Sam Peckinpah's swan song is a muddled, confusing work with flashes of greatness that remind us of the director in his prime. Considering the amount of trash that was released during the '80s, I was actually pretty pleased with this film, which kept me gripped throughout. The reason is twofold: first off, the twisty, turny plot line, taken from a Robert Ludlum novel, always keeps you guessing as to the true identities of the characters and what's going on behind the scenes. The second reason is the cast: this film has assembled a list of greats from old-time winners to then-new talent.
The film marks pretty familiar territory for the director: taut conspiracy tension combines with a home-under-siege scenario reminiscent of the climax of STRAW DOGS. Along the way there's time for the kind of biting television satire that was also prevalent in the likes of Cronenberg's VIDEODROME from the same period. The action is handled very well indeed and there's just the right amount without the film being too over the top; time is always taken to build the characters and storyline first, unlike in today's Hollywood blockbusters. I find action always more effective when you care about those involved. Peckinpah can't resist shooting some slow motion and I love the bow and arrows/crossbow scenes, expertly done.
Yes, the film's editing is poor, and Lalo Schifrin's score is one of his deservedly lesser known compositions. The muddled storyline takes some working out but despite all these negatives, I had fun watching this movie. The twist is spot on and the actors handle it very well. John Hurt is creepy and weird, while Rutger Hauer is the best I've ever seen him, making for a charismatic hero who's believable as well as being an action man. Burt Lancaster lends some old-time gravitas to the role while '80s starlets Helen Shaver and Meg Foster also make good, early impressions in their careers. Some of the best casting is saved for the trio of friends who visit Hauer; Nelson, Hopper and Sarandon take some beating. Hopper achieves a fine balance between friendliness and sinister; Chris Sarandon is a pretty frightening, volatile character and I'm sure his part here paved the way for his vampire role in FRIGHT NIGHT. Best of all is POLTERGEIST's Craig T. Nelson, absolutely superb as the buddy with shady intentions; he plays it just right. What a cast!
The film marks pretty familiar territory for the director: taut conspiracy tension combines with a home-under-siege scenario reminiscent of the climax of STRAW DOGS. Along the way there's time for the kind of biting television satire that was also prevalent in the likes of Cronenberg's VIDEODROME from the same period. The action is handled very well indeed and there's just the right amount without the film being too over the top; time is always taken to build the characters and storyline first, unlike in today's Hollywood blockbusters. I find action always more effective when you care about those involved. Peckinpah can't resist shooting some slow motion and I love the bow and arrows/crossbow scenes, expertly done.
Yes, the film's editing is poor, and Lalo Schifrin's score is one of his deservedly lesser known compositions. The muddled storyline takes some working out but despite all these negatives, I had fun watching this movie. The twist is spot on and the actors handle it very well. John Hurt is creepy and weird, while Rutger Hauer is the best I've ever seen him, making for a charismatic hero who's believable as well as being an action man. Burt Lancaster lends some old-time gravitas to the role while '80s starlets Helen Shaver and Meg Foster also make good, early impressions in their careers. Some of the best casting is saved for the trio of friends who visit Hauer; Nelson, Hopper and Sarandon take some beating. Hopper achieves a fine balance between friendliness and sinister; Chris Sarandon is a pretty frightening, volatile character and I'm sure his part here paved the way for his vampire role in FRIGHT NIGHT. Best of all is POLTERGEIST's Craig T. Nelson, absolutely superb as the buddy with shady intentions; he plays it just right. What a cast!