Guet-apens

The 1994 version of Jim Thompson's novel and Sam Peckinpah's 1972 film is sporadic but good fun; not really knowing what it wants to be by the end but taking us on a bizarre journey of typically unexciting action that branches out into hard boiled, gruff talking neo-noir inspired leads in somebody's debt before becoming a chase film. It then culminates in one, long shootout and makes the ill-judged move to incorporate comedy into its text. Director Roger Donaldson shoots these gunfights near the very end with a certain guilty pleasure-infused ideation; piling on the slow motion and having one of his female leads squealing uncontrollably in a, perhaps deliberately, annoying manner. There is also a set piece involving one gangster stalking his target, who's hiding in a motel room across the courtyard, and what should be a dramatic, tension filled chain of 'looks' and 'reactions' and silhouettes just becomes a somewhat humorous series of shots that just happens to end in someone getting shot.

Donaldson doesn't bring anything particularly constructive to this text bar the, perhaps obligatory, upping of both violence and profanity. But along with this, he tries to make the lead female come across as a more desirable individual than Peckinpah did as well as feeling the need to include more explosions and more set pieces – this version of The Getaway felt more 'stagey', it felt broader but much to its dis-credit; it got confused and began to blur the lines between what makes a film a good neo-noir and what makes a film fall very much into the realm of a bad action flick.

One underlying theme or consistent feeling this remake has is its periodic look at greed, or what people would actually go through for a small, or potentially small, amount of money. At spaced stages throughout this film, a con-artist at a train station will attempt to trick an attractive young woman out of her case prior to knowing what was inside of it; an owner of a motel will turn in an old friend on demand from some strangers for a little bit of money and the catalyst for the entire film to even occur sees a relatively wealthy and established man in Jack Benyon (Woods) charge four men with breaking into an establishment for the sake of some more money.

The film works to a very basic level, primarily thanks to this spaced study but it also finds time to flesh out a character in Fran Carvey (Tilly), as this young and somewhat naive woman that initially just wants to aid in sick animals with her elderly veterinarian husband. This is before Michael Madsen's Rudy Travis shows up, an injured and pretty ticked off gangster-come-thief, that hijacks both the couple and the couple's car as they head out in search of the money. The kidnapping takes place amidst a room of harmless kittens, which acts as interesting of sorts juxtaposition.

The money comes about after three individuals hold-up an area at a race track in which they keep their money. One betrays the other and then someone else betrays them resulting in a chase across America to the Texas-Mexico border. Initially, The Getaway carries a wavered and uneven feel. Rather than begin like the original with its male lead already in prison, it initially sees its lead characters of Carter 'Doc' McCoy (Baldwin) and Carol McCoy (Basinger) partake in an apprehension of a Mexican criminal, which is badly constructed and executed with too much ease on the characters' behalf. Following this, is the imprisonment of Doc when Rudy seemingly does the only thing possible at the time and leaves him behind for the authorities. It plants a somewhat meek seed in our minds that Rudy is of this nature.

When in prison, Doc learns the 'importance of life' and that 'life is very delicate and something to be treasured' through cradling a mouse for part of his duration, in what is another scene in which the film calls on small, defenceless animals to act as a visual representation of either emotions and/or the realisation of a situation. He is called upon to do the race course job with another guy and his old chum, Rudy. Through the mouse, he decides this will be his last. The fact the leads are in debt to the mentioned Jack Benyon keeps a fair degree of suspense for a while as this figure more powerful than the leads calls the shots. But do we really care for or fear Benyon when certain betrayals occur? Not really. His acting as a threatening off screen presence doesn't really work.

One instance in the original that I really liked and thought captured the crux of the situation was a certain scene at a landfill. The two leads were dirty, grimy and somewhat demoralised but realised crime is exactly this and this is their chosen way of life – their enemies will be soldiering on in order to capture them and they must stay focused and rise to the challenge. The Getaway brushes over these sorts of scenes and studies, opting for more emphasis on the slow motion deaths and the police cars and the explosions, typified in the instance someone shoots a petrol tanker in the race course car park forcing an explosion when driving off was all that needed to have been done. But the film does enough right, overall. Tilly's, whilst un-watchably annoying towards the end, decline into a lust for danger and violence as she falls for Rudy and seems unmoved by her husband's fate is genuinely disturbing, and there is some genuine tension here and there when the two leads are on the run. As far as relatively tacky but enjoyable pulp entertainment goes, The Getaway is your ticket out of here.

I have been doing a Roger Donaldson binge this weekend, it all started with a cheesy volcano movie by director Donalsdon that had no pretentions of being anything else but family entertainment and I like that attitude. Only with those movies that take themselves too seriously I get irritated easily, but director Roger Donaldson knows how to make fun and suspenseful action movies for the masses. He has no pretentions. Donaldson's movies are what they are. Simply that. You get what you ask for. He also made "Cocktail" and "No Way Out" with Tom Cruise. That will give you a good idea what you can expect: sometimes cheesy, but always entertaining. Sometimes soft, sometimes hardcore. This flick is no disney action, but it aint Tarantino either. Middle of the road kind of action, but good enough.

"The Getaway" is a heist movie with a criminal couple on the run from other criminals that want their stolen money back. As simple as that, but executed very well. Not superb, but just very well. That suffices for me. Ideal for a saturday night flick of which I ask nothing else but simple entertainment for guys who wanna watch action.

The criminal couple on the run are being played by the butch Alex Baldwin and the lovely Kim Basinger. I dont like cheesy sex scenes in action movies, but for those who do, Kim Basinger has some pretty revealing nude scenes in it, no wonder, her being the sex bomb of the nineties, in which period she went naked in almost EVERY movie. She is still a good actress though, really, I say that without irony, personally I feel that the sex scenes only slow the heist and pursuit scenes down.

Anyways, as I said before this movie is made for the masses, so dont expect originality. But it has everything one could wish for to be just entertained: violence, suspense, action, sex and some great sick jokes. Just great action flick for guys.

Way back when, pulp novelist genius Jim Thompson wrote "The Getaway." It was about a man and a woman who teamed up to rob. It has been filmed twice. About 12 people argue on IMDb about which is the better version. I am one of those arguing that the second version is better.

The first version in 1972 was directed by Sam Peckinpah and had a stellar (at the time) cast including Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. It was directed by Sam Peckinpah. Among the character actors were legends Al Letteiri, Ben Johnson, Sally Struthers and Slim Pickens.

There is no doubt this is an outstanding movie.

Here's the big difference -- Ali McGraw Vs. Kim Basinger. Kim B. blows Ali M. out of the water. Seriously, the whole contest rides on this and Kim so totally takes charge in the second movie there is no competition.

I won't talk about the sex scene between Kim and Alec Baldwin, who is her husband. Why? They deserve their privacy. Even though we saw ... lots.

Bottom line: This movie requires a tough broad. Ali McGraw? Fugeddabout it! No way. Kim, you relentless female tough woman, you rule here.

Kim Basinger? This is a woman who does not look ridiculous handling a nine. But she's also vulnerable in the back of a garbage truck. Alec, you are one lucky guy.

And, Richard Farnsworth has the role that Slim Pickens played in the original. Tough call. I say equal props.

Bottom line? The remake has more ... coolness. 'Nuff said.

I usually hate it, when they go back and look for movies to redo just to earn some cheap cash.

In this case I feel differently though.

It begins with the cast. A lot of (then) hot actors like Alec Baldwin, Kim Basinger, Michael Madsen, James Woods... Need I go on?

Also they kept most of the basic plot and elevated it to a new level. The new version is bolder and should appeal to a new audience.

It's a classic tale of deception, love, and betrayal.

First our Hero, Doc (Baldwin) get's thrown in Jail. After a year his wife (his back then actual wife Kim Basinger) makes a deal with the crook turned respected businessman Jack Benyon. He's to rob a racetrack. For this Benyon already assembled a team. That includes the guy that was kind of responsible for Doc getting sent to jail for a year.

The heist goes off almost without a hitch but from that moment on everything goes south. first Rudy (Madsen) kills the 4th guy involved in the thing and then tries to off Doc and his wife. Doc's of course faster with the gun and hurts Rudy badly. He survives though, because he wore a bulletproof vest, which he usually doesn't. Then doc and his wife head up to Benyons place to split up the money. Benyon (Woods) of course has other plans. Plans that involve Docs Wife (a really hot looking Basinger). But she opts to go with her husband and kills Benyon. So no they not only have Benyons Guys on their tail but also the very pi**ed off Rudy.

If I were to continue telling you the plot there would be no need for you to watch the movie.

Just let me tell you that it's a great remake that tops the original in several aspects. The acting is top notch by almost all the major characters. The action is fast paced and very violent. (I base this on the unrated HD-DVD).

So if you have a few bucks lying around. Get this movie, I am pretty sure you can get it for under $10 in about every big store..

I'd had this tape around for a while before finally viewing it on a slow night. My expectations were not high. I've always felt Jim Thompson was over rated, reviews had been generally poor and I'd heard that the earlier version (which I've yet to see)was better. Perhaps because I wasn't expecting too much I found myself enjoying it. There was enough plot momentum, weird characters and spectacular action, not to mention some steamy sex (no need to be shocked, I understand Baldwin and Basinger were married at the time) that it held my interest throughout.