The Getaway

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.

I usually hate it, when they go back and look for movies to redo just to earn some cheap cash.

In this case I feel differently though.

It begins with the cast. A lot of (then) hot actors like Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, James Woods... Need I go on?

Also they kept most of the basic plot and elevated it to a new level. The new version is bolder and should appeal to a new audience.

It's a classic tale of deception, love, and betrayal.

First our Hero, Doc (Baldwin) get's thrown in Jail. After a year his wife (his back then actual wife Kim Basinger) makes a deal with the crook turned respected businessman Jack Benyon. He's to rob a racetrack. For this Benyon already assembled a team. That includes the guy that was kind of responsible for Doc getting sent to jail for a year.

The heist goes off almost without a hitch but from that moment on everything goes south. first Rudy (Madsen) kills the 4th guy involved in the thing and then tries to off Doc and his wife. Doc's of course faster with the gun and hurts Rudy badly. He survives though, because he wore a bulletproof vest, which he usually doesn't. Then doc and his wife head up to Benyons place to split up the money. Benyon (Woods) of course has other plans. Plans that involve Docs Wife (a really hot looking Basinger). But she opts to go with her husband and kills Benyon. So no they not only have Benyons Guys on their tail but also the very pi**ed off Rudy.

If I were to continue telling you the plot there would be no need for you to watch the movie.

Just let me tell you that it's a great remake that tops the original in several aspects. The acting is top notch by almost all the major characters. The action is fast paced and very violent. (I base this on the unrated HD-DVD).

So if you have a few bucks lying around. Get this movie, I am pretty sure you can get it for under $10 in about every big store..

I'd had this tape around for a while before finally viewing it on a slow night. My expectations were not high. I've always felt Jim Thompson was over rated, reviews had been generally poor and I'd heard that the earlier version (which I've yet to see)was better. Perhaps because I wasn't expecting too much I found myself enjoying it. There was enough plot momentum, weird characters and spectacular action, not to mention some steamy sex (no need to be shocked, I understand Baldwin and Basinger were married at the time) that it held my interest throughout.

The action scenes are top notch. Maybe I'm just a sucker for colorful characters and the bank heist angle is well done. Best of all is Alec Baldwin's character, Doc. Baldwin and the rest of the cast really deliver their lines with panache.

Bank jobs, car chase, cat-and-mouse in a four story hotel, steamy sex, crazy characters.... what else do you want?

Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger were a married couple when they portrayed the married McCoys in this 1994 remake of the 1972. Their on-screen chemistry is incredible. Any time you get this kind of casting occurrence in a film, it is at least worth checking out. Here it really works.

The thing that distinguishes this Jim Thompson story is the catch-22 Carol McCoy is faced with- and the percussive effect her necessary action has on the McCoy couple- while the tension is ratcheted up to 11- in their non-stop hour-and-a-half getaway throughout the Southwest.

It is a juicy role for a married couple, and Baldwin & Basinger make the most of it. They both are in prime form here and very compelling to watch together.

Besides the McCoys (and Richard Farnsworth), it is a B film. Michael Madson's hair is a real challenge to deal with. At least you can cut out of the Richard Marx end credit song. You have to live with Michael Madson's hair for the whole ride. IMDb rating should be around 7.