Tango & Cash

On the surface, "Tango and Cash" has got to be the most ridiculous buddy cop movie on the market. And I'm still trying to decide if this is honest-to-god satire or just an extremely calculated kitchen sink attempt at a genre movie. This thing's just one glib one-liner after another, and they are all extremely on the nose. Is there subtlety in this? Hell no, but it is entertaining. And there are moments that had me in genuine laughter.

And I do say that that's all down to the two leads. Stallone and Russell are what make this work. You can tell they didn't come to set every day hating their work, that it's all just a gas, and that's what keeps the movie light and easy on its feet. That, and in-her-prime Teri Hatcher.

It's loud, extremely silly, but still a lot of fun.

7/10

It looks to me like everyone was having one rollicking good time making Tango&Cash. This is the kind of film that you have to take as seriously as an Indiana Jones adventure. After all their can be only one Indy.

But in this case we've a pair of cowboy cops who work in different parts of Los Angeles. Sylvester Stallone as Ray Tango and Kurt Russell as Gabe Cash are certainly known to each other however due to the headlines they've gathered smashing various criminal enterprises. They're also known to master criminal Jack Palance the Professor Moriarty of the film and he's rigged one elaborate plan for their disgrace and downfall and death.

As much as Stallone and Russell are enjoying spoofing their own action images, this film is absolutely stolen by Jack Palance. With tongue firmly in cheeking and hands twirling some imaginary mustache ends in the best Snidely Whiplash tradition, Palance is having a ball with his part.

Of course even when they're in the worst of trouble there's still that oneupsmanship that Russell and Stallone can't shake. And when Russell shows an interest in Teri Hatcher whom he later finds out is Stallone's sister, things could really have gotten interesting if it weren't for the joint problems they both were having.

When you watch this film, do not for one instant take it seriously and I guarantee a real hoot.

Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell play polar opposite Los Angeles cops who are framed by an arch nemesis and forced to team up in order to clear their name.

Unashamedly macho and very much of its time, this is daft energetic fun that's full of octane inventive action and ever quotable one liners. Stallone is Tango, the smart dressed sophisticated policeman, Russel is Cash, the slobbish act first - ask questions later copper, both men very different but both excellent at their jobs.

Pic gets by mostly on the chemistry between Stallone and Russell, who put much zest into their respective characters bickering and bantering. Action is well put together by director Andrey Konchalovskiy, but unfortunately the final third of the piece starts to sag as our mismatched cops start to respect and befriend each other and the plot reaches the inevitable conclusion.

It doesn't help matters that Jack Palance's main villain is only a bit part player, or that his head henchman Requin (the usually ace Brion James) gives us a quite appalling British accent. Add in Teri Hatcher who is in it purely for dressage and as a cypher between the two boys, then it's a picture not without problems. Yet the script and star turns from the leading duo ensure this remains a favourite of many whom lapped it up back in the backend of the 1980s. 7/10

The #1 reason why I love brainless action movies from the 80s and 90s? Because of the actors playing the bad guys! Just look at this baby; - Jack Palance, Brion James, Robert Z'dar, Clint Howard... Sure enough, the stars of the film are Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell, but for people who always root for the villains - like me - films like "Tango & Cash" are delightful! The set-up for this buddy-action movie is that the two best cops of Los Angeles are framed by big-shot drug/weapon dealer Palance, and end up in prison amidst the vengeful cons they locked away themselves. Plausibility and coherence are of minor importance, but "Tango & Cash" works perfectly because both Stallone and Russell prove themselves to be masters of self-parody, and the chemistry between them is awesome. Good stunt work, James Bond like gadgetry and an incredibly sexy Yazoo-dance by Teri Hatcher only make the film even more amusing.

Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone are the reason why this run-of-the-mill action flick actually works. There's nothing innovative or special about the film, it's nothing we haven't seen before (maybe just Russell in drag) but the film is entertaining as hell thanks to it's two stars.

Stallone is Tango and Russell is Cash, two cops who get set up and sent to jail. They break out and go after the bad guys to clear their names.

The film has got some excellent action scenes, particularly inside the prison and during the break out. It's got some nice eye candy courtesy of one Teri Hatcher. The script also delivers some very funny lines now and then. Couple that with the fact that I actually do like Stallone do comedy and Russell has always been somewhat of a mini favourite; Tango and Cash is very worthy of my time every once in a while.

Downsides; Excellent actor Jack Palance is horrible in the cliché ridden bad guy role (I can't figure out if he's trying too hard or not at all) and the film has a really silly final 10 minutes where the action goes from cool to basically slapstick. Still, early 90's action fans should enjoy this flick.