Cheap Dead Bang (DVD) (Don Johnson, Penelope Ann Miller) (John Frankenheimer) Price

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Customer Reviews of Dead Bang

No new ground covered here
In a constant effort to expand my collection of action flicks, I decided to give 'Dead-Bang' a view. While it ain't a half-bad "lone-wolf-cop-on-a-mission-and-God-help-anybody-who-gets-in-his-way" type movie, the sheer volume of the usual clichés, stereotypical supporting characters, and hackneyed situations borders on the ludicrous. For a start, you've got Don Johnson playing Beck, a divorced alcoholic cop who prefers to work alone and doesn't like to go by the rules. Sounds like a familiar character (or combo of characters) don't it?

But wait, there's more: we can't forget the usual folks the lone wolf cop who doesn't like to play by the rules will hafta deal with on his way to gettin' the job done, right? This lineup of familiar anal-retentives include:

- An annoyingly buttoned-down & arrogant FBI agent (played a bit too stiffly by William Forsythe) who goes by-the-book at all times and tries to grab all the glory for Beck's hard work.

- A ludicrously complacent small-town sheriff who thinks he can handle the situation in spite of Beck's insistence that he's overmatched. Needless to say, the yokel suddenly and almost fatally gets his comeuppance when he and several deputies get caught in the bad guys' ambush.

- A police captain who is on one hand sympathetic towards Beck's plight, but on the other hand is also concerned for the department's image and wants his underling to tone things down.

- A super-geeky & bureaucratic police shrink called in to evaluate the Beck's mental state, who is coerced by Beck into giving him a favorable evaluation.

Then there's the band of white supremacists Beck is after, which might lead one to believe the movie will actually tackle the topic of organized racism in a meaningful way... NOT! Throw in the obligatory boink scene, foot-chase scene, and a slight twist at the climax that wasn't all that twisty, and you've got the cop-cinema equivalent of acute déjà vu. Though I must admit Beck's method of puking-on-a-perp method of questioning is a fairly novel if disgusting addition to the action.

If nothing more, 'Dead-Bang' is worth a rent if you've already checked out every other semi-decent tape on your local Hollywood Video's Action/Adventure shelf...

'Late

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Better Could Be
There's very good message in this film but the script is too simpel. The end isn't surprising. The actors are not so good. I wanted to stop this film many times because it was so boring.

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DECENT ACTION FLICK
YOU REALLY HAVE TO SEE A MOVIE LIKE THIS TO GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT SOME 'REAL COPS' GO THROUGH. ALTHOUGH DRAMATIZED, THE BASIS FOR THIS FLICK IS THE REAL LIFE EXPLIOTS OF L.A. COUNTY SHERIFFS HOMICE INVESTIGATOR JEROME BECK.

IT IS A RIVETING CHARACTER STUDY OF WHAT THIS JOB CAN DO TO A MAN, HIS MARRIAGE, HIS KIDS AND HIS PSYCHE.

DON JOHNSON DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PLAYING THE MORBID, BURNT OUT COP ON THE EDGE. HE'S DRINKING EXCESSIVELY, GOING THROUGH A BITTER CUSTODY BATTLE WITH HIS EX, LIVING IN A DUMP AND BREAKING EVERY RULE IN THE BOOK TO GET A NEO-NAZI MANIAC WHO KILLED A DISTANT POLICE CAMPADRE.

THE ONE OBVIOUS FLAW IN THE FILM IS THE TOTALLY PROCEDURALLY INCORRECT WAY THE VICTIM OFFICER APPROACHES AN ARMED ROBBERY/MURDER SUSPECT. ANY REAL COP WATCHING THE SHOW WILL BE TEMPTED TO HIT THE 'STOP' BUTTON ON THE V.C.R. THERE. BUT IF YOU CAN WADE PAST THIS NONSESICAL SCENE ITS A PRETTY DECENT FLICK.

JOHNSON SHINES IN A MEMORABLE SCENE WHERE HE IS ORDERED TO UNDERGO PSYCHOLOGICAL COUSELING DUE TO HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR.
AS THE PENCIL NECKED ANALYST'S EGO IS STEPPED ON HE PREPARES TO END THE SESSION 'RUSHING TO JUDGEMENT' ON THE VETERAN OFFICER'S
MENTAL STATE. JOHNSON'S 'BECK' USES SOME PURSUASIVE PSYCO BABBLE OF HIS OWN TO DETER THE COUSELOR FROM ENDING HIS 'BECKS' CAREER.
IT IS A GREAT SCENE AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FILM.

THE THING THAT MAKES THIS CHARACTER DIFFERENT FROM 'SONNY CROCKETT' OR 'NASH BRIDGES' IS THE REALNESS OF THE GUY. HE DOESNT SPOUT POLITICALLY CORRECT ONE LINERS. HE DOESNT WEAR FASHIONS THAT NO REAL COP COULD EVER AFFORD, AND HIS LIFE IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF GLAMOROUS.

CRITICS AND AUDIENCES ALIKE WERE QUICK TO LAMBAST THIS MOVIE WHEN IT PREMEIRED IN EARLY 1989 BECAUSE IT DOESNT HAVE A SUPER HERO MAIN CHARACTER WHO JUMPS OFF OF BUILDINGS OR DRIVES A FLASHY CAR. AND THAT IS JUST THE REASON IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRAISED. IT HAD THE GUTS TO BE DIFFERENT!

THE ACTION SCENES ARE WELL ORCHESTRATED WITH JOHNSON ACTUALLY LOOKING 'PUMPED' AS HE ATTEMPTS TO SURVIVE THE SHOOTOUTS.

NO, 'DEAD BANG' IS NOT A TIMELESS CLASSIC, BUT IT WORKS WELL AS A DRAMATIC ACTION PLAY WITH A FLAWED BUT VERY INTERESTING PROTAGONIST.