Chicago Police Detective Jack Wild (Thomas Ian Griffith) is an aggressive cop whose wild man antics and PTSD, stemming from the murder of his family some years back, have earned him the nickname "Cracker Jack". After his latest episode involving a bust becoming a massive shootout, Jack is placed on administrative leave, and reluctantly accompanies his brother and sister-in-law to a secluded mountain top resort. When a team of well equipped and organized terrorists, lead by Ivan Getz (Christopher Plummer), storm the resort and take the guests hostage in search of diamonds in the possession of aging mafia Don Rosso (George Touliatos), Jack must use his wits and cunning to fight ill equipped against impossible odds to save his family and stop the terrorists.
Released in 1994, Crackerjack is a Canadian/Czech co-production by prolific b-movie producer Lloyd A. Simandl and his company North American Releasing which specializes in churning out b-level schlocky sci-fi, horror, and erotic thrillers for the purposes of pre selling them at the American Film Market for distribution on home video or airings on domestic/foreign pay and cable television syndicates. Knowing the production company behind this movie is definitely illuminating, because it feels less like a movie and more like a carefully crafted and calculated product designed to maximize commercial viability.
Pretty much every element in Crackerjack can be traced back to a action picture from the preceding 7 years of its release. Jack himself is basically Mel Gibson's Martin Riggs from Lethal Weapon, and the limited location taken over by terrorists is aped from Die Hard, with the surrounding mountains clearly inspired by the success of 1993 Blockbuster Cliffhanger. Not only does the movie Frankenstein these elements together into a movie, but it does so with complete seriousness and little to no humor. Crackerjack is so aggressively serious in tone that its earnest attempts at drama be it from Jack's trauma of watching his family die or Don Rosso's remorse for his criminal life and desire for redemption come off as hokey and melodramatic making them unintentionally funny.
The action elements are there and are delivered, but they're basically the generic Supermarket off-brand of better movie you've already seen. Jack even says "I'm on your side @$$holes!" calling to mind a similar line from Die Hard, in a very similar situation. Most of the action is perfectly serviceable, but its also very flat with not much in the way of style or identity. The cinematography at the mountain top resort coupled with a rather bare bones production design makes the movie visually flat with not much interesting to look at. Though an avalanche in the climax despite not being 100% convincing is one of the better effects in the movie.
The one good thing I can say without reservation is Christopher Plummer is entertaining playing the main Villain Ivan Getz. The character isn't all that well written and is basically a clone of Hans Gruber (albeit with superficial differences). But Plummer despite appearing in material beneath him still brings his A-Game. He sells every line he speaks and comes off as genuinely intimidating. Much like his appearance in Starcrash, the movie can be bad but it's a sure bet Plummer will be good.
Crackerjack is exactly what it aspired to be, a 2nd rate Die Hard clone that can be easily sold at Film Trade events and business meetings for airplay on cable and distribution on home video. Pretty much every element in it comes from a superior movie and you'll likely forget it as soon as its over. Plummer brings a usually reliable performance to underwritten material, but aside from that there's not much in Crackerjack you can't get elsewhere and better.
