Reviews (55)

Sneakers...Sneaks in 5 Stars!!
SNEAKERS is a great caper flick with minimal violence and an ensemble cast one would never expect would ever be put on screen. Who would think that a movie would contain the likes of Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn (Eight Men Out, League of Their Own), Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves), River Phoenix (Dog Fight, Stand by Me), and the great Sidney Poitier to boot. It's fun, light, and suspensful. Redford heads a group of high tech misfits who troubleshoot and hack security systems. They are hired by a renegade government agency to steal a device that can decipher electronic coded messages developed by a mathematical genius, but get caught up into something more sinister than they bargained for as people begin getting kidnapped and murdered. Great characters including Dan Aykroyd's tailor made 'Mother' who sprouts off any conspiracy theory at whim, David Straithairn's blind hacker 'Whistler' whose ears can "see" more than anyone's eyes and whose only need in life is peace and good will towards his fellow man, and a great cameo by Ben Kingsley as the vengeful 'Cosmo' who is behind all the evil doings. Overall, a great cast, great script and first class entertainment!!

Conspiracy Theory?
Other movies that have tried (and failed) to cover hacking/conspiracy theories have one fatal flaw. Instead of trying to be entertaining, as movies should be; they take their cues from the mainstream media and try to scare the audience to death with images of cival liberties being taken away as fast as some on screen hacker can type into a not-so-secure government database.

Sneakers on the other hand shows us what the government(and people pretending to be the government) is capable of through the eyes of very entertaining yet somewhat believable characters in the industry. From a phone phreak to an ex cia man, their group covers the gambit in skills and personalities. Redford leads an allstar cast as a good looking social engineer who talks his way past security in lieu of hacking. Dan Akroyd gives a performance unparalelled except maybe for his character in Gross Pointe Blank.

So if you are in the mood for something completely different from the Net, Conspiracy theory, and Masterminds, then this is the movie for you.

Loved it, seen it uncountable times, just upgraded to DVD version. James *Too Many Secrets* Stewart

A strong, intellectually intriguing movie
When I first saw this movie I was expecting something completely different. Being a software developer, I was expecting the standard stereotype of eccentric not-in-touch-with-reality radical leftist computer nerds. What I got instead was a bunch of really fun characters that I thoroughly identified with and who covered the gamut of personality types. The plot was somewhat believable (the core plot device notwithstanding) and the choices the characters made to come out on top were also fairly enjoyable, such as the sightless gentleman driving the van down a steep embankment to save his buddies with only radioed instructions to keep him on track. What few persons have mentioned, however, in these reviews is that the movie also has a winning soundtrack. Its theme is quite catchy and emminently memorable. Pay no attention to the gentleman who says the movie isn't worth anything. This movie was meant to be a cut above the rest and it succeeded. If someone was unable to enjoy it, then I unashamedly chalk it up to his small mind.

Superlative Film; DVD is Lacking in Supplements
I currently own the original Widescreen Edition (1998 Universal). I'll buy the 2003 Collector's Edition, but I'm very disappointed by the paucity of extras: This movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

One of my favorite movies of all time, for all of the same reasons listed by others here. I own the original DVD, which was released in 16:9 anamorphic, quite ahead of its time.

Unfortunately, it's painful to see a favorite movie come out on DVD with so few Special Features. This was a wasted opportunity, considering the quintessential ensemble cast that made this movie as fun as it is. The movie's 11 years old, and while I'm glad Universal thought enough to re-release it earlier this year with director Phil Alden Robinson doing a commentary track, I think there's much more that could have been done. I can understand the difficulty in tracking down such an incredible ensemble cast after 11 years. But as a consumer, I can say: this movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

I *will* buy this new version for the following reasons: It's under $15, my existing copy is worn from repeated use, and I have been hoping for extras such as Robinson's commentary. I am, however, disappointed at the waste of potential on Universal's part: The quality of this movie deserves a DVD with a lot more to it.

5 stars for the movie, 2 stars for the extra features.

Great Film, Fair DVD
This film is an example of what an ensemble cast of A-list actors can do when they have fun with a project. While their acting has been better in other films, their camaraderie carries the film. Clocking in at over 2 hours, the film becomes muddled in parts, but your interest in the characters keeps you from becoming overly impatient with it. Equal parts "Charade" and "WarGames" the movie keeps you guessing at who's who and what the character's true motivations are, while the technology doesn't get out of hand (most solutions are low- not high-tech).

For a Collector's Edition, the supplementary material on the DVD is disappointing. The high point is the commentary: the detailed reminiscences of the director and writers are informative and enjoyable. The "Making of" documentary is pleasant, but doesn't build much on the commentary; the comments of the cast don't expand beyond telling who the characters are (only Ackroyd describes anything he brought to his character beyond the writers' amalgam of 70s and 80s phone phreaks and social engineers). The single theatrical preview is nice, but with along with the bonus materials in general, you feel there should have been more. The only other item on the Bonus Materials section is a "Recommendation" for "other films you might enjoy": Field of Dreams (same director/writer), Spy Game (also with Redford), and The Sting (Redford again, with James Earl Jones' father); there aren't previews of these films, just three small DVD cases sharing the screen. No deleted scenes (although several are described in the commentary). No outtakes (you know there had to be some serious hijinks on the set). No scripts or scene comparisons to show the film's decade-long evolution. Not even an Easter egg to reward devoted hackers.

Buy this disc for the movie, not the bonus materials. It's a lot of fun and the cast is a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" player's dream. ... Read more

Reviews (275)

One Super DVD
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap the tallest building in a single bound. The world's greatest superhero has finally arrived on DVD with "Superman: The Movie" Special Edition. The film focuses on the young survivor of the doomed world of Krypton. After crash-landing on earth, the young alien is adopted by a caring farm couple and grows up with amazing superhuman abilities. Moving to Metropolis, he uses his incredible powers to protect the people and fight injustice. "Superman- the Movie" is probably the best superhero movie to date. The story is quite entertaining but does lose some strength during the second half though it still manages to preserve its entertainment value. The film contains some great performance by Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando as Jor-El. The cast also includes Jackie Cooper, Terence Stamp and Ned Beatty. From daring rescues to superhuman feats of strength, the film contains some impressive action sequence and terrific visual effects.

The DVD honors the Man of Steel like it should. The comic book film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a sharp video transfer and a fine 5.1 Dolby Digital sound with great surround effects. This amazing DVD features an audio commentary with director Richard Donner and consultant Tom Mankiewicz, additional footage including an extended sequence inside Lex Luther's underground gauntlet, behind-the-scenes documentaries, theatrical trailers, deleted scenes and DVD-ROM extras. With such a striking DVD presentation, "Superman" earns an "A".

Super features, super options, JUST PLAIN SUPER!
I enjoyed the Superman DVD. 25 years after this movie came out and seeing it so many times on TV with pan and scan, the newly remastered print blows everything out of the water. The music only option works for the title sequence and hearing the extra tracks on Side B adds to the genius that was John Williams soundtrack.

The audio is remastered and put on a surround sound system instead of the setup I have at home would shake your house to the core. The extra scenes were a good touch as well. Behind the scenes added the great touch of mystique that was Superman. Having Marc McClure host the BTS stuff added a bit of credibility.

Until Spider-Man last year and Batman in 1989, this was the film on which Superheroes were judged. The Hulk disappointed and Daredevil and X-2 were moderate hits.

Superman still stands the test of time, no matter what your views.

Spider-Man has kind of surpassed it...
Well now that we have seen the two Spider-Man movies, I tend to belive that they are now the standards by which other comic book films (both Marvel and DC) will have to live up to now. In a way, Superman is now kind of the odd film out. It works better as an origin story in how Clarke Kent becomes Superman and Chris Reeve's effective perfomance in the title role still works, In the comics, Lex Luthor has always been a one dimensional cartoon character, the only time that he was an effective villian was when Gene Hackman played him in this movie. The final scenes of Superman turning the Earth backward to save lois lane, are what they are. It might be a bit far fetched to put in a movie, but that does not stop audiences from enjoying it. and it doesn't stop me from watching it over and over again.

Born on Krypton, raised by the Kents on Earth, Becomes Hero
The Man of Steel flys into the spectactular motion picture, Based The DC Comic and also appearing in Action Comics, Christopher Reeve stars as Clark Kent.Reporter in Metropolis,Illnois for the newspaper the Daily Planet,And trouble emerges Clark Kent flys to the rescue as Superman, a blue suited red caped powerful wonder. He takes on Lex Luthor played Gene Hackman and falls for Lois Lane played Margot Kidder and Marlon Brand as the Krytonian father of Superman Jor EL. This Film is a Great Superhero movie and great film all around, probably the most imaginative thing the Man of Steel has been in. Superman began as the comic, then a radio show, several 1950s B movies, TV show and in 1978 the true Superman ovie. Superman is imaginative in everthing because hes an imaginative character. A pop culture icon on screen and in everthing else. the Special Effects are incredible, This a Super high flying ride. You Want a good superhero movie before Batman and Spider-Man this is it. If it wasn't for this classic we would'nt have superhero movies like Spider-Man 1&2,Batman,Hulk and X-Men 1&2. Thank Hollywood for making a great superhero film that lauched other superhero films. A thrilling Film of one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century, The Man of Steel, SUPERMAN.

Release Superman into our 21st century!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

This is a Great Movie
This is one of the best Charlie Chan movies. Though I found the beginning to be slightly confusing, it is a very compelling and interesting story. I would recommend this film to any Chan fan.

A Strong Supporting Cast
Sidney Toler plays Charlie and Sen Yung has the role of Jimmie Chan in this movie about the great detective solving a homicide which happened on board an airliner. It's another 20th Century-Fox film with Harry Lachman as director and a strong supporting cast.

Murder Over New York
My Dad first saw Charlie Chan movies when he was a little kid watching the late late movie(which was frequently a Chan movie). He remembers none of the movies, except this one. Just that says alot. "Murder Over New York" is a great movie, and a good mystery. That plane scene towards the end is one of the most suspenseful scenes ever made in a Chan picture. Number two son Jimmy is on hand as usual, and Sidney Toler does his usual excellent job as Chan. Also, Shemp Howard of Three Stooges fame makes a surprise appearance at one point. "Murder Over New York" may not be critically acclaimed, but it is viewer acclaimed. ... Read more

Reviews (261)

The best comic book movie.
Superman. Spider-man. X-Men. They're all good comic book films, but to me they pale in comparison to this 1989 classic. Micheal Keaton plays Batman/Bruce Wayne and pulls both roles off real well being a millionaire by day and a crimefighter by night. Jack Nicholson also pulls off a great role as the psychotic Joker. The writers did a very good job on the story. My only complaint is the DVD itself. There's not even a theatrical trailer. Maybe Warner Bros. will release a 2-disc special edition next year for the film's 15th anniversary, complete with a theatrical trailer, deleted scenes, and possibly a commentary. They should, considering all the 2-disc special editions they've been releasing lately. Anyway, I highly recommend this to anyone.

My favorite line from the movie:

Mugger: Don't kill me.
Batman: I'm no going to kill you. I want you to do me a favor. I want you to tell all your friends about me.
Mugger: What are you?
Batman: I'm Batman.

Is there a 6-foot bat in Gotham City?
I can still remember as a 4 year-old being completely obsessed with the Batman character. And I loved the movie. To put it simply, Batman was my hero. Of course this isn't the case anymore but I still think that "Batman" is a great film.

One of the most striking things about "Batman" is the set design by Anton Furst, which is very Gothic and bleak looking (during the outdoor scenes there is no sun whatsoever). The Gotham City that looked like any other in the TV series is transformed into dark, slimy crime pit in which good is basically nonexistent. Tim Burton gives the film some good direction, keeping things tight and interesting. He executed the action scenes nicely as well. Aside from the impressive set design and direction, the movie is also well acted. Michael Keaton played the role of Batman very well, giving Batman a powerful presence and a sort of everyman personality (which is even a bit off-the-wall) when he's Bruce Wayne. Jack Nicholson, meanwhile, was excellent as the Joker. He hams things up a lot, which makes sense since the character of Joker is supposed to be a complete, smart-mouthed maniac. I did notice a few problems with this movie though. The story, for the most part, focuses too much on the Joker, which is silly. I mean, isn't the movie called "Batman"? The plot is bit shallow as well, which probably explains why I found it a bit difficult to pin point exactly the Joker wants to do with Gotham City. The love story was bit weak as well. While Kim Basinger did good job as Vicki Vale, she and Keaton didn't develop a lot of chemistry to make their pairing believable.

If you can ignore some minor problems, "Batman" stands as pretty good comic book adaptation. If you like superhero films, then this one is certainly worthy being included in your collection.

al right
It's the first batman movie and it really wasn't that good. Jack Nicoleson was good at joker. But this movie just doesn't catch you. The story between Bruce and Vicky is okay. Tim Burten filmed it well,the action wasn't that good, and compared to the others except the fourth one it doesn't stand a chance.

im batman!
jack nicholson set a world record for accepting 89 million bones to play the joker here.i didnt like the fact that the joker got wasted since he was easily the best character in thefilm.also,although i think tim burton is a directing genius,in this film he focused way too much on character development and the beautiful gothic arcitecture of gotham and really had little left for the actual storyline.michael keaton is batman.children will enjoy this one.this is easily the best of the batman onslaught of the 90s.this is a film most anyone will enjoy except people who criticize everything.there is only one really hot babe in this one.her name is vickie.shes one of those stuck up buisness broad by day-raving whore by night types.the only major difference between this movie and the comic book is that the joker is batmans long time arch nemisis not just some fly by night clown who gets wasted in the first episode.jack nicholson played an awesome joker.he deserved an award.people say this movie rocks and THEY ARE RIGHT.

garbage
Laughable special effects, especially for a movie that came out in the 90's, Robot Jocks had better effects. Watch where the joker falls off the building, and where the bat plane crashes, I think the fire is done with cigarettes. Choreography is lame, like at the end where a guy jumps over Batman's head then goes falling through the floor. Batman doesn't use his intellect or detective skills really, just goes charging in to battles, he almost gets killed twice while out of costume. It doesn't make sense that batman tries to tell Vicky Vale his secret identity. "Yeah, this'll make her respect me
". I can imagine him in front of a mirror practicing "I'm Batman". He also endangers innocent civilians in a car chase(...). What's up with her wardrobe?(glasses), and the guy reporter is an annoying geek. The batsuit is more powerful than the batplane? Batman is shot about 15 times through the course of the movie (twice without the suit), but all it takes is one shot to bring down the plane, i guess because it's moving towards the bullet at such a speed. An aluminum tray also provides stronger armor than the batplane according to tihs movie. ... Read more

Reviews (275)

One Super DVD
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap the tallest building in a single bound. The world's greatest superhero has finally arrived on DVD with "Superman: The Movie" Special Edition. The film focuses on the young survivor of the doomed world of Krypton. After crash-landing on earth, the young alien is adopted by a caring farm couple and grows up with amazing superhuman abilities. Moving to Metropolis, he uses his incredible powers to protect the people and fight injustice. "Superman- the Movie" is probably the best superhero movie to date. The story is quite entertaining but does lose some strength during the second half though it still manages to preserve its entertainment value. The film contains some great performance by Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando as Jor-El. The cast also includes Jackie Cooper, Terence Stamp and Ned Beatty. From daring rescues to superhuman feats of strength, the film contains some impressive action sequence and terrific visual effects.

The DVD honors the Man of Steel like it should. The comic book film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a sharp video transfer and a fine 5.1 Dolby Digital sound with great surround effects. This amazing DVD features an audio commentary with director Richard Donner and consultant Tom Mankiewicz, additional footage including an extended sequence inside Lex Luther's underground gauntlet, behind-the-scenes documentaries, theatrical trailers, deleted scenes and DVD-ROM extras. With such a striking DVD presentation, "Superman" earns an "A".

Super features, super options, JUST PLAIN SUPER!
I enjoyed the Superman DVD. 25 years after this movie came out and seeing it so many times on TV with pan and scan, the newly remastered print blows everything out of the water. The music only option works for the title sequence and hearing the extra tracks on Side B adds to the genius that was John Williams soundtrack.

The audio is remastered and put on a surround sound system instead of the setup I have at home would shake your house to the core. The extra scenes were a good touch as well. Behind the scenes added the great touch of mystique that was Superman. Having Marc McClure host the BTS stuff added a bit of credibility.

Until Spider-Man last year and Batman in 1989, this was the film on which Superheroes were judged. The Hulk disappointed and Daredevil and X-2 were moderate hits.

Superman still stands the test of time, no matter what your views.

Spider-Man has kind of surpassed it...
Well now that we have seen the two Spider-Man movies, I tend to belive that they are now the standards by which other comic book films (both Marvel and DC) will have to live up to now. In a way, Superman is now kind of the odd film out. It works better as an origin story in how Clarke Kent becomes Superman and Chris Reeve's effective perfomance in the title role still works, In the comics, Lex Luthor has always been a one dimensional cartoon character, the only time that he was an effective villian was when Gene Hackman played him in this movie. The final scenes of Superman turning the Earth backward to save lois lane, are what they are. It might be a bit far fetched to put in a movie, but that does not stop audiences from enjoying it. and it doesn't stop me from watching it over and over again.

Born on Krypton, raised by the Kents on Earth, Becomes Hero
The Man of Steel flys into the spectactular motion picture, Based The DC Comic and also appearing in Action Comics, Christopher Reeve stars as Clark Kent.Reporter in Metropolis,Illnois for the newspaper the Daily Planet,And trouble emerges Clark Kent flys to the rescue as Superman, a blue suited red caped powerful wonder. He takes on Lex Luthor played Gene Hackman and falls for Lois Lane played Margot Kidder and Marlon Brand as the Krytonian father of Superman Jor EL. This Film is a Great Superhero movie and great film all around, probably the most imaginative thing the Man of Steel has been in. Superman began as the comic, then a radio show, several 1950s B movies, TV show and in 1978 the true Superman ovie. Superman is imaginative in everthing because hes an imaginative character. A pop culture icon on screen and in everthing else. the Special Effects are incredible, This a Super high flying ride. You Want a good superhero movie before Batman and Spider-Man this is it. If it wasn't for this classic we would'nt have superhero movies like Spider-Man 1&2,Batman,Hulk and X-Men 1&2. Thank Hollywood for making a great superhero film that lauched other superhero films. A thrilling Film of one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century, The Man of Steel, SUPERMAN.

Release Superman into our 21st century!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Watch it!
This must be one of the best kept secrets of the '90s. A brilliant film straight to video, what a waste.
I cannot recall how many times I have watched my treasured video of this film but I know it never fails to entertain.
I just want to add my voice to those pleading for a DVD release.

RUN ON DVD!!!
This movie is a great independent action flick, i watched it on starz, HBO, cinemax, and its such a shame its out of print. Hopefully itll come back and on DVD. If it gets marketed more, im sure it will come out on DVD someday, i hope! PLEASE BRING IT ON DVD!!!

Would like to see it on DVD!
Run is a very good movie, I can honestly say that it's the type of movie that once yo start it, you don't want to walk away until you see how it ends. I don't know why it didn't do better than how it has done so far because if it received slightly more exposure I think people would really take to it. I almost feel as though you are missing out by not seeing this, and as I said in my "title" it should be out on DVD.

On my personal top 100 favorite movies list, "Run" comes in at #68. I know what your thinking...68!...that's it! Well considering that there are 1000's of movies out there, to even rank on a top 100 at all is pretty nice, I think.

A very good movie for a straight-to-video release
I saw the preview for this video at the beginning of another video I rented one night and I thought it looked kind of exciting so I thought I'd give it a try. I was very impressed. The movie was fairly well acted by a very earnest Patrick Dempsey and the story moved along at a very believable pace. I would guess that there was a very modest budget for this straight-to-video release but I felt that the director got as much out of his budget and his actors as possible. The action was quick and exciting without being frenetic and the actors and the story was actually fairly believable. I would recommend this movie to anyone who desires a night of simple fun escapism.

A Guilty Pleasure
Different from most of Patrick Dempsey's films, much like "All the Right Moves" feels like a grittier movie for the early Tom Cruise. The production quality is excellent for the moderate budget that it appears the movie was made on. I still enjoy watching this movie today! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Whether or not you can sympathize with its fascistic-vigilante approach to law enforcement, Dirty Harry (directed by star Clint Eastwood's longtime friend and directorial mentor, Don Siegel) is one hell of a cop thriller. The movie makes evocative use of its San Francisco locations as cop Harry Callahan (Eastwood) tracks the elusive "Scorpio killer" who has been terrorizing the city by the Bay. As the psychopath's trail grows hotter, Harry becomes increasingly impatient and intolerant of the frustrating obstacles (departmental red tape, individuals' civil rights) that he feels are keeping him from doing his job. A characteristically taut and tense piece of filmmaking from Siegel (Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Shootist, Escape from Alcatraz), it also remains a fascinating slice of American pop culture. It was a big hit (followed by four sequels) that obviously reflected--or exploited--the almost obsessive or paranoid fears and frustrations many Americans felt about crime in the streets. At a time when "law and order" was a familiar slogan for political candidates, Harry Callahan may have represented neither, but from his point of view his job was simple: stop criminals. To him that end justified any means he deemed necessary. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (96)

Like Coors Dirty Harry's an Original
It was a great idea taking the soft deliberate speaking, Western King, Clint Eastwood and placing him in society as San Francisco police inspector Harry Callahan. Harry is a maverick cop fighting bank robberies, handling suicides and finally chasing a crazed killer known as Scorpio. The only thing we can determine that really drives Callahan besides Good vs Evil is that his wife was killed by an alleged drunk driver. It's the pre prozac and therapist era and Callahans controlled rage is only adressed through the mishaps of his villanous prey and his by the book department. In a sense this movie is timeless as hostage situations still affect our urban areas but with this cutting edge cinematic view we become somewhat disconcerted by our own laws and policies. The line made popular here DO YOU FEEL LUCKY? will last forever. Villan Andrew Robinson is still working today as he did a great job making us hate him in 1971. Four sequels follow this one Magnum Force 1973, The Enforcer 1976, Sudden Impact 1982 and The Dead Pool 1988. All worth watching but you can flip flop Dirty Harry and Magnum Force as the best of the bunch!

It'll blow you away
"Dirty Harry" made Clint Eastwood a star. Yes, there was the Italian westerns that made him famous, but this is the one that made him an American icon. Harry Callahan is the man every man wants to be.
The story is that a roof top sniper is killing the citizens of San Francisco. He is a cold, vicious murderer who wants a huge ransom to stop. Harry Callahan is the cop assigned to the case. Harry is a loner, he's the type to shoot first (with his massive, now infamous, Smith and Wesson .44 Magnum) and ask questions later. At first he goes along with police procedure, until the killer starts a new MO. When Harry tries to arrest him, he violate some of the killer's civil rights, and then is released. Harry begins stalking him as the killer is now trolling for new victoms.
This movie is not a mystery, it is more about social issues. Some people say the movie is dated. Maybe, maybe not. I think that rights of the accused are still highly sensitive issue today. Dirty Harry just did what any one of us in those extraordinary circumstances would have done.
On top everything it is an excellent action thriller. The pace is tight and it is just great to see someone just doing what's right, not nessesarily what's leagle.

CONSERVATIVE VIEWPOINT
This movie is about conservatives and how they must battle against the oppressive forces of communism. It was written by the greatest screenwriter and director ever, because he is a conservative.

This movie makes me wonder if somebody saw a screenplay I wrote a few years ago and stole my idea. It was called "A Savage Campaign." In it, a politician and a murder take care of the daughter, whose wife finds out about the plan. The democratic senator is corrupt and goes to the KKK. When the plot is revealed, it is finally stopped by Barry Bonds, who I consider to be baseball's Superman. When I pitched this idea to many Hollywood executives they thought it sounded great, but they wanted me to change the democrat to a republican.

All men yearn to be free.

This movie is about how the system does not care for law and justice. But the American people do. God bless you all.

'GOD'S LONELY MAN."
John Milius is the greatest screenwriter you never heard of, not to mention a terrific director. He describes the "Dirty Harry" Callahan character as "God's lonely man." Milius is that rarest of rarities, a Hollywood conservative. He herein wrote a film for the Republican Clint Eastwood that spoke to the hopes and fears of an America yearning for justice, law'n'order in a world dominated by overarching liberalism in the 1960s and '70s.

Picture America at that time: Vietnam, the streets and campuses exploding in riot, and a new social ethos that was willing to blame a racist white establishment for the crimes of this nation's increasing population of criminals.

In the 1960s, the Supreme Court became activist to the hilt. The most obvious of these cases was the famous Miranda ruling from Arizona, in which a criminal was allowed to go free because he had not understood his rights, not understanding the English language spoken by the arresting officer. His subsequent confessions were thrown out. The Court spoke of the "forbiddeen fruit" of evidence gathered by overzealous officers who "failed" to inform criminals that they were being searched just before they discovered their weapons, their drugs, their evidence. A police officer who found evidence of crimes was unable to make the case unless he had probable cause ahead of time to find the evidence.

In "Dirty Harry", a character (Andy Robinson) based on the never-caught Zodiak killer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area at that time, goes on a murder rampage. Eastwood catches him at Kezar Stadoium. A little girl is lying in a hole some place. She has a limited amount of air left. Eastwood knows the guy did it. We know it. God knows it. The scene is worth watching in light of Abu Ghraib and the concept of the "ticking time bomb" theory of interrogation that the terror era has brought upon us.

Eastwood knows that if the man is arrested and booked, he will not talk, hiding behind a lawyer, and that the girl will suffocate. He applies a little bit of torture to Robinson, the Scorpio killer. What he wants is to know where the little girl is, so she can be saved. Scorpio wines about having rights and wanting a lawyer. Eastwood extracts the information from him. The girl, however, has died before she can be found by the cops.

Eastwood is confronted by the D.A., who tells him not only that the killer had rights, but that he will walk as soon as he is healthy, and he has brought in a Berkeley professor to detail to Clint how he violated the criminal's rights and, in essence, is worse than the Scorpio killer.

The end? We've all seen it a million times on TBS's "Movies For Guys Who Like Movies." Eastwood gets his man. He receives zero gratitude from the authorities. Millions of ordinary American citizens appreciated him in theatres and TVs since then, however.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"

STWRITES@AOL.COM

BEST ACTION MOVIE OF ALL TIME!
IN THE ONE THAT STARTED EVERYTHING, ''DIRTY'' HARRY CALLAHAN [CLINT EASTWOOD] GOES AFTER A SERIAL KILLER [ANDREW ROBINSON]. STILL THE BEST OF THE DIRTY HARRY SERIES. HAS A SUSPENSEFUL PLOT, TOP OF THE LINE ACTION, EXTREMELY CLEVER PACING AND IT HAS A NOT-TO-MISS FINALE. EVERY COP MOVIE THAT CAME OUT AFTER THIS EITHER TRYED TO COPY ITS PLOT OR ITS MAIN CHARACTER. THIS IS ARGUABLY CLINT EASTWOOD'S GREATEST MOVIE EVER. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE, EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF CLINT EASTWOOD, OR EVEN IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF ACTION MOVIES, YOU NEED TO MOST DEFINITELY SEE THIS IF YOU STILL HAVEN'T SEEN IT BY NOW. A TREAT FOR ALL. FOLLOWED BY FOUR SEQUELS, BEGINNING WITH MAGNUM FORCE. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Another waste of money,even if it was only £1.
That's it,next time I'm renting her Playboy video.Though superior to the mind blowingly awful Naked Souls,Good Cop,Bad Cop still doesn't feature enough sexually gagging-for-it Pamela to satisfy the red blooded male.There is quite a titillating romping session in an alleyway and seeing Pam in night-atire is never unappealling,but this is all I want,not a boring conspiracy story to go with it.The soundtrack to this film is a really irritating and repetitive sample of Bad to the Bone,David Keith is a poor man's Michael Madsen and Robert Hays is a poor man's James Woods.And one of the bad guys seems to think he's Robert DeNiro.Their lame acting would be perfect if this was the most sexually explicit piece of trash around.Sadly,it's anything but.Still,stay on the screen Pamela baby.And I'm sure you had no intention of playing the good cop.

raw justice=raw pamela!
pam fans, i give you heaven! the story is there is a cop running around after the bad guys. the acting isn't great, but thats not what i got it for! pambo delivers (and shows) the goods. the hot alley scene will make ya' feel good. plenty of nudity, sex, and violence make up a great pam film!

-Raw Justice - Hot & Steamy!
Well, well... This is an action/thriller staring the ultimate buxom babe, Pamela Anderson. Who cares about the plot! Well, Pamela encounters some mean 'ol nasty criminals, and she has no choice but to team up with her trusty side-kick, David Keith. Did I mention Pamela takes a throbbing love muscle up her pretty littlebuns! Well, she does, and she takes it pretty well. You can actually hear her sweet moans of pure pleasure! Pamela with out a doubt, has some delicious buns! Botom like... Pamela delivers the goodies. Check this movie out!

wow
bad movie, great scene. You don't want to rent this movie, you want to buy it. So you can watch they alley scene over and over again. It will get anyone going at any time of day.

WooooHoooo!!!Pamela=Extreme BABE!!!
ok now this movie is good and kinda sucky, what i mean is like as far as the plot goes boring stuff indeed!!. a loser cop running around constantly trying to catch the bad guys.but what keept my absolute attention was pamela,pamela is hot and they expose her well especially in the hot alley scene buy this movie and you'll see what i'm talking about good stuff!!! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fiendish fun
The Mask of Fu Manchu easily could have served as inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Archaeologists dash to retrieve a relic to save Western Civilization from the diabolic Dr. Fu Manchu. There's feats of derring-do. Scenes of despicable torture and heroic bravery.

What makes this movie so much fun is that in "Raiders" you know Dr. Jones will win. Nazis are mere obstacles in his path to run over.

But in this movie, Boris Karloff's performance as the insidious Dr. Fu Manchu makes the Nazis seem like mere shadows of a threat compared to his evil genius. His Fu Manchu is a villain you not only fear, but respect.

Myrna Loy as his daughter is wickedly good. While the sparks put off by Fu Manchu's diabolical invention are impressive special effects, they are nothing in comparison to the sparks emitted by a young, scantily clad Myrna Loy.

Karloff amazes
If you are a Karloff fan, you must see this movie. What a role - a rich Asian sadist! Myrna Loy is also quite impressive. I think the best part of this movie (other than Karloff's acting, and his make-up job - wow!) are the sets. There are different torture rooms for different characters. I've never read any of the Fu Manchu books, so I can't comment about that. But Karloff's portrayal is pure evil and pure genius!

BEST MOBIE EVER MADE!!!!
this is the ebsat movie ever PERIOD! **MANCHU'S PICKS** # 1, this is a must get as you all kno this is my grandpa and he is one of the geraytest actors that ever looiked into a camrera, this is about his many faces and mask and stuff, obut dont listen to me get it, A MUST!

Love this piece of exotica!
"The Mask of Fu Manchu" would have to be one of the unfairly maligned cinema efforts of the 30's. Myrna Loy in her great autobiography while referring to it as pure hokum also had the good sense (something you would expect from Nora Charles!!) to point out how alot of effort went into the production and it was peopled by wonderful actors ideally cast.

I have always loved the sheer exotica of this film and the lavish production and look of the piece will keep you entranced from start to finish.

Towering over all is Boris Karloff as the nefarious Dr. Fu Manchu... everyones favourite villian. It was a role Boris was born to play and he employs the right combination of sheer evil, cruelty and even wry humour to bring the part the right conviction. Karloff was a fine actor who too often was trapped in poor material in his Hollywood years. He does have a role of a life time here in Fu Manchu and, despite loving Christopher Lee is his interpretation of the evil doctor, I feel he has never been equalled in this role .

Special mention must also be made of Myrna Loy as Fu's "ugly daughter!" She is terrific in the role of the evil daughter who has designs on the young white explorer Charles Stratton. Only one year off real stardom in "The Barbarian" with Ramon Novarro and "The Thin Man" of course with William Powell, here she is playing the last of her exotic roles before she became in the next evolution of her illustrious film career the "perfect wife" ( a title she hated). She is pure evil here and is quite startling in the controversial whipping sequence which was cut out of many prints for years . Lewis Stone lends his always excellent support as the head of the expedition to the Gobi desert in search of the fabled tomb of Genghis Khan.

Full attention was lavished on the look of the film from the exotic art deco/Chinese palace interiors by Cedric Gibbons to the out of this world creations by Adrian for Karloff and Loy which will take your breath away. The film has the definite MGM feel to it so you know great care was taken in every area in mounting this production.

All of the evils associated with the "good doctor" are here to be relished by the viewer.Pits of hungry crocodiles, bell tortures, the "room of a thousand fingers" which is in reality a wall of spikes and assorted creepy crawlies in glass jars. Totally engrossing stuff!!!. No one need ever take this film seriously but it is terrific fun and as a lover of films of the 30's I can't help but admire the work that went into it.
One note though, it appears that the film was edited for release onto video as I always feel that Myrna Loy's character seems to simply disappear before the finale and no explanation is ever given. The jacket cover mentions that someone betrays Fu Manchu to help release the men but that doesn't occur in the version on video. Just a little mystery that needs to be cleared up.

Enjoy "The Mask of Fu Manchu" As a piece of first class froth it has no equals

enjoyable camp
Ah yes, Boris Karloff as an Oriental nutcase in search of the mystical mask of Genghis Khan. His daughter is "Fah-Lo-See," (love the pun) played by then vamp, later to be Nora Charles, Myrna Loy. The movie is great fun, and of course the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

good stuff for the seventies
This is the kind of movie that reminds a lot the seventies' classics. Mel Gibson plays the main character, a cruel thief who will do what it takes to get his money. With a cast totally formed by actors who were famous in the seventies for these kind of pictures(like Kris Kristofferson or James Coburn), Payback is original, and that is a lot, if we consider the trashes that Hollywood throw into the theaters nowadays. Better than Gibson's previous films, Payback is a violent and thrilling ride, shot with a dark, opressive and dirty photography (what makes it seems like a seventies crime-drama), characters that don't worth nothing (even the main character is , in fact, a Humphrey Bogart kind of anti-hero) and a sick plot. Porter (Gibson) hits and kills people with no significant reasons, and he seems that he is having a lot of fun.If you are looking for something interesting, this is a good option, but if you want a typical action flick, with impressive adventure scenes, stay away: the action in Payback is just basic, although very cruel and realistic.

Mel Gibson's Payback
"Payback" is a funny dark comedy and crime thriller at the same time. Mel Gibson plays Porter, a theif who has sworn vengence against his best friend (Gregg Henry) and his wife (Deborah Unger) for ripping off his share of heist money and leaving him for dead. He returns, enlists the aid of a hooker friend, and takes on the entire New York mob (called the Outfit). All of the men in the movie are bad guys, it's just that some are worst guys. Mel Gibson has never been funnier, even though he never cracks a smile through the whole movie. His delivery is dead pan, and that makes it so much funnier. Gibson's Porter (there is no first name) is tough. Porter has a kind of street smart that allows him to survive, much like a fox in the woods, always having the bad guys fall into their own traps. Lucy Liu is also pretty good as an extream S&M dominatrix. The three main bad guys are old hands at being bad. Kris Kristofferson is the head of the Outfit, Bronson. James Coburn is funny as the older man, Fairfax. And William Devane as Carter, a slimy day supervisor is funny at how casual he orders rather grisly murders. The violence is gruesome (though not exactly "Friday the 13th" level), but it is done in a "Three Stoges" extreamity that's kind of comic (although the torture scene at the end is not at all funny, I'll never look at Three Little Pigs the same way). I loved this movie, it has action, comedy, and a melodramatic scene that is out of this world. "Payback" is based on Richard Stark's "The Hunter", the first Parker novel. The movie has the correct feel that jibes with the book.

phrase on cover says it all.
"Get ready to root for the bad guy." I've been a Gibson fan for years. From the Lethal Weapon series, to Braveheart, to Hamlet. So, needless to say, I had to go after reading that Mel was playing a bad guy. It's a role he naturally roles into. It's against type Mel's usually good-duy role, so that makes it more fun.

It's very dark, and rather violent. Not a movie for the weak of heart.
(spoiler warning) spoiler warning

From the opening scene this movie doesn't relent. He takes change from a homeless man.Lift a guys wallet, and then assumes his identity whereupon he withdraws several hundred dollars, he buys a suit, he buys 3 expsensive watches, and immediately pawns them.

(spoiler over)

That said the movie is just too well acted for people to say anything negative against it.

PAYBACKS ARE HELL MEL
Having Mel Gibson play such a lowdown creature as Porter is original enough in its own right. The fact that he plays him so well and that we root for him only goes to show the magnetic power of this charismatic performer. Briskly helmed by Brian Helgeland (he'll win an Oscar someday!), this flick moves like lightning and offers Gibson a chance to off Gregg Henry, William Devane, David Paymer, James Coburn and Kris Kristofferson. That's no small feat. The atmosphere is perfect, the musical score sublime, the overall effect cheesily gratifying. Maria Bello is fine as Gibson's love interest, too, and we can't overlook Porter the Dog. An involving and entertaining noir film.

I`m glad I didn`t pay to watch this
A typical, by-the-numbers, emotionless action movie like so many others. Mel Gibson plays a tough guy (surprise!) that fights the real bad guys. Well, that`s about it... The beginning of the story is appealing, given that the direction is actually good and creates a tense mood with a dark blue ambience, a crime noir feel. Unfortunately, that`s the only good aspect of this picture, since the plot is flat and the characters one-dimensional.
Another boring blockbuster. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Bruce Willis's awful, 1991 vanity piece is an abuse of audience goodwill and a waste of a good cast and director (Michael Lehmann of Heathers). The story, cowritten by Willis, concerns a cat burglar pressured into stealing precious art, including some from the Vatican. But the script is just a convenience upon which Willis piles his vaguely boorish brand of hip irony, assuming his audience will stay with him every step of the way. Certain, self-congratulatory scenes induce cringing--Willis and Danny Aiello, for instance, sing "Side by Side" (to brassy accompaniment on the soundtrack) every time they're working a job--but the overall effect is more irritating and baffling. Keep a good thought for Willis (an underrated actor better than the summer junk we usually see him in) by checking out his superior work in Pulp Fiction and his small but memorable role in Billy Bathgate. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (93)

Almost Believed The Hype
My love of this movie began when I was home alone channel sufing. Stumbling across this film on UPN, I checked my Trusty TV Guide and found they only gave it one star. I decided to do a MST3K on this apparently rotten film. I Was unable to do so because there was one small problem. This film is the most convoluted, twisted, Hitchcokian piece of Funny stuff I've ever seen. Being of Fan of totally random stuff, I was over whelmed by the randomness of this film. A butler has Knives spring out of his Arms. Bruce willis ( as Hudson) and Danny Allieo time a burgarly with a rendition of "Swingin on a Star" The pope watches Mr. Ed. And THrough it all, Hudson just wants a coffee. You see the McGuffin of this film may be Da Vinci's Book of Fun & games, but the real driving force in this film is Hudson's coffee. This movie has many one-liners that I can say to my friends and they have absolutly no idea wher it comes from. Many other reviews talk about A Deus Ex Machina ending. I have no idea what tha is really, but the end, the beginning and yes eventhe middle are full of great stuff. Dont Listen to critics! in Some fashion. everyone should see a portion of this underated classic.

Ahead of It's Time
I, too, was one who saw this movie when it was first released (right after "Die Hard") and fell to the original disappointment. Recently, I decided I had to buy the DVD to add to my Bruce Willis movie collection because I knew it was an important movie to this artist (he created it, helped write it, etc) and I am such a fan of his talent. You can't imagine my surprise to find that watching it now, years later, I thought the movie was hilarious! It is the kind of movie that is best described as "just plain fun". My jaw hurt from laughing so hard for so long! The only explanation I have for not liking it when it first came out...but, loving it years later is that the type of humor that was in "Hudson Hawk" (Bruce Willis humor) was simply ahead of it's time! I am glad I finally caught up! Buy the DVD if possible and listen to the director's commentary to find hidden humor that surely passed by you unnoticed when you watched the movie. If you only like movie's that have twisted plots and make you think...then, this movie is not for you. But, If you like to kick back and just get lost in the fun...you'll enjoy this movie tremendously!

what the hell...
This is one of the worst movies ever made. The comedy can only be enjoyed by a preteen. An R-rated movie starring Bruce Willis with loney-toon style sound effects and all of the crappiest things you can think of. This movie is horrible. In order to like this movie you must have had a full lobotomy.

Classic film like no other!!!!
I remember really diggin the hell out of this at the theatre, despite the fact that it tanked and I was all of 12. What gets me is that- I understand why your average brainwashed zombified office drone wouldn't like this but the critics panned it too. Actually, that doesn't surprise me, given the heidi fleiss treatment they've lavished on the wretched 'Troy.' Anyway, Glad to see there's a little amazon cult of like-minded souls who appreciate the hilarious absurdity, one-off jokes, great performances, neat ideas and all around craziness this movie delivers.

Yeah, there are some plot problems and pacing is off-kilter, but heck, this film is so much fun from the first second til the end when Eddie finally gets his- no I won't ruin it... Give it a chance. I haven't perused the DVD but doubt it has much extra stuff. This isn't the kind of film the gets the redux.

If the thought of Danny Aiello, Bruce Willis, James Coburn, Sandra Bernhardt, Andie McDowell (no relation to Malcolm), a young David Caruso, and a handful of other dynamic character actors doesn't appeal to you then stop reading now. Moreover, if the thought of the world's greatest jewel thief stealing Da Vinci treasures, a Vatican spy agency, an over-the-top madman entrepreneur and his depraved wife aimed at destroying the world's economy, a corrupt CIA covert ops team called "The Candybars," doesn't pique your interest then go back to bed.

Some of the best one liners I've ever heard. They never get old. "I must speak with the dolphins now." "Just kill her- Darwin! This is supposed to be torture, not therapy." "Bettie Jo Baijarsky? I can get you an address on that." "Bunny?!? Ball Ball!!!"

If you like Bill Murray's everyman attitude in ghostbusters then this film's humor will appeal.

In summation- If you dug 'Ice Pirates,' "The Princess Bride," or any Terry Gilliam film you will probably dig this one.

ciao.

Oh, get over yourselves
I hate stupid movies. Mel Brooks annoys the hell out of me. But I like, nay, LOVE Hudson Hawk. One of the few movies not directed by David Lynch that constantly leaves you thinking "What the f___?" in the same way that "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" leaves you thinking "What the f___?" It's an acid-soaked Catholic caper with snappy dialogue and great Bond-esque one-liners. You just have to let go of sanity and roll with it. As for the all-knowing movie gods who panned this scategorical masterpiece, what do they call you, Ig and Ook? ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The end all and be all of car chase movies
Gone does not pretend to be anything other than a car chase movie. The plot, such as it is, is purely a set-up for the 40-minute sequence that destroys (at least) 93 cars. Whatever anyone thinks about the non-chase parts of the film, the brilliantly-edited pursuit is well worth the wait. Not only does it stand up to the 2000 remake, Mr. Halicki's masterwork does not suffer in comparison to accepted classics such as Bullitt, The French Connection, or Ronin. The new soundtrack, by itself, is professional and supports the action quite well. While I, as well as other Gone cultists, miss the original music, the re-issue should not be faulted for its omission.

I liked it more than I thought
After learning that the 2000 movie was actually a remake of a 1974 movie, I got the bug to watch the original. I had a hard time finding it.

I read some reviews that said to skip this 25th anniversary edition and watch the original Media VHS release. I was lucky enough to get my hands on both this weekend.

I liked this movie much better than I thought I would. True, the real highlight is the car chase, everything else is just filler, but it was still a fun movie.

I've read complaints about the remastered anniversary edition available on this DVD. Let me say that after watching both versions, this DVD has a much better, cleaner picture than the old VHS tape. The sound wasn't bad either. My only beef with the anniversary edition was the new soundtrack, everything else was just fine. The anniversary edition on DVD features a generic new pop synth soundtrack. Most of the time, I really wasn't listening to it. But, if you are going to have those 70's hair styles, sunglasses, clothes and sideburns, why mess with the 1970's music? Yes, it was dated, but the music went along with the movie and added to at least a couple scenes.

The original soundtrack should have at least been an available option as an alternate version to watch, even if it was recorded in mono. If that had been done, I'd have given it another star.

As is, it's not bad. The music is a little distracting because it doesn't go at all with the rest of the movie, but if you can get past that annoyance, this DVD is certainly watchable.

It left me wanting an old Mustang.

greatest car chase ever!!!
Just sit back and let H.B. Halicki entertain you. this gives all car chase's a standard to live up to. and the Extras are very interesting as well. this just goes to show that holywood is out of ideas and tried to atempt to remake a trend setter with a big name actor and failed. do yourself a favor and watch this the " origanal"

Decided never to watch it ever again in under 0.60 second's
This movie is terrible. It reminded me of the bad acting you see in a porno movie, I kept expecting the twangy music to start playing and people to start striiping off and getting it on! Thats how great there acting is!

I suppose if your a car lover, which im not, then this movie would be of intrest, but to me, it was a porno movie without any nudity! It was shockingly bad acting! The remake might have had better actors and a plot, but even that one didnt intrest me.

If your into cars and like to see them on screen going fast? then youll probably love the movie, if your like me and thats not your fancey, then youll agree with this.

Gone in 60 Seconds - Re-issue comments
This DVD is a great reissue of the original movie. The widescreen feature is a nice touch, as well as the digital re-mastering of the video. Very nice job! My only negative comments are the lack of the original soundtrack, featuring songs by Phil Kachaturian. A sort of B-grade "suspense" background track was added, which sort of reminds you of the cheesey old karate movies. Sadly, an important dimension was lost from the film by deleting the original music, especially in the scene with Pumpkin in the office alone, waiting for her man to return..(check out the original movie to compare..). The commentary feature is nice and full of cool trivia, but it too fails to mention anything about the original songs. Another bit of information that would have been a great addition, would have been current interviews with the old cast members, as a sort of follow-up as to their current where-abouts. Other than those few points, the movie is great and a trip down memory lane. Enjoy! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Lightly enjoyable but a disappointment in the context of author Leslie Charteris's popular character, the Saint--who has been played by several actors, most notably George Sanders--this 1997 film is more in keeping with the requirements of high-octane contemporary action than it is the requirements of a particular legacy. Val Kilmer plays Simon Templar, the mercenary spy, who is hired to steal a fusion formula but falls in love with the scientist (Elisabeth Shue) who cooked it up. Kilmer's portrayal bears little resemblance to Charteris's rakish hero, and the film itself becomes increasingly improbable and ponderous the longer it goes on. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (86)

'You can't come to Russia and not play Russian roulette'.
If you are like me then you can't resist a good spy film; especially if my saint, Val Kilmer, appears in it! The film doesn't really follow the storyline of the books or the series, with Roger Moore. If you are nostalgic about the series then this probably isn't the best film for you. The film itself is a blend of action, romance and comedy at times. The stars of the film; Val Kilmer (Heat) and Elizabeth Shue (Hollow Man), have a genuinely believable romance that leaves any Val Kilmer fan wishing that they were Elizabeth! As for the Russians in the film; they add a refreshing edge which reminds us of how corrupt the World can be. The film follows the life of a thief who's only aim is to make $50 million, any way he can, and he uses the names of Catholic Saints to hide his trail. Meanwhile in a small corner of the World, Dr. Emma Russel has just discovered a scientific Phenomenon. The Russians want her discovery and they are willing to pay whatever and kill whoever it takes to get hold of it. The Saint then gets caught up in a web of Russian Maffia, intigue and love. When you have seen the film as many times as I have you learn to love each Saint for all their different qualities!

Abstract and grim, but that's what makes it good
My mother was uncertain about me buying this video at first, but when I insisted on getting it after reading the reviews here I was satisfied that my money had been well spent. The Saint is unlike any movie I've ever seen before. Like in my title: yes, it is abstract and dim, the dialogue gets a little backward and hard to understand, and Simon Templar seems to have very few motives that made him an international spy. His disguises give the movie it's comedy, of which there is not much because the lovely Elisabeth Shue is the co-star which of course catches your eye. The romance is rather weird but charming, and some things in the movie seem to happen for no reason at all. But it's still good spy action as Simon and Emma, Shue's character who has created the formula for cold fusion, are pursued around Russia by a politically powerful and corrupt group of authorities whom Simon tried to trick. Their adventures there, in Russia- which the movie displays as cold, crowded, and rather malevolent- are definitely worth your time. Val Kilmer is quite handsome and suave as the Saint, and although he's not english, this unique film will serve you well.

you wont need the patience of a saint...this is GREAT
I have no complaints at all about this version of The Saint.
I grew up listening to The Saint on radio and reading about him. This film version doesn't do the character any harm. It tells the tale of his early days. On second thought I do have ONE complaint...where's the sequel?

clever modern prequel
The folks who made this flick deserve credit. They cleverly decided to create a modern prequel to the classic character of The Saint. They didn't just ditch the character and steal the name. This isn't I SPY folks. This film IS The Saint. The modern prequel approach let them introduce a whole new audience to The Saint, but it also gave established Saint fans (like me) a rare glimpse at a part of Simon's life that I'd been wondering about for years: just how he got to be The Saint.
This is a great film!

A MIXED BAG IN THE SCRIPT DEPARTMENT BUT STYLISH POPCORN FUN
Short story: Val Kimler makes this absolutely worth it.

Long story: Yes, it may be a weak throwback to the notorious Saint comics and all that. So what. The movie is modern, stylish and always keeps you on the edge with its elaborate pseudo-politics, intriguing ideas and rehashed romantic mishmash.

Whenever it starts to drag Kilmer turns up in a new disguise and that alone carries the film through to its next thrill. Not to mention that the chemistry between Shue and Kilmer is hot enough to sizzle a steak.

Add to that mix a high-octane Prodigy-induced sountrack and you've got a fun flick with an exciting roulette of action and suspense.

Highly recommended rental. ... Read more

Reviews (86)

"Hit" and Run
When four hitman decide that they are going to kidnap the boss's daugter and ask for ransom, problems arise, when Melvin (Mark Wahlberg) is set up to take the fall. At the same time, he is set to meet his girlfriend Pam's (Christina Applegate) parents, all three of whom, know nothing about his true line of work This under appreciated action/comedy from Che-Kirk Wong, has more going for it, than most folks think it does. The trick to watching this, is to just watch the movie, for its fun factor. If you expect it to be a dramatic look at hitmen and the mob--forget it. The action sequences are well done and fun to watch. The movie is a breezey 91 minutes and that's also a plus. Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bokeem Woodbine, and Antonio Sabato Jr. have good on screen chemistry. The rest of the players fit pretty well too It's nice to see some of them break out into more of a comedic role then is the norm for some of the cast.

The DVD extras include an enjoyable commentary track with the director, writer, and producer of the movie. The handful of deleted scenes are very good too. It also has the theatrical trailer (just as you might expect). The film is presented in both widescreen and fullscreen formats, so that viewers can choose their poison in that regard If you like action comedies then I would certainly recommend THE BIG HIT to you. Give it a shot.

Very amusing and very action-packed!
This movie was a real blast, both with the action and more so with the sometimes childish but often funny spoof element! Mark Wahlberg plays Mervin Smiley, a sexually insecure potential hitman who works for godfather Avery Brooks(Sisco from Deep Space Nine to you Trekkies!), along with assorted colleagues. When Smiley finds he is several thousand in debt due to women messing him around for his money and failed hits, he decides to kidnap a Japanese girl, the daughter of an industrialist on the verge of hara-kiri after his movie flops! It just so happens that this girl is the god-daughter of his boss. As if that wasn't enough, his copy of the video KING KONG LIVES is overdue! Oh dear . . . The results are fast, frenetic and hilarious. Elliot Gould appears as the on-the-wagon father of another potential fiancee(Christina Applegate, who is a real hottie). And when his bosses learn of his unauthorised kidnapping, the fun bursts into stylised action with gunfights and explosions galore! John Woo produced this, and it shows well! This has something for Hong Kong action fans, something for teenage airhead humour freaks and a little bit of girl power for chick-flick lovers. Everyone will enjoy this, in other words!

Total Crap
This movie is total garbage. My friend brought it by and we watched it and it was so bad I had to come on here and write a review. The acting is crap, the storyline sucks, it is an attempt to make a "cool, hip" hollywood movie that failed miserably. The writing and dialouge are terrible, this movie doesn't even deserve 1 star. Total B movie crap.

What can I say? I dig the film.
I've trashed more than my fair share of big, brainless action flicks for being stupid, unbelievable, and nasty. But for some reason, either by merit of the film itself or some fluke in my taste, I like THE BIG HIT. If the former is true, here is why.

There are those of us who peruse the direct-to-video bins of action and horror movies in a desparate search of fun. THE BIG HIT, although released theatrically, is everything that you desire while looking at direct-to-video crap, but never get, and its infinitly better.

Make no mistakes: this movie is vulgar, crass, and shameless. It even crossed my line with the vomiting scene, but I managed. The film finds hit man Melvin Smiley set up to take the fall for a major screw-up by his hipster co-workers whilst dealing with being a pushover to his fiancee and girlfriend.

Maybe the fact that this film has such a plot, a plot that is relevant to the action and interesting is what makes it exciting. The characters are stimulating and provided vibrant dialogue. Through the pretty routine directing, it's Ben Ramseys script that makes the thing so fun. The action sequences are pretty by the numbers, as I've mentioned, but there are moments or rhythm and sublime carnage beneath the rest of it.

The film has a hard-hitting and pulsating score by Graeme Revell, which is also notable in its genre for its themes and concentration on doing more than making noise.

Be warned: those who do not tolerate profanity, violence, and general disregard for morals (these are hit men, after all) should not view. If you do not fall into that category, and like a bit of ultra-violence brimming with wit and style, there is a very good chance you will like this movie, and almost NO chance that you will regret seeing it.

Or like I said, it might have just been a fluke in my tastes...

Silly, but undeniably fun.
I remember first seeing the previews for The Big Hit and thinking to myself, "this is going to be one terrible film." Then I actually rented it, and found myself enjoying the movie immensely. Oh, it's one silly action film, but it's fun usually for all the right reasons, so that's why I'm recommending it. And this says a lot, believe me, because I find 3/4's of the movie's cast utterly revolting (Antonio Sabato, Jr., Christina Applegate, Bokeem Woodbine, Lela Rochon, and Elliot Gould all in the same movie, and I still somehow enjoyed it).

Mark Wahlberg stars as Melvin Smiley, a hitman with a heart of gold, sort of. Outside of his dubious career, he's a relatively nice guy with an airhead fiancee (Applegate). Anyway, his hitman buddies, specifically Cisco (Lou Diamond Phillips), devise a plan to kidnap Keiko Nishi (China Chow), the daughter of a super-rich Japanese businessman, not knowing the man has just went bankrupt (shown in a hilarious scene). Anyway, they have to store Keiko at Melvin's house, and he's forgotten that his fiancee and her parents are visiting for the weekend. To make matters worse, Keiko is the goddaughter of the hitmen's boss, Paris (Avery Brooks), who's looking to crack down on the guys who kidnapped her.

The Big Hit desires to work as an action and comedy, and succeeds quite well at both. The shootouts are pure Hong Kong-style (no surprise, it's directed by Kirk Wong), outrageous but cool to watch. The fight scenes are kinetic and well-choreographed, with the performers displaying some nice, agile moves without really going into all-out martial arts (by this, I'm referring to the final fight in the video store). None of the action is superspectacular or completely memorable, but it's all exciting and lots of fun, which is what it should be.

Director Kirk Wong also shows a capbable hand at humor. For once, the majority of the film's jokes actually work. Even a long-running gag involving Melvin and his overdue rental of King Kong Lives pays off in the end. A lot of people are going to find this humor stupid, but for me, it was stupid and funny. Some of these jokes probably wouldn't naturally be funny, but the cast (particularly Lou Diamond Phillips) pulls them off with a great sense of comic timing. Hell, I even laughed during that obvious "tracebuster" joke.

As I said before, most of the cast members are those I generally try to avoid when I watch movies and they're terrible here, but they're offset by the film's leads, thankfully. Mark Wahlberg is not a great actor by any stretch of the imagination, but he's likeable and perfect for this part. The lovely China Chow is a spirited foil for Wahlberg, she's smart, funny, and sassy, and also the film's most genuinely likeable character. Naturally, the film progresses by developing some romantic chemistry between her and Wahlberg, and to my surprise, those scenes actually work.

Stealing virtually the whole film is Lou Diamond Phillips (who I've always liked), who's hilarious as the two-timing hitman Cisco. Off the top of my head, I believe this is his only comic performance to date, and he's so good at it, I wish he'd delve into the genre more often. The always solid Avery Brooks has a few throwaway scenes, but it's always nice to see him in a role outside of Deep Space Nine. All in all, The Big Hit was a good time, never truly excellent as an action/comedy (it needs more even plotting and less superfluous characters) but just enjoyable enough, and that was good enough for me. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Arizona gives mighty New York a lesson in extradition

Director: Don Siegel
Format: Color
Studio: Universal Studios
Video Release Date: May 23, 1995

Cast:

Clint Eastwood ... Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan
Lee J. Cobb ... Det. Lt. McElroy, NYPD
Susan Clark ... Julie Roth (probation officer)
Tisha Sterling ... Linny Raven (Ringerman's girlfriend)
Don Stroud ... James Ringerman
Betty Field ... Mrs. Ellen Ringerman
Tom Tully ... Sheriff McCrea (Piute County, Arizona)
Melodie Johnson ... Millie (Coogan's girlfriend)
James Edwards ... Sgt. Wallace (stakeout cop)
Rudy Diaz ... Running Bear
David Doyle ... Pushie (tavern owner)
Louis Zorich ... Taxi driver
Meg Myles ... Big Red
Marjorie Bennett ... Mrs. Fowler (little old lady charging rape)
Seymour Cassel ... Joe (young hood)
John Coe ... Bellboy
Skip Battyn ... Omega (customer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel)
Albert Popwell ... Wonderful Digby (customer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel)
Conrad Bain ... Madison Avenue man
James Gavin ... Ferguson

Albert Henderson ... Desk sergeant
James McCallion ... Golden Hotel room clerk
Syl Lamont ... Apartment manager
Jess Osuna ... Prison hospital guard
Jerry Summers ... Good Eyes
Antonia Rey ... Mrs. Amador
Marya Henriques ... Go-go dancer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel
James Dukas ...