The Banker

This is the type of movie you shouldn't approach with high expectations. If you do, you'll be extremely disappointed. However, if you approach this movie with low expectations, and remember that it was made in 89' you will probably enjoy this film for what it is; an amusing thriller. Of course the dialogue is a bit lame, and the acting can be very wooden, but if you sit back, and have a couple of drinks, you'll probably find this movie hilarious. I know I did! The concept of the movie is great to begin with; A rich banker is going around murdering prostitutes with a cross-bow...I mean how awesome is that? He wears fantastic face paint and runs around bare chested. Of course, the movie is extremely predictable and I wouldn't recommend that you buy it, but if you see it at the video store and want a laugh, rent it out! You may regret it....

Well, that would be a great line if it were in the movie.. but it ain't. On the other hand, this movie has a LOT of great quotes, and some really good, memorable performances.

The story is very simple: A wealthy banker (played brilliantly by Duncan Regehr, who some of us may remember from the TV-series "Zorro") goes nuts after a trip in the jungle, and starts killing random hookers and call-girls all around town (or even in his own house) just for the hell of it. His two prey-providing pimps, are Fowler (Leif Garrett "Walking Tall 1-3"), who doesn't care about anything but money, and Cowboy (Jeff Conaway from "Taxi" and "Celebrity Rehab"), who tries to find the man who has been killing his girls - but as it turns out, not to avenge their deaths or to turn him in, but to CASH IN on his knowledge to the fact.. well, we all know what happens then..

Anyway, there's this cop, Dan (Robert Forster, "Jackie Brown") also on The Banker's tail, because he is apparently targeting a news-anchor woman with a conscience (played by the relatively unknown Shanna Reed), and Dan doesn't want to see her get hurt, and with some help from his captain (Richard Roundtree aka "Shaft") and his new rookie partner Eddie (Juan García), he finally gets close to the bad guy, but still lacks sufficient hard evidence to capture and jail him.. what to do then? I'm not gonna spoil it.. use your imagination, kids.

To round out the ensemble cast, Michael Fairman ("Dead Silence", "Forces of Nature") plays the TV-station boss, and the lovely Deborah Richter (the cyborg from "Cyborg") plays an unfortunate call-girl.. as does future porn-star Teri Weigel (from "Predator 2" fame). And then there's the cameo from future screen-writer Richard Brandes (who wrote "Martial Law 1+2") as a yuppie who tries to stab The Banker.. and we all know what happens to random punks trying to match up to major bad guys in 1980s B-movies.. that's right, they become Hollywood Screenwriters.

So, all in all a generally entertaining action-thriller, with a blatant serial-killer who sports full Indian warpaint and usually kills his victims with a crossbow before his disembowels them.. often whilst whistling the theme from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Awesome.

A tough city Cop (Robert Forster) determinedly tracks down a vicious predatory serial killer (Duncan Regehr), a degenerate yuppie sleaze who targets high-priced prostitutes. Stylized, formulaic, and garishly entertaining, William Webb's lurid 80s psycho-thriller is agreeably inflected with grisly slasher trope tendencies. This mostly engaging, relatively obscure thriller merits from a pretty solid cast, suffers from a so-so text, and perks up with a rewardingly blood-caked cop vs grandstanding psycho climax. While the kicks are minimal, it's still kinda fun watching this prototypically boozy, donut-chugging cop go after a creepy, crossbow-weilding soul-stealing whackjob.

Hey, let me tell ya about "The Banker," folks. This movie's got more twists and turns than my golf swing! I tell ya, it's a real thriller that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.

The acting in this movie is no joke, folks. Robert Forster gives a performance that's so good, it'll make you forget about my back-to-back-to-back appearances on "The Tonight Show." And Duncan Regehr? He's so convincing as the hitman, I wouldn't be surprised if he was packing heat in real life.

Now, don't get me wrong, this movie isn't perfect. Sometimes it moves slower than a turtle in a tar pit. But hey, even I can't get laughs all the time.

All in all, "The Banker" is a solid movie that's worth a watch. It may not be as well-known as some other crime thrillers, but it's got heart and soul, just like my golf game. So go ahead and give it a shot, folks. You won't be disappointed!

Duncan Regher is THE BANKER. He's a mild mannered Banker by day, at night he's a sociopathic homo sapien hunter. Being a good sport, Duncan always give's his weaker prey a second chance. Robert Forester (80's DTV star) plays a cop who's hot on the Banker's trail. Faded 70's Pop Star Leif Garrett makes an apperence as one of the Banker's trophy's and Taxi's Jeff Conaway co-stars as well.

Mindless fun. Worth watching.

B