A disgraced former police officer returns to Los Angeles as a private detective and vigilante to catch a mass murderer. When he crosses paths with his estranged wife, he tries to rekindle th... Read allA disgraced former police officer returns to Los Angeles as a private detective and vigilante to catch a mass murderer. When he crosses paths with his estranged wife, he tries to rekindle their relationship.A disgraced former police officer returns to Los Angeles as a private detective and vigilante to catch a mass murderer. When he crosses paths with his estranged wife, he tries to rekindle their relationship.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaProducer Sandy Howard had just worked with star Wings Hauser on 'Vice Squad' (1982) and was impressed with his ability and charisma. Howard immediately searched for a vehicle for his star and found it with this film. Howard hoped it would be the beginning of a Dirty Harry-like series, but plans for more Stony Cooper films fell through.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Joshua Adams: We're two of a kind Cooper we both know violence is a means to an end... now hand over your gun... do it
- Crazy creditsThe concluding credits roll over a stilled image of Wings Hauser, Joyce Ingalls and Al Ruscio moving away together outside the Canfield Institute.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Cinema Snob: Deadly Force/The Big Score (2023)
- SoundtracksI Can't Fight It
Music by Lori Lieberman and Gary S. Scott (as Lieberman/Scott)
Lyrics by Janus Cercone (as Janis Cercone)
Performed by Lorraine Devon Wilke (as Lorraine Devon)
Produced by Gary S. Scott (as Gary Scott)
Featured review
Wings Hauser is the man!
What we have here is a typical run-of-the-mill eighties crime/action/thriller from the somewhat lower budget regions. The plot involves a (very active) serial killer running amok in L.A. One of the apparently random victims, being killed at the very start of the movie, is the granddaughter of an ex-thief. Granddaddy then calls in the help of Stoney Jackson Cooper (Wings Hauser), a former hard-boiled cop from the L.A. police force who doesn't like playing by the rules. When he arrives in L.A., the authorities, local criminals as well as his (soon-to-be) ex-wife are not too happy with his return. But Stoney doesn't care. He's got a job to do and a promise to keep: track down the vile killer and put a stop to his activities.
The story bounces to the left & the right at an uneven pace, but still manages to be quite coherent and even turn in a twist at the start of the third act (albeit one you'll probably see coming). Wings Hauser is in top shape in this one and pretty much owns the movie. One scene has him relaxing in a bath tub, and then going after the killer butt-naked after the whole loft has been shot to pieces during the killer's surprise attack. Even a pretty decent but obviously very standard climax is added to the mix (Wings vs. the killer, after his true identity is exposed). Other forms of entertainment, aside from shooting & killing, are included also, like a soft-core sex-scene (Wings & Joyce Ingalls) and an obligatory car crash/explosion. Yes, "Deadly Force" does its best to play it right.
Sadly, one of the worst aspects of "Deadly Force" is the musical score. The main theme - if you can call it that - doesn't work at all. It's too rocky & funky and is used too often & inappropriately (even during the climactic fight & chase scene at the end). It gives the film a much sillier & dated vibe than it should have. A more gritty & tense analog synth score would have worked wonders, I'm sure. But in the end, "Deadly Force" is much more entertaining than it's poor rating on here would lead you to believe. And it's mainly thanks to Wings Hauser and a typical B-movie script that at least tries to make things work.
The story bounces to the left & the right at an uneven pace, but still manages to be quite coherent and even turn in a twist at the start of the third act (albeit one you'll probably see coming). Wings Hauser is in top shape in this one and pretty much owns the movie. One scene has him relaxing in a bath tub, and then going after the killer butt-naked after the whole loft has been shot to pieces during the killer's surprise attack. Even a pretty decent but obviously very standard climax is added to the mix (Wings vs. the killer, after his true identity is exposed). Other forms of entertainment, aside from shooting & killing, are included also, like a soft-core sex-scene (Wings & Joyce Ingalls) and an obligatory car crash/explosion. Yes, "Deadly Force" does its best to play it right.
Sadly, one of the worst aspects of "Deadly Force" is the musical score. The main theme - if you can call it that - doesn't work at all. It's too rocky & funky and is used too often & inappropriately (even during the climactic fight & chase scene at the end). It gives the film a much sillier & dated vibe than it should have. A more gritty & tense analog synth score would have worked wonders, I'm sure. But in the end, "Deadly Force" is much more entertaining than it's poor rating on here would lead you to believe. And it's mainly thanks to Wings Hauser and a typical B-movie script that at least tries to make things work.
helpful•51
- Vomitron_G
- Jul 14, 2011
- How long is Deadly Force?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $3,000,000 (estimated)
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