Guet-apens

I have been doing a Roger Donaldson binge this weekend, it all started with a cheesy volcano movie by director Donalsdon that had no pretentions of being anything else but family entertainment and I like that attitude. Only with those movies that take themselves too seriously I get irritated easily, but director Roger Donaldson knows how to make fun and suspenseful action movies for the masses. He has no pretentions. Donaldson's movies are what they are. Simply that. You get what you ask for. He also made "Cocktail" and "No Way Out" with Tom Cruise. That will give you a good idea what you can expect: sometimes cheesy, but always entertaining. Sometimes soft, sometimes hardcore. This flick is no disney action, but it aint Tarantino either. Middle of the road kind of action, but good enough.

"The Getaway" is a heist movie with a criminal couple on the run from other criminals that want their stolen money back. As simple as that, but executed very well. Not superb, but just very well. That suffices for me. Ideal for a saturday night flick of which I ask nothing else but simple entertainment for guys who wanna watch action.

The criminal couple on the run are being played by the butch Alex Baldwin and the lovely Kim Basinger. I dont like cheesy sex scenes in action movies, but for those who do, Kim Basinger has some pretty revealing nude scenes in it, no wonder, her being the sex bomb of the nineties, in which period she went naked in almost EVERY movie. She is still a good actress though, really, I say that without irony, personally I feel that the sex scenes only slow the heist and pursuit scenes down.

Anyways, as I said before this movie is made for the masses, so dont expect originality. But it has everything one could wish for to be just entertained: violence, suspense, action, sex and some great sick jokes. Just great action flick for guys.

The Getaway is a remake of the action classic that stared Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw. Now I haven't seen the original so I can't compare the two but by it self this is an OK action thriller. It goes old school with its desert/western setting, bad criminals and finale stand off. The story is simple Doc McCoy (Alec Baldwin), his wife (Kim Basinger) and his partner (Michael Madsen) are hired to get a man out of prison. When the job goes sour, McCoy is locked up for a year in a Mexican prison. With the help of his wife and a Phoenix crime boss Jack Benyon (James Woods), he released and hired to do one more job. This job goes semi good but after it has been done many people end up dead and the McCoys are on the run from many different people all with their eyes on the large amount of cash they have. The performances are OK. Baldwin is the American version of Pierce Brosnan. He's much more calm, composed and edgier than Pierce. Basinger is tough yet still has that soft side and she very good with guns. Madsen is a good mix with Baldwin and Basinger, he add the funny but villainous third part of the gang. The cast is bigger than normal for an action film but since this was made in the early ‘90's some of the actors hadn't hit it big yet. Jennifer Tilly, Phillip Seymore Hoffman and David Morse round out the cast. They all have small parts but they do the best with what they have. The action is not really original and there are a few Woo slow-motion shots thrown in for good measure. There's only one explosion but a lot of guns. In the end The Getaway is an OK action movie that if it's on TV it would be enjoyable to watch, if there's nothing better on.

This was a very entertaining, if morally way below par, action movie which consistently keeps your attention with intense scenes. Kim Bassinger probably looked as good as she ever looked which is saying a lot. She has one of the steamiest scenes I've ever seen on a mainline film (my tape was the "unrated" version) but at least it was with her real-life husband (at the time) Alec Baldwin.

This re-make of the 1972 film also has Michael Madsen, James Woods, Mike Morse and Jennifer Tilley - all playing sleazy characters. They are so bad they make Baldwin & Bassinger look like monks. This movie is not exactly Mary Poppins. There's almost too much of a mean edge to it....almost. Perhaps I enjoy ogling Bassinger too much to can this movie for its baseness.

Whatever, this entertains to the degree that it makes it a very quick two hours. There is no way you could get bored watching this film.

Way back when, pulp novelist genius Jim Thompson wrote "The Getaway." It was about a man and a woman who teamed up to rob. It has been filmed twice. About 12 people argue on IMDb about which is the better version. I am one of those arguing that the second version is better.

The first version in 1972 was directed by Sam Peckinpah and had a stellar (at the time) cast including Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. It was directed by Sam Peckinpah. Among the character actors were legends Al Letteiri, Ben Johnson, Sally Struthers and Slim Pickens.

There is no doubt this is an outstanding movie.

Here's the big difference -- Ali McGraw Vs. Kim Basinger. Kim B. blows Ali M. out of the water. Seriously, the whole contest rides on this and Kim so totally takes charge in the second movie there is no competition.

I won't talk about the sex scene between Kim and Alec Baldwin, who is her husband. Why? They deserve their privacy. Even though we saw ... lots.

Bottom line: This movie requires a tough broad. Ali McGraw? Fugeddabout it! No way. Kim, you relentless female tough woman, you rule here.

Kim Basinger? This is a woman who does not look ridiculous handling a nine. But she's also vulnerable in the back of a garbage truck. Alec, you are one lucky guy.

And, Richard Farnsworth has the role that Slim Pickens played in the original. Tough call. I say equal props.

Bottom line? The remake has more ... coolness. 'Nuff said.

This remake suffers for the original be a near masterpiece leading by superstar Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, in such status whatever the outcome it was fated at contempt, also directed by the legendary figure of Sam Peckinpah that increase the gap between both, nonetheless seems to be almost criminal the meager 5.8 of rating gave by IMDB's users along all these years, sounds at first look be purposeful.

Still Roger Donaldson made a robust and decent job here, Baldwin is miles away of McQueen, although he tries to hard overcame himself, already Kim Basinger are one step ahead of the skinny MacGraw, her sex appeal lifts the movie beyond, an action packed movie that holds the audience with a non-stopping breathtaking sequences, has some holes on the script as well, though it didn't wreck deep damages as a whole.

Further the supporting casting as Michael Madsen and James Woods are smirking and foreseeable as usually the gangsters are, also the ambiguous and sexy girl Jennifer Tilly is awesomely cogent, strengthening the storytelling with mastery, further the long chase car sequence and the hotel clash aside a bit contrived are enough to improve the high adrenalin rush, my DVD come out during the transition of VHS into DVD and wasn't a proper restoration that the movie deserves, hope in near future it comes to light on the real format with bonus material and fully restored!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 1998 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 7.5.