The Spy Within

This reviewer attempts to describe something of merit within each work under consideration, but with this wretchedly made film, one must slide by the woeful efforts by those who generally provide audience enjoyment, i.e., director, screenwriter, actors, editors, et alia, before finally recognizing the customary able efforts from crew technicians as the sole evidence of adequacy. In a plot seldom coherent, Theresa Russell, billed second, is cast as Alex Canis, A.K.A. "The Dove", an entrapment specialist employed by the National Security Agency (N.S.A.), who gathers her information through acts of prostitution, with a specialty as dominatrix, her clients being Federal government officials, and blackmail undoubtedly a goal for her unit, a "covert section" of the N.S.A. that collects photographs of her activities. Since Alex has written, for therapeutic reasons, a not-for-publication autobiography, her supervisor, after learning of the opus, determines that she must be eliminated, and during her flight from homicidal pursuers, she unites with a discredited demolition expert, Will Rickman (Scott Glenn), who is fighting a lawsuit originating from two accidental deaths within his most recently demolished building and the pair exchange sexual bouquets when not avoiding being killed. In his only stint as director of a feature, Steve Railsback, although a charismatic actor, obviously lacks those skills requisite for guiding other players, since he merely turns Russell and Glenn loose to fish for whatever they might find of worth within a sloppily written screenplay and as these two happen to benefit from a strong director, their mannered performances must rate at the bottom of their portfolios. The liberal footage of amorous thrashing about between Alex and Will is a clear attempt to add mustard for the largely incomprehensible proceedings, but the result is more silly than sensuous, and gives only momentary surcease for a storyline that has more flaws in continuity than can be found in any average score or two of other films, to a point where one feels simply embarrassed for all involved.

Scott Glenn plays a tormented demolition expert, who is haunted by the deaths of a homeless family accidentally killed in his last building implosion. Theresa Russell is a government informant who seduces for secrets. After Russell is targeted for elimination by the government, she involves, and gets involved with Glenn. Using their expertise, the pair try to elude the hired hit men who relentlessly pursue them. There is good chemistry between the fleeing lovers. I was especially impressed with Russell's performance, because she is usually in artsy type films with little going on other than dialog. The ending is both clever and satisfying. - MERK

As films go, this one is pretty average. It is my first time to see Scott Glenn and Theresa Russell acting. In fact, there are no highs or lows as any aspect of the movie goes. Storyline, acting, cinematography, etc. all average. In the cast of characters, however, there is a problem. See my comments of this movie, if you've viewed it.

A Roger Corman film. OK. I don't know why others whined over how the director is a better actor and how they'd expect others to do this film. So what? Roger Corman may have only been an executive producer of this flick but, having seen his name in the opening credits, this video didn't disappoint me. It is a competently assembled action movie. Theresa Russell looks good with clothes and without. Scott Glenn is entertaining fighting and drinking, and fortunately we only have to look at his bare butt once. It's too bad that the NSA's IMDb members have all voted against this fun film, just to protect their secret government jobs. Fortunately the rest of us IMDb members are too smart to be swayed by their evil conspiratorial campaign. And I didn't mean to suggest that Theresa is simply eye-candy; she can act, too. But, when we repeatedly get to see her naughty bits -- woo woo.

Some people look for meanings & messages everywhere. There are no messages here, just 2 very sexy people with very good chemistry fighting off those bad guys that are always out there. Nope, this movie is not particularly trendy, but it sure works, like an updated b-movie of old. This is real pulp fiction, not the pretend/pop kind. Railsback knows his stuff, & it wasn't learned in a video store.