Prise au piège

For all the countless cheap thrillers to come out of the 1980s (and I've probably seen a few too many myself), this film has some things that make it stand out. First of all, good acting. Amy Madigan is convincing, engaging, and doesn't embarrass herself. She's the main reason this film works. Second, the direction. Mario Azzopardi made a career out of B-movies, but he doesn't go too over the top. There's certain lapses in logic, but the staging of the scenes and overall structure really brings you in. Finally, the plot. For an action film, "Nowhere to Hide" is neither particularly overblown nor utterly non-plausible. Despite later events that feel a bit untrue, the set-up is believable. And that's what matters. I also enjoyed Vic Sarin's cinematography, full of deep, warm tones.

It's the breathing space that matters in this film. The quiet scenes in a hotel room, or the long build-up centering around the Daniel Hugh Kelly character. Michael Ironside adds a certain touch to the third act the grounds the story in a way few action flicks are even concerned with. It's not as if "Nowhere to Run" is a masterpiece, but I think it qualifies for a much better position than it holds. It's almost unseen, and by those who've seen it, mostly forgotten. With countless action films of less than a tenth of this quality being constantly churned out, you could do worse than a film as compelling as this one.