Malone (Burt Reynolds) is a former CIA man who wanders into a town in rural Oregon on pure chance and becomes embroiled in a conflict with a group of far right extremists terrorizing the residents.
Malone was one of a number of Reynolds movies released in the 80s, and like many others was subject to critical derision and financial disappointment. In Malone's case it was unfavorably compared to classic western Shane, and while the comparison isn't unwarranted, Malone is still a well made contemporary action thriller with a traditional western framework.
Reynolds as the titular Malone is actually pretty good in the movie, and it's nice to see Reynolds play against his established persona that had colored his career from Smokey and the Bandit onward. While he still maintains his dry laconic delivery in some humorous instances in the movie, the movie also allows Reynolds to convey a level of simmering intensity hidden behind a stone faced facade of quiet resignation that makes Malone a bit meatier than your average 80s action shoot 'em up. The villains are adequately dispicable and hateful, with Cliff Robertson being a memorably grotesque Delaney and Alex Diakun giving superbly slimey performance as Delaney's sadistic henchman Madrid. The only drawback to Malone really is that the comparisons to Shane are indeed as accurate today as they were then, but is that necessarily a bad thing?
Malone is a perfectly serviceable action film. Burt Reynolds gives a commander performance in what's essentially a classic western dressed up in contemporary clothes. It doesn't have much lasting impact, but it's a perfectly suitable time killer.
