Taken 3 (2015) Movie Review – Action, Revenge, and a Familiar Formula

                                              

Introduction: The Return of Bryan Mills

Released in early 2015 in the United States (following a December 2014 premiere in Germany), Taken 3 marked the final installment of the action-packed Taken trilogy. Directed by Olivier Megaton and starring Liam Neeson once again as the brooding, sharp-witted former CIA operative Bryan Mills, the film attempted to build upon the momentum—and box office success—of its predecessors, Taken (2008) and Taken 2 (2012).

While Taken 2 wrapped up the revenge storyline and seemingly brought closure to the characters, the franchise’s popularity and cult following made a third installment almost inevitable. Commercial viability drove the creation of Taken 3, and although it treads familiar territory, fans of the series were eager to see Neeson’s character back in action.

Spoiler Alert.

Plot Overview: Murder, Framing, and Relentless Pursuit

In Taken 3, the narrative takes a slightly different direction. Rather than Bryan Mills rescuing a kidnapped loved one, the plot focuses on Bryan being framed for murder. The stakes remain personal, but the setting shifts from international locations to a cat-and-mouse game within the United States.

Bryan’s ex-wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen), is experiencing marital problems with her current husband, Stuart (Dougray Scott). There are subtle hints of a possible reconciliation between Lenore and Bryan, especially after the intense experiences they shared in Taken 2. Bryan, already on good terms with his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace), seems ready to reconnect with his family.

But tragedy strikes. On the morning of a planned breakfast meeting with Lenore, Bryan discovers her murdered in his apartment. The police arrive quickly and immediately consider him the prime suspect. Given his history as Lenore’s former husband, the suspicion seems plausible from the authorities' perspective.

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Bryan on the Run: Escapes and Investigation

As expected from a trained covert operative, Bryan escapes police custody with calculated precision. He heads to a secure hideout, setting the stage for the film’s core narrative: uncovering the real killer while evading the law.

From his hideout, Bryan begins to analyze the situation. He reconstructs the crime scene, traces surveillance patterns, and uses his unique skill set to start piecing together the conspiracy. As the police close in again, he makes another daring escape, this time using their own vehicle. It’s vintage Bryan Mills: quiet, efficient, and effective.

The investigation leads Bryan to his daughter, Kim, who is unknowingly being tracked via a planted device. He removes the tracker, warns her about the danger, and begins to suspect that Stuart knows more than he initially claimed.

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High-Stakes Action and a Global Web of Deceit

The middle portion of the film escalates with a series of fast-paced sequences—car chases, close-quarter fights, and intense showdowns. One of the more memorable scenes involves Bryan crashing down a cliff in a car, only to emerge relatively unscathed and more determined than ever.

Eventually, Bryan confronts Stuart and learns that a former Spetsnaz operative, Oleg Malankov (Sam Spruell), was hired to kill Lenore. But the deeper truth is more sinister: Stuart orchestrated the entire setup to claim a $12 million life insurance policy and needed Bryan to take the fall.

In true action-thriller fashion, Bryan stages a final takedown. After a brutal gunfight and a dramatic chase, he captures Stuart and delivers him to the authorities. The police, having uncovered the truth, clear Bryan’s name.

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Performance and Direction: Neeson Delivers, but Familiarity Breeds Fatigue

Liam Neeson once again proves why he remains a compelling action lead. His portrayal of Bryan Mills is consistent—resolute, composed, and unwavering in his loyalty to family. Neeson’s performance grounds the film, lending it emotional weight even as the plot strains believability.

Famke Janssen and Maggie Grace reprise their roles with sincerity, though they have limited screen time. Dougray Scott’s portrayal of Stuart adds a layer of corporate menace, although the twist in his character arc feels predictable.

Director Olivier Megaton maintains a frenetic pace, leaning heavily into shaky cam techniques and rapid editing during action scenes. While this adds urgency, it sometimes hampers clarity, especially during fight sequences.

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Critical Reception vs. Audience Response

Critically, Taken 3 received mixed to negative reviews. Many reviewers pointed to its formulaic plot, lack of innovation, and overreliance on clichés. However, for fans of the series and general action moviegoers, the film hit the mark in terms of adrenaline and familiar storytelling.

Audiences came for the action—and they got it. Whether it’s Bryan escaping the police, hacking into systems, or engaging in brutal hand-to-hand combat, the film delivers its promises. Viewers who appreciated the first two installments found Taken 3 a satisfying, if not groundbreaking, conclusion to the trilogy.

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Box Office Performance: A Commercial Success

Despite its lukewarm critical reception, Taken 3 was a box office success. Produced on a budget of approximately $48 million, the film went on to gross over $325 million worldwide. This financial performance confirmed the franchise’s profitability and Neeson’s continued bankability as an action star.

The trilogy as a whole became a staple of early 2010s action cinema, inspiring a wave of similar “retired agent” revenge thrillers. Neeson’s success in these roles even prompted discussions about the evolution of the middle-aged action hero archetype in modern Hollywood.

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Themes and Legacy: Family, Revenge, and Survival

The core themes of Taken 3 remain consistent with the rest of the series: family, justice, and the relentless pursuit of truth. Bryan Mills is a character forged by personal loss, professional trauma, and an unyielding code of honor. In this final chapter, the emphasis shifts from saving his loved ones to defending himself, while still protecting his daughter.

Unlike the international abduction plots of the first two films, Taken 3 brings the danger home. The shift to domestic soil adds a fresh dynamic but also makes the story feel less epic. Nevertheless, the emotional beats—Bryan’s love for Lenore, his devotion to Kim, and his moral compass—continue to resonate.

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Conclusion: A Familiar but Entertaining Farewell

Taken 3 doesn’t reinvent the wheel. It follows a proven formula—tight pacing, gritty action, and a lone hero with unmatched skills. But for fans of Liam Neeson’s Bryan Mills, that’s more than enough.

While critics may have found fault in its structure and execution, the movie’s success lies in its straightforward delivery of action and emotional stakes. It concludes the Taken trilogy with a sense of closure, if not innovation.

If you’re a fan of the franchise, Taken 3 is worth watching. The emotional motivations are there, the action is solid, and Neeson remains a commanding presence. And in a cinematic world saturated with spectacle, sometimes familiarity can be its own reward.

Taken 2 (Released in 2012) - Sequel to fast paced action (starring Liam Neeson, Rade Šerbedžija, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen)

Taken was an interesting movie and a big hit. The concept of having an unlikely superhuman type of character (wrapped in the body of a normal person, although with a highly skilled background) who is possessed with getting his daughter back from whoever had kidnapped her, proved to be a package that was very interesting for viewers, and the movie was a hit, both commercially and with critics. Liam Neeson was an unlikely looking extra-ordinary man, who when faced with a kidnapping happening in another country, is able to figure out what to do and start executing on such a plan, was fun to watch. And when he started on his killing spree, using guns just like that, or when he wired up the main kidnapper to electric cables for interrogation, all of that was attractive to viewers (he was trying to get information about his kidnapped daughter, wasn't he?). However, all such movies have a loose end - he killed a number of people, won't their folks want revenge ?
Well, Taken 2 is based on the concept of the family members of the killed villains wanting their revenge, and they are also ruthless in terms of this revenge. So, when Marko was killed, strapped to an electric cable and died of electrocution, his father wants revenge and promises that he will get the killer back to Albania, to suffer as the family of Marko has suffered. However, it is not clear as to who the killer is (after all, Neeson had killed almost everybody in the first movie), so Marko's father, Murad, goes to Paris, looking for the former intelligence friend of Neeson whose card was found near where most of the people were killed. He gets some information from this guy and then kills him and his family, and is now on the hunt for Neeson and his family.




Neeson is in Istanbul for a piece of work, and finds Lenore (ex-wife) and Kim (daughter) ready to surprise him over there. And then the action hots up. Kim wants Lenore and Neeson to go out for lunch while she would remain the hotel. However, Neeson spots them being tailed, and this starts the explosive action. He has to give up when Lenore is captured, but is able to warn Kim off, who just manages to escape the people hunting for her at the hotel. Later, when he has been captured, he is able to use a hidden phone (they did not search him for a hidden phone) to tell Kim to go to the American Embassy, but she refuses and persuades him to let her help, and he agrees (another weird thing, agreeing to put his daughter in danger). In the meantime, to make him suffer, Murad cuts Lenore's neck slightly, enough for her to bleed and hangs her upside down so that she can bleed in front of him.
The next part is fun - he tells his daughter that she has to explode grenades at regular intervals through which he will be able to use the sound to determine the location where she has to go to (seems a bit out of the world for me, but am not an ex-CIA operative, so maybe I do not know enough). She finally arrives at the house where he is, and he is able to get out and take Kim with him, but Lenore is recaptured.
Finally putting Kim in the safety of the US embassy, he is able to retrace the path and find where Lenore is, and after dispatching every other bad guy, he is finally left with Murad in front of his gun. He offers to let Murad go to end this killing urge, but when Murad agrees and then tries to kill him, he kills Murad (but thankfully, this does not form the basis for Taken 3).
The movie made a lot of money and the performances were also appreciated, but the surprised of the first film always makes it more difficult for the second film. Even though stuff such as using grenades to get location was a twist, the movie still seems to follow a regular script. You will like it if you like action, but it is not the same as the first version.

Cliffhanger (Released in 1993) - Action adventure on the mountains - Starring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker

Gabriel Walker (Sylvester Stallone) is a mountain climber and rescue ranger, who is on a rescue mission to help an injured climber Hal with his girlfriend and partner Sarah (Michelle Joyner). Fastened with cables, Gabe is hanging out the side of a cliff, silhouetted against an amazing backdrop of jagged edged cliffs of the Rocky Mountains. The trio must now make an arduous slither across the valley to the waiting chopper, at four thousand feet! Hal makes it, and a visibly nervous Sarah takes to the cables to make her way across. The wind is picking up, and this could risk the rescue mission, Gabe tells Sarah not to look down, and she moves across the line. Suddenly, one of the clips gives way and she is hurtled downward, as she cries and tries to hold onto the flimsy support, Gabe hurries across, just as the cable give way - she grabs his forearm, unfortunately her glove slips and she falls to her death, as an angry Hal looks at Gabe with blame in his eyes.
Gabe looks up Jessie Deighan, the chopper pilot that day and his girlfriend, who is upset that Gabe took off after Sarah’s funeral instead of facing the consequences. Now he wants to leave the town and wishes that Jess would go along with him. She wants him to stop feeling guilty about what happened out on the ledge, logically questioning why Hal took an inexperienced Sarah with him in the first place, Gabe won’t have any of it, and continues to hold himself responsible for the mishap. Jess and Hal are called to another rescue mission - the boys who met Gabe are stranded on the ledge. Jess asks him to help - and he does, but a still angry Hal tries to throw Gabe off the cliff.




Elsewhere, bank money is being transported in flight, as the threat of burglary is high in armored vehicles and trains, treasury agents are getting ready for the flight. As he returns to town eight months after the incident, his truck is followed by admirers, who want him to climb The Tower (where the incident took place) with him - he politely refuses and sends them with a warning. It turns out that the distress call for rescue was a hoax and there is a band of robbers waiting to accost the treasury agents on their flight with the money. Ex military men are involved in daring air-to-air transfer mission to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars - unfortunately, their plan goes kaput as the suitcases with the currency fall into the mountain pass - they instead, rope in Hal and Gabe to help trace the treasure by faking an emergency.
Siding up with the thieves is Hal, who is hot on Gabe’s trail after the tragic death of his girlfriend Sarah, for which he holds Gabe responsible. A thriller all the way.
Directed by Renny Harlin, based on a premise by John Long (!) and with a screen play co written by Stallone, the film was praised by critics and audiences, although many were critical of the technical aspect of climbing shown in the film. The movie set a record for the highest aerial stunt which was performed at 15000 feet! A remake of the film was to be made in 2010, but yet remains under wraps. An average success, it was a change from most of Stallone’s army guy/tough cop roles.

The Specialist (Released in 1994) - Fight between 2 specialists - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone, James Woods

Captain Ray Quick (Sylvester Stallone) and Colonel Ned Trent (James Woods) are explosive experts working for the CIA. Once partners, they worked for the CIA, but soon fell out over Trent’s lack of sensitive work ethics. In 1984, they are asked to take out a drug dealer in a heist; Ray was upset that Ned made an executive decision which resulted in the loss of life of a young child, even though it also killed a drug dealer. The Captain is of the opinion that children’s lives cannot be the collateral damage in policing. Colonel Trent and Ray come to blows over this and their partnership fall out.
After some years, Ray settles in Miami and is now working as a hit man. He is known as The Specialist as the explosives he plants do not harm innocent bystanders. His services are in great demand, yet he is extremely picky about the cases he takes. Most of the demands are made over the Internet, and one such person who contacts him is May Munro (Sharon Stone), he becomes her confidante and she discloses to him that her parents were killed by three men who work for Tomas Leon (Eric Roberts), incidentally, Trent heads security for Joe, his father. May persuades Ray to help her infiltrate Leon’s circle, he refuses and tries to talk her out of it - but she insists that she will go ahead irrespective of whether or not he helps her. May uses the alias Adrian Hastings.
The lower rung of the ladder in Leone’s organization is hit by police, which is when Trent uses his influence to get onto the bomb squad. Tomas on the other hand is attracted to May alias Adrian, who takes advantage of this new angle to their relationship to get closer to him. Ray kills two of the men May identified as her parents murderers - however, Ned gets suspicious and forces Adrian to side up with him, so that Ray’s cover is blown and he can also get even with his enemy from the past - he has sworn vengeance as the CIA asked Trent to quit.




Ray sets up a trap for Tomas, he is killed and since Adrian was with him at that time - everyone believes that she is dead, too. Joe Leon is livid, and spares Trent his life only so that he can sniff out his son’s murderer before the funeral. Ray and Ned are both under the impression that Adrian has also perished in the bomb blast - however, when he gets a message on the Internet and replies thinking its May - it turns out to be a hoax, for which Trent is responsible. A crestfallen Ray goes to attend May’s funeral, only to be pleasantly surprised that she is alive and well. Trent, also expecting this to be Adrian’s last rites, is in for a rude shock, when he sees that the body in the casket is someone else’s. Furious, Trent meets Adrian and she makes a feeble protest, lamely excusing herself - not one to be conned twice, Trent asks his sidekick to escort her out to his car - on the way out she goes to the restroom and calls Ray up to warn him.
The Captain wires the entire hotel room, and detonates it when Trent’s men enter. A persistent Ned is relieved that he can still have his revenge when the two are led into a much booby trapped building - however, he walks into one himself and is killed. The Specialist was the third highest grossing box office hit for Stallone in the ‘90s, and although audiences were disappointed with the lack of romance between two of the most desirable onscreen pairings - Stone and Stallone - yet, worldwide audiences also welcomed the new look sported by Ray aka Sly - clean and cool, not sporty or jungle maverick!

Get Carter (released in 2000) - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Miranda Richardson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alan Cumming, Mickey Rourke, Michael Caine

Get Carter is a 2000 film directed by Stephen Kay; it is a remake of the 1971 film by the same name, starring Michael Caine. Both films drew inspiration from the book Jack’s Return Home by the British author Ted Lewis. Michael Caine is a part of this film as well. The 2000 version stars Sylvester Stallone in the main lead as a mob enforcer named Jack Carter who returns to his hometown when he gets the sad news of his brother’s death in an accident. At the funeral he can feel that his presence is not welcome, as Gloria and Doreen Carter - his sister in law and niece, tell him in no uncertain terms that Ritchie would’ve appreciated his being around when he was alive, to them Jack is just ‘a picture on the piano’. He also bumps into a stranger, a lady who does not disclose her identity to him.
His years in the mob have given him ample of experience and he has a hunch that Ritchie’s ‘accident’ was anything but. Doreen confides to Jack that although the authorities claim that her father died in an accident caused by his drinking - she says he never drank, at least he wouldn’t get dead drunk and drive around town in a storm! On the other hand, Jack’s boss Les Fletcher (the voice of Tom Sizemore) wants him back in Vegas; he is upset that Carter is missing from ‘work’. Con McCarty (John C. McGinley) tells Carter that things are getting difficult as the news of Jack’s affair with the boss’s wife Audrey (Gretchen Mol) are making the social circuit.
In a bid to get to the mystery surrounding Richard’s death, Jack stops by Cliff Brumby’s (Michael Caine) office. Cliff is a loan shark and owner of the club where Ritchie worked for five years as manager until his untimely death. Cliff asks Jack if he knew about Ritchie and Geraldine’s affair – she is the woman from the funeral. Carter tails her to her workplace, where she is with Cyrus Paice (Mickey Rourke) - who is an acquaintance from the past. Carter is suspicious of Paice, for whom Geraldine works.




As he tails Paice, he is led to Jeremy Kinnear (Alan Cumming), a well established business man who owns a computer company, which is worth ‘gazillions’. Jeremy leads a dual existence, playing to the gallery of stockholders with his pin stripes, and having some risqué fun in his free time - thanks to Cyrus Paice and his escort service. After his interaction with Jack, Jeremy is freaking out with someone over the phone, telling the person he wants nothing to do with the big brother and wants him gone.
As Jack delves deeper into the case, he finds out that Cyrus is infact running well oiled machinery that breeds pornography - his niece Doreen is one of the girls implicated and sexually abused by Paice, even Geraldine is roped in to track girls, who are later drugged and raped, and filmed. Given that Richard and Geraldine were lovers, out of loyalty and friendship, she hands over the disc with the proof of what has been happening - it was when Ritchie decided to go to the police that he was killed.
Now Carter sets out to take revenge for his brother's death, and there are a few killings that happen as a result. Although the film received no critical appreciation and did not make too much money either, yet it was welcomed by audiences who lapped up Stallone’s sharply dressed, mafia image. The soundtrack and visuals added to the thrill of the viewing experience and feel of the film.

Rambo (2008) - The return of the reluctant hero - starring Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz and Paul Schulze

Sylvester Stallone reprises his role as the Vietnam War veteran John Rambo (previous ones include Rambo/Rambo IV/John Rambo) in 2008, twenty three years after he appeared in the first series in 1982; there have since been sequels, Rambo being the latest, directed and written by Sylvester. The film and audiences will miss the familiar face of Col. Sam Trautman (Richard Crenna), who unfortunately  passed away in 2003 (and to whom the movie was dedicated). It’s been two decades since his narrow escape from the Russians in Afghanistan where he went to rescue American soldiers. Now, his presence is commandeered not by the government, but by a priest, who seeks his help in rescuing missionaries held hostage by the Burmese military regime.
Major Pa Tee Tint  (Maung Maung Khin) is a cold hearted killer, and he heads a band of soldiers of the Tatmadaw or Mynmarese Armed Forces through the dense tropical jungles of Burma, looting and instilling fear in the hearts of simple village folk who are at the receiving end of the soldiers’ brutality. The Major sends in the villagers to clear land mines, watching them die without any remorse, his men forcibly conscripts young men, even children into the Tatmadaw.




John Rambo now lives in Thailand, in a border village close to Burma. He earns his living ferrying people down the Salween River or selling snakes. A priest and missionary Michael Burnett (Paul Schulze) seeks his help when a group of missionaries are in trouble, they were captured on a mission to lend aid to the Karen tribe. At first, Rambo refuses, saying he has no hope of being of help unless he has weapons; however, another woman, also a missionary , by the name of Sarah Miller (Julie Benz) persuades him and he agrees to help out.
As they travel the River, they are confronted by pirates, who want to trade a safe passage in exchange for Sarah. John tries to make them see sense, when all else fails, he shoots them down and dumps a body to conceal the event, whilst burning the others. The priest, Michael is mortified at the blatant display of violence, and he tells Rambo that once the missionaries are safe, his services will not be needed. He agrees, and all seems to go well, until the Tatmadaw fall on them, killing two missionaries, and taking the priest and Sarah hostage. When the missionaries go missing for over ten days, Rambo is once again beseeched to help, by a pastor (Ken Howard), who now has with him hired mercenaries who will aid him in the mission.
Rambo sees Sylvester Stallone considerably aged, but still sporting the trademark long hair and bandana. The film never went down well with the critics, however audiences welcomed the older John Rambo, in a role without the support of his shadow, the Colonel. Owing to the negative portrayal of the Tatmadaw, the film was banned in Mynmar. The film crew and Stallone faced a number of dangers as they shot the movie, they were sitting ducks for the Burmese Army, who fired at them many times - add this to the outcome, the thrill is definitely there, even after more than two decades!

Assassins (Released in 1995) - An average movie, starring Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas and Julianne Moore

Robert Rath (Sylvester Stallone) is haunted by images of an assassination gone wrong, which cost the life of his mentor Nicolia Tashlinkov (Anatoly Davydov). He spends agonized nights recalling and re-running the incident, yet goes about his ‘assignments’ with cold precision and a mundane proficiency which is almost eerie. He is sent the details of the next assignment, this time his mark is Alan Branch, a white supremacist entrepreneur, who was last seen in a Senate hearing for his involvement in matters such as financing right wing death squads in South and Central America, money laundering and drug trafficking. Branch is attending his brother’s funeral, now wheelchair bound after he was shot.
Rath is present at the funeral as well, his right arm in a plaster cast which conceals the weapon; unbeknownst to Robert, Alan is marked by another assassin, who is also present - Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas), Alan is shot dead, and Rath is now on the heels of Bain, the police come in and arrest him before Rath can get to him. However, on his way to the police station, Miguel makes a run for it, taking advantage as the police car is in an accident.
Rath reaches the crash site, only to find out that Miguel has left. He hijacks a taxi, and when Bain radios for one, Robert drives up to receive him, deliberately missing a turn and picking up a fight with his violent co-passenger. Suddenly, Miguel recognizes him, as they are parked alongside a football park, Rath tells him he’s upset because he stole his contract and wants to know who his contractor is - when Miguel refuses to tell him, Rath tells him they can sit it out in the taxi. Just then, Bain marks the football the kids are playing with; the psychotic sociopath threatens to kill a kid unless Robert drives. Bain taunts Robert’s resolve to protect the innocent, saying his work ethic is old fashioned.




On the way, Bain tries to kill Rath, but his weapon gets lost; just as Robert is about to kill him - Miguel and he encounter a police patro l- the police chase the taxi. The enemies turned unlikely allies are suddenly in cahoots with each other - avoiding the cops. Bain confesses that he actually admires Rath and has followed his career carefully over the years. Twisted and corrupt, Bain is aware that Nicolai was betrayed by Rath, and taunts him with the painful memory. As he tries to avoid a collision, Bain abandons the taxi even as Robert hurriedly dodges the police.
Before Bain bailed out, he mentioned a chess game played by Nicolai and Rath, and utters the words ‘bishop takes rook pawn’; back home, Rath replays the game, following Bain’s lead, and is check mated - he realizes he’s the mark now. An unknown stranger chats with Rath, he or she is the contact who gives him orders. Robert wants to abandon the whole cat and mouse game, but is given one last assignment - to take down a female hacker who has compromised vital information and is selling it to Dutch buyers. He is told to retrieve the stolen discs, eliminate the buyers as well as ‘retire’ the mark.
Rath’s contact is unable to tell him the mark’s name or describe her identity, she only has an Internet logo - a black, green eyed cat. On the other side of town, Electra (Julianne Moore) is about to contact Remy, a Dutch buyer to hand over the discs to him. Robert follows the men into The Marriott, where Electra directs them to her room, they take the lift and on it , beating Rath, is Miguel. Robert makes a hoax call asking maintenance to check the electricity on the 12th floor where Electra is staying - he breaks into her room and goes through the computer, realizing that multiple reservations have been made - where is she?
Directed by Richard Donner (Lethal Weapon), the film wasn’t well received by critics (like most of Stallone’s movies), yet the performance by all three actors was well received by audiences worldwide.

Judge Dredd (released in 1995) - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider - Future of society

Set in the Third Millennium, the film Judge Dredd follows the Elite Force, who are responsible for law enforcement; remember, the world is plagued with chaos, violence and poverty in the aftermath of climate change. This is the “Cursed Earth”, where there are only deserts, traversed by bands of roving savages and criminals. This Elite Force is made up of Judges - who are to dispense of the duties of police officers, judge, jury and even executioner! One such ‘Street Judge’ is Judge Joseph Dredd (Sylvester Stallone) - who is most devoted to his job, and also being assistant to Judge Hershey (Diane Lane).
A block war is on - members of the Force arrive - just two, actually, Judge Hershey and a rookie Street Judge - she requests back up - enter Judge Dredd, who commands the warring factions to drop their weapons in a staccato – robotic voice; meanwhile, a bunch of squatters, is  looking for a fight. The leader provokes Dredd to come and get them! Dredd finishes off the squatters in ‘summary executions’. The toll in the Mega City costs nineteen people their lives, fifty three persons, including five kids are hospitalized.
Hershey blames herself for the death of the Street Judge, but Dredd tells her it was the cop’s fault that got him killed, not hers; she feels frustrated that he has no emotions, to which Dredd sardonically replies, “Emotions. There oughtta be a law against them.”




Back at the headquarters of the Hall of Justice, Judge Griffin (Jürgen Prochnow) is talking about how the block wars are turning into an epidemic that ought to be dealt with immediately. He asks for a tougher criminal code, which won’t be easy, as almost sixty five million people inhabit these blocks. The Chief Justice – Chief Judge Fargo (Max Von Sydow) however believes in ‘freedom, not repression’. When he summons Joseph Dredd, he asks him whether it was necessary to carry out seven summary executions - to which Dredd replies that they were unavoidable, because life never seemed to mean much to the men.
Fargo is fond of Dredd and knows his intentions are honest and he means no ill; and in order to assist him in staying out of trouble, he asks Joseph to spend two days a week at the Academy, training cadets. Dredd feels honored and asks him what he would be teaching - unarmed combat or marksmanship? Fargo simply replies, “Ethics.”
Elsewhere at the Aspen Penal Colony, Warden Miller is visiting Rico Dredd (Armand Assante), to deliver a package to the prisoner from a mysterious benefactor. It is actually a gun which Rico uses to kill the Warden with. A while ago, Rico was also a judge, and in fact, he was a good friend of Joseph. However, he was dismissed and judged by Joseph for killing civilians. That ended their friendship. After he escapes from prison, Rico once again dons his uniform and claims his Lawgiver gun, also taking on as partner, a decommissioned combat robot. His first target is a journalist (incidentally the gentleman had carried out a smear campaign against Joseph for the summary executions) - everyone was aware that the scribe was against Joseph, and so, he is arrested for the murder and sentenced on the evidence of DNA left on the murder weapon.
An interesting twist is the Jekyll & Hyde aspect to the story - the two men share the same DNA, as part of the Janus Project, they were genetically engineered. While Joseph became the perfect judge, Rico turned into the perfect criminal. The film takes off from here, following the proverbial Good vs. Evil battle between Joseph Dredd and Rico Dredd.
Based on the character from 2000 AD, it is the longest running comic strip since its conception in 1977. The comic was created by UK’s John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra. In 1995, director Danny Cannon decided to adapt it to celluloid. The amazing armor costume for Stallone was designed by none other than the late Gianni Versace himself. Best avoided if you’re a fan of the original comic strip! No resemblance there! Some of the concepts of a futuristic disaster are easy to imagine, and this movie serves a drastic vision of society, can watch if one is interested in these.

Tango and Cash (1989) - Starring Sylvester Stallone & Kurt Russell - Drugs, prisoners and detectives

This time, Sly pairs up with Kurt Russell. The duo are detectives with the LAPD narcotics department. Given that drugs have always been big in LA, and are also a recurrent theme in Sly’s movies, he is sending out a message to audiences to steer clear away from the death knell.
Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabriel Cash (Kurt Russell) are hardnosed detectives who have constantly been in the news for heckling drug kingpin Yves Perret (Jack Palance), within the legal ambit, performing separately in different zones. They come face to face after a tip off that a drug deal is going to take place at an unspecified location one night. The two reach the place, only to discover the presence of a corpse, already wire taped; the FBI arrives on the crime scene, puts two and two together, and arrests the detectives.
The Federal Agents finds Cash’s weapon and makes the arrest as the evidence against the two is incriminating - especially with an audio tape given to Agent Wyler (Lewis Arquette) by one of Perret’s stooges, a guy called Requin (Brion James). In the tape, when presented in court, it is heard that Detective Gabriel Cash and Detective Tango are heard to be discussing the purchase of narcotics, and the sound of the shooting of the man (an FBI Agent, nonetheless) are both clear and evident. Tango and Cash are transported to a maximum security prison, after they plead to lesser charges. They are to be housed with the many hardened criminals they themselves have arrested in the past - and the men are waiting for their pound of flesh each (it can be pretty difficult for policemen who have been sentenced and sent to jail)!




Obviously, not ones to lose the chance of getting even with their enemies, the prisoners, led by Requin, beat the duo up, till the fighting is disrupted by the assistant prison warden Matt Sokowski (who was also Cash’s commanding officer at one point in time). Matt is understanding, and knows that the men will come after the duo again, and might end up killing them this time - he suggests they hatch a plan to escape – Tango does not acquiesce and refuses to go along with the plan; he is certain that they would not be successful. Cash, however, tries to make a run for it, in the chaos that ensues; the prisoners murder Matt and are baying for Cash’s blood as well. Luckily, Ray Tango comes to his rescue and they manage to escape the prison.
Once safe and away from the prison, they part ways, but not before Ray tells Gabriel that should he need him, he must go to the Cleopatra Club and ask for Katherine. They now make certain to bring to task the guys who framed them - Requin tops the list, of course! When they catch up with him, Agent Wyler admits that he was hand-in-glove with Perret, and that the court audio expert Skinner (Michael Jetter) is also in on the deal with the drug lord, and had engineered the tape to trap the detectives. Cash meets Kiki, aka Katherine Tango, Ray’s sister, who helps him escape the Cleopatra when police raids the premises.
 Tango and Cash meet up at Kiki’s house, and Captain Schroeder (Geoffrey Lewis), Tango’s commanding officer, gives them twenty four hours to trace Requin and sort him out. Owen (Michael J.Pollard) who is a weapons expert, arms the two detectives with a high assault vehicle, they trash Perret’s headquarters, unaware that the villain has abducted Kiki and that the building where he is holding her hostage will self destruct with the timer he has; Tango and Cash beat up Requin and his fellow goon, and shoot Perret as he holds a knife to Kiki, the trio escapes, and the building crashes down after them.
Like almost every film of his, critical appreciation always eludes Stallone, but the fans keep proving the critics wrong! Tango and Cash is yet another example of Sylvester’s raging success during that phase and his appeal with audiences worldwide.

Lock Up - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Donald Sutherland, John Amos and Darlanne Fluegel - Released in 1989

Frank Leone (Sylvester Stallone) is out on parole, reminiscing in a garage he hopes to own one day, his girlfriend Melissa (Darlanne Fluegel) comes in to meet him and they go and play ball with the neighborhood kids. Nearing the end of his sentence at prison, Frank’s behavior is impeccable and he is counting the days before his release. Leone is a football player and a really good mechanic, living in Hoboken, New Jersey. That evening he returns to Norwood Prison, after Melissa gives him a good luck charm - the fellow prisoners seem happy that he’s back. In the middle of the night, he is rudely woken up and forcefully carried off to Gateway Prison - a maximum security prison. Despite his pleas he is not told why he is being transferred.
Prison warden Drumgoole (Donald Sutherland) has old scores to settle with Leone, and it was at his behest that the prisoner was transferred. While he was incarcerated under Drumgoole’s watch at Treadmore Prison, Frank staged a daring escape because he was denied the permission to meet a dying friend. When he was out of prison, Leone was also instrumental in running a smear campaign against the Warden in the Press, he talked of how prisoners were tortured and ill treated by Drumgoole - this had led to Frank’s prison sentence being reduced and the Warden’s transfer to Gateway Prison.
In the prison, Frank meets up with Dallas, Eclipse and First – Base, the four become close friends. Part of his work at prison incorporates mending old cars, and along with the other three, Frank restores to health a Ford Mustang. Eclipse is tempted and tries to escape in the car, even though Leone asks him not to - as a consequence, Drumgoole punishes the three by asking other inmates to destroy the vehicle in front of them and sentences Leone to six weeks solitary confinement. He is not allowed to communicate with the others and cannot even receive letters from Melissa - although one of the guards sneaks them in and delivers the mail after his confinement is over.

Not one to give in, Drumgoole decides to frame Frank and then implicate him. The Warden lets another prisoner Chink Weber (Sonny Landham) along with other fellow prisoners to try and kill First Base, Leone thrashes Chink within an inch of his life, aware that he will walk into Drumgoole’s trap if he kills the man -therefore he spares him. However, Weber’s friend stabs Leone, and whilst he is recuperating, a man, claiming to be a well wisher named Dallas, tells him that Drumgoole has  paid off Chink to rape and murder Melissa. Leone takes the bait and is delivered right into Drumgoole’s hands - the Warden wanted Leone to try and escape so that he arrests him on charges to frame him for a ten year sentence.
Meanwhile, Leone is tortured by the sadistic guards, and almost loses his life - but not before he barges into Drumgoole’s  office, strapping him to an electrocution chair, with his hand on the switch - as the guards threaten to kill him, he gets the Warden to confess the evil plot he had hatched to trap Leone. Hearing the confession, the guards arrest Drumgoole. Leone is released after his jail time and reunites with Melissa.
Released in 1998, the film is directed by John Flynn, Lockup was well received by audiences, if not critics. Stallone, everyone’s favorite underdog played the part of the victim turned hero to perfection.

Nighthawks - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Billy Dee Williams, Rutger Hauer and Lindsay Wagner - Released in 1981

This 1981 film was directed by Bruce Malmuth, and is about two hardworking cops, who don’t always believe in playing by the rules but are dedicated to law enforcement. Detective Sergeants Deke DeSilva (Sylvester Stallone) and Matthew Fox (Billy Dee Williams) are Men Friday for the LAPD - assault team, sniper team – they’re always in demand!

Across the globe, Heymar Reinhardt, a noted terrorist also known as Wulfgar (Rutger Hauer) carries out the heinous bombing of a departmental store in London. Few days later, DeSilva and Fox carry out a raid on an alleged drug cartel’s kiosk. They have already been compromised, unbeknownst to them, by two members of the LAPD, shedding light on the rot within the system.

Wulfgar’s financer and handler - Mercer, is upset with him because a number of women and children were killed in the attack, and as a result, he withholds the payment to be made to Heymar. This upsets the terrorist, and in a bid to flee police, ends up murdering his contact - Kenna. He travels to Paris, to meet Shakka Holland (Persis Khambatta), who comments that killing Kenna was a bad move - for Wulfgar’s passport was found on his body, infact, Kenna was a willing associate and killing him has served no purpose other than creating problems.

The murder has alienated Wulfgar from his own peers as well, who see him as a traitor. In a desperate bid to flee the authorities and avoid arrest, the terrorist undergoes surgery to alter his appearance - predictably, he murders the surgeon, post the operation. After this he escapes to New York City. Meanwhile, DeSilva and Fox are reassigned to serve in a special task unit - ATAC, an anti terrorist outfit put together by an Interpol officer Peter Hartman (Nigel Davenport). Opposing Hartman’s shoot at sight and shoot to kill policies, DeSilva voices his opposition, stating he is a policeman, not a hired assassin.

Wulfgar, feeling safe in the US, starts planning his next move. He finds a safe house with Pam, a flight attendant. He discloses to her his true identity although withholding his name, ironically, she thinks he’s joking. The terrorist decides to make his presence felt by bombing locations near Wall Street. While he is away, Pam uncovers the cache of weapons in their apartment. Wulfgar murders Pam - her death is the first clue he leaves behind for Hartman and DeSilva.

Unable to identify him after his surgery, police are incapable of arresting Wulfgar, who plans a hostage crisis, and escapes narrowly, but not before he slashes Fox’s face - this infuriates DeSilva who vows to kill him no matter what. Shakka, now in the USA, keeps Wulfgar informed of every move made by the NYPD & US authorities, and tells him that the UN delegation has given a description of him as well. She also tells him his allies back in Europe are still miffed with him, to the extent that they do not wish to hire him again. Upset, the two plan their move to deal with the police and ATAC.

A UN Conference at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is target for the terrorist; Shakka attends the meet in disguise, cornering Hartman and killing him, she then teams with Wulfgar to hijack the UN reps - Wulfgar even kills the French ambassador’s wife in full view of the police chopper and DeSilva. On their way to escape the police and the detectives, Shakka makes a run for it, but is gunned down - Wulfgar escapes once more - and makes his way to Irene’s house (Lindsay Wagner) – DeSilva’s ex wife. As luck would have it, the cop is already there, and he shoots Wulfgar dead.

A tiresome and long winded story, with forgettable performances, the film wasn’t well received by audiences either.

Cobra - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Nielsen and Brian Thompson - Released in 1986

Riding high on the success of the Rocky and Rambo series, Stallone cashed in on the image that audiences worldwide identified him with - the tough guy. The film was directed by George Cosmatos (First Blood) and the screen play was written by Sylvester Stallone. It released in 1986, and despite not being welcomed by the critics, it debuted at number one on the US box office.

Stallone plays the role of a cop called Marion Cobretti, known as Cobra, with the LAPD. He is working with the “Zombie Squad”, dealing with hostage situations and high profile crime. When he busts a hostage crisis, killing the gunman, the criminal mentions something about a ‘New Order’- propagated to make the weak, weaker, and the strong, stronger. Their aim is to ensure that only the powerful, rich and strong inherit the earth, and everyone else perishes, whilst they prosper. Cobra comes to face harsh criticism from the media and even the LAPD, who think he is violating the rights of individuals and endangering ethical professional principles.

Unknown to the media and the police department, a series of crimes, though unconnected, have been committed by a supremacist group, working to leave its mark on the community. At the helm of The Order is the Night Slasher (Brian Thompson), who targets a model Ingrid Knudsen (Brigitte Nielsen) - the only witness to a few murders committed by the group.

When she is placed under the protective custody of Cobra and his partner, they face The Order’s ire- confirming Cobra’s hunch that the killings are not the work of one person, but an entire gang! This theory is, however, trashed by his superiors at the LAPD. Afraid that she might be killed, Cobra helps Ingrid relocate to the countryside, where the two fall in love. Unfortunately, their cover is blown, as members of The Order have infiltrated the police force as well - and one of the  groups ‘leaders’ working with the LAPD, reveals their hideout to the Slasher.

Cobra becomes suspicious of the officer, but does not want him to know that he has caught on to what is happening. That night they stay at a motel and The Order moves in at dawn, surrounding the place, a violent fight ensues, but Ingrid and Cobretti manage to escape in a pickup. When the vehicle breaks down, they abandon it, walking on foot through a lemon grove, seeking refuge in an abandoned steel mill.

Marion has eliminated most of The Order’s members, a handful enter the mill, but are killed - only the Night Slasher remains. In the end, the villain is impaled on a giant hook, dying after Cobra burns him. Detective Monte (Andrew Robinson) appreciates the outcome of the case, but harps about the protocols that Cobra should follow in future - having listened to him enough, Marion pushes him out of the way, riding into the sunset with Ingrid.

The film is based on the novel Fair Game, which was later filmed starring Cindy Crawford and William Baldwin. A must see for the all the loyal die hard Stallone fans, lacks appeal for everyone else though!

Rambo: First Blood, Part 2 - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Charles Napier, and Steven Berkoff - Released in 1985

Undoubtedly the most successful film in the Rambo series, First Blood II is the 1985 sequel to First Blood, directed by George Cosmatos, starring Sylvester Stallone playing John Rambo, a Vietnam veteran awarded the coveted Medal of Honor. Both films have been co-written by Stallone. Rambo was arrested at the end of First Blood, after waging a one man battle against the Sherriff of the small town of Hope.

First Blood II opens to the audience with Rambo being released from prison – he is appointed by the US Government to go back to Vietnam and search leftover POWs; not knowing that he is being used as a pawn in a federal conspiracy to hush up the matter – the feds are relying on him not finding anyone there. Colonel Sam Trautman (Richard Crenna) , his former CO from Nam, offers him the opportunity to earn clemency on the one condition that he go back and search for POWs.

The operation will be overseen by a bureaucra t- Marshal Murdock (Charles Napier), who sugar coats the details, flattering Rambo about how dependable the US  Citizens think he is, and him being a trained commando - they believe none other can carry out the job as well!

He is also briefed strictly that all he must do is photograph the presence of POWs, he must, under no circumstance, carry out a rescue mission, or engage with the Vietnamese in any form of combat. Feeling frustrated that he has no way he can help the POWs, Rambo gets ready to leave for Nam, where a US official will meet him.

Whilst being airdropped, Rambo loses much of his gear since the parachute line is caught on the plane on exit. He now has his arsenal of knives, bows and arrows on his person. The agent who is there to receive him is Co-Bao (Julia Nickson), she is offered asylum in the US and agrees to guide Rambo through the jungles of Nam, along with river pirates.

When they arrive at the camp where the alleged POWs are being held, Rambo, in keeping with his training and temperament, is appalled to see the torture being meted out on  the  US inmates of the camp. A night patrol of the Vietcong discovers that a sentry has been killed - they launch a search operation in the jungles. Meanwhile, Rambo along with the native girl and POWs, escape into the thicket, they are attacked by a navy gunboat after the river pirates betray them to the enemy.

The lone ranger mows down the enemy with an RPG, killing the pirates. In need of aerial help, he calls in on Murdock, who is now worried that the US and the public will get to know the truth about the operation - the chopper does not make  a rescue landing. As a result, Rambo and the POWs are recaptured and returned to the camp.

All sorts of torture are meted out on Rambo, unspeakable indignity is doled out to the POWs as well. Another layer is added to the plot when Rambo discovers that the Russians are aiding the Vietcong, two personnel of the Soviet army are present in the camp, and they relish torturing Rambo.

In a brave attempt to escape his captors and get even with the US officials - Rambo escapes , taking Co with him; the two are once more attacked, just as soon as they realize how emotionally connected they are - unfortunately, Co is mercilessly gunned down in the standoff with the Vietcong. Enraged, Rambo hammers a full blown attack on the soldiers, killing all, including the commander. He then buried Co in the jungles.

Despite not getting rave reviews from the critics, First Blood II is a favorite with audiences worldwide, infact, it is a more beloved character than Rocky and has a cult following the world over!

Rocky 5 - Starring Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Sage Stallone and Tommy Morrison - Released in 1990

After his win in Moscow, Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) is offered a fight against George Washington Duke’s (Richard Grant) boxer, Union Cane in the World Heavyweight Championship in Japan - the boxer turns down the offer, to Duke’s chagrin. On his return home, he also discovers that while he was away, Paulie (Burt Young) had foolishly handed over the power of attorney to Rocky’s crooked accountant, who has lost almost all of the champion’s wealth in bad investments and non payment of taxes. His mansion and wealth are taken away, and the family moves back into the working class neighborhood in South Philadelphia, where he once learnt to fight.
Now, Rocky Balboa, five years after his big fight with the Siberian Express Ivan Drago, is battling bankruptcy and brain damage, but he does have an asset close to his heart - the gym that belonged to his trainer Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith) which he bequeathed to Robert (Balboa’s son), who still motivates and inspires Balboa in flashback sequences.
Rocky is now tempted to take up Duke’s offer to help tide over his financial woes - but Adrian (Talia Shire) forbids him, citing his health issues, she, however continues to support the family with her job. The picture of struggle and the consequences of his foolhardiness haunt Rocky, he feels frustrated that he is unable to help solve the situation. Balboa meets with almost somebody like himself, in the form of a young bxer Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) - a young fighter hungry to learn and box. Paulie and Rocky decide to take him under their wing and teach him the ropes.


Meanwhile Robert (Sage Stallone), a growing boy, is offended that his father pays more attention to Gunn, rather than him - constant means are applied to seek his father’s approval, when this fails, he falls into the wrong company at school, falling behind in grades and telling lies at home. Balboa’s Pygmallionesque obsession costs him his time with family; he pins his hopes on the young fighter to relive the days of his past glory - a trap into which many a great have fallen. On the other hand, Duke, after being spurned by Balboa, is still seething. He cleverly strategizes to draw Gunn away from his mentor with promises of a title and money - the rookie falls for this temptation, turning his back on the man who taught him everything he knows about fighting.
Rocky fights to keep Gun from leaving, but without any contractual obligations, Tommy is free to choose as he pleases. On Christmas Eve, Duke comes to taunt him with Tommy in tow, who believes that Balboa was only using him. Heartbroken, Rocky tries to convince the youngster, who leaves. Adrian goes onto explain patiently that the kid can never possess the honesty and heart that Rocky has - this soothes him and the two find Robert, and start afresh. Duke’s new protégée wins the fight against Cane, but the crowd won’t be pleased until he defeats the ‘real’ champion - Balboa. This reaction from the crowd angers Tommy Gunn who believes that he deserves praise and appreciation.
Duke and the boxer now have their sight set on Rocky, they try goading him into a fight - he refuses, but is forced to retaliate when Gunn assaults Paulie. Rocky challenges the young upstart to a street brawl - Duke sees things getting out of hand, and tries, in vain, to tell them they should sort out their differences in the boxing ring, there is no good to having a street brawl. Gunn beats Rocky up good, but in the true tradition of the underdog, Rocky rises to the occasion, as he has a flashback of Mickey urging him to get on his feet for just one more round. This time, Gunn is knocked out.
The film reunites Stallone and John G. Avildsen, who directed the first Rocky film in 1976. Rocky V was released in 1990. Perhaps the most endearing films in the sports biopic genre, Rocky V, despite the apprehensions of critics, has withstood the test of time and the changing tastes of fans worldwide.

Breakthrough (released in 1979) - Starring Richard Burton, Robert Mitchum and Rod Steiger

The film is a sequel to the 1977 Eastern Front war flick - Cross of Iron. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the film has a new cast in reprise characters. May 1944, the German Forces are retreating from the Eastern Front. Although the two were depicted as having had differences in the Cross of Iron - Sgt. Rolf Steiner (played by Richard Burton) of the Wehrmacht (German High Command of the Army) once more teams up with the  ambitious and cut throat Captain Stransky (played by Helmut Griem) to blow up a railway tunnel thus cutting off the line of supply for the Russians. However, the presence of a Russian tank ensures that the attack is foiled, and Steiner’s squad returns to base, defeated. The Sergeant proceeds to Paris on a fourteen day furlough, to nurse battle wounds and rest his battle weary senses - it is cut short because the Allies have landed in Normandy.
His unit is transferred to a France, in the village of St.Bologne. Unknown to most of the Wehrmacht, there is a conspiracy to overthrow and assassinate The Führer, Adolf Hitler. This he is told by General Hoffman (played by Curd Jürgens), his divisional commander in the past, tells him so, sharing with him the disgruntlement and discontent of the officers and men in the Wehrmacht. Those familiar with the character of Steiner from Cross of Iron are aware that he is a principled ‘soldier’s soldier’- fighting for the Vaterland (Fatherland), he personally harbors no allegiance to The Führer, a good guy caught on the wrong side.
General Hoffman would have the lowly sergeant convey the plan to the Americans across enemy lines of the plan, and that they would like to surrender to them. The men across are Colonel Rogers (played by Robert Mitchum) and General Webster (played by Rod Steiger), who are willing to assist, however Stransky is the spanner in the works - how do they deal with him?




We know from history that the assassination plot went kaputt. All the co conspirators were rounded up and faced a firing squad, or were hung to death by the Gestapo (and this was done painfully, being hung on piano wire). As for General Hoffman, he committed suicide with a bullet to the head.
The Americans advance towards St.Bologne, as Stransky has the evil plan to blow up the village, irrespective of massive collateral damage.
The film received brickbats for not really living up to the stature of the prequel - in fact many critics questioned why there had to be a sequel in the first place? Richard Burton with a Irish-Germanic accent (if at all such, as this, exists) is awkward, and too old for the role - he looks jaded and uncomfortable (he died five years later). His character, that of the ‘good German’ is more a Hollywood creation than one based on real life. The General confiding in a man from the ranks is next to unimaginable, no matter how civil or laissez faire the army! Steiner walks around in perfectly clean uniform (and it isn’t even battle fatigues) through the combat front lines, his helmet sitting awkwardly on his head; an all in all disappointment, with hardly any worthwhile action against the Russians.

Dead Man (Released in 1995) - Starring Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Billy Bob Thornton, Iggy Pop and Crispin Glover

“It is preferable not to travel with a dead man.” Henri Michaux. These foreboding words greet the viewer to the monochrome Dead Man, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, the poster boy of independent cinema. The film is similar to other different western literature such as from Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy.
The clanging of the wheels on tracks and the intermittent, unmistakably Western background music set the cadence of the film, as a dapper William Blake (played by Johnny Depp), an accountant from Ohio tries hard to find inspiration in the ‘Bee Journal’, out of place in his fine suit and clean looks. That done, he pulls out a pack of cards and decides to have a go at a game, casting a cursory eye on the scenery outside -on his way to a little township  of ‘Machine’ in the West, where his services as a bookkeeper are needed.
On the train, he meets a fireman (played by Crispin Glover), who wants to know the reason why he’s traveling so far - he tells him his parents are dead, he has no wife and the woman he loved, his fiancée - changed her mind. The fireman tells him she found someone else, Blake looks horrified at the thought and denies the possibility; but the persistent stranger only says – “Yes, she did. Well, that doesn’t explain why you’ve come all the way out here. All the way out here to hell.”  William goes onto show him a letter of employment he’s received from Dickinson Metalworks, at the town of Machine.
On arriving in the Town, Blake is informed that he is a month late and that the letter was written two months ago - they already have a new accountant. When he demands to have a word with Mr. Dickinson - the men in the office laugh their heads off! On entering the supposed office - he is greeted by a macabre sight. On the table rests a human skull with a smoking cigarette placed in an ash tray. Behind the desk hang a portrait (Dickinson?) and an open vault, with bundles of cash strewn around. Lost in his thoughts as he surveys the room, a booming voice breaks into his reverie. Seated in the chair is Mr. John Dickinson (Robert Mitchum in his final role, before his death), who looks down the barrel of a sinister gun, and asks William to get out. Needless to say, he is the laughing stock of the blokes outside in the office.



Dejected and unemployed, Blake walks into a bar, hoping to buy a drink, which he swigs sitting on the stairs - just when Mili Avital (played by Thel Russell), a former harlot who now sells paper flowers; she is thrown out of the pub by a former patron, who said he liked her better when she was in her earlier profession. Blake helps her up, and offers her a drink, she in turn asks him to walk her home - she invites him inside, and he spends the night with her - almost getting shot for it by her ex Charlie (Gabriel Byrne), who ends up accidentally killing Thel, when she tries to shield Blake. In the retaliatory firing, Charlie is shot dead by William, but not before he realizes that a bullet is lodged in his chest, as well.
Fleeing on a stolen horse, he is pursued by three of John Dickinson’s (the old man is actually Charlie’s father) henchmen - who are ordered to bring him back dead or alive. Sometime during his flight, Blake must’ve lost consciousness, for when he comes to, a big American Indian called Nobody (Gary Farmer), in full regalia, is trying to tear open his chest to rid him off the bullet - he tells him he is officially “walking dead”, since the bullet is lodged very close to his heart. Mistaking the injured man for the spirit of the poet William Blake, Nobody swears to return him safely to the spirit world. Many adventures happen on their quest for this after life peace - finally, he is shot at again and as he dies, he sees Nobody is also killed before his eyes - he is taken for burial in a canoe, as he sets his last gaze on the sky, he dies.
Symbolic, since the train fireman we met at the beginning, started his monologue thus - “…remind you when you’re in the boat, and later that night you were lying, looking up at the ceiling … why is it that the landscape is moving but the boat is still?” Was William Blake just walking dead on the train? 

Villa Rides (released in 1968) - Starring Yul Brynner, Robert Mitchum and Charles Bronson

Francisco Villa or Pancho Villa was a famous Mexican Revolutionary general, who was active in the years between 1910 and 1919. Directed by Buzz Kulik, the film is a biographical montage of the life of José Doroteo Arango Arámbula - a famous figure in Mexican history and legend. In reality, Villa was treated contemptuously by the law, although the peasant folk, commoners and soldiers respected him for his Robinesque mentality - he would steal from the rich to fill the stomachs of the poor. The film is sourced from William Douglas Lansford’s biography titled ‘Pancho Villa’ (1965); Douglas even assisted in the early draft of the film in 1968.
The year is 1912, and the Mexican Revolutionaries are fighting battles on many fronts - including the moral; caught in this crossfire is American pilot and adventurer Lee Arnold (Robert Mitchum) - who, in true capitalist spirit, sees no harm in supplying arms and ammunition to counter-revolutionaries like Capt. Francisco Ramirez, smuggling the contraband across the border from Texas, in his WWI pursuit plane, he is paid in gold for his aid. On one such mission, as he is awaiting the repair of the landing gear of his plane, Lee is witness to the violent attack and razing of a village by the Captain and his men (because the villagers curried favor with the insurrectionist Pancho Villa).




Yul Brynner assays the role of Villa; his famous bald pate is given a miss in the film as he sports a toupee and moustache. As in real life, Villa assists General Huerta (Herbert Lom), and has a brutal sidekick in the form of Lt. Rodolfo Fierro (Charles Bronson). Ramirez and his men are defeated by Villa, and even Lee Arnold is taken captive by Fierro - who longs for nothing more than to kill him. He is sentenced for gun-running, to face a firing squad. In order to save his skin, Lee strikes a deal to aid the insurrectionists in their revolution - he would provide them with the guns, instead, fighting on their side. On one such revolutionary escapade, Lee provides air cover to the guerillas as they capture an enemy train carrying troops, and eventually as they make captive an entire town.
There are cracks in every revolution - General Huerta deeply dislikes Villa, believing him to be manipulative and success-seeking. He is furious when Villa captures the town despite the General’s orders not to - causing heavy casualties. Soon after, Huerta plots to send Villa on a doomed mission to capture Conejos, in a bid to ensure he is not around when the General overthrows the government and President Madero - however, Arnold’s aerial assistance saves the day, even though Villa loses many men. And to the General's delight - Villa is captured by him, and Lee crosses the border into El Paso, saving his skin in time!
Now clear about his boss’s intentions, Pancho escapes imprisonment and hunts down Lee, on whose support he has come to rely deeply. A reluctant Arnold agrees to help Villa once more - the Revolutionaries have a new cause: to do away with Huerta, now a self styled dictator after he has assassinated the Mexican president and seized power. Later Arnold also helps Villa raise an army against another enemy of the Mexican state - Emiliano Zapata.
Criticized for its cosmetic portrayal of the Revolution and for not really exploring the many perspectives there exist with regard to it, the film may at least be applauded for its precise portrayal of Villa, who was less a hero and more a man on the run, a hardened criminal known for his thirst for violence.

The Way West (released in 1967) - Starring Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum and Sally Field

A truly epic movie directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, sourced from the novel of the same name by A.B Guthrie Jr. With stirring performances from all the actors, The Way West is a heartrending and touching story of the early Pioneers.
1843. US Senator William Tadlock (played by Kirk Douglas) is following the Oregon Trail with his family from Missouri, and to help him get there safely - is Dick Summers (played by Robert Mitchum), a scout. His son and help are also accompanying Tadlock. Although Summers advises William not  to go ‘especially if you’ve never been there’- the Senator thinks otherwise, he tells Dick he knows that he is grieving for his dead Indian wife, he asks William to leave. Tadlock, also a widower, thinks that the scout’s grief has corrupted his guts.
Meanwhile, the others accompanying William on the trail are a peasant couple from Pennsylvania, Lije Evans and Rebecca (played by Richard Widmark, Lola Albright). Becky isn’t happy about the move, though. They have a sixteen year old son Brownie (Michael McGreevy), who is funny and brimming with the joie de vivre of youth - impressing young Mercy McBee with a red fox kitten. Others include a newlywed couple, the Fairmand and the McBee family.
That day, when Summers suggests they camp for the night, William notices another wagon trail, and insists they keep moving. The trail races into the creek, and everyone puts their back into making it first. A fist fight ensues when Tadlock tells the rival trail members that his trail will cross first - considering it might rain that night. Summers breaks up the fight and points out that Tadlock knew all along that the rivals weren’t travelers, but part of a cattle train - offended, William asks him not to gall him with his ‘truthful  opinions’ - he is paid after all, to only point the way. (Cattle may drown if the rain-filled river were to overflow).
Meanwhile they welcome a stowaway - Brother Weatherbee - slave to the Holy Ghost, who has only the spirit of Christ and the shirt on his back in lieu of supplies! The others are happy with the decision, for a preacher ‘will overcome the calamities of human nature - such as weddings, babies…’ ‘…funerals…’  Dick Summers volunteers to look after him, much to Tadlock’s chagrin and consternation.




The wagon trail’s first tragedy strikes, when Tadlock in his quest for speed, forces the oldest member of the group to cross the creek - he loses his life by drowning. Things get worse when William holds the old man responsible for his end, to which Lije vehemently puts up a denial, saying it was speed that killed him. The Senator even asks McBee to hurry with the burial and not bother with a Christian funeral - a waste of time. His apathy shocks the trail. But William proves his point that greed was responsible for the tragedy - the man had a heavy belt with money tied to his waist, which prevented him from coming to the surface. He asks if anyone cares to have a share of ‘dead man’s money’ - he flings the belt back into the creek.
The Prairie gives way to the inhospitable and hot desert terrain, but the love lorn lads sing ballads for Mercy McBee - whilst Johnnie and Amanda Mack (played by Michael Witney, Katherine Justice) unsuccessfully try consummating their marriage in a crowded train. This distresses Amanda, who does not want to get pregnant on the train - and frustrates her young husband. Whilst the members cast their cares to the wind and enjoy a morning of revelry, Tadlock shows Rebecca Evans the map of a city – yet to be built in Oregon. He tells her he might’ve been president, save for the fact that he fell in love with a woman, married her, but she died. William goes onto tell her that none in the present company would understand her vision - save for Becky. Disturbed by the depth of his emotions, Rebecca leaves his tent in a hurry.
Elsewhere, young Brownie has wandered far from the train, he stands on an outcrop - carving his name and Mercy’s - when unbeknownst to him - Sioux Indians hiding beneath the rock - take him captive. Dick Summers comes to his rescue - speaking to the men in their native tongue. The Sioux escort them back to the train. Summers offers them supplies - they ask for whiskey, instead!
That night, while the Sioux are in a state of drunken partying, Mercy and Mack find an opportunity to bond- he eventually seeks solace in Mercy’s willing arms - who tells him she does not regret what has happened. He asks her to return to her parents. Hearing a rustle in the bushes, he looks up to see a wolf - without preamble, Mack shoots it down. When he inspects to see what it is - he runs.
Meanwhile, Summers and Tadlock discover that the wolf was actually a little boy - the Chief’s son. They have no clue who is responsible. The next day, Dick and Lije distract the Sioux, leading them on a wild goose chase - so that the train can move ahead smoothly, through a herd of bison. Mercy, deeply in love with Mack, is saddened by his refusal to reciprocate the same for her.
The Sioux come again to the camp - this time, bearing the dead child on horseback - hungry for the blood of the murder. Tadlock tells him that he will fulfill their wishes, if they let the train go free. William tells the people present that if the perpetrator does not give himself up - Brownie Evans will be hanged, for it was he who brought this calamity today. However, he asks all the men who own shotguns - to step up and own up. Just then Johnnie Mack confesses - his wife lies on his behalf, saying he was with her all that night. But Mack sticks to his story - and is hung. A grief stricken Mercy flings herself off of her wagon, Brownie saves her, and he asks her to marry him - she refuses at first, because she doesn’t love him, however agrees since she is pregnant.
Tadlock and Summers labor on, and one day, he loses his son in a mad stampede. He buries him in the wilderness, as wagons drive over the burial mound, so that wolves and Indians find no trace of the grave. So sad and distraught is the man, that he asks his slave to whip him. The wagon train finally reaches the periphery of Fort Hall, Oregon, where other pioneers welcome them, they stop for the night - and Brownie and Mercy get married. One last hurdle is the soldiers who try and stall them at the Fort, bribing them with money and animals - William tells them to let them go, since a woman has been infected with small pox. The colonel orders them out.
Winter falls upon them, and the travelers face many hardships. Lije Evans turns on Tadlock, wanting charge of the train. When William tries shooting Evans, the mob falls upon him - as Becky shouts out to them that he ought to be hanged like Mack. Tadlock jeers at them, saying they lack the courage to do so - meanwhile, Becky shares Tadlock’s vision, when the train hits a ravine, as Evans contemplates turning back. Summers tells them that if they cross the gorge - they’ll be closer to Oregon. And so, they devise a pulley to lower people down the gorge, with success; however, as Tadlock rappels down - Becky cuts away the rope - he falls to his death: Captain William Tadlock, who led the Oregon Liberty Company.

The Ambassador (movie released in 1984) - Starring Robert Mitchum, Ellen Burstyn and Rock Hudson

Directed by British film director, J. Lee Thompson (King Solomon’s Mines) The Ambassador is a romantic-political thriller. The story’s is loosely sourced from the novel 52 –Pick Up by Elmore Leonard. Notable for having a cast which was aged, yet well known for its acting prowess, the film tells of the US Ambassador Peter Hacker (Robert Mitchum) and Head of Security Frank Stevenson (Rock Hudson) head out to the Middle East, as it suffers yet another diplomatic set back concerning Israel and Palestine. They have brokered a peace deal with the PLO, and are going to meet a group of young Israelis and Palestinians in the midst of the Judean Desert-only to have the meeting disrupted by the Israeli Armed Forces, both the Ambassador and Head of Security are apprehended.
Unbeknownst to the Ambassador, his wife Alex (Ellen Burstyn) is having an affair with Mustapha Hashimi (Fabio Testi). On one of their trysts in Jerusalem, they are followed and the rendezvous is videographed, anonymously. Frank’s role in the apprehension in the Desert is suspect, as he reports to a superior that Hacker is unfit to be envoy, after the two meet with the Israeli Defense Minister Eretz (Donald Pleasence), who reaffirms his commitment to the peace process.
Alex, very much besotted with her lover, chooses to create a drunken scene at a diplomatic-do, going off in a frustrated huff to meet Mustapha. She calls him from a booth in front of his apartment, when an explosion injures her, killing several others. Hacker and Stevenson are clueless with regard to her whereabouts, a phone call alerts the Ambassador to come to a movie theater all by himself. When he enters the building, the recorded images of Alex and her lover are played out on the screen- Frank, who was close at Hacker’s heels- witnesses this as well.
The Ambassador is informed that his wife is alive, and being cared for in a hospital. When the two men visit her, Alex tells her husband she would like to leave Israel and return to the US.

Back in his office, Peter is privy to a phone call which warns him that if he doesn’t pay ‘hush money’, the videographed events will be mailed to the President of the US. Hacker refuses, saying he would do no such thing, and tells Frank that he suspects foul play. That night, Peter tells Alex he is aware of her affair and that she is pawn in a dangerous game.

Heartbroken and shocked, Alex wants to find out Mustapha’s real identity. She learns he is a prominent member of the PLO and a wealthy businessman. The film, it appears, was made by the Mossad, to be used in case of ‘protection of its interests’. But as luck would have it, the Palestinians steal it from them. Stevenson is able to crack the case, unearthing the identity of the blackmailers as well- who had managed to get $500,000 from Hashimi. The two men also reveal that the KGB has sent a man called Stone to assassinate the Ambassador.

Peter sets up a meeting with Mustapha, confident that he can once more embark on the path of peace. He meets Israeli and Palestinian students in the outskirts of Tel Aviv, the talks are successful, but tragedy strikes when the students are ambushed by Palestinian terrorists, it ends in a massacre, and the tragic killing of Mustapha Hashimi.

On their return to the Embassy, Frank foils an assassination attempt to kill Hacker by KGB hireling-Stone, shooting him in the back of the head. Peter, overwhelmed and saddened by the chain of events that has been wrought, despite his best intentions, wants to retire, but Alex bids him not to, and the film ends with Hacker, looking misty eyed as group of Israeli students hold a peace rally, still optimistic that someday the Conflict would be resolved.