punishmentpark
A terrific thriller adventure flick with lots of fine acting by Sydney Poitier, Tom Berenger, Kirstie Alley and the whole bunch playing the survivalists. The film is roughly divided into three geographical sections: 'heist' (prelude), 'survival trip' (the main course) and 'finale in Vancouver' (aftermath). All parts are suspenseful (and comical at moments), but the different settings really add to the colour of the movie.The group dynamics when Alley's characters teams up with a crew (one of them is the baddie, but who?) work great, and Berenger and Poitier have good chemistry as well. Of course, the film works best when you see it for the first time (and you still don't know who the baddie is), but I'm always looking forward to seeing it once in a while on the BBC. It's one of those re-runs that never bores, and I must have seen it at least four or five times by now.9 out of 10.
Leofwine_draca
A slick and efficient wilderness thriller utilising a few great actors to strong effect, DEADLY PURSUIT is one of my favourite crime films of the 1980s. The story is simplicity in itself, a classic odd-couple pairing as inner-city FBI agent Sidney Poitier is forced to team up with a survivalist type to track down a ruthless murderer. This is the type of film that you don't really watch for the intricacies of the storyline, as it's kept very simple and straightforward, but to enjoy great outdoor photography, a sharp script and commanding performances.Poitier returned from a decade-long break from acting for his role here, and he couldn't have picked a better part: he plays a commendable guy, extremely hard-bitten and intelligent and yet not without humour too – witness the very funny scenes involving a moose and a horse. Tom Berenger, in comparison, is taciturn and unfriendly and watching the two butt heads makes for a lot of fun.As the villain of the piece, Clancy Brown gives a towering performance that builds on his breakout part as the Kurgan in HIGHLANDER. He's hulking and frightening, a vicious psychopath who leaves a trail of bodies in his wake and doesn't think twice about bumping off defenceless old women. It's truly an intimidating turn, delivered in classic Brown style, and adds to the film immeasurably. Kirstie Alley is thrown into the mix to equalise the gender balance a little and doesn't have a lot to work with, but to be fair the film isn't about her.For a thriller, there are plenty of suspense scenes, some of them truly nail-biting – witness the set-piece involving the cable car. Okay, so the film does lose points slightly for moving away from the wilderness locations for the climax – it would have done a lot better by staying in the mountains – but such things are merely minor detractions and don't spoil the flow too much. This no-frills adventure/thriller hybrid is right on the money.
thinker1691
Police in every nation have, over the decades accumulated hundreds of stories concerning the chasing of criminals. Sometimes in the city, sometimes in the country and then there are times when the bad guys try to jump jurisdiction by crossing the boarder. This is one such movie called " Shoot to Kill. " The story is of Steve (Clancy Brown) a very intelligent, very crafty diabolic killer who begins with a B & E, armed assault, robbery, kidnapping and graduates to outright Murder. To combat him the F.B.I. assigns a senior and experienced agent named Warren Stantin (Sidney Poitier). The two meet with a robbery, murder where Steve takes his loot and kills his victim and makes good his escape. Stantin vows he will eventually apprehend him. A short time later, Steve emerges by infiltrating a troop of hikers into the U.S. Canadian mountains, where Steve is once again pursued by Stantin who is helped by Jonathan Knox, (Tom Berenger) a stubborned, but very experienced mountain guide who is determined to save his girlfriend (Kirstie Alley) from the clutches of the killer. In it's cast are several well known actors who have also played heavies, like Richard Masur and Andrew Robinson and make it difficult to identify the real killer. The movie is filled with action, adventure and some light moments between the principals. All in all, it's a good film and one is thankful for allowing Mr. Poitier to return to center stage before the camera. ****
Jackson Booth-Millard
With a great leading actor, a good supporting cast, and director Roger Spottiswoode (Turner & Hooch, Tomorrow Never Dies) involved, I thought, I can't see anything that would be bad about. Basically a man has stolen diamonds from his own jewellery shop, and then the man finds out a mad mad demands the diamonds in exchange for his kidnapped wife. The mad man manages to escape, but FBI agent Warren Stantin (Sidney Poitier) with wilderness experienced and skilled Jonathan Knox (Tom Berenger) as he runs through the Northern American forest. In this forest is a group of hikers, including Knox's girlfriend Sarah Renell (Kirstie Alley), Norman (Richard Masur), Harvey (Hellraiser's Andrew Robinson), and the revealed diamond thief, Steve (Clancy Brown). Also starring Kevin Scannell as Ben, Frederick Coffin as Ralph, Michael MacRae as Fournier, Robert Lesser as Agent Minelli, Les Lannom as Sheriff Dave Arnett, Frank C. Turner as Austin Crilley and Walter Marsh as Sam Baker. Poitier is a good lead, and Brown is a not too bad villain, I think it is the scaling outdoor sequences involving vast forest, rigid rocks and rushing rivers that are most watchable about this quite alright action thriller. Worth watching!
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