Diagonaldi Very well executed

Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Pluskylang Great Film overall

Murphy Howard I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

TxMike Last week I was perusing the racks of movies on disk at my public library and came upon the BluRay of this 1989 movie. I figure that even an ordinary movie looks good on BluRay and I was right.I enjoyed this movie for a number of reasons. First it was good to see a 30-something Swayze who died way too young. It was also good to see a 30-something Neeson playing a hillbilly. And a young Helen Hunt, plus a young Ben Stiller. Plus I have two daughters and two grandchildren from Chicago, I have visited often, it is good to see the city in 1988.This is a pretty straightforward revenge movie. The Gates brothers are from hillbilly country. It was filmed in Hazard, Kentucky which is really in the middle of nowhere and a quick glance at Google street view shows it is your typical hick town. One of the Gates brothers is in Chicago to earn money as a delivery driver to go back home and start his own business. He is in the wrong place when a conflict arises and is killed, execution style in the back of his delivery truck, by the member of a Chicago mob family.Patrick Swayze is the brother, Truman Gates, who is also on the Chicago police force. He wants to do it by the books, find out who killed his brother, arrest him, and let the process work.But his brother, Liam Neeson as a much less refined Briar Gates, leaves his backwoods home to inflict justice himself. The key mob members are Adam Baldwin as Joey Rosselini and Ben Stiller as Lawrence Isabella, son of the boss. Helen Hunt is Truman's wife, Jessie Gates, pregnant with their first child. It was also good seeing character actor Michael J. Pollard as Harold the operator of the seedy boarding house Briar ends up in to plot his revenge.On strict technical merits, story, script and acting, it isn't a particularly good movie but entertaining if you like a good revenge movie.SPOILERS: The execution was carried out by Joey with Lawrence as a witness. Lawrence was burned and shot dead by Briar but Joey got the best of Briar in a shootout at their offices. Now having lost two brothers to these wise guys Truman gives up his badge and sets out to hunt them down. With bow and arrow at night in a cemetery. Ready to do in Joey with a handgun, the big boss shows up, kills Joey himself for bringing so much trouble to the family. The feud is over.

LeonLouisRicci Here is an Example why Patrick Swayze (who? the haircut!) Never went Beyond His 15 Minutes of Fame and Liam Neeson is Still Going Strong. Talent and Ability. Director John Irvin Lost His Edge on this One and Delivered a Laughable, Clumsy, Shallow, and Listless Movie. The List of Name Actors going through the Motions here is Impressive and Long, but Doubtful that Any of Them Used this One on Their Resume. This Dog Don't Hunt.Occasionally the "Action" is Overscored by an FM Soft Rock Ballad with Lyrics about Family (or Kin) that make the Eyes Roll and a Knee Slap Inevitable. The Hillbilly and Mob Clichés abound and the Trademark Cultural Flourishes are on a Level Lower than Dirt. Adam Baldwin, Helen Hunt, and Ben Stiller all Compete with Swayze for the Razzberries.The Climactic Shoot Out is so Bland and Pretentious it can be a Hoot if You let it. There are Snakes on a Bus, Bear Trap, Bows and Arrows, Crossbow, Machine Guns, 45's, Shotguns, Grenade Launcher, Knives, a Hatchet. Hound-Dogs, and for the Really Big Ending...A Fist Fight.One of the Worst Action Movies of the Decade. The Only Attraction is the Big Name Cast and the Chicago Locations. Both are Misused and Mishandled. This One Misses all the Marks.

SnoopyStyle Kentucky native Truman Gates (Patrick Swayze) is a Chicago cop married to violinist Jessie (Helen Hunt). His younger brother Gerald (Bill Paxton) follows him to Chicago but is killed by Joey Rosselini (Adam Baldwin). Joey is trying to take over the Isabella crime family. Briar Gates (Liam Neeson) arrives from Kentucky to seek revenge for brother Gerald.This is the hillbillies versus the mob. It is stupid at times but also gritty good at other times. Patrick Swayze does a good job as a guy trying to straddle two worlds. Liam Neeson is surprisingly convincing as the redneck. I was on the fence for much of the movie. Then we got the final ridiculous shoot-out. I had to take one point away for all that stupidity in the cemetery.

SanteeFats This is just a good old eye for an eye, you kill one of mine I will kill anyone involved movie. Patrick Swayse is a Chicago cop whose brother is killed by the mob. Liam Neeson, a hillbilly brother, comes to Chicago to try and find the killer. The two end up collaborating and go after the bad guys. Guess what, it turns out to be a very visceral blood bath. I do call bull s**t on the scene where Liam Neeson is reloading. You can not reliably reload ammo without a press. Ben Stiller as a bad guy??? He tries to carry it off but is a little short. Adam Baldwin plays a very impetuous but high level mob member. He gives no respect to the country folk and ends up paying for it. What the bad guys started the hillbillys finish.