Tango & Cash

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.

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.

Back in the 80's, kitsch cinema had two main sections - gory horror movies and daft action films, of which this film obviously fits into the latter. While the gory horror movies of the eighties often lacked credibility, that section of kitsch movies beats the daft action films because of the much higher content of inventiveness; but more often than not, the daft action movies make for good entertainment, even if they're somewhat less than brilliant. Tango and Cash is a notable action movie because it stars two of the eighties most popular action stars - Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell, whose antagonistic partnership makes up the core of this movie. The plot device to get the maverick cops to work together is hardly important, but nevertheless it follows the two as a corrupt state buys into a plot by a criminal kingpin to land them both in jail, which promptly sees our hero's in with the masses of criminals they themselves have sent to the clink. As you can imagine, they're not the most well liked of inmates. Especially not by 'Maniac Cop' himself, Robert Z'Dar...

The action in the movie comes thick and fast and this, when combined with the one-liner packed script make the movie feel more like a parody than a serious take on the genre. This is all good, however, as this movie is pure entertainment, and seeing two of the 80's hottest action stars fire off silly dialogue at one another is a treat to say the least. The action is over the top, and we get to watch our hero's do such things as slide down electrical cables and drive a souped up SUV around an explosion packed warehouse, and it makes for great entertainment. Of course, what the movie packs in action and snappy dialogue, it lacks in other areas such as credibility and depth; but nobody tunes into a kitschy 80's action movie for plot depth and sophistication, so blaming the movie for not offering these things is ridiculous. On the whole, if you're after a good two hours of solid action fare, you could certainly do a lot worse than Tango and Cash. This movie packs a lot of punch, delivered by two strong leading men. Thumbs up!

Okay, so this isn't the greatest film ever made. In fact, it isn't even remotely the best buddy-buddy flick ever made. But surprisingly enough, this is actually quite a winner, and succeeds far more in being a parody of the Lethal-Weapon style films than say... Loaded Weapon does. This is for several reasons.

Firstly, Stallone is the star of the show here, turning in a self-mocking parody of his own screen persona. He is flash and indestructable, yet the film acknowledges and exploits this to comedic ends. Secondly, Palance is excellent as a sneering and menacing bad guy, plotting the two cops downfall. He deserved more screen time than he actually got, and actually did a good job of being the obligatory stereotypical bad-guy.

However, the best thing of all about this film is the snappy dialogue. There is so much good banter between the two-cops that no matter how bizarre the film's scenario's get, the dialogue rescues it.

The first time I saw this, I enjoyed it and was only really let down by the ending, which feels hollow and unsatisfying in comparison to the first two reels of the film. However, this nagging problem alone, I have no hesitation in recommending this to any fan of the action-genre.

Overall: 6 1/2 out of 10.

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