I originally saw 'Felony' back in the 90's solely because Lance Henriksen was in it. I'll be honest and tell you I didn't retain much about it other than the finale taking place on a football field. Sitting down for it again with the knowledge of director David A. Prior just reinforces why it's so unmemorable.
This is the type of low grade action that used to litter the shelves of your local corner store or Blockbuster. The basic premise of a reality TV camera crew (think Cops) following a SWAT raid on a house to arrest criminals and seize drugs sounds alright. Then watch the execution. A blueprint on how to not shoot action. When things go really wrong and the cameraman and assistant escape with the evidence of who did it on tape things don't get any better.
A bunch of recognizable faces either chew the scenery *ahem David Warner* or have to recite awful dialogue. Horrible car chase action where you can tell the vehicles are going 5 mp/h. Jeffrey Combs - no stranger to b-movies - is really out of his depth as our action hero. I'm still trying to forget that ridiculous last minute reveal.
Lance can't save this. None of the other faces can. Leo Rossi, Charles Napier, Joe Don Baker, Ashley Lawrence, David Warner. A generic soundtrack. Absurd characters. Cardboard romance, injuries that mean little, predictable double crosses and a story that actively works to unravel itself, but not in a fun way. This is the directors wheelhouse.
This is the type of low grade action that used to litter the shelves of your local corner store or Blockbuster. The basic premise of a reality TV camera crew (think Cops) following a SWAT raid on a house to arrest criminals and seize drugs sounds alright. Then watch the execution. A blueprint on how to not shoot action. When things go really wrong and the cameraman and assistant escape with the evidence of who did it on tape things don't get any better.
A bunch of recognizable faces either chew the scenery *ahem David Warner* or have to recite awful dialogue. Horrible car chase action where you can tell the vehicles are going 5 mp/h. Jeffrey Combs - no stranger to b-movies - is really out of his depth as our action hero. I'm still trying to forget that ridiculous last minute reveal.
Lance can't save this. None of the other faces can. Leo Rossi, Charles Napier, Joe Don Baker, Ashley Lawrence, David Warner. A generic soundtrack. Absurd characters. Cardboard romance, injuries that mean little, predictable double crosses and a story that actively works to unravel itself, but not in a fun way. This is the directors wheelhouse.