Act of Vengeance

I'm a big Ellen Burstyn fan, so I'll see anything with her. But I didn't have high expectations for this based on the title (sounds like a Steven Seagal actioner) and the cover artwork (looks like a pulpy B-movie, with Ellen's mug thrown in as an afterthought).

Nonetheless, I was pleasantly surprised. Ellen was excellent as always, but Charles Bronson was also terrific, as was a young Keanu (spelled Keannu in the credits) Reeves. But the real revelation here is Wilford Brimley as the union boss. What a great bad-ass! For those used to seeing Wilford harp about cholesterol and diabetes, check this one out. You'll realize how much he's wasting his talent by doing those commercials.

This is a moving human drama with fine performances, captivating direction and a compelling, if occasionally clichéd, script. It's an act of triumph. Eight out of 10 stars.

In 1969, Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski (Charles Bronson) is finally tipped over the edge when a coal mine disaster is brushed over by the corrupt United Coal Miners Union he firmly believed in. Deciding to run against head man Tony Boyle (Wilford Brimley) for president of the Union, Yablonski soon becomes the target of a sinister murder plot.

It's a TV movie so it hardly has the production value to really do this "based on a true story" movie complete justice. However, with Bronson and Brimley giving very committed performances, and who in turn are backed up by the excellent Ellen Burstyn as Yablonski's loyal wife, there's humanistic qualities here that make this more than a time filler.

The murky political intrigue ticks away nicely, the characterisations of the assassins is afforded relative time, and the culmination of the picture strikes both the heart and the head. Yes it is hardly high end film making, and those turned off by dialogue heavy political posturing should probably stay away, but this is a story well worth knowing.

It got me to read up on the Boyle/Yablonski case, such was the interest born out by this HBO production. Proof positive that TV movies once had something viable to offer the mature film watching public. 7/10

ACT OF VENGEANCE is a 1986 TV movie, based on the true story of a man who stood up to a coal miner's union in 1969, accusing them of corruption and becoming the new president in the process. Unfortunately, his stand against his former colleagues made him plenty of enemies, some of whom decided to have him eliminated.

For the most part, this film plays out exactly as you'd expected a television movie to. It's not an action film at all - Bronson is more of a political figure than a hero here - but it doesn't really cut it as a thriller or drama either. I appreciate that it's a true story - that's the only thing it has going for it - but as a film it's pretty much a failure, with the story particularly lacking interest.

The story starts out well but around the halfway mark it really starts to plod. There's way too much of the drawn-out, back-and-forth scenes of the would-be assassins attempting to complete their job. Such moments are quickly tiresome as is the unusual way that some of the scenes involving these murky murderers are played for laughs. The worst parts of the movie are a couple of ill-advised and excruciating sex scenes between a youthful Ellen Barkin and the guy playing her husband. The producers do well to cast recognisable and reliable faces in supporting roles (including Wilford Brimley, Ellen Burstyn, Hoyt Axton, Maury Chaykin, and a young Keanu Reeves) but this is nevertheless one of Bronson's worst.

After a coal mine collapses and kills 80 miners in West Virginia a man named "Joseph 'Jock' Yablonski" (Charles Bronson) decides to do something about the greed on the part of the coal companies and the corruption within the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) by running for president of that organization. Naturally, this doesn't make the current president "Tony Boyle" very happy and being the unscrupulous person that he is decides to do whatever is necessary to retain his grip on the union--and the money and power that goes with it. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film was based on a true story which made major headlines in all of the newspapers across America and this made-for-television film does true justice to it. Of course, being a made-for television film, it has some inherent restrictions which sometimes lessen the overall entertainment value but all things considered this picture captured the basics rather well and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

In 1985, in the city of Toronto Canada, I was a movie extra in "Act of Vengeance". Although the weather was very hot,Charles Bronson and Wilfred Brimley did an outstanding acting job in this HBO film. I watched as both Wilfred and Charles concentrated on their lines while the director made ready the scenes they were to act in. There were very little retakes as the words flowed out of their mouths with no mistakes. Both were very professional actors. I was honoured, while on the set by Mr. Bronson for doing a good job as an extra. He picked up a poster used as a backdrop in one of the scenes and signed his name to it and handed it to me. It was a black and white picture of Charles with the words "For Democracy...Vote Yablonski". I still treasure it in my home. I viewed the film after it came out and found it sad that such an act could have been committed in the USA. The story told here happened in real life, so I was told while on the set of this film. I found that all who were in this film did an outstanding job making it come to life on the big screen, showing the evil lurking and hidden behind politics of those who hold high positions and just how hard the little man must fight for recognition and what he or she needs to be safe in the common work place. Since my first viewing I have watched it many times and will watch it many more. It's a superb film in my eyes, and yes, I have seen myself in the film and am proud to be part of it.

I might also add, that part of this film was also filmed in a small town called Waterdown Ontario, Located between Hamilton, and Toronto. It was while in Waterdown filming, that Charles signed my backdrop picture.