Michael
Madsen.. (Dalton) Kristy
Swanson.. (Jenna)
David Dukes.. (Jordan McNamara) Ron
Perlman.. (The Director)
Tom 'Tiny' Lister Jr.. (Lester) Al Sapienza.. (Holman)
Premiered
April 9 on HBO
This is a really likeable
film, it has all the same incredulous yet fun and pacey elements of
a Bond movie. It bounds along in an energetic and engaging manner and
although there is violence, it's only really the bad guys who meet with
a nasty end and they, in true Bond style, are dealt with swiftly and
courteously.
Ron's role is quite short
but truly worth the wait and absolutely guaranteed to cause video exhaustion.
Plenty of rewinding moments as he melts straight through the camera
in every scene, especially as he stares out over the top of those rose-coloured
glasses. If you watch it, you'll know exactly what I mean by ' those.
'
The cast gel wonderfully,
with Ron as ever, playing the biggest and nastiest of them all.
He is deliciously powerful
as the coldly efficient director of an elite counter terrorist unit.
The epitome of evil, he is seemingly devoid of all emotions until near
the end where he reveals his truer, more cowardly self.
The film centres around
a female assassin called Jenna, played by Kristy Swanson who
in the middle of her latest assignment gets a sudden attack of conscience.
Her sanction, Jordan MacNamara, played by David Dukes, is a famous
TV newsreader, about to make public a story that will threaten the very
existence of the unit. When she refuses to kill him, Jenna too
becomes a target.
She is pursued by Dalton,
played by Michael Madsen, the very man who trained her in the first
place. Under the watchful eye of The Director, Dalton must out-manoeuvre
his trainee, who seems always just one step ahead of him, track her
down and stop her for good. Luckily Jenna has help, her friend
Marcus is something of a gadget boy. He supplies her with things,
as he puts it, that you can't just get down the local shops. One of
these is a necklace with a hidden camera in it. He has something of
a crush on Jenna and steals many of the film's funniest moments.
The stakes are raised
when Jordan's daughter is taken captive by Dalton, and
as Jordan is thrown straight into the lions den, Jenna and
Marcus know the only way forward, is to follow him in.
The final confrontation
scene where Ron, captured on the hidden camera, reveals everything live
onto television news is great. Caught in the headlights he quickly takes
matters under control, until he is out manoeuvred and held hostage by
Jenna at gunpoint.
Ron plays the switch from
tyrant to coward superbly and as that wavering fear plays upon his eyes
you just know that his usual sticky end is just around the corner.
This is a thoroughly enjoyable
film, it has a strong cast that really pull together and make this a
very watchable story.
Ron and Kristy Swanson
actually worked together on "Tinseltown" as well, and the on-screen
tension between them is quite something, as Ron must be a difficult
person to convincingly over-power and in the final shootout she has
to hold him captive whilst fending off several bad guys all trying to
desperately make their minds up who they are supposed to shoot, and
she does so with a great deal of guts.
A very entertaining finish
to an all round very entertaining film.
Reviewed
by Julie Pike.