Even though this movie is a bit silly, it really isn't anything too bad to watch. However the movie is still a pretty pointless one to watch, which is for most part due to the fact that there is very originality to find in this movie.
The movie borrows heavily from other successful movies. At the time of its release people were pretty much screaming that this would be just another "The Fugitive", also because it had Tommy Lee Jones in a role in which he had to chase down another person. And yes, even though the movie its plot does show some similarities to "The Fugitive", you still can't just call this movie a "The Fugitive"-clone, just because it also borrows so much more from so many other different movies. If I had to compare it to another movie I would still compare it mostly to the first Rambo movie "First Blood".
But no, it's not just the originality that is holding this movie down, it also is the whole execution of it all. The movie feels pretty messy at parts, which does provide the movie with some silly moments. It's pretty insane how easily the Benicio Del Toro character can hunt another person down and escape from them as well. But it also is real silly in return how the Tommy Lee Jones character is able to hunt Del Toro down at times. He just goes off into the woods, finds a stepped on leaf and then exactly knows what direction to head in. The movie is just often far from convincing with its concept and story. I know it probably was never the movie its main intension to be a believable one and just purely mainly one that should bring some entertainment but it's just too distracting and weak all to not to pay notice to and it really brings the movie down.
I'm also still pretty much confused what the Tommy Lee Jones character is even doing in this movie. Why is he brought in by the FBI to hunt down this person? I know he trained him in the Rangers and all but really why should the FBI take such a risk by calling in this old retired man and civilian. Surely they themselves had some experts they could call in. I just don't see how the fact that the Tommy Lee Jones character used to know the Del Toro one adds to the hunting down or overall investigation.
Director William Friedkin really had a weird career. He was a big man in the early '70's, at a very young age for a director but ever since his biggest acclaimed movies "The French Connection" and "The Exorcist" he has only made some very average and forgettable movies, this one included.
There are also still some good things to say about this movie though. Such as the fact that it got shot at some great locations and it has some really good fight sequences. I prefer a good old fashioned fist and knife fight over a shootout any day and this movie does really feature some nicely shot and choreographed fight sequences.
A movie that fails to make a lasting impression but also is not as bad as some people try make you believe it is.
6/10
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