Evasive Action

My, my, my, what a little treat this turned out to be. I've been a fan of Scheider's since I saw him the Jaws movies and that appreciation of his skills grew when I watched Blue Thunder and Still Of The Night. I'd also been impressed by Dorian Harewood who I'd only seen in countless TV series, except for his role in Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. So when I saw this film on the Sony Movie Channel I had to give it a try.

It took me right back to the '90's action thrillers and I have to say, this is one of the better ones. Not only does it have a strong cast, which consists of a lot of B'Movie and TV actors, plus it has a decent story.

Luke Sinclair arrives home too late to save his family from being murdered and the only satisfaction is their killer is caught. However, due to some botched up police procedures, he is released. Sinclair spots the murderer on the court steps where the killer taunts him. Sinclair reaches out and grabs a passing police officers gun and shoots the man to death. Needless to say, Sinclair is incarcerated for fifteen years for the murder and at every parole hearing when asked if he is aware of his actions and is he sorry he always replies no and that the man needed to be held accountable, his parole is subsequently turned down. One day while out in the yard one con decides to attack the prison King-Pin, Enzo Marcelli. Sinclair comes to Enzo's help and Enzo ends up killing the man. Since Sinclair helped Enzo, Enzo gets Sinclair transferred to a high tech prison. However, the prison isn't these convicts destination, for Enzo has devised a plan to escape, giving Sinclair his freedom. Though, when the plan goes awry, which side will Sinclair choose to fight for?

What the writers then add to this scenario are quite a few twists to the story as you find out not everything is quite as it seems. Another good idea was you can never be sure just who will survive this incident as even main characters are killed off. This, for its time, was quite a new way of telling a story and instilling realism. The director also does a good job of keeping the pace riding the rails at a breakneck speed, just as the trail itself careers to its final destination.

There was only one drawback for me and that was the underused character of Hector Miller as he was a psychopath who killed people according to horror movies and spoke only in movie quotes. Miller is kept behind bars even when the convicts get loose as even the bad guys don't trust him. So when he finally escapes you think, right then here we go things are going to get good. Except you'd be wrong as Miller mostly hides away for the rest of the film. It would have been even better if the end of the movie had been Miller walking away from the train wreck and into Las Vegas. But, even that didn't happen - so many missed opportunities with this character,

There are a few inconsistencies which detract from the film a little, the main one is when Sinclair does a "Blue Streak" and gets off the train. He makes it to a local town and steals a dirt bike and sets off to get back on board so he can help the passengers. The trouble being, in the time he was off the train its route is changed... there is no way that Sinclair would know this and he never should have been able to catch back up to the train. However, if you overlook this niggling fact the movie becomes enjoyable once more.

Another surprisingly good thing about the movie is its effects. If they used stock footage, which lots of movies did at that time then they chose the film stock perfectly to tie in with theirs as all the shots look to be the same calibre. There's plenty of train walking and hanging off the cars to satisfy everyone. Even when the train crashes into the station the effects are more than possible.

If you like action thrillers then you might enjoy this one. It is at least worth a look see. I would be only too happy to watch this film again, though it might have to be in a couple of years time.

How desperate must Roy Scheider have become to accept a role in this straight-to-video offering from Jerry P. Jacobs, who must be some incestuously close relative of Alan Smithee. It is sad indeed when a quality actor is forced to prostitute his art in this way...and I thought I'd seen it all with Raul Julia's swan-song as General Bison in the frivolous STREETFIGHTER!

Total CON AIR clone without the budget, stars, script or direction. I particularly liked the character played by Clint Howard.."Hector the Director!" Have producers no shame!

I saw this a few weeks ago after a friend lobbed in from South East Asia with a VHS copy. Stuck it for 40 minutes then put on CON AIR to finish it! Avoid.

Luke Sinclair (Dorian Harewood) is in a high security prison after killing the man who murdered his family. The decision is taken to transfer most of the prisoners to a new high tech prison and to transfer them by train in a special prison car. They escape and take over the train.

Really unconvincing laughable action thriller complete with cliched characters, gaping plot holes and dreadful script. The opening 15 minutes covering Sinclair's crime is entirely incidental and they could have better spent the money on a couple of decent effects. The sole reason to watch this is for Roy Scheider who gives this a small grain of credibility. Why Roy, why?

For me, the best part of this runaway train disaster, was the closing credits, where you get to understand just how many interesting character actors are totally wasted by the ridiculous script. Let's start with Roy Scheider, as a Mafia boss. Then there is Don Swaze, Clint Howard, Ed O'Ross, and Ray Wise, all lost in the cartoon-like goings on. You have a train. You have the bad guys taking over the train. You have the train eventually crashing into Los Angeles Union Station, yet everyone in the station seems oblivious to the fact that a locomotive has just torn through half the terminal. Hero, Dorian Harewood, jumps off the speeding train with no ill effects, steals a dirt bike, and somehow gets back on the train without a misstep. The weak attempts at levity, especially with the control room operator, are pathetic. Then there is the damaged helicopter, which somehow manages to get a cop onto the roof of the train, before disappearing behind a hill in flames. I could go on and on. The intriguing cast is absolutely the only reason to see this, but only if you are prepared for the ridiculous script. - MERK

What film! I find throughout this picture that tension is cranked up by stealth. What acting! Drama was fully realised by face and walking. The expertise of act was fully realised by shark attack victim Roy Scheider through brilliant. My nerves surrounding trains were mechanically extrapolated through film- I was gripped by story, and my the action only helped prolong viewing time. Steel train was great name and reflected the true power of train, but Evasive Action is the facts because train cannot be embraced like goose. I think trains are not fully realised as story basis, though Under Siege thought train well and atomic train had battle train, but Evasive Action make steel train! I feel film was excellent and implore everyone who likes act, drama, film and train to watch.