Renegados pela Justiça

THE film RENEGADES, was a movie shot in ONTARIO and used such locations as a building used by TORONTO POLICE 42 division or a similar unit. The film was also shot partially in Pennsylvania. The film had moments of on screen brillance which is a trademark of all the JACK SHOULDER aka SHOLDER movies I have seen. The film should have had a alternate version. I am a fan of such films as the COWBOY WAY which use projects modeled after the "big city modern western approach" of film plots. This film has a big city western feel yet, also has a supernatural polt which ties in with indian myths and religion. RENEGADES also featued a early appearance by the respected actor who played LIAM KINCAID on EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (VON FLORES. I would have done things differently yet, i am nobody. The film was not a bad film, yet, could not LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS have played a triabla cop in pursuit of a criminal or a PI? Yet, giving him the role of a normal citizen who can handle himself is possibly better. This avoids cop movie cliches. In the film BUSTER and "CHIEF" played by Phillips get caught up in a mob war after a well financed mob thug steals a sacred relic. This film is not the DEER HUNTER but is worth a evenings view and features BILL SMITROVICH doing a great job playing a role we have seen in the movies one hundred times...I liked the character. Formula, well made formula sells. Or is that statement trite on my part? RENEGADES has the edge on being a restrianed action piece which brings it down to earth on believability. I enjoy seeing Sutherland playing agood guy hot off the heels of playing a psychotic in THE KILLING TIME...one of his best roles.

Kiefer plays an undercover cop who infiltrates a gang and takes part in a heist. Enter Phillips as a quiet dignified Lakota Indian who teams up with Kiefer because the baddies stole his people's sacred lance. Yes, I said sacred lance. The supporting cast don't help. Bill Smitrovich appears in the one note role as Sutherland's police superior and the moment Michael Moriarty shows up it's the "Hey I'm this movie's dirty cop. Yeah me!" dance.

The only noteworthy element is how quick the police response time is. Anything breaks out and they're on the scene pronto! In most movies, there's enough time to kill twenty people, blow up a building and have a car chase before the police even show up.

I should mention the whole Native American Indian sub-plot. They don't use it as an attempt at mixing cultures. It's only surface level. Another variation on the whole buddy cop movie. Who's going to be the white guy's partner. Teaming up because of the sacred lance is equal parts funny and lazy. 'They stole my secret lance now we're partners'. Give me a break. 'Renegades' is somehow a nearly two hour long caper.

RENEGADES is a great formula film from Jack Sholder. The films format is action adventure with a heavy native american theme. The film tells the tale of police corruption, mafia dirty dealings and the theft of a sacred lance from a native american tribe. The film has predictable elements yet is worthwhile. Of note is the directing style of sholder which is kinetic enough to keep the audience interested. RENEGADES is formula but succeds at being good formula; good formula never fails. I recommend this film as a popcorn and coke film.

Kiefer Sutherland is an undercover cop trying to take down a dirty cop, which somehow involves him in a museum robbery; jewelry and the Lakota's Sacred Lance are taken, and Lou Diamond Phillips' brother is killing trying to defend it. Sutherland is wounded, so Phillips gets him healed and then proceeds to help him track down the dirty cop, despite Sutherland being one of those mavericks who only work alone, etc. You know the trope; it's usually accompanied by "this time it's personal" because otherwise he'd be in a diabetic coma from all the glazed doughnuts.

Phillips spends a lot of his time in Wooden Indian mode, but is a good enough actor to let us see he's putting it on for Sutherland, whom he constantly shows up, like Tonto telling the Lone Ranger not to step in the kemosabe. Otherwise it's a straight 1980s wrangling buddies movie, in which Philadelphia may be the City of Brotherly Love, but it's portrayed by Toronto, so the frequent gun battle interrupt the bromance.

I can't understand why the cop drama/action film 'Renegades' has such a steady following (relegating it, of course, to cult status), although I can guess that it's familiar cast--Sutherland, Phillips, and Gertz--had much to do with it, because this is certainly one bland, if not condescending "thriller." Kiefer Sutherland plays good cop and bad cop. He's working undercover investigating a ruthless gang leader who is in cahoots with a dirty cop and brokers a deal with the gang leader on a jewel heist in exchange for giving up the cop's name. But, the ruthless leader is of course, ruthlessly violent, and the heist goes seriously foul. When the leader decides to take with him a valuable Native American relic, killing one young man's brother in the action, Lou Diamond Phillips seeks revenge like a martial arts film.

This movie is wholly unconvincing. You can figure it out almost immediately who the "dirty cop" as it is done without any subtleties. The story lingers on far longer than it should, especially with all of the effects of car chases and explosions of a good (if not cheesy) action film, minus the need for all of it. With either Sutherland's arrogant and seemingly out-of-place character or Phillip's "spiritual-mined" character-with-a-vengeance, this film probably would've been much better, even if following more of a martial arts genre routine, with just the story of the Native American family seeking revenge on the drug dealer. There is something here that does not mesh between the two main leads. And Gertz is wasted altogether.

For a good 1980s cop thriller, look elsewhere.