Coup de force

After explosions destroy all the bridges connecting Manhattan to the rest of New York, the authorities attribute the disaster to a terrorist organization. New York cop Jake Gorki, flying over the Federal Reserve Bank in his helicopter, suspects something else: a robbery.

I first saw this on Channel five ( UK Televistion) back in the early 2000 and I was totally gripped by the plot. It's a fast-paced, action-packed TV film that is like a Lifetime production, and it has the usual familiar action genre tropes. But it's so much fun, lighthearted and exhilarating that any plot holes is covered up fairly well. Another reason to watch this is for the "screwball comedy-like" interplay between David Hasselhoff and hottie Kathy Ireland and the way their work together against the bad guys. The villain is quite hilarious in how he tells off his henchmen for not killing them and can't do it himself when he tries to.

Strange that people call this a Die Hard ripoff when Die Hard in itself is based on a book. Gridlock has similarities, especially to Die Hard with a Vengeance, but it's got it's own style. It's much faster-paced. The plot is different. There's a bit of light romance. The Hoff isn't the only hero - he shares that duty with Kathy. Plus the Hoff is a likeable actor who can speak clearly, doesn't makes funny gurning expressions during the action sequences nor does he run around in a string vest sprouting obscenity and wisecracks that aren't funny.

This is the best movie I've ever seen. And David Hasselhoff gives his best performance since Knight Rider. The plot is really cool. David is a cop and he is fighting against terrorists. The terrorists want to rob the national bank, but they didn't count on David. So one on one must fall and David gives his cool comments. This sounds a little bit like Die Hard. But Die Hard sucks. This movie is better. Because David plays the hero. David proves us that he is the BEST ACTOR on the WORLD.

Only watched this movie for Kathy Ireland, and she plays the girl friend role in a profoundly unsympathetic light. I suppose you can't blame her, since she was supposed to play girl friend to David Hasselhoff's stupid arse. Awful movie. Just awful.

Plot: "Diehard IV", without the excitement. Hasselhoff's hero cop chopper pilot (no, seriously) finds himself fighting a bunch of guys who were smart enough to cause havoc throughout New York and break into the Fed Reserve Bank, but stupid enough to fire as many shots as possible in public as to draw attention to themselves while trying to get away. What makes it worse is how bad the villains were. Tony De Santis gets extra credit for a career-destroying performance as Hasselhoff's boss. Ugh.

Kathy Ireland's still great to look at, though.

After the success of T.V. shows "Knight Rider and "Baywatch", it was pretty likely and pretty unfortunate that David Hasselhoff would attempt to make a mark in the movies. In this pathetic and powerless attempt to give Hasselhoff the part of an action hero, this picture tries to replicate action classic "Die Hard" (1988), and doesn't just trip up, but gets its head stuck in the railings at the same time. The only entertaining aspect to this film is the villain, who intends to ransack a big bag of dosh, and even has the standard goatee beard and evil smile. Of course there's the beautiful woman for Hasselhoff to schmaltz with, though she was probably only in it for the cash. She must have been desperate. You'll find more character in an empty fish tank, and Hasselhoff may as well head back to the beach, or even better, go get Kit back from servicing. There's even a part when Hasselhoff tries to do the hanging from a Fireman's hose scene, but he shimmies down the side!

If you're looking for the kind of film that would make Channel 5 question its taste, or make the bargain bin snigger, this is wonderful. Lets all pray David Hasselhoff doesn't get beyond T.V. movies.

1/10

If you have seen Die Hard with a Vengeance (starring Bruce Willis, Samuel L Jackson and Jeremy Irons), you've already seen this movie (starring the appalling David Hasselhof and the attractive Kathy Ireland). Produced just one year after it's obvious source of inspiration, Gridlock is about a suspected terrorist attack on New York City which is really just a cover for some "sophisticated" bank robbers to do over the Federal Reserve under Wall Street. Everything from Hasselhof's slide down a fire hose on the outside of the bank building to the baddies' escape through the subway is blatantly plagiarised from the Die Hard series. And not only is everything stolen for this story, it is reproduced so badly that Gridlock cannot even be passed off as an homage to it's marginally older, and infinitely better, sibling.

Hasselhof is the disgraced "maverick" of the NYPD traffic department named Gorky (or something like that), a helicopter pilot who believes in bending the rules to get his man; an attitude which infuriates his superiors who also include his dad. When Hasselhof correctly identifies the "terrorist attack" on New York as a cover for a heist, no one wants to know so in he goes. Alone. Heard it before yet? But wait, there's more - Hof's estranged girlfriend just happens to work at the Federal Reserve and she's in trouble. Spooky co-incidence or deja-vu?! Hasselhof, Ireland and co all prove that acting is far beyond their limited abilities and the production team should be similarly ashamed. Cheap in appearance and lacking in production values, Gridlock really is poor. And sadly there is not even any kitsch value to this waste of 90 minutes.

Steer clear - it's movies like this that give the acronym USTVM a very, very bad name.