Runtime: 106 minutes
Directed by: John Irvin
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kathryn Harrold, Sam Wanamaker, Paul Shenar, Darren McGavin
From: DeLaurentiis Entertainment Group
I always like to gain murderous revenge to the strains of The Rolling Stones.
For the past few days and ending tonight, my cable provider has offered all the HBO and Cinemax channels for free. The DVR has received a workout during those days, although most of what I have recorded won't be watched until at least sometime in April. However, this was seen live late last night. I'm always down for 80's Arnold, even if this was far from his best or most entertaining movie during the decade.
It's a simple tale where Arnold is a former FBI agent who is asked to do a mission “off the books” to bust up the Chicago mob. As he's in an unhappy marriage he seemed all too eager to romance an attractive blonde as part of his undercover act... the end product is fine although the story isn't always told in the most exciting, logical or clear fashion.
Thank heavens then that Arnold has his charm. While delivering acres of dialogue isn't exactly his strength I can't complain about his performance. There at least was some hilarity for me. For example, him deciding to gun down the bad guys during an exciting bullet-filled finale that is started off by his placing a Rolling Stones cassette in his Buick and the killing starts w/ their most famous tune (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. Or, the amazing 80's music you hear throughout. Or the other destruction that happens. Or how the opening seems like it was directed by Hal Needham: to the sounds of a country song by Ricky Skaggs is a wacky chase where Arnold in a Jeep is chasing after a motorcycle through a collection of different settings in a small North Carolina town.
While there are “better” Schwarzenegger pictures I still need to revisit and discuss here, this at least was something nice to watch for free last night.
No comments:
Post a Comment