Armed and Dangerous

While most reviews describe this movie as 'just an average comedy', even at this, Armed and Dangerous is a laugh and a half. It's charming, fast-paced, and furthermore, I adored Candy and Levy's interactions on-screen. One minute, they're ragging on each other, the next, they're the best of friends.

The movie also has, though almost impossible to find a copy of, an excellent soundtrack, including "Armed and Dangerous" by Atlantic Starr, and, of course, half a dozen or so other popular 80s hits. With that, the movie is also on DVD, and while it doesn't have much in the way of extras, it does include anamorphic widescreen with Dolby Stereo 2.0 Surround Sound.

Possibly the only complaint one could make we might all agree on was that it was just too short. At just under an hour and a half, as endearing as each minute is, the film does leave much to be desired.

All in all, Armed and Dangerous is a mid-80s classic well-worth watching. It's the perfect blend of action and comedy, and SCTV fans will find that it's no flop for either Candy or Levy; even as the script is considered by some to be lacking, both hide it well.

This comedy at times was just your average mediocre comedy that presented nothing really new. Still at other times it really got a person laughing good as Candy and Levy were a pretty good comedy tandem. This one has Candy as a former police officer framed and kicked off the force and Levy as a very bad defense attorney. In fact, the scene where his ineptness is displayed is one of the best scenes in the movie as he must defend what looks like a Charles Manson type of criminal, a guy so bad the police found things in the place he lived made of human hair. Both men end up trying to find work as security guards in a company with a very fair and good union, well not really but this too makes for one of the funnier scenes in the movie. Well they end up sort of messing up on their first night on the job and get some really bad assignments after that as they have to guard a trash dump and a toxic waste dump, two places not really known as being places people wish to break into. Well they figure something is up and they start to unravel a conspiracy, which still makes for an okay film, but I almost wish they just continued to have misadventures as security guards. As I have said though there are a couple of good scenes even during the unfolding of the diabolical plot as a scene in a sex store as Candy keeps needing quarters to think is good and the whole thing with him and the trucker is rather good too. So all in all this is a good comedy featuring a rather good duo, to bad the only other movie I know they were in together was the bizarre Cannonball run sequel "Speed Zone".

This movie bombed at the box office but seems to have picked up a small cult through video and frequent showings on cable. Admittedly it's not a classic and Candy HAS done better films, but this one has its share of funny moments. Candy and Levy work well together. The film is somewhat reminiscent of "Police Academy" (the first one) and is certainly funnier than any of the increasingly kiddie-oriented sequels that followed that movie. All in all, a good deal of undemanding fun if you check your brain at the door.

In a way, maybe it does weaken "Armed and Dangerous" just a little to have so much high action, but how can you not like a John Candy/Eugene Levy movie? In this case, they play security guards who discover all sorts of corruption. But mostly, it's an excuse to be silly. Low humor, sure, but still likable (especially the clothing-switching scene; I bet that they liked filming that!).

Anyway, it's one of many movies that shows what we lost when John Candy died. In other words, it's armed and dangerously funny. Also starring Robert Loggia (happy birthday, Robert!), Kenneth McMillan and Meg Ryan.

A 50 caliber...

This is stupid comedy at its best. John Candy and Eugene Levy are in top form in this movie. Directed by Mark L. Lester (Class of 1984 and 1999, Commando) shows a great fun of Comedy and Action. Candy and Levy are great together, the supporting cast are: Robert Loggia, Kenneth McMillian, Meg Ryan, Jonathan Banks, Brion James and Steve Ralisback (In a Cameo). John Candy and Eugene Levy have a great chemistry in this film. The addition of the sweet, innocent character played by Meg Ryan a great plus. Even though the story and filming is not the greatest, their characters in this film play off each other very well to provide for some hilarious, outlandish situations and a whole slew of laughs.

This movie is a classic 80's comedy if you ask me, with a nice bit of action in it too and a good story. This movie has loads of memorable scenes such as this with easily likable characters, well defined good and bad guys and an easy to follow plot. It's not easy to create good character gags over a short space of time, but this film manages to do it and avoids a lot of the traps that other 80's comedies did by relying on visual and verbal gags alone.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10.