"The Defiant Ones" gets updated with this slightly futuristic sci-fi thriller, starring Rutger Hauer as Frank, a jewel thief double-crossed and shot by his partners (Joan Chen, James Remar). He manages to squirrel away the jewels before getting picked up by the cops.
And that's where the plot really kicks into gear. The prisons' enterprising warden (Stephen Tobolowsky) fits all of the convicts with collars that will blow up each convicts' head REAL good if they get more than 100 yards away from the convict with a matching collar. Action and mayhem ensue when Frank escapes alongside Tracy (Mimi Rogers), who wears a matching collar.
Hauer is in typically fine form; he could make just about any B flick work thanks to his natural charisma. And he has good antagonistic chemistry with the amusingly cast Rogers. The whole cast is fine (Chen is a hoot as a completely self-serving individual); other familiar faces like Basil Wallace, Grand L. Bush, Denis Forest, Glenn Plummer, O-Lan Jones, Tina Lifford, and Danny Trejo all turn up as well.
The movie is basically good entertainment, even if it's ultimately a rather conventional chase flick. It has entertaining protagonists and effectively weaselly antagonists, and has some juicy moments of violence. Part of the reason why it works as well as it does is because it rarely stops moving; kudos to the under-rated director Lewis Teague ("Alligator", "Cujo", "The Jewel of the Nile", "Navy SEALS") for keeping the excitement level reasonably high.
A worthy viewing for Hauer fans.
Seven out of 10.
And that's where the plot really kicks into gear. The prisons' enterprising warden (Stephen Tobolowsky) fits all of the convicts with collars that will blow up each convicts' head REAL good if they get more than 100 yards away from the convict with a matching collar. Action and mayhem ensue when Frank escapes alongside Tracy (Mimi Rogers), who wears a matching collar.
Hauer is in typically fine form; he could make just about any B flick work thanks to his natural charisma. And he has good antagonistic chemistry with the amusingly cast Rogers. The whole cast is fine (Chen is a hoot as a completely self-serving individual); other familiar faces like Basil Wallace, Grand L. Bush, Denis Forest, Glenn Plummer, O-Lan Jones, Tina Lifford, and Danny Trejo all turn up as well.
The movie is basically good entertainment, even if it's ultimately a rather conventional chase flick. It has entertaining protagonists and effectively weaselly antagonists, and has some juicy moments of violence. Part of the reason why it works as well as it does is because it rarely stops moving; kudos to the under-rated director Lewis Teague ("Alligator", "Cujo", "The Jewel of the Nile", "Navy SEALS") for keeping the excitement level reasonably high.
A worthy viewing for Hauer fans.
Seven out of 10.