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Wanted Dead or Alive |
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Wanted Dead or Alive
Rutger hauer is an urban bounty hunter gene simmons is an international terrorist with a plan to turn los angeles into a battlefield. But when the cia uses hauer as bait to trap simmons the hunter becomes the hunted. Dvd features widescreen presentation theatrical trailer and teaser trailer. Studio: Starz/sphe Release Date: 07/06/2004 Starring: Rutger Hauer Robert Guillaume Run time: 106 minutes Rating: R Director: Gary Sherman
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Wanted Dead or Alive Reviews
I enjoy Rutger Hauer and had not seen some of his older movies. If you are a fan, you will like this one! I liked the reference to the show Wanted Dead or Alive, it was one I used to watch!
It's been 20 years since I have seen this movie which I recall enjoying very much back then. I placed the order after forgetting about it and was pleased with the re-viewing. Yes it's not quite the front to back action packed style film you might have grown used to but it still has a good story and plenty of hero filled action. Rutger plays the part of a bounty hunter most of us middle age men would like to experience for just a week or two. Although it was a bit slower than I recall I still would recommend it to any 40 something year old man who enjoyed action movies from the 80's.
It's time again for that really popular pastime: Rutger Hauer Classic Cinema. Tonight's film of choice is WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, and it features our favorite Dutch dude Rutger Hauer once more throwing his hat into that cinematic genre of 1980s action cheese. And just because I mention "cheese" doesn't necessarily mean that this movie's a skunker. WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE has its share of cool moments, and I remember it in a good way, and especially that so very memorable ending.
This movie will resonate more for those who've caught the original WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, which was a television western series back in the late '50s. It starred an up-and-coming Steve McQueen, who was and still is just about the epitome of cool. McQueen's character was Josh Randall, a bounty hunter of few words who let "Mare's Laig" - his nifty 1892 44/40 center fire Winchester carbine - do the talking for him. And I guess this paragraph turned out to be a pimpfest for Steve McQueen's western show. Eh, so be it. It's certainly worth checking out.
But back to Rutger Hauer Classic Cinema. Rutger Hauer plays Nick Randall, the great-grandson of Josh Randall and also a bounty hunter in Los Angeles, and, yeah, it's a bummer that there weren't enough connections or references made to tie in with Steve McQueen's character. Nick Randall is a loner, and he's looking to make a big enough score so that he can fix up his grungy boat. But then his past comes back to bite him.
Gene Simmons, from the band KISS, back then was trying to branch out from white make-up and from sticking out his tongue, and, in the '80s he took on a few villainous roles. Here, Gene brings understated menace to the screen as Middle Eastern terrorist Malak Al Rahim, although Gene never does end up sounding Middle Eastern. Malak Al Rahim arrives in L.A. and soon blows up a movie theater, and then vows to unleash even more terror on the city. Which is when the CIA gets involved, maybe because someone again forgot that the CIA friggin' isn't a domestic agency. Maybe the FBI guys were all attending Thumb Twiddling 101? Anyway, this happens to be one of those flicks which doesn't show the Company in a good light.
Nick Randall gets roped in because he's ex-CIA, and it turns out Malak Al Rahim is his responsibility since Rahim is a subject Randall failed to terminate on a past mission. Anyway, the CIA offers Randall a huge reward for bringing Rahim in, and Randall is initially skeptical but, then again, there's that grungy boat which isn't gonna get pretty by itself.
Rutger Hauer easily demonstrates his action hero chops, and even has a few good one-liners and manages to hold on enough to a passable American accent that not once did I think "Ah, Ikea." Hauer's strength has always been this weird intensity he's got, and he brings that here, although it disappointingly isn't as palpable as in BLADE RUNNER, NIGHTHAWKS, or THE HITCHER. But he flaunts enough of that "Don't you eff with me" vibe that when his boat got blown up real good (and also the folks on it), well, I started relishing and anticipating the crapstorm about to be unleashed on the bad guys. Sure 'nuff, Hauer, looking even more unhinged than usual, is soon wearing those ominous black leather threads, and the smackdowns rapidly ensue.
I like the little touches: the cache of weaponry hidden behind the baby seat in the car, the vast warehouse armory, the fact that Randall is shaky on the harmonica, that the exploded movie theater was showing RAMBO... WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, in its action set pieces, is firmly entrenched in how they did things back in the 1980s. Explosions, gunfire, car chases, big hair waving, not a lot of martial arts stuff like everyone and their mamas seem to be able to do nowadays. But Rutger Hauer is different enough and has enough presence that, even with that hint of a beer gut, he makes it work. But he gets good help by the always classy Robert Guillaume (who, okay, does let it rip with a few eff bombs here).
WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE offers an awesome ending, that one scene alone worth one bonus star in my rating. My only regret is that that one truly scummy, vile CIA guy never does get his just desserts. Anyway, Rutger Hauer had a few years in which he hovered sort of near the box office summit. This movie falls within that window, along with BLADERUNNER, LADYHAWKE and THE HITCHER. Although, to be honest, this is probably the least of the four.
This has been Rutger Hauer Classic Cinema. "F--- the bonus."
To begin with, I love this movie. I saw it as a young lad when it was released direct to video in the mid to late 80s (before it's much promised, but never realised ''theatrical release'') and it has stayed with me ever since. No matter how many times I see it, or how dated it appears - it holds a special place in my 80s action movie loving heart.
The story isn't the most revelatory, but let's give it a go anyway: Rutger Hauer stars as Nick Randall (a descendant of Steve McQueen's Josh Randall TV character from the 50s), an LA based bounty hunter and ex-CIA operative (sic) making good money tracking down skip tracers for a living and also semi co-habiting with his new girlfriend Terry (Mel Harris). To shatter his near perfect existence, he is approached by former collegue Philmore Walker (played by the ever reliable Robert Guillaume) to help track down terrorist Malak Al Rahim who is blowing pieces of LA away with makeshift bombs and terrorism. Malak is played to the manor born by Kiss frontman Gene Simmons who threatens to steal the show, but can never out weirdo our Rutger, who when pushed can crank up the strangeness dial to 100.
As the story progresses and through a series of events which I won't spoil here, Randall becomes a target of Malak and vice versa which leads to a cat and mouse chase between the two, resulting in what has to be one of the best endings to an action movie . . . quite possibly ever. Both Simmons and Hauer are genuinely good in the movie and the intensity between them is what fuels this actioner along - it isn't just the usual 80s shoot 'em up. Behind the bombs and bullets is a real tension going on and that is what makes the finale all that more satisfying.
Besides a great a job from the two leads, the rest of the cast are suitably good as well. Mel Harris and Robert Guillaume are strong in their supporting roles and character actor Jerry Hardin is great as a bent FBI agent. Director Gary Sherman keeps everything moving well and orchestrates some fine action sequences on what is obviously a limited budget, but never lets the pyrotechnics get in the way of character or dramatics.
As a straight direct to video adventure flick, the movie keeps on giving in spades, but with it's topical terrorist plotline (remember, it was made in 1986) - it spookily echoes what has been going on for the past few years in our time and watching it again today it does makes you think more about the actual story than what a regular 90 minute actioner usually does. I'm not saying it has the power of a 'Syriana' or 'United 93', but it does resonate a little more than 'Rambo III' for example...
Anchor Bay's disc is it's usual level of quality, except you only get the movie and a few trailer's - but, nothing much else. The transfer is fine and is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. If like me, you love the movie, go for this Anchor Bay release but don't go expecting a loaded special edition.
All in all, it's a guilty pleasure of mine and I would probably defend it a little more than it actually deserves - but, for me it works and keeps on doing so. If you have a fond memory of 80s action movies and don't mind spending 90 minutes with a dutch blonde guy with an assortment of heavy artillary - then, this could be the one for you. Plus, that ending is a doozy... sorry, did I mention that?
This movie is probably 25 years old. But it is a great action, drama movie. My dad and my son and I watched it over and over on HBO years ago. I had been looking for it for a long time. Thank you Amazon for having such a great selection.Rutger Hauer is a great actor and Gene Simmions, yes from the rock band Kiss, is one of the best bad guys ever. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and the ending will blow you away.Hauer plays a bounty hunter who is ex cia and he makes reference to the old tv show of the same name with Steve McQueen for those of us who remember back that far, he is supposed to be his great grandson. Like I said a Great Action Move with a blow away ending.
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