Ricochet

Nick Styles is a cool cop who whilst on the beat with his partner captures and embarrasses on live TV, ruthless crime maniac Earl Talbott Blake. Styles goes on to achieve fame and lands the job of Assistant District Attorney, whilst Blake is sent to prison from where he plots a mission from hell that will destroy Styles life wholesale.

Whilst not amounting to more than your standard revenge thriller, Ricochet does have grizzly devilment within its plot to make this a recommend for those who enjoy the popcorn thriller. John Lithgow is always great as a loon bad guy, and here he is a cackling grinning maniacal maelstrom of hate, and some of the lines he gets to deliver are icy madness personified. Denzel Washington is routinely good as Styles, handsome and believable as the cop done good who gets his life flipped upside down by the revenge thirsty Blake. The film is tight on action (including a couple of gross scenes for those inclined), no little suspense, and a wonderful homage to White Heat into the bargain.

It's no award winner, it's for those who like to be entertained with a bowl of no brain popcorn on their laps. See this if you enjoyed Lithgow in Cliffhanger, or purely if you like Washington period. 7/10

It's so bad, it's good? I don't even know how to explain the absurdity going on in this movie. From the power guy/bad guy having cake with the babysitter to everyone believing a dubbed video of the protagonist passed out screwing a hooker is real. Everyone close to him IMMEDIATELY turning on him for absolutely no reason whatsoever to god knows what because I haven't even finished this train wreck. I don't know if someone really wrote the most terrible script in the world or half this movie got left on the editing room floor. God it's bad.

This movie rocks! The double cat-and-mouse game played by Washington and Lithgow works. If you are looking for an action movie that provides plenty of thrills, conflicts, drama, chases, and breathtaking suspenses and actually has a PLOT, then this film is for you.

Washington and Lithgow are both first rate, as always, and this movie does not disappoint. Watch it!

*** out of ****

Over-the-top vehicle for Denzel Washington, here playing policeman-turned-District Attorney who puts slimy killer John Lithgow away, but quickly becomes the psycho's main target after Lithgow escapes from prison (in what must be the most nondescript prison-breakout in movie history!). Ridiculous, sometimes enjoyable non-think entertainment doesn't take itself too seriously, and Washington is solid throughout. Lithgow appropriately hams it up, but Lindsay Wagner is wasted as a fellow D.A. Film tails off near the finish line for a formulaic climax, but otherwise isn't too bad. ** from ****

A strong opening sequence, reminiscent of titles straight from a Hitchcock movie, bodes well and it's Denzel to the max from the opening frames. 'Ricochet' is very much a product of the 80's in its look and sound, and there's a hard edge and some snappy dialog that really pushes the action forward without pulling any of its numerous punches. This is most likely down to the screenplay being penned by Steven de Souza who wrote Die Hard; DH 2; 48 Hours and Another 48 Hours, some of the previous decades' defining films. John Lithgow's performance is suitably deranged, Kevin Pollack provides solid support (nice impression in the early stages). It's a good story, not without a Hitchcockian twist or two, arguably not particularly polished as a final product, but still a barrel load of kitschy '80's fun. Worth a look, especially for Denzel fans.