Cold Steel

Brad Davis plays a cop here tracking down his fathers killer, and on occasion has various encounters with defiant vending machines. Jonathan Banks shows his versatility by giving the same dry performance were all accustomed to, despite an unusual vocal disposition. Oh, and then there's Sharon Stone,…no surprises here. Director Puzo tries to show some visual flair with gravity defying slow-motion car jump's, a la' Blues Brothers, and it comes off just as silly. The films sports cliché' locations and situations, routine acting, and the occasional twist here and there, but really, nothing ever leaves the realm of the status quo. Even the off-casting of Adam Ant couldn't help rise this mediocre entry above it's ilk.

One Christmas Eve, a tough Los Angeles cop learns that his father has been brutally murdered. You're probably guessing that he swears revenge. In actual fact, it's kind of hard to conclude whether he does so or not, because for the next thirty or so minutes of the movie, he does NOTHING in the way of investigation. When he does decide more or less to take care of business, he really doesn't have to do that much thinking - the clues as to who was behind his father's murder and why are pretty much handed to him on a silver platter. It's hard to believe that this movie actually got a theatrical release. It's pretty cheap, badly shot, but worst of all, except for a few okay motor vehicle stunts, it's extremely boring. Even Sharon Stone's nude scene is a big yawn. The production company (Cinetel Films) went on to make even cheaper and cruder movies.

Police detective Johnny Modine (Brad Davis) gets a bad Christmas surprise. His father opens his store to Dorian "Mick" Michael Duran (Adam Ant) and gets killed by Isaac "Iceman" (Jonathan Banks). One night, Kathy Connors (Sharon Stone) shows up in the cop bar and starts talking to Johnny. As he investigates, he finds a group of men with a vendetta against him.

Once upon a time, Brad Davis was a rising star, but he never got to A-list status. In this one, he's trying very hard and maybe too hard. Everything in the movie is a little over the top and not well done. It does have some interesting side characters including Sharon Stone as the femme fatale. According to the movie posters, she is the big selling point. It also has Jonathan freaking Banks and Adam Ant. Banks is a legend and Adam Ant is a forgotten name from the 80's. The vending machine gag is not funny and they repeat it. The movie keeps trying for comedy and it rarely works. They do like their car stunts and it's fun to see all the cars flipping around in the air. This is a poor action movie, but it does have a couple of fun scenes.

After his father is slashed to death on Christmas Eve, handsome Los Angeles policeman Brad Davis (as Johnny Modine) embarks on the inevitable. While pursuing meth-addicted Jonathan Banks (as Isaac), Mr. Davis gets sexy Sharon Stone (as Kathy Connors) to show a little skin. The hero is supported by buddy Jay Acovone (as Cookie) and former glam / new wave rocker Adam Ant (as Mick) helps the villain. A flashback reveals some violent silliness triggered the plot. We get a good chase scene, with plenty of crashing. "The Godfather" writer's rarely seen daughter Dorothy Ann Puzo directed.

***** Cold Steel (12/11/87) Dorothy Ann Puzo ~ Brad Davis, Sharon Stone, Jonathan Banks, Adam Ant

Thats what it received from critics and audiences alike . Except for the over the top violence quota, COLD STEEL is a revenge cop caper more suited to television than general release, which was at best - limited to say the least.

Jonathan Banks, a Frank Stallone look-alike of sorts, gives us a hammy performance as Iceman, who knocks off Brad Davis's dad who understandably then, carries a grudge against the knife-wielding maniac until the last scene.

Sharon Stone's contribution is negligible except for her figure and regularly thrust-forward breasts! Not a solitary viewer's life could be greatly enriched by watching this under-achiever of a movie.