movies.(Pale Rider=Shane.) That final fight scene is obviously based on the John Wayne-Victor McLaglen duel in "The Quiet Man." It even includes the intermission in which the two fighters drink a beer together before resuming the fight! As Liam Neeson said to Jim Carrey in Eastwood's last Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool, "It's not a rip-off. It's a homage." ... Read more

Description

A highly decorated, retired U.S. Marine general (Ed Harris) seizes a stockpile of chemical weapons and takes over Alcatraz, with 81 tourists as hostages on the San Francisco Bay isle. His demand: Restitution to families of soldiers who died in covert operations. The response: An elite Navy SEAL team, with support from an FBI chemical-warfare expert (Nicolas Cage) and a former Alcatraz escapee (Sean Connery), is assembled to penetrate the terrorists' defenses on the island and neutralize the threat before time runs out. The result: A fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller with a first-rate cast, directed by Michael Bay and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry bruckheimer. ... Read more

Reviews (256)

Break into "The Rock"
...But be sure the neighbors aren't home! This DVD (with the possible exception of "Apollo 13") has been the closest thing to the movie theater experience in the genre. My home theater system was BOOMING. A great digital transfer complements and showcases this action thriller.

You've read the synopsis so I won't bore you with my critique of the screenplay and acting. However, superb casting, a twinge of reality play by Nick Cage, a captivating Ed Harris and the evergreen suave presence of Sean Connery carries the cookie-cutter script playfully and effectively.

I came short of giving the film five stars only because of the "Die Hard" formulaic aspect of the film; a collection of hostages, weapons-savvy terrorists and the everyday Joe who saves the day. Otherwise, the movie is chock-full of memorable special effects, one-liners (Connery's annecdote of the "prom queen" is spectacular) and Director Michael Bay's talented use of atmosphere to tell the story. All of these aspects make "The Rock" a welcome addition to my DVD library.

Get Ready to Rock
Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage face incredible odds in the action-packed hit "The Rock". A rogue US general and his team seize control of Alcatraz and threaten the city of San Francisco with poison gas rockets. Now the lives of millions rest in the hands of a FBI chemical weapons specialist (Nicolas Cage) and a former Alcatraz escapee (Sean Connery). "The Rock" is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat spectacle from start to finish. Director Michael Bay has gain success with such films as "Armageddon" and "Bad Boys" but "The Rock" still remains as the director's finest work. Sean Connery and Nicolas Cage have great onscreen chemistry and further drive the film's story. Director Michael Bay stages amazing action sequences including a fierce car chase within the streets of San Francisco.

If you weren't impress with the previous release then upgrade to "The Rock - Criterion Collection". The movie is presented in enhanced widescreen format. The DVD contains a stunning and flawless picture quality with vibrant color and sharpness. The Dolby Digital sound is certainly impressive and offers more aggresive surround effects than the DTS audio track. This 2-Disc Criterion Edition features audio commentaries by cast and crew, FX and action scenes featurettes, outtakes, trailers and the movie's premiere on Alcatraz. "The Rock" is non-stop fun and this Criterion Collection DVD earns an "A".

excellent film with great extra features
This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

In this director approved Criterion Collection release, we are treated to some excellent materials.

The film follows the story of Francis Hummel (Ed Harris), a retired marine who takes hostages on Alcatraz island. His demand is that the families of soldiers killed in covert operations be given compensation. He treatens to launch VX nerve gas into the city of San Francisco if his demands are not met. A navy SEAL team is sent in to neutralize the threat. Helping out is Stanley Goodspeed (Nicholas Cage), a chemical weapons expert, and John Patrick Mason (Sean Connery), the only man to have escaped from Alcatraz.

The film has great acting and there are some good laughs in the film also. There are many action packed scenes including a car chase through the streets of San Francisco and the cars are often airborne when they go on the hills.

The Criterion DVD has many special features and is on a deouble disc set.

Disc 1 contains the movie with optional audio commentary by Director Michael Bay, Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Technical advisor Harry Humphries, and actors Nicholas Cage and Ed Harris.

Disc 2 contains a theatrical trailer and TV spots, a video interview with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, a blooper reel, a special about the film's premiere on Alcatraz, scenes from a TV special "Secrets of Alcatraz" that contains interviews with actual former inmates and a history of the island from Native American times to modern times.

There is a special "Dos and Don'ts of Hollywood Gunplay" with the film's technical advisor Harry Humpries and Marshall Teague. This specail contains depictions of errors made in action films regarding the use of guns it emphasises saftey and common mistakes including gun drawing techniques that don't "work" such as the "gangster grab" or the "wyatt earp pull".

There are also 2 features on the films special effects. One is on the dive sequence and the other is on other effects, like the cable car crash. There are also storyboards, production stills and drawings.

This is a must biy for fans of the movie as well a fans of the Criterion Collection.

Fun film, but why on Criterion?
The Michael Bay - Jerry Bruckheimer formula, like that for the James Bond films, is pretty well set: lots of stuff blowing up, lots of bodies flying through the air, a cast dominated by strong male leads, women are very secondary, a very dramatic music score, lots of foul language and a very right of center political outlook (the military are always the heroes and anyone who questions the heroes' judgment are pansies or some other leftwing radical type). However, the James Bond films always had a sly sense of humor about themselves. Bond might save the American Space program, Fort Knox, Miami and the planet Earth, but there was always an underlying message: This is just for fun folks. The Bay-Bruckheimer films, however, have the delusion that they're actually fighting the battles depicted on screen. There's a lot of overwrought music, emotional scenes between the characters and slow motion closups of the hero(es) walking or running towards their battle with evil. The Rock, in this way, is no different. A team of marines, led by General Frank Hummell (Ed Harris) and disgusted with the way the U.S. Government has neglected the families of those soldiers killed in illegal missions abroad, has taken 81 hostages on Alcatraz, threatening to lauch nerve gas rockets into San Francisco unless reparations are paid to those soldiers' survivors. Heavy, heavy stuff.
However, injected into this serious mix is none other than the best James Bond himself -- Sean Connery. Even in the more serious early Bonds, Connery always managed to convey to the audience that they were supposed to have fun during these films. Bruckheimer and Bay do their best to elevate what is essentially Saturday morning action serial material into Wagnerian opera. But there is Connery, putting all the action into perspective by not taking anyting too seriously and grounding the material by recognizing what it really is: sheer entertainment.

Bay, Bruckheimer and company keep trying to push the fact that Ed Harris' desperate General Hummell is a man of honor, a real hero, etc., etc. Anyone who questions his judgment, like the hapless, simpering Presidential Chief of Staff at the first briefing scene, is shot down as a liberal wimp who would never make the sacrifices that Harris' character made for America and should shut up before one of the real men in the room shoot him (I wonder what George McGovern, Daniel Inouye and other liberals who fought for and were decorated for fighting for their country think of this kind of portrayal). Never mind that the General threatens to kill thousands of San Franciscans with nerve gas. Bay-Bruckheimer have stacked the deck by having the great Ed Harris play General Hummell, giving the character an inherent integrity that can't help but make him sympathetic. Fox News isn't this slanted.

In walks Connery who, in his big confrontation scene with Harris, gets right to the heart of the matter in a few lines. He correctly says that he doesn't see how "you cherish the memory of the dead by killing another million" and sums up Hummell's actions as "an act of lunacy." In one fell swoop, Connery slaps the collective message of the film across the face and shows that terrorism is terrorism, no matter if it's done by decorated U.S. soldiers with a legitimate gripe against the government. It's fairly certain that Connery, an executive producer of the film, purposely torpedoed Bay-Bruckheimer's testosterone toned view of the world.

In The Rock, Connery proves, once again, that an actor with a strong enough presence and a large amount of talent doesn't need to scream and shout to give a great performance. Nicholas Cage, Connery's co-star, bellows and shouts like he's on fire most of the film ("How, in Zeus' BUTTHOLE did you get out of your cell?!?!?!?!?!?" -- god, give it a rest, Nick!). Cage certainly isn't alone -- the rest of the cast buys into Bay-Bruckheimer's "this film is the most important thing you'll ever watch" mentality. However, Sean Connery, with his charm, wit and grace, throws a bucket of cold water over the entire proceedings and reminds everyone that the film is what it is and nothing more: a technically superb action film that exists merely to entertain ... period.

A final note: Criterion has always produced the finest quality DVD's loaded with many, many interesting extras. Most of the films Criterion has released are classics: Notorious, Roshamon, Ikiru, Yojimbo, Charade, Rebecca, etc. I enjoyed The Rock, but why did Criterion deem it good enough to rank with the other films they've released on DVD? Criterion has been selective in its releases and The Rock lowers the bar.

Connery Elevates the Entire Film
The Michael Bay - Jerry Bruckheimer formula, like that for the James Bond films, is pretty well set: lots of stuff blowing up, lots of bodies flying through the air, a cast dominated by strong male leads, women are very secondary, a very dramatic music score, lots of foul language and a very right of center political outlook (the military are always the heroes and anyone who questions the heroes' judgment are pansies or some other leftwing radical type). However, the James Bond films always had a sly sense of humor about themselves. Bond might save the American Space program, Fort Knox, Miami and the planet Earth, but there was always an underlying message: This is just for fun folks. The Bay-Bruckheimer films, however, have the delusion that they're actually fighting the battles depicted on screen. There's a lot of overwrought music, emotional scenes between the characters and slow motion closups of the hero(es) walking or running towards their battle with evil. The Rock, in this way, is no different. A team of marines, led by General Frank Hummell (Ed Harris) and disgusted with the way the U.S. Government has neglected the families of those soldiers killed in illegal missions abroad, has taken 81 hostages on Alcatraz, threatening to lauch nerve gas rockets into San Francisco unless reparations are paid to those soldiers' survivors. Heavy, heavy stuff.

However, injected into this serious mix is none other than the best James Bond himself -- Sean Connery. Even in the more serious early Bonds, Connery always managed to convey to the audience that they were supposed to have fun during these films. Bruckheimer and Bay do their best to elevate what is essentially Saturday morning action serial material into Wagnerian opera. But there is Connery, putting all the action into perspective by not taking anyting too seriously and grounding the material by recognizing what it really is: sheer entertainment.

Bay, Bruckheimer and company keep trying to push the fact that Ed Harris' desperate General Hummell is a man of honor, a real hero, etc., etc. Anyone who questions his judgment, like the hapless, simpering Presidential Chief of Staff at the first briefing scene, is shot down as a liberal wimp who would never make the sacrifices that Harris' character made for America and should shut up before one of the real men in the room shoot him (I wonder what George McGovern, Daniel Inouye and other liberals who fought for and were decorated for fighting for their country think of this kind of portrayal). Never mind that the General threatens to kill thousands of San Franciscans with nerve gas. Bay-Bruckheimer have stacked the deck by having the great Ed Harris play General Hummell, giving the character an inherent integrity that can't help but make him sympathetic. Fox News isn't this slanted.

In walks Connery who, in his big confrontation scene with Harris, gets right to the heart of the matter in a few lines. He correctly says that he doesn't see how "you cherish the memory of the dead by killing another million" and sums up Hummell's actions as "an act of lunacy." In one fell swoop, Connery slaps the collective message of the film across the face and shows that terrorism is terrorism, no matter if it's done by decorated U.S. soldiers with a legitimate gripe against the government. It's fairly certain that Connery, an executive producer of the film, purposely torpedoed Bay-Bruckheimer's testosterone toned view of the world.

In The Rock, Connery proves, once again, that an actor with a strong enough presence and a large amount of talent doesn't need to scream and shout to give a great performance. Nicholas Cage, Connery's co-star, bellows and shouts like he's on fire most of the film ("How, in Zeus' BUTTHOLE did you get out of your cell?!?!?!?!?!?" -- god, give it a rest, Nick!). Cage certainly isn't alone -- the rest of the cast buys into Bay-Bruckheimer's "this film is the most important thing you'll ever watch" mentality. However, Sean Connery, with his charm, wit and grace, throws a bucket of cold water over the entire proceedings and reminds everyone that the film is what it is and nothing more: a technically superb action film that exists merely to entertain ... period. ... Read more

Reviews (167)

Wild and Hilarious
It took them 8 years, but Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back for Bad Boys II taking on the evil Cuban Ecstasy cartel and BOY does 8 years make a difference.

THE STORY

Miami P.D. cops Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) and Mike Lowrey (Smith) return to the big screen to take down a Cuban Ecstasy distribution ring. In between raising havoc on the streets of Miami and dealing with some personal issues (Mike's too much of a loose cannon and Mark's getting too old for this stuff) the boys, like in the first movie, wind up in some pretty hilarious situations.

THE COOL STUFF

The action is awesome and the comedy is still as sophomoric and hilarious as ever (that's a GOOD thing). Eight years makes a BIG difference in the terms of special effects and Bad Boys II has taken some pages out of the Matrix, CSI and Fast and Furious in terms of FX and action. The result as the Boys would say is some real COOL [stuff].

Best Scenes

1. The Freeway CHASES

2. Rat Hunting (Hilarious!!!)

3. The Video Store Scene (HILARIOUS!!!!)

4. The Morgue scene (gross, but funny)

THE CRITIQUE

The one MINOR critique with the film is its length!!! At a whopping 2 and half hours this thing is long but thankfully doesn't drag. The action is so intense it's a literal whirlwind ride. The movie DOES take a page from Pearl Harbor though in that JUST when you think the movie is about to end a new plot development opens up and continues for another half hour. The movie may very well have been better to have cut just a half hour earlier but the action in the last half hour, while feeling tacked on, was just as solid as anything else.

THE DVD EXTRAS

Well, not only do you get a stacked movie, but you also get a STACKED set of extras. So much, in fact, that they needed to put it on a whole extra disk.

Among the goodies we get are:

1. 8 theatrical trailers

2. Seven deleted scenes

3. Six sequence breakdowns

4. 19 production diary featurettes

5. A Jay-Z video

Waaay too much to get into but if you're an extras fiend you've got a whole extra disk of it to go through.

THE VERDICT

This is your prototype modern day action flick: pounding soundtrack, TONS of guns, TONS of cars and some pretty wicked street humor to go along with it. Whether you buy it or rent, it's a solid film to watch and a solid addition to your collection if you're into it.

GRADES

The Movie: 5 stars
The Extras: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars

Highly Recommended

The Quality of DVD Authoring = Bad
Bad Boys II was a great movie to watch, full of action humor. Some of the camera work for this movie was truly amazing, and a lot of original ideas were explored. but the intent of this short review unfortunately isn't all praise.

While I liked the movie, the DVD itself was disappointing. The Second disc is loaded with cool extra features that didn't disappoint. However, the main feature was flawed. Chapters 10 through 14 (From Phat's Electronics until the chapter when Smith and Lawrence pick up the KKK guy from jail and put him in the trunk) are interlaced, which is really odd. It's hard encoded 3-2 interlacing, 3 progressive frames followed by 2 interlaced ones. Watching on a normal TV, you wouldn't notice at all, as they display interlaced images. However, on any HIgh definition system (Including a computer), these 4 chapters will look like utter crap. On my home theater system which includes a High-Def Projector with a built in Ti deinterlacer, these 4 chapters still looked bad. So, in short,

IF YOU HAVE A HIGH DEFINITION SYSTEM, DO NOT BUY THIS DVD!

I think this was simply an authoring mistake, but it is one which really annoys me. I haven't seen this information posted anywhere, so I felt the need for a review. Hope this was helpful for some.

mindless
Modern movie action, not much of a story. All special effects and crazy car chases.

cvsnxdf
a very good action movie. a lot of great car chases and shootouts. also a funny movie. the exta features are not very good.

Long Film But Funny Nonetheless
I actually liked this one better than the first! Could've done without all the language though. Even the Lethal Weapon films didn't have all that cursing but other than that.

Don't get me wrong, I ain't bashing that part of it. It has it place but a lot of times they were just cursing just to be doing it it seemed. Still a great film overall and a nice touch adding the incredible Gabrielle Union to the mix! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A grandly entertaining, old-fashioned adventure based on the Rudyard Kipling short story, The Man Who Would Be King is the kind of rousing epic about which people said, even in 1975, "Wow! They don't make 'em like that anymore!" When director John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The African Queen) first started trying to make the film, with Gable and Bogart, the project was derailed by the latter's death. It was a few decades before Huston was able to finally realize his dream movie--and with an unimprovable cast. Sean Connery and Michael Caine are, respectively, Daniel Dravot and Peachy Carnahan, a pair of lovably roguish British soldiers who set out to make their fortunes by conning the priests of remote Kafiristan into making them kings. It's a rollicking tale, an epic satire of imperialism, and the good-natured repartee shared by Caine and Connery is pure gold. In today's screen adventures, humor is usually imposed on the material by a writer or director trying to make some kind of cleverly self-aware comment ("Hey, we know it's a movie!"), but that sort of jokiness can create so much ironic distance that it pushes the audience right out of the picture. Huston lets the humor emerge naturally from the characters, for whom we wind up caring more deeply than we ever expected. The digital video disc includes a wonderful documentary on the making of the film. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Some Movies Stand The Test Of Time
Some movies due to the fashion and other elements grow rapidly out of date but this is not one of them. This movie was made in 1975 and you do get a sense that it is not up to the current Hollywood standard in terms of special effects, Dolby surround, computer animation, and things of that nature. Despite this the movie still stands the test of time because of excellent performances, a good storyline, and a healthy dose of humor.

First off it is based off a story by Rudyard Kipling and takes place in the hinterlands of India. Two former English soldiers (Connery and Caine) who are basically scoundrels set out to set themselves up with fame and fortune.

They set out to the where no white men have been seen before and convince he locals they are gods. But look out anything that is too good is probably too good to be true or to last!

Connery and Caine complement one another in this film very well I thought and again this is not a special effects flick this is shot with real backgrounds etc for the most part. If you were ever curious to get a sense of Kipling without the book this might be a good film to check out! It is also not terribly inappropriate for younger viewers, for example they make a promise to one another not to drink or chase women while on their quest.

It is a period piece set in the late 1800s and depicts the railroads and remote countryside of colonial India in a day when might made right and individual adventurers could achieve glory and fortune. Or so legend would have it....

What's with the flipping?
First, this is a remarkable movie with Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Christopher Plummer. The Kipling story is one of his best and the acting, directing, sets, music, and all other aspects of this movie are first class. Any fan of "Gunga Din" or the "The Four Feathers" will love it.

Our story starts out with Michael Caine, playing Peachy Carnehan, stealing Christopher Plummer's, playing Rudyard Kipling, watch. When he realizes the gold charm attached to it shows him to be a Free Mason he tries to return it. It is interesting how that little Free Mason charm changes the lives of Sean Connery, playing Daniel Dravot, and Peachy.

Daniel and Peachy seek their fortune in a small country across deserts and mountains from India. No one has made the journey and survived to tell about it. They decide they will be kings and not drink or be familiar with women until they have reached that goal. They ask Kipling to witness their contract before their departure.

Once the two set off with a couple pack animals and some guns and ammunition, the adventures and dangers the two encounter are amazing. The sprawling landscapes and cultures they see keep us mesmerized. It is not what they expected and so it also is not predictable what will befall them. A wonderful adventure worth seeing.

Second, can someone explain why there are a handful of DVDs like this that require you to flip them over halfway into the movie? I absolutely hate that. Fortunately I only have a couple movies that require me to do that but it needs to changed.

There is no excuse for it as far as I can see since I have many movies that are longer that do not require me to flip them over. Furthermore neither of those I own give you any warning that you need to flip them, they just stop and the screen goes black. Consider boycotting this method of releasing movies. I know I intend to write the studio about it.

I WILL PUT IT SIMPLY
BUY THIS MOVIE

I will give you three reasons why:
1) Sean Connery: one of the best actors. Period.
2) Michael Caine: another of the best. And he looks good in that hat.
3) Kipling: you just can't beat that for a writer.

ARE WE CLEAR?

Best Epic ever
This is the best historical fiction story ever, Michael Kane and Sean C at their very best

A Terrible film!
This is a terrible movie! I can't believe that a director as respectable as the great John Huston would make something this ridiculous. This film is the epitomy of the idea of "The White Man's Burden." This film shows Eastern cultures to be cruel, uncivilized, and lack intelligence. I went into this film thinking it would be a great adventure. Instead, at the end I felt like vomiting! Being an Indian and an American; I felt very offended that they were basically glorifying Alexander the "Tyrant" as a "god." I fail to understand why a man like Rudyard Kipling is considered a great writer. I wish I could give this NO STARS. John, I'll pretend you never made this film. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

CLINT Does it Again!
Clint Eastwood portrays a robber ( John Thunderbolt Doherty ) who takes on a side-kick played by Jeff Bridges (Lightfoot ). There is money to be found in an old church. Trouble is, the church has been moved. Also: Geoffrey Lewis ( Goody ) and Gary Busey (Curly) and Catherine Bach (Melody). There is action in this film. But, I wouldn't consider it an action film. It is more of road chase with subtle dramatic elements. Great film. ***Note, we had no problems playing this DVD on our JVC DVD player.

Clint Eastwood And Jeff Bridges Make One Heck Of A Pair!
Released in 1974, "Thunderbolt And Lightfoot" starring Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy and a host of other actors, is one of those movies that will have you glued to your seat (or couch) for the entire movie. Eastwood plays a bank robber named "Thunderbolt" and Bridges plays "Lightfoot" a young drifter. The beginning of the movie has Eastwood (who is giving a sermon in a small church) running from an old ex-con buddy and literally bumps into Lightfoot, driving a stolen white '73 Pontiac Trans-Am. The two of them are followed by yet another ex-con named Red Leary (played by George Kennedy) and his sidekick named Eddy Goody (played by Geoffery Lewis)who wants to get even with Thunderbolt for hiding some stolen cash from a heist that Leary and he had done years ago. Both Leary and Thunderbolt settle their differences and together the four end up planning on robbing the Montana Armory again the second time around. Who would ever suspect Leary And Thunderbolt? The movie is full of car chases and laughs (ex. Jeff Bridges is a riot dressed in drag in one scene) and the ending is quite a surprise. An all around excellent movie which has finally made it's way onto dvd. Recommended!

Eastwood's most underrated film!
In 1974, director Michael Cimino, who had helped write the script for MAGNUM FORCE, made his debut as director for THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT. The result is a surprised combination of action, suspense, and comedy. Clint Eastwood plays John Doherty, a bank robber who is hiding from other members of his gang who think he ran away with the loot,(it is actually hidden behind a blackboard in a schoolhouse). After nearly being gunned down in his own church, Doherty takes off across a wheatfield, and literally runs into drifter Jeff Bridges,(Lightfoot) , who has just stolen a Pontiac. After getting Doherty out of trouble, the two begin a friendship that involves hookers, stealing cars, and running from Doherty's enemies.

George Kennedy plays Red Leary, a member of Doherty's gang who eventually catches up with him. Geoffery Lewis plays Goody, Leary's sidekick. After cornering Doherty,(nicknamed Thunderbolt) and Lightfoot, Doherty convinces them that the money is gone, although he is unaware the schoolhouse had been moved. They all then decide to rub off the same bank because no one would suspect them of doing it again. The plans leading up to it are funny. I always liked the part where Kennedy tells off the snotty kid while they are planning their route in the ice cream truck. Bridges dresses in drag to fool the security guard. When the whole operation is done, the police still catch up with them, and all hell breaks loose.

Still, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot escape and find the money stashed behind the moved schoolhouse on the side of the road. They then buy an expensive convertible and light victory cigars. What happens next is very sad, although I won't give that away. The movie is highlighted by beautiful Montana scenery and long quiet periods with no music, creating a relaxing and peacful setting that will please any action buff. Cimino was obviously off to a good start, and he would win an Oscar for DEER HUNTER 4 years later. This is the most underrated movie of Eastwood's career, and it shows him on the other side of the law and doing a very good job of it.

A rousing action film that is also supremely funny
Before he destroyed his career with the excess of Heaven's Gate, Michael Cimino, the screenwriter of Eastwood's second Dirty Hary flick Magunum Force, created this wonderful caper flick, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, under the discipline of producer and star Clint Eastwood. The cast is excellent, with Jeff Bridges first rate in his Oscar nominated role as Lightfoot, and Oscar winner George Kennedy and Eastwood regular Geoffrey Lewis (father of Juliette) both very memorable as Red and Goody.

The scene of Red and Goodie in the ice cream cart confronted with an obnoxious lad is a classic in cinema.

The climax of this film is superb. A definite MUST SEE for all Eastwood fans!

Auspicious debut for Cimino...
Buddy films are always fun, and this is no different. The exotic American locales of Idaho are every bit as unique as the Bolivian settings in "Butch Cassidy". As in "Butch Cassidy", the script (by Cimino) is character-driven, and you'll find yourself cheering on the bad guys. Jeff Bridges Oscar nomination (Supporting) surprised a lot of people, but it was most deserved. His role was really equal to Eastwood as far as importance (and screen time). Eastwood was, well, Eastwood. That's not a bad thing. I always thought he was underrated. The DVD transfer is excellent, with a wide 2.35:1 letterbox that shows off some of our country's best scenery. There's action, humor and great chemistry between our buddy-heroes. George Kennedy is about as nasty as they come, though he somewhat copied his nasty performance in "Charade" (10 years earlier). The most interesting thing about this film is that it is the debut of "wunderkind" Cimino. The strength of his work on this film allowed him to create his masterpiece, "The Deer Hunter". No doubt the man has vision and talent. Too bad he over-indulged himself in the dismal "Heaven's Gate" and ruined a studio with his excesses. ("Heaven's Gate" really wasn't that bad, except for the first hour). I think of "Thunderbolt & Lightfoot" as an up-dated version of "Butch Cassidy". Though the music wasn't as frivolous and the script not as taut, there are definite comparisons. Not bad. Check it out. ... Read more

Description

When his daughter is kidnapped and held in exchange for diamonds, the leader of a crew of highly skilled urban thieves (DMX) forges an unlikely alliance with a Taiwanese Intelligence officer (Jet Li) to rescue her. Their race against the clock to find the precious stones ultimately unravels a plot to distribute a deadly new weapon of war. ... Read more

Reviews (69)

Plot finally outweighs the action.
'Cradle 2 the Grave' looks like it would be the typical martial arts action flick. But there is very little martial arts, and I thought the action was rather laid back as well. Seems that the Hollywood people are beginning to realize that there is room in the industry for action films with good stories and plots.

In 'Cradle', DMX portrays Tony Fait--a high-tech thief who goes into a building one expects to be well-guarded and steals fifty black diamonds. Of course, he has help. This is one of the best opening sequences I have ever seen. Perfectly timed.

Jet Li plays Su, an agent from Taiwan. He also wants the weird, black diamonds. So does everyone else. Fait and Su team up when Fait's daughter is kidnapped. All of this leads to the climax--another well timed cut between three fight sequences.

The movie only goes bad during the end credits. But I am giving this film five stars because I really enjoyed Anthony Anderson, who finally tones down and plays a more serious role--and he is able to remain funny at the same time.

Like action flicks? C2G does not disappoint!
Popular rapper DMX has teamed up in an earlier martial arts film with Steven Segal, and has stepped his role in action films up a notch with martial arts superstar Jet Li, who has (to my mind)established himself as one of the greatest martial arts stars of our time.

DMX's role is Tony Fait, a smooth (but somewhat excitable)master thief. He and his crew (including the lovely Gabrielle Union and his partner-in- crime from the afore-referenced "Exit Wounds" Anthony Anderson) break into a diamond exchange, and steal a cache of black diamonds. They were created by the Taiwanese government, and when agitated (kinda like what we saw as the principal weapon in the fifth Bond flick "Diamonds Are Forever") unleash incredible energy. They were originally stolen by the real bad guy Ling (Mark Dacascos), who intends to auction them off to a room full of worldwide nogoodnicks. Ling then abducts DMX's baby girl to ransom them back. And as they say, it is ON.

You cannot have these guys together without great fight scenes, and this movie does not disappoint. Li has an incredible nonchalance about himself, and actually fights (and easily handles, of course) his first few adversaries with one hand in his pocket! He has to use both hands, though, when he ends up in the middle of a brawl with a crew of Ultimate Fighters. Of course, he can, and does, without raising much of a sweat (but he does get around to tossing around a midget as a "weapon").

Just as he did in Exit Wounds, Tom Arnold provides some comic relief (among his best lines: "I cannot read Chinese, but I know cop in every language").

Forget about the folks who dog out this movie. The acting is just fine. This script does not call for Meryl Streep, and neither is it incredibly thought provoking screenplay. It does not need to be. It doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is, a slammin', ultra-violent, retribution filled, sexy action film. While I thought at first that the one-handed fight scenes were a bit much, as another reviewer noted, it does show another side of the virtuosity of Jet Li. And I don't really care whether Kelly Hu (bad-guy Ling's equally ultra-fine sidekick) would have beat down Gabrielle Union in two seconds "in real life". The two of them on the screen is worth seeing, in my humble opinion.

Like action movies? Then this one is for you. Enjoy it for what it is, and you will have spent a great ninety minutes.

yawn............................................
dmx knows his tired rap act is through,so now hes trying to spread his tired image into movies.is it any wonder his movies(AND EVERY MOVIE OF THIS KIND)barely make it to see a second weekend?the saving grace here is jet li(a minimal save).jet li is also in a massive decline and proved that action also needs acting/believable plot.every rapper acts the same way,they are interchangable/easily forgotten.since i rented this,im not so upset.can you imagine how the crowd was during and after movie?rowdy and uncontrollable as if they were on prison leave.to some extent,you can tell the charactor of a person by what entertains them.im pretty sure the males in the audience couldnt wait to be dmx tough and start some nonsense.we all know how tough guys are....tough from a distance and only with alot of backup.typical and pitifull.any monkey can direct movies this horrible,but how can people actually rush to see this?so very sad...............................

dissapointing
Only saw this movie because I'm a Jet Li fan. This is definately not one of his best movies, probably because he is redelegated to the role of sidekick. Some fights were decent but story wasn't very intertaining. DMX is only good at playing one role-gangbanger. Maybe he should stick to his day job.

A Solid Action Film
"Cradle 2 the Grave" stars Jet Li and DMX as an odd couple duo who must get back a package of black diamonds from a rogue Taiwanese intelligence agent. DMX plays Fait, a master thief who undertakes a very high-paying job to steal some black diamonds from a very high security vault. Jet Li plays the Taiwanese intelligence agent Su who has to get them back.

At first Fait and Su are opponents after the diamonds. When they are taken by Ling (Mark Dacascos) they team up to retrieve them. Su wants the diamonds and Fait wants his daughter Vanessa (Paige Hurd) back. Ling has kidnapped her as leverage against Fait.

"Cradle 2 the Grave" also stars Anthony Anderson, Tom Arnold, Gabrielle Union, and Drag-On as Fait's assistants, willing and forced. They stage a raid on a deserted airfield where Ling is holding Fait's daughter and the diamonds.

As far as martial arts movies go, "Cradle 2 the Grave" isn't bad. Many of the fight scenes are too well choreographed though and far too Matrixy in the way the actors bodies seemingly mock gravity. I seriously doubt that Jet Li can throw a 200 pound man about 20 feet through the air. This movie also makes the horrendous mistake of having one guy fight about 15 other guys one at a time. Just once I'd like to see all 10 or 15 guys jump the hero at one time and see how he gets out of it. I know that if I were one of those 15 guys, I'd be looking to take a cheap shot while he's working over one of the other guys.

My only real problem with this film is the title. What exactly are they referring to when they call it "Cradle 2 the Grave". Ususally that term is reserved for discussions about Swedish social programs. At no time in this movie did Jet Li and DMX expound upon the benefits of an all-encompassing social safety net vis-a-vis the social benefits of a low-tax economic policy to foster long-term wealth production and distribution. Then again, the movie producers didn't even have enough time to spell out the word 'to'; so, I doubt they had the time to work such a policy discussion into the movie. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In giving 1991's The Last Boy Scout a three-star review, critic Roger Ebert was properly performing his duty as an objective reporter, praising the filmmakers' professional skill while observing that "the only consistent theme of the film is its hatred of women." For the purposes of this capsule review, there's no such obligation to level-headed fairness; the simple truth is, this ultraviolent, action-packed vehicle for Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans is disgustingly rotten to the core. Not only is it fueled by a bitter and spiteful attitude toward women, it's also the kind of profanely vulgar movie that doesn't hesitate to put foul-mouthed children in the path of vicious thugs and potentially deadly situations. Willis plays an ex-secret service agent turned private detective who is hired to protect a stripper (Halle Berry) and then teams up with the stripper's boyfriend (Wayans), a disgraced NFL star who was kicked out of football for gambling. They catch on to a criminal plot leading all the way up to a corrupt football team owner who wants to legalize gambling on pro football. Willis and Wayans get in and out of all sorts of trouble along the way, and naturally there are plenty of explosions to go along with the brutal beatings, gunfire, and constant cussing. Shane Black (of Lethal Weapon infamy) set a Hollywood record (since broken, several times) for the sale price of his slick but vile screenplay, and Top Gun director Tony Scott handles the action with his trademark gloss and high-impact style. But, seriously, is this a movie that anyone could bear to watch twice? --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Much fun indeed.
Back in 1991 there was still only one way that studios could sell Bruce Willis and that was as various incarnations of his Die Hard hero. Even Eddie (Hudson) Hawkins had similarities to John McClane. Joe Hallenback is a sort of mix between McClane and Snake Plissken. Watching him mumble and grunt thru various near-deaths and close shaves makes for much fun.

Hallenback is a P.I. and scrounges for work wherever he can find it. So he takes up a job protecting a stripper named Cory and soon finds himself in a lot of trouble. Bad guys are trying to get him left right and centre and his bratty 13-year-old daughter tagging along doesn't help much. The bad guys are truly evil and Hallenback seems more like an anti-hero. This adds to the rough nature of the movie and heightens the sense of adventure.

Tony Scott's style of direction is best suited to this type of action flick. The flashy, exotic editing and cinematographic techniques lend a lot to the witty script and compliment the seedy or pretty locations. Shane Black has also written dozens of one-liners and riddled the script with funny dialogue and exciting situations. It's no surprise that this was once the most expensive script ever sold in Hollywood.

Some people say that this film is too violent and misogynist but I honestly cannot understand what they are talking about. I guess it was just a little out of the norm back in 1991. But still the tone of the film is so light and enjoyable you begin to wonder how this never made up for it. Check it out for yourself and I am sure that you will enjoy.

The DVD is in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and is remastered in Dolby 5.1. Love that opening song, man

Great Trash Movie
This movie is one of those love it or hate it movies. I loved it. "The Last Boy Scout" is where Bruce Willis is a low down private detective who is hired to watch a stripper. When she is murdered, Willis and the stripper's boyfriend, a fallen NFL hero (Damon Waynes), track down the killers. The conspiracy is all about corruption and pro football gambling. The banter between Willis and Waynes is very funny, although very sexist and racist sometimes. They both are world weary, and have been burned and are disillusioned and cynical, which is where much of the humor comes from. But the action is fast, brutal, and angry. This fast paced thriller is in the vain of "Die Hard" (once again produced by Joel Silver, I love this guy!). Director Tony Scott's hyper speed dircecting keeps the pace in high gear at all times. But there are a lot of things people might not like, like the 12-year-old girl with a mouth like Andrew Dice Clay's. I really dug this movie, it's everything that a "guys movie" should be; violent, vulger, with really seedy humor. Enjoy.

Very trashy but still entertaining action flick
Tony Scott's THE LAST BOY SCOUT may be trash, but for an action flick it is very well-made, highly entertaining trash.

Of course, you could make a very good case against this film. Though I did not find it quite as woman-hating as some of the critics said it was upon the film's release, I would recognize that there is a subtle layer of misogyny throughout the movie---particularly with the two women characters in Joe Hallenbeck's life, his uncaring, cheating wife and his bratty, verbally abusive daughter---that might make some viewers more queasy than I was. And, objectively speaking, THE LAST BOY SCOUT is basically a retread of writer Shane Black's superior LETHAL WEAPON---a more foul-mouthed, ultra-violent retread with a lot of corny humor. This is an all-out testosterone-fest if I've ever seen one. If you've got a problem with people, just punch 'em in the "head or gut"---if anything else, that's the message of this movie. Really, Shane Black, where did your taste go since LETHAL WEAPON and LETHAL WEAPON 2?

Despite all that, though, this movie still delivers what matters most in this genre: thrills and exciting action scenes. Having seen this movie only recently, I must say that it is probably one of the most exciting action pictures I've seen in a long while, perhaps enjoyable because of its excesses. Tony Scott definitely knows how to film action scenes well (the climactic action scenes in the football stadium is a good example of his skill here), and of course he brings his customary slick style to the material. And its plot, involving a ruthless attempt to legalize gambling in pro football, takes some kinda intriguing twists and turns along the way. (It's like a hardcore action-film version of one of those hardboiled detective films of the '40s.)

In short, THE LAST BOY SCOUT is very trashy but still entertaining action movie that can be quite fun to watch, depending on whether you can overlook lapses of character logic (why on Earth is Shelly Marcone giving away his plan of framing Hallenbeck for Senator Baynad's murder just so Hallenbeck can outsmart 'em all?) as well as the more objectionable misogynistic aspects of the film. Personally, I felt a little guilty about enjoying it so much...but not guilty enough not to admit it. Marginally recommended.