Certainly a vast improvement over the legendary debacle of Cutthroat Island , the previous collaboration of the then husband-and-wife team of director Renny Harlin and star Geena Davis, this overblown action thriller starts out very strong but fails to pay off in a satisfying conclusion. Acting really isn't the hallmark of the action genre, so suffice it to say that the cast is what is required of a fast-paced pulp tale littered with corpses and explosions: They grunt, grimace, and grit their teeth with appropriate determination when firing a weapon or jumping from great heights. It's the script by Shane Black that makes or breaks a film such as this, so it's a pleasant surprise that The Long Kiss Goodnight starts off with an inventive high-concept twist, developing a character nicely. Sadly, it then morphs somewhere in the second act into a routine series of percussive beats and a predictable government espionage/conspiracy/paranoia tale. If their project had delved into the issues of identity as thoughtfully as those action epics based on the works of novelist Philip K. Dick, the filmmakers might truly have had something not only viscerally exciting but intellectually fresh and stimulating on their hands. My final thoughts on the movie are The Long Kiss Goodnight was one of the better action films released in 96. Shane Black who been away from the buddy genre came back hard with this action film that features the sexy Genna Davis as an ex-spy. Samuel L.Jackson provides great comic releif though I didn't like the way he was beat up in the movie. If you want action and comedy with a female hero this is the movie for you.
Review of The Long Kiss Goodnight
The Long Kiss Goodnight
(1996)
Renny Harlin and Shane Black make and enjoyable action flick
16 June 2003