The Fugitive
131 mins, 1993. Director: Andrew Davis
What makes this movie tick is the dynamic between Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford who have acted to steely perfection. In hindsight, they happen to be the most adorable cop-fugitive couple in Hollywood history. In this near-perfect suspense movie adapted from the popular 1960s television series that starred David Janssen, renowned vascular surgeon Dr Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) has been falsely accused and convicted – on circumstantial evidence – of his wife’s (Sela Ward) murder. The bizarre circumstances that led to the death only sweeten the suspense. It’s a consummate nail-biter that never lags. In fact, it leaves you breathless from the chase yet anxious for the next bit of mayhem or clever plot twist. Nominated for three Academy Awards, The Fugitive is one of the most exciting and thrilling action movies ever made. Spectacular special effects and a pulse-pounding performance turned this film into a blockbuster, leading to a sequel, U.S. Marshals.
The Departed
151 mins, 2006. Director: Martin Scorcese
Leonardo Di Caprio as undercover cop William Costigan is pitted against Matt Damon as undercover mobster Colin Sullivan. Both get into plenty of nail-biting situations that almost reveal their true identities. Rolling Stones songs pepper the soundtrack; bullets and blood punctuate every key scene; and the mobster-themed storyline is a thrilling return to ‘Goodfellas’ territory. When it’s a Martin Scorsese film, expect perfection in just about every department of filmmaking. From impeccable casting (Di Caprio, Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg give their career-best performances) to astute editing and memorable one-liners, this tightly-wound undercover cop vs. crooked cop drama is not only his meatiest movie in years, it’s also his personal best at the box office. What’s more, this film also got him his first Best Director Oscar. Nicholson and Winstone provide acting master-classes every time they appear. This film is a model of what directing is when craft rises to the level of art.
Reservoir Dogs
100 mins, 1992. Director: Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino has a gift for writing great bursts of caustic, quirky dialogue and it shows in just about every crucial frame in his unforgettable debut film. It’s an audacious high-wire act about a group of perfect strangers who have been assembled to pull off the perfect heist. Meticulously planned, nothing can go wrong. But it turns into a bloody ambush when one of them turns out to be a police informer. As the group begins to question each other’s guilt, the simmering tensions threaten to explode the situation before the police have a chance to step in. Even former video store clerk Tarantino didn’t know his debut film will turn out to be a brutally funny, supercharged introduction to his supremely distinct cinematic vision. Boldly blending graphic violence with satirical references to popular culture, Reservoir Dogs ushered in an often-mimicked style of filmmaking in the 1990s.
The Usual Suspects
106 mins, 1995. Director: Bryan Singer
This film is an intricately plotted and suspenseful tale about five very different crime suspects (played by Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Spacey, Benicio Del Toro, Kevin Pollak, and Stephen Baldwin) who meet while in a police line-up. After the quintet’s fortuitous encounter, they decide to band together and attempt their own big heist by robbing a smuggler of $3 million worth of emeralds. However, their success brings them to the attention of the enigmatic Keyser Soze, an unseen, nefarious, and mythic underworld crime figure who coerces them into pulling off an important and highly dangerous job. The scenes that follow make The Usual Suspects one of the most fascinating crime thrillers in cinema history. Director Bryan Singer adroitly tells the complex story through flashbacks, cross-cutting, and voice-over narration. Such nimble handling of the intricacies of the nonlinear narrative adds to the suspense, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats until the clever, satisfying finale.
(This piece appeared in Windows & Aisles, the inflight magazine of Paramount Airways, South India’s business airline)