• It isn’t Woo’s greatest, far from it, but it is certainly is a very John Woo John Woo film and that’s a good thing
  • The rare raving 4-stars from Travers
  • Strong use of on-location shooting in Montana, Utah, Arizona
  • Woo’s films are usually two-handers, cop vs. criminal, good vs. evil, Face/Off (after this), The Killer– marked with his signature standoff shot (here a riff on it (normally with guns and normally the two lead actors) with knives)
  • Hans Zimmer’s score is something special- so strong—closest cousin is his work on the score for Thelma and Louisa. Wes Craven would steal it for Scream 2 if you’re wondering where you’ve heard it before- very recognizable if you’re a child of the 1990’s with these two big popular films. The Zimmmer connection and genre, editing comparisons make me think of Tony Scott and John Woo as pairs a little as well
  • Travolta’s character with the rope a dope opening in the boxing ring showing his hand with some heavy foreshadowing
  • Premise is sort of Strangelove and Fail Safe
  • Like most of Woo’s work the stunt work is impressive, some of the dialogue very bad (ditto for a few character motivations)— Travolta was a weakness I wasn’t counting on though. He’s not very good here. This is Travolta’s renaissance after Pulp Fiction in 1994. For the second time (1977-1978 with Saturday Night Fever and Grease) he’s one of the biggest 5 movie stars on the planet
  • Overshadowed in the action genre in 1996 by De Palma’s Mission Impossible and rightly so
  • One explosion after another- I could’ve done with 5 less
  • Its best as a no-frills B-movie western from the 1950’s from Budd Boetticher starring Randolph Scott—wish it was 85 minutes long
  • Recommend but not near the top films of 1996