Tony Scott: The '90s
Revenge
Days of Thunder (January 5/08)
Incredibly uneven yet basically entertaining, Days of Thunder casts Tom Cruise as Cole Trickle - a hot-shot stock car driver who must overcome a series of obstacles to become the best within his field. Screenwriter Robert Towne has infused the proceedings with an unexpectedly erratic structure that results in a narrative that gracelessly lurches from one sequence to the next, as the emphasis is placed on a series of tenuously-connected mini-dramas revolving primarily around Cruise's character (ie his romance with Nicole Kidman's Claire, his rivalry-turned-friendship with Michael Rooker's Rowdy Burns, etc, etc). It's subsequently not surprising to note that the film's effectiveness tends to come in fits and starts, with the various racing sequences standing as an obvious highlight. The middling midsection proves a test to one's patience, however, and there's no getting around the feeling that Towne is simply spinning his wheels in the build-up to the admittedly thrilling climactic race. The impressive supporting cast - which includes, among others, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, and John C. Reilly - adds a fair amount of color to the proceedings, although Tony Scott's almost relentlessly dated directorial choices ensure that the movie remains very much a product of its time for the duration of its 107 minutes. And while it does go without saying that the film is probably immeasurably improved by a viewing on as big a screen as possible, Days of Thunder - despite the presence of several crowd-pleasing moments (ie the wheelchair race between Cole and Rowdy) - suffers from an egregiously stagnant sensibility that prevents it from living up to the promise of its popcorn-friendly premise.
out of
The Last Boy Scout
True Romance
Crimson Tide (August 10/06)
An uncommonly intelligent actioner from producers Jerry Bruckheimer and the late Don Simpson, Crimson Tide revolves around the conflict that arises between a pair of fiercely stubborn men - submarine commander Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman) and executive officer Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) - regarding the use of missiles on a pivotal mission. With a supporting cast that includes Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, and George Dzundza, Crimson Tide generally comes off as a prototypical dick flick - complete with relentless tough-guy posturing and an emphasis on hard-bitten dialogue. The film remains a cut above similar efforts within the genre due primarily to the uniformly superb performances, Tony Scott's restrained (!) yet effective direction, and Michael Schiffer's sharp, clever screenplay (which was reportedly punched up by no less than Quentin Tarantino).
out of
The Fan
Enemy of the State (August 12/06)
Distinctly uneven but generally entertaining, Enemy of the State casts Will Smith as Robert Dean - a Washington-based attorney who inadvertently finds himself at the center of a far-reaching conspiracy involving the murder of a well-known congressman. Director Tony Scott - working from David Marconi's screenplay - infuses the film with an expectedly kinetic sense of style, while producer Jerry Bruckheimer's presence can be felt in even the smallest moments (something that's particularly true of the random bits of quirkiness among the supporting characters). And although costar Gene Hackman - essentially reprising his Conversation role - acts circles around Smith, Smith's charisma and likeableness certainly goes a long way towards engendering the viewer's empathy. But at a running time of almost two-and-a-half hours (!), there's simply no denying that Enemy of the State is right on the verge of being disastrously overlong (the inclusion of a needless third-act sting probably doesn't help matters, although it does lead into a ludicrous yet enjoyable climax that's oddly similar to the finale of Scott's True Romance). Still, the movie is - on the whole - an astonishingly fast-paced and sporadically intelligent thriller that's generally as mindlessly engaging as Bruckheimer undoubtedly intended.
out of
