Eddie Macon’s Run

Based on a book by James McLendon, Eddie Macon’s Run follows convicted felon Eddie Macon (John Schneider) as he escapes from prison and begins an arduous journey to the Mexican border to meet his wife (Leah Ayres’ Chris) and young son – with the protagonist’s ongoing efforts hindered by a tenacious detective named Carl Marzack (Kirk Douglas). Filmmaker Jeff Kanew delivers a seriously lackadaisical endeavor that’s rarely as electrifying or engrossing as its subject matter might’ve indicated, and yet Eddie Macon’s Run does, for the most part, remain perfectly watchable due mostly to the efforts of its strong cast – with Schneider and Douglas’ compelling work heightened by the efforts of an eclectic supporting cast that includes Lee Purcell, John Goodman, and Jay O. Sanders. It’s clear, too, that Kanew’s decision to parcel out the central character’s backstory via well-placed flashbacks goes a long way towards transforming Macon into a sympathetic hero, and although the early part of the narrative admittedly does contain a few missteps (eg there’s a fairly tedious sequence detailing Macon’s encounter with a couple of oddball ranchers), Eddie Macon’s Run, particularly in its second half, boasts a series of engaging sequences, including an exciting car chase, that propel it through to its satisfying conclusion – which ultimately does cement its place as a decent-enough ’80s action adventure flick.

**1/2 out of ****