Off Limits

Scott Glenn's performance is one of the craziest, most unhinged spectacles I've ever seen outside of BAD LIEUTENANT. That said, I went to see this movie three times when it first came out, and I tell you what, it's flawed, and crazy, and not all there, and a lot of it is unfocused, but it belongs squarely in the 'Nam Movie' pantheon, right there with HAMBURGER HILL, FULL METAL JACKET, APOCALYPSE NOW, and PLATOON. This flick is, if only by some accident, the real deal, and in many ways, the only other piece of media I can compare this movie to is Mark Jury's stunning act of photojournalism, THE Vietnam PHOTO BOOK.

The display of disorientation and malaise, the feeling of the grimy, nasty, sex-filled environments presented to off-duty soldiers in an occupied country, is second to none. I remember Roger Ebert's review of this film and particularly his opinion that it was, I quote, "Needlessly profane". Obviously Mr. Ebert was never in any military.

Is this a perfect movie? NO.

Is this even a good movie? Well, not really.

Is this a good, or necessary Vietnam movie? Yes, it is. If you haven't seen this, you are not complete. Trust me on that.

OFF LIMITS is critical war-movie viewing.

I watched this film on Sky movies the other night, it is called Saigon here in the UK. It is of course set in Saigon and I think if you took this cop thriller and set it in LA or New York it would just be another average cop film. What makes it different is the setting and the backdrop of the Vietnam conflict. I must admit though I guessed the murderers identity about halfway through the film. It was also refreshing for the guy not to get the girl as it were! A decent if a quite forgotten film.

Never heard about "Off Limits" before when it aired on late Friday night television here in my country, but everything about it instantly appealed to me big time. There's the obscurity status for starters (I'm particularly intrigued by films I never heard about before), the prominent cast (Willem Dafoe, Gregory Hines, Fred Ward, Keith David, Scott Glenn), the period of release (late 80's) and - most of all - the concept in its entirety. As you can derive from the alternate title "Saigon", the film is set in Vietnam during the infamous war, but it's definitely not just another epic illustrating the horrible battles in the jungle or the traumatizing impact on its soldiers. "Off Limits" is first and foremost a genuine cop thriller, set in a hellish environment torn apart through warfare, and an effectively disturbing portrait of the horrible issues caused by American soldiers outside of the battlefields. McGriff and Perkins have the worst jobs in the world, since they're employed as army police officers in Saigon and responsible to investigate the crimes committed by American soldiers. One day they're assigned to investigate the murder of a Vietnamese prostitute who had a child with an American soldier. They quickly discover this isn't the first gruesome crime of its kind, as no less than seven similar cases were reported during the past year and they're clearly the work of a serial killer with a strict modus operandi. The devoted and headstrong duo also discovers that the previous officer prematurely quit his investigation even though he came fairly close to capturing the killer, undoubtedly because several high ranked officers got involved and his own life became endangered. McGriff and Perkins, however, are determined to stop to sadist killer, especially when they receive help from a beautiful and street-wise young novice. "Off Limits" is a fast-paced, suspense and frequently very violent thriller with a screenplay that is full of misleading twists, false leads and red herrings, like a legitimate and compelling whodunit thriller ought to be. Some sequences are even downright fantastic, for instance the helicopter-interrogation (Scott Glenn is sublime) or the nail-biting scene where the copper duo is surrounded by a mob of furious and vengeful Vietnamese people. Christopher Crowe's direction is tight and consequently surefooted – which is quite remarkable for a debut feature – and his own script is *almost* completely devoid of dreadful clichés and irritating stereotypes. I do emphasize the word 'almost' because a Vietnam movie without mad-raving American officers and/or foul-mouthed Vietnamese prostitutes is practically unthinkable. Dafoe and Hines provide some terrific on screen chemistry, but they certainly aren't your typical witty interracial buddies like Eddie Murphy & Nick Nolte in "48 Hours" or Mel Gibson & Danny Glover in "Lethal Weapon". They tease and provoke each other all the time, but the atmosphere of the film and the nature of the events are simply to austere to mix with comedy. The film is beautifully shot and has a marvelous soundtrack filled with timeless contemporary songs from James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Arthur Resnick. "Off Limits" is a terrific and incomprehensibly overlooked film. If you have the opportunity to watch it, please do so without hesitation.

Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines play C.I.D. police (Criminal Investigation Detachment) of the U.S. Army. The scene is Saigon, 1968. They are investigating the murders of Vietnamese prostitutes, and the trail leads to several American Officers as suspects. "Off Limits" is surprisingly good, and works on different levels. The acting is very believable, aided by a fine supporting cast which includes, Fred Ward and Scott Glenn. There is a consistently lively soundtrack, and some welcome humor. What you get is a serial killer drama and a buddy cop movie, filmed in a very exotic location. If you are a Willem Dafoe fan, this is a must see. - MERK

An interesting film with an excellent cast.

Buck McGriff, played by Willem Dafoe and Albaby Perkins, played by Gregory Hines are military police officers in Saigon in 1968. Things get complicated when they start investigating the murders of local prostitutes.

The cast is excellent, especially Scott Glenn who unfortunately has a smaller role that could have been much better and more relevant to the plot. Although, the helicopter interrogation scene where Scott Glenn (Colonel Dexter Armstrong) interrogates captured soldiers while being interrogated by McGriff and Perkins is really tense and interesting and perhaps the best part of the film. So Scott Glenn's role nonetheless contributed greatly to the film.

The direction is good, as is the cinematography. The atmosphere is interesting and tries to capture the atmosphere in Saigon during those years. Amanda Pays plays a nun, a rather interesting role in which she did well.

Some things are done awkwardly and over the top, but the film is still entertaining and worth watching.

The film has its flaws, which it compensates for with its interesting cinematography and great cast.