Ricochet

"Ricochet" is a movie worth seeing (renting) for its two lead actors; both of whom approach this movie with gusto, not to mention serious talent: Denzel as the righteous crusader attorney, and Lithgow as the bat-guano crazy killer. Lithgow plays the hell out of the psycho here, not the scenery-chewing bad guy you picture from "Cliffhanger", but the unhinged and unpredictable kind. The mindscrew he puts Denzel through in this movie is something else, man. Way out there.

Sleazy and over-the-top are both very good descriptors for "Ricochet", which isn't at all what I'd expected. It does have that early '90s violence (you know it when you see it), but a lot of it's shot like a music video; it's kinda surreal. Ice Ti's character/subplot is awkwardly shoved in there, but on the other hand, Kevin Pollack's a reliable presence. I do love that Mary Ellen Trainor's playing the same character she did in "Die Hard") it's so random). This holds your attention, but it's also fairly forgettable.

6/10

A rookie cop becomes a media sensation after a video camera captures him shooting and capturing a psycho killer. The handsome, smooth talking cop becomes a celebrated district attorney and even potential political candidate. He now has a beautiful wife and two great kids.

Meanwhile the psycho killer follows his career from prison, seething with hatred, eventually to make a bloody break from prison, fake his own death, then begin a systematic attempt to ruin the D.A.'s life by a series of incidents in which people, including his own wife, will question his sanity. The D.A. will soon be on the run from the law, having to team with old street gang members in order to clear himself.

Denzel Washington is the cop/D.A. and John Lithgow, incredibly, the psycho killer who seemingly can't be stopped. Lithgow even has a mortal combat sequence with Jesse "The Body" Ventura in which he is the quite easy victor. Really? Lithgow besting Ventura mano a mano? Ice T plays the chief gang member.

This film starts well enough but becomes increasingly over the top as it proceeds and then, well, just plain dumb. Action fans who just want to go on a free wheeling ride and don't care about logic may enjoy it while others may be turned off by a film that becomes pretty hysterical in its presentation, particularly the climax with television cameras there to record all the action.

In the prison Lithgow has a cell wall covered with photos of Washington, a reflection of his clear obsession with him. But prison authorities don't seem to care. What kind of prison is this? His combat scene with Ventura, with all inmates cheering them on, continues for three or four minutes. No prison guards around to stop them? What kind of prison is this? When a prison break is made power tools are used as weapons, including a power saw for one spectacular way for a uniformed guard to die. What kind of prison is this? Washington's power as an actor comes through sporadically but he can't make the material seem any better. There are a couple of scenes in which he is stripped down to show how semi beef cakey he was at the time. There is also a moment, to show what kind of film Ricochet is, in which one character has a spectacular fall, landing on a spike which rips through his body.

Washington's deadpan response, "You get the point now, don't you?" It's a cheap jokey cringe worthy moment, reminiscent of Sean Connery's 007.

A strong opening sequence, reminiscent of titles straight from a Hitchcock movie, bodes well and it's Denzel to the max from the opening frames. 'Ricochet' is very much a product of the 80's in its look and sound, and there's a hard edge and some snappy dialog that really pushes the action forward without pulling any of its numerous punches. This is most likely down to the screenplay being penned by Steven de Souza who wrote Die Hard; DH 2; 48 Hours and Another 48 Hours, some of the previous decades' defining films. John Lithgow's performance is suitably deranged, Kevin Pollack provides solid support (nice impression in the early stages). It's a good story, not without a Hitchcockian twist or two, arguably not particularly polished as a final product, but still a barrel load of kitschy '80's fun. Worth a look, especially for Denzel fans.

Over-the-top vehicle for Denzel Washington, here playing policeman-turned-District Attorney who puts slimy killer John Lithgow away, but quickly becomes the psycho's main target after Lithgow escapes from prison (in what must be the most nondescript prison-breakout in movie history!). Ridiculous, sometimes enjoyable non-think entertainment doesn't take itself too seriously, and Washington is solid throughout. Lithgow appropriately hams it up, but Lindsay Wagner is wasted as a fellow D.A. Film tails off near the finish line for a formulaic climax, but otherwise isn't too bad. ** from ****

It's so bad, it's good? I don't even know how to explain the absurdity going on in this movie. From the power guy/bad guy having cake with the babysitter to everyone believing a dubbed video of the protagonist passed out screwing a hooker is real. Everyone close to him IMMEDIATELY turning on him for absolutely no reason whatsoever to god knows what because I haven't even finished this train wreck. I don't know if someone really wrote the most terrible script in the world or half this movie got left on the editing room floor. God it's bad.