Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All

The only problem with this movie series was the Made4TV factor. Mike Hammer was a rough-n-ready detective, much like the old Cannon series cross-bred with Sherlock Holmes, with a little New Yorker thrown in for good measure. The M4TV movies just couldn't do all that and still get the general audience clearing they needed for their time slot. They are therefore, lacking in edgy toughness needed to perpetrate a full on assault of the senses one would expect from this franchise.

Stacy Keach, however, is the epitome of perfect casting. He was the absolute best actor for this role. I always enjoy these movies, regardless of their downfalls.

This one rates a 6.4/10 on the M4TV scale from...

the Fiend :.

Mike Hammer turns down an offer of work from Johnny Roman because it involves him travelling up into Las Vegas – which he doesn't "do" being a New York kinda guy. However when someone snatches him off the street he wakes up in a plane just in time to be thrown out of it. Luckily for him they have put him in a parachute and, when he lands, he finds himself in Vegas. Johnny Roman denies it was him that brought him but explains what he wants him to do – but Hammer still refuses. Within hours, Roman is murdered on live TV and planted evidence leaves the police in no doubt that Hammer did it. Out on bail, Hammer has no choice but to clear his name but finds himself drawn into more murder and mystery than he knows what to deal with.

I've not watched any of this film series but I quite like the detective genre and decided to try this out. In a way it works reasonably well but the one think you need to accept is that this TV movie will constantly remind you of better films and books and, at the end of the day, it is very much like a copy of genre staples. The plot is easy to follow but alludes to the complexity that the genre likes; at times it starts to get a bit tiresome as it throws obvious red herrings out to fill time but it is still engaging enough fare. The direction is very "TV" and the whole thing does demonstrate a limited budget throughout. Those looking for more than daytime TV stuff should avoid but it does just about distract on that level.

Matching the low-budget feel of the sets and script, the performances have the same sort of limitations. Keach walks around like a bear with a sore head in a character that countless others have done better. His narration is like a bad impression and his delivery isn't that better. The rest of the cast don't add much either. Carter isn't that convincing as the femme fatale type of character and everyone else sort of ticks the genre boxes but never rises above TV movie level – the only one of interest is Jim Carrey in a "before they were famous" moment.

Overall then a very basic entry in the genre. Those happy to operate at the level of daytime TV movie and who like the genre should find this distracting. However it is hard to ignore that the whole thing is like a poor photocopy in every regard – you can see everything, it is all just fuzzy and of a low quality.

Steering a thin line between spoof and serious detective fiction and Hammer's consistently entertaining throw away lines and glib reactions this movie, to my mind, is the best of the lot. It blends all the key ingredients in the appropriately sleezy world of Las Vegas and the supporting cast, including Ed Winters as Johnny Roman, and Jim Carrey in an early role, is terrific. Right from the off, each scene grabs the attention and the dialogue is superior Hollywood script writing at its best.

The plot moves fast and efficiently. The storyline is very good too. It's a cracking Hammer movie courtesy of Messrs Spillane and Stacey Keach.

Come on. Have a heart.

Instead I rated it a 5 because of the loose ends. Lots of twists to the plot just as one would expect with Mike Hammer. But I like my endings tied up neatly and this film doesn't even explain why Hammer was parachuted into Vegas or why that was the only way to get him there.

The Mickey Spillaine character, Mike Hammer(Stacy Keach) has a new case, that he doesn't want. He is later shanghaied from New York to Las Vegas. But when he reaches to his destination, he goes from a guest to a suspect.

The man who wants Mike Hammer to help with a legal battle gets killed during a Jerry Lewis like telethon. Everything points to Hammer. Knowing that he didn't kill him. Everyone wants to help Hammer out to clear his name, are getting killed by someone. Most of the whole thing is nothing but a wild goose chase. And there's evidence that wasn't even there. Filled with a great cast of guest stars. I enjoyed it very much.

3 out of 5 stars.