Flic et rebelle

The only reason I give Renegades as high a rating as I do is because I'm a great big fan of the leads Lou Diamond Phillips and Kiefer Sutherland. Rarely have I seen a major theatrical motion picture resting on a supposition as outrageous as this one.

Kiefer Sutherland is a Philadelphia detective gone undercover on his own to find a corrupt cop. He's infiltrated a mob headed by a very cold blooded hood played by Robert Knepper who's planning a jewel heist.

The heist goes off, but with some unforeseen complications. Such as the fact that Knepper while fleeing from the cops in hot pursuit, goes through the Philadelphia American Indian Museum and on impulse steals a sacred lance of the Lakota Sioux tribe. He also shoots Gary Farmer who tries to stop him and cold conks Sutherland who tries the same.

Phillips is Farmer's brother and he and Sutherland form an alliance of convenience to accomplish their separate goals. But I have to say that the whole idea here is just plain preposterous.

Phillips is a stoic Indian figure, he's carrying over his performance from Young Guns where he and Sutherland met and became lifetime friends. Sutherland's performance is a combination of Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry and Steve McQueen from Bullitt.

For action fans there are enough gun battles and one great car chase as in Bullitt through the streets of Philadelphia/Toronto as some of Renegades was filmed there. As Sutherland and Phillips are good friends in real life as well the spirit of camaraderie does come through. Jami Gertz as Knepper's girl friend has a very nice role as basically an old time gangster moll.

Yet the whole idea behind Renegades is just plain preposterous and unless you're a fan of either one or both the leads you're going to laugh yourself silly.

(53%) A decently sized step up from the more average buddy cop movies of the 80's and 90's, that has still managed to get itself largely forgotten about. The plot is simple as you like fluff surrounding undercover Kiefer Sutherland tracking down a typical, yet without doubt very dangerous bad guy criminal who just so happens to steal a native American spear and kill a family member of Lou Diamond Phillips (big mistake) which of course leads to an unlikely team-up. The action sequences are better than most with plenty of car chases, shoot-outs and it's all solidly entertaining. The script could have been improved by giving more depth to the characters as the cast are fed on scraps throughout resulting in no real lasting impression. Which probably explains why this has fallen through the cracks a little. For fans of police action movies this is well worth a look, as it does give most of what one could possibly want from a mid-budget 80's flick.

RENEGADES is a great formula film from Jack Sholder. The films format is action adventure with a heavy native american theme. The film tells the tale of police corruption, mafia dirty dealings and the theft of a sacred lance from a native american tribe. The film has predictable elements yet is worthwhile. Of note is the directing style of sholder which is kinetic enough to keep the audience interested. RENEGADES is formula but succeds at being good formula; good formula never fails. I recommend this film as a popcorn and coke film.

Kiefer Sutherland is an undercover cop trying to take down a dirty cop, which somehow involves him in a museum robbery; jewelry and the Lakota's Sacred Lance are taken, and Lou Diamond Phillips' brother is killing trying to defend it. Sutherland is wounded, so Phillips gets him healed and then proceeds to help him track down the dirty cop, despite Sutherland being one of those mavericks who only work alone, etc. You know the trope; it's usually accompanied by "this time it's personal" because otherwise he'd be in a diabetic coma from all the glazed doughnuts.

Phillips spends a lot of his time in Wooden Indian mode, but is a good enough actor to let us see he's putting it on for Sutherland, whom he constantly shows up, like Tonto telling the Lone Ranger not to step in the kemosabe. Otherwise it's a straight 1980s wrangling buddies movie, in which Philadelphia may be the City of Brotherly Love, but it's portrayed by Toronto, so the frequent gun battle interrupt the bromance.

THE film RENEGADES, was a movie shot in ONTARIO and used such locations as a building used by TORONTO POLICE 42 division or a similar unit. The film was also shot partially in Pennsylvania. The film had moments of on screen brillance which is a trademark of all the JACK SHOULDER aka SHOLDER movies I have seen. The film should have had a alternate version. I am a fan of such films as the COWBOY WAY which use projects modeled after the "big city modern western approach" of film plots. This film has a big city western feel yet, also has a supernatural polt which ties in with indian myths and religion. RENEGADES also featued a early appearance by the respected actor who played LIAM KINCAID on EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (VON FLORES. I would have done things differently yet, i am nobody. The film was not a bad film, yet, could not LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS have played a triabla cop in pursuit of a criminal or a PI? Yet, giving him the role of a normal citizen who can handle himself is possibly better. This avoids cop movie cliches. In the film BUSTER and "CHIEF" played by Phillips get caught up in a mob war after a well financed mob thug steals a sacred relic. This film is not the DEER HUNTER but is worth a evenings view and features BILL SMITROVICH doing a great job playing a role we have seen in the movies one hundred times...I liked the character. Formula, well made formula sells. Or is that statement trite on my part? RENEGADES has the edge on being a restrianed action piece which brings it down to earth on believability. I enjoy seeing Sutherland playing agood guy hot off the heels of playing a psychotic in THE KILLING TIME...one of his best roles.