Black Dog

This, although not entirely intended to be that funny, is one of the most humorous films I've ever seen. Wes's constant pleading to visit the jon, Red's quoting of Bible verses, and Earl's horrible singing all intertwine into a story originally intended to be very serious. However, the great acting of Randy Travis and Meat Loaf give the viewer a pleasant and hilarious surprise. The car chase scene is wonderfully made as is a crafty semi truck rampage up a steep hill and along jagged cliffs. A unique blend of good and bad acting along with good scenes and bad scenes make Black Dog one of the best "bad" movies you'll ever see.

I am no fan of the stars of this movie or a truckdriving buff or interested in country music (not that that's overly relevant.) I borrowed this tape with low expectations but was happily surprised by how entertaining it was. What has happened to Patrick Swayze? I thought he did a good job acting in both Donnie Darko and now this. THIS film is what goofy, illogical action flicks are supposed to be. This isn't simply a music video stretched out to an hour-and-a-half. This director actually knows how to make a movie. The plot ain't deep but there IS a plot, which is important. The ideas are dopey but the actors aren't simply laughing their way through but rather they treated this like a serious work. The actress who plays Swayze's wife has a style which usually annoys me but she, too, was ok in this thing. Even the little bits of country music didn't bother me. A stupid finale? Sure, but even that was fun. Wow.

The movie talks upon an ex-con named Jack(Patrick Swayze), he's working as mechanic in New Jersey, the bank is about to evict his house and he has no other choice taking a job for Red(Meat Loaf), driving a large truck in a long ride cross county, all the way from Atlanta . The truck is filled with illegal arms and he must to fight for saving his spouse(Brenda Strong) and daughter. Meanwhile the ATF and Feds (Stephen Tobolowski, Charles S Dutton, Lorraine Toussaint)are after from him.

The motion picture packs noisy action, race trucks, exciting thriller and is quite amusing, furthermore contains an eerie twist plot with the legend of apparition an ominous black dog. It's entertaining because from the beginning to the end the action packed and suspense is nonstop. Patrick Swayze( unforgettable in Dirty dancing) as a two-fisted action man saving his family is cool though a little wizened.Colorful cinematography and catching musical score by George S Clinton. The picture is professionally directed by Kevin Hooks( son of actor Robert Hooks).He's an action movies expert (Passenger 57 , Fled, among others), though he usually works for television , filming known and famous series( Prison break, 24, Lost, Cold case, NYPD Blue..). Rating : Acceptable and passable and it will like to action movies buffs and Patrick Swayze fans.

No truer words, Swayze looked weathered. But I guess some truckers just do. I sort of enjoyed the story, the beginning definitely ignites the rest of the action. This has some 'skill' linked-up in the driving, I learned a couple cool things about Big Rigs, that I didn't realize before however, I haven't seen diesels doing stuff like that since, 'Breakdown' 'CONVOY' or 'Duel'. Patrick is pretty much always fun to see act in any movie that he is in, other than the banter back and forth from the Evil-Graeme Beckel's character, who had taken his wife (played by Brenda Strong, the woman walking down the street only in a 'bra' that caused 'Kramer' from Seinfeld to crash his car T.V.s Seinfeld) and daughter, then making it through that Hellish chase situation and accident, only to lose a new found friend 'Sonny' the F.B.I. man, suddenly being sideswiped by The heavier-weight-coupon clipping-Jimmy Swaggart-wannabe-evil boss Singer rock star/actor Meatloaf at the end of this flick, Jack (Swayze) can't get an even break. However this is how most big budget Studio production houses usually take it into their hands to change a movie script until the believable is now ridiculous, usually at the end of a movie. Kind of like when Sidney J Furie made "Superman IV" and the Studio execs slashed his budget in half...this time however at pretty much the last minute, before scene shooting got started.

But Blackdog is entertaining and fun,the cast is a great cast. Heck with a good beer it gets even better.

But please if you must drink, stay at home and be nice to those around you.

Let's see, let's make a movie about truckers. Who can we get? How about Patrick Swayze? Yeah, that's good. Now for the villain- Meat Loaf? No, you're insane. Randy Travis as the sidekick? Wait a durned minute here! It's 'BLACK DOG'.

Poor Mr Swayze, if he drives a truck again, he'll go to jail...again! "But honey, we're losing the house!" Suddenly (deus ex machina), a deal he can't refuse comes his way, and after all, he is the best gol'darn trucker of them all.

I would have loved to be at the pitch meeting for this movie. "Well, we have $14M. Why don't we just throw it..........here!"

The funny part is, this is so good you can't stop watching it. And boy, is Swayze looking old! Watch out for the Black Dog.