La prise de Beverly Hills

What started out with a promising premise (for the time) turned into little more than an excuse to string together a few hit songs interspersed with some halfway decent action sequences.

Make no mistake though, it's still a fun movie to watch, it's just a shame it wasn't a bit more solid. If it had been, then maybe it could have been built out into a Die Hard-like franchise with Boomer Hayes getting into more and more unlikely situations.

As it is, though, you could do worse for a switch-off-your-brain actioner. Ken Wahl is decent enough in the lead role, Branscombe Richmond is predictable as a somewhat unhinged hitman, Robert Davi puts in some good work as the mastermind behind the heist, and Lee "Mr Boddy" Ving is...there? Matt Frewer deserves better though, and Harley Jane Kozak feels like an afterthought...

With all the remakes and reboots and reskins being made at the moment, I'd like to see this get a remake on the condition that whoever took it on put a bit of actual effort into it, though.

Ken Wahl plays "Boomer" Hayes, a football star who must become the unlikely hero when the owner of his team, "Bat" Masterson (veteran screen villain Robert Davi), masterminds a false toxic spill in order to get Beverly Hills residents evacuated from their homes. Thus, the empty homes will be ripe for looting by Mastersons' many minions (consisting largely of disgruntled ex-cops). "Boomer" teams up with Kelvin (Matt Frewer), a uniformed BH Cop, who was in on the scheme but took a powder when things got violent. All night long they must dodge attempts on their lives while heading for a showdown with the ambitious criminal.

"The Taking of Beverly Hills" is an amusing credit for veteran Canadian-born filmmaker Sidney J. Furie ("The Ipcress File", "The Entity", "Iron Eagle"). It's WAY over the top in terms of destruction; get a load of all the damage that henchman Benitez (Branscombe Richmond) does while trying to dispose of our heroes. It takes stupidity, implausibility, and chaos to glorious levels, and will likely have its viewers grinning and shaking their heads in equal measure. Fortunately, this is one movie that knows damn well how ridiculous it is, and makes up for in pace and energy level what it lacks in brains.

It begins appropriately enough, with Frewer doing voice-over for a credits sequence that is both a kind of love letter to, and critical assessment of, BH. It benefits the most from Davis' smooth performance as a bad guy who REALLY wants to be accepted by the elite of BH, including the fat-cat father (William Prince) of the sexy lady (Harley Jane Kozak) whom Davi covets. In another character detail, he also happens to be asthmatic.

The supporting cast includes such familiar faces as punk rock star Lee Ving, Lyman Ward (Mr. Bueller in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"), Tarantino favourite Michael Bowen, Wahls' "Wanderers" co-star Tony Ganios, Ken Swofford ('Fame'), Michael Alldredge ("The Incredible Melting Man"), and George Wyner ("Spaceballs") as the BH mayor. Pamela Anderson has an uncredited bit as a cheerleader.

Richmond makes such a nuisance of himself in his efforts to eliminate Wahl and Frewer that it's an utter shame that his comeuppance isn't a lot more glorious.

Ultimately, it's all a little too silly for its own good, but it's definitely not boring.

Six out of 10.

I had originally seen the preview for this movie within another nameless early 90s stinker, back in the day. I hadn't given this movie another thought until I was at a truck stop in Morrilton, Arkansas, and saw it sitting there, collecting dust next to a bunch of other stinkers (like Tremors 3). I immediately remembered the preview: a bunch of cars blowing up, lots of shooting, plenty of "tag lines;" you know, the usual action movie cliches. Realizing that I'd never see this movie again, I bought it. During the drive home, I kept building it up to my girlfriend as being the stupidest looking movie on earth, based on the preview that I had seen over a decade ago. Once we got home, we popped it in the VCR, prepared to laugh ourselves silly. Not so. It is one of the most underrated movies of all time. It is fantastic!!! Great (if not a little cheap looking) action sequences!! Great plot! Decent acting! Superb plot twists and turns! Unformulaic ending! I was quite surprised. I think the previews made it look far worse than it actually is. The scene where the hero is blowing stuff up to "Epic" by Faith No More almost causes goosebumps. The catch is: You MUST be a fan of the genre. If you are, this movie will NOT let you down. I promise! See it! It's available somewhere out there from MGM. 7/10

I saw this movie as a kid and thought how much fun it was. Now as an adult, it's dumb...really dumb...but fun. I'm actually astonished this didn't become a cult, like say..."Revenge Of The Living Dead." I think it still has time.

Boomer Hayes (Ken Wahl) is a star quarterback for a fictitious L.A. team (since L.A. doesn't have a pro football team...why not?). He gets snookered into a benefit for the homeless at a swank Beverly Hills party. Amongst the party-goers is football team's owner and Boomer's boss, Robert Masterson (Robert Davi). Which the minute you see Davi's smarmy face...it's no surprise he'll be up to smarm. Anyway, that's all you need to know going in. Rich and poor. Have and have nots. And that's when the have-nots want the haves. A bizarre conspiracy to take over a business veiled in a heist (sound familiar...I 'aint ruining anything).

They also turn it into a buddy cop movie. Which, oddly enough, is narrated by Matt Frewer...yes, Max Headroom Frewer. His voice over to introduce Beverly Hills is anemic, to be kind, and silly. And odd, since the point of view is from Boomer...I think. But these two go off to try to thwart this crime, even though they are battling an army that is essentially the L.A.P.D.

As dumb action movies of this generation goes, if you've exhausted all your options, THIS movie is a perfect compendium to something like "Action Jackson." It holds zero logic but has a pretty sweet soundtrack. Faith No More's "Epic" or Janet Jackson's "Black Cat" to name a few hits (how did they get these songs is beyond me).

Wahl is fun, but the dialogue is corny (as it should be) and there are some solid moments of male bonding. Overall, on a slow night or if your copy of "Road House" is worn out, check this out.

I remember when I walked into the video store when this movie first came out and how excited I was to see it. I had been such a great fan of Die Hard and I have always been a fan of the one good guy against a billion bad guy type of movies. Well, I am sorry to day that this movie is bad. The plot is extremely unrealistic. The special effects are elementary and the acting is very, very, very bad. But it is still fun to watch one guy go up against an army. If you are a real fan of the genre then I would suggest renting this. If you are a so-so fan or less. Find sometihng worth while.