Comic book cop thriller in Pittsburgh with Bruce Willis and Sarah Jessica Parker RELEASED IN 1993 and written/directed by Rowdy Herrington, “Striking Distance” stars Bruce Willis as Tom Hardy, a Pittsburgh detective who's demoted to river rescue. A serial killer returns after a two-year absence and bodies of beautiful women start turning up in the river, all women whom Hardy used to date! Sarah Jessica Parker is on hand as Hardy's partner on the river, Jo Christman. The movie has a bad reputation. Roger Ebert tore it to pieces, basically saying it was too derivative and by-the-numbers, and Willis himself said he hated it. I can understand criticism to a point. The story has a melodramatic comic-book vibe, which is obvious in the opening act, almost like a TV production except with a superior cast and action scenes. But, and this is an important “but,” I found myself drawn into the story & the characters and greatly enjoyed the rare Pittsburgh locations, as well as the (melo)drama and thrills. In other words, the movie is entertaining and entertainment is the name of the game. This is a cop thriller in the manner of the Dirty Harry series, especially “The Dead Pool” (1988), except it’s more comic booky and taking place in Pittsburgh rather than San Francisco. It's also reminiscent of films like "The General's Daughter" (1999). Although not technically as good as the Dirty Harry movies or "The General's Daughter" due to its cartoonish-ness, "Striking Distance" nevertheless pulled me into the lives of the characters and, for the most part, furnished the requisite thrills. The generically-named movie (also akin to the Dirty Harry franchise) was originally called "Three Rivers,” a much better title simply because it's more specific, but was changed at the last minute because the marketing department feared people would think it was a sports movie due to Three Rivers Stadium, so they switched it to "Striking Distance." Why “Striking Distance”? The first hint is at the beginning of the movie when the title card shows two electrical bolts coming out from either side of the title. Later we observe the mysterious killer using a stun gun before killing his victims and, with a stun gun, you must of course be within... striking distance! Speaking of the killer, one element of the plot I haven't mentioned is that this is a whodunit. Someone is charged with being the killer early on but Hardy knows it's the wrong guy; he and others are sure it's a cop or ex-cop doing the killings. There are a few suspects, including Hardy himself, but I honestly was unable to guess the right person. There's another twist late in the story that also took me by surprise. "Striking Distance" may not be exceptional and is marred by cartoonish exaggeration, but it entertains as a cop thriller and that's what's most important when it comes to these types of flicks. Plus it was shot in Pittsburgh, a refreshing change. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 42 minutes. ADDITIONAL WRITER: Martin Kaplan. GRADE: C+/B-
A kind man aspires to become a manga writer, but villains and evil deeds do not come easily to him, for he has little experience or natural inclination for them. Things take a surprise turn when he comes across a family who were described as idealized that are no more. He uses the real-life situation for his work.
Movie Star Rating : 7.2 Read More
Karate champion Matt Logan is enlisted by the police to train officers in self-defense after narcotics agents are killed by an assailant using the martial arts.
Movie Star Rating : 4.8 Read More
The Spanish deep South, 1980. A series of brutal murders of adolescent girls in a remote and forgotten town bring together two disparate characters - both detectives in the homicide division - to investigate the cases. With deep divisions in their ideology, detectives Juan and Pedro must put aside their differences if they are to successfully hunt down a killer who for years has terrorized a community in the shadow of a general disregard for women rooted in a misogynistic past.
Movie Star Rating : 7 Read More
The Cusp is a serial killer who kills his victims and then brings them back to life; over and over again; until they beg to die! Maya is a psychic investigator who gained her powers after a 1 year coma after she was the Cusp's first victim! Now the Cusp Killer is back and Maya has little time to do what she has never done before: go into the mind of a killer unprotected and save his latest victim.
Movie Star Rating : 3.9 Read More
Four interconnected stories surrounding the escape from prison of a notorious serial killer.
Movie Star Rating : 5.3 Read More
A young novelist, Richard Harland, meets beautiful Ellen Berent on a train where they fall in love and are soon married. When tragedies take first his handicapped young brother, then his unborn son from him, Harland gradually realises that his wife's insane jealousy may be the cause of the tragedies in his life. Yet another shock awaits them all, as Ellen's emotions become uncontrollable.
Movie Star Rating : 7.4 Read More
In the late 1920s, Albert Fish, a seemingly benevolent father and grandfather who reared his family by himself after his wife deserted them, turns out to be a serial child molester and murderer. Based on a true story.
Movie Star Rating : 5.8 Read More
The Beautiful Game 2024 - Movies (Mar 29th)
Heart of the Hunter 2024 - Movies (Mar 29th)
Madu 2024 - Movies (Mar 29th)
The Settlers 2023 - Movies (Mar 29th)
Lousy Carter 2023 - Movies (Mar 29th)
Godzilla x Kong The New Empire 2024 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Winnie-the-Pooh Blood and Honey 2 2024 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Even Hell Has Its Heroes 2023 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Falling in Love in Niagara 2024 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Silent Night 2023 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Double Soul 2023 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Haunting of the Queen Mary 2023 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Uproar 2023 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Peter Five Eight 2024 - Movies (Mar 28th)
Windcatcher 2024 - Movies (Mar 27th)
The Truth vs. Alex Jones 2024 - Movies (Mar 27th)
Easter Evil 2024 - Movies (Mar 27th)
The Iron Claw 2023 - Movies (Mar 26th)
Kung Fu Panda 4 2024 - Movies (Mar 26th)
The Book of Clarence 2023 - Movies (Mar 26th)
Molli and Max in the Future 2023 - Movies (Mar 26th)
Deal or No Deal - (Mar 29th)
The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle - (Mar 29th)
The Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell - (Mar 29th)
The Kelly Clarkson Show - (Mar 29th)
Renters - (Mar 29th)
Motorway Patrol - (Mar 29th)
The First 48 Presents Critical Minutes - (Mar 29th)
Theresa Caputo- Raising Spirits - (Mar 29th)
The Cook Up with Adam Liaw - (Mar 29th)
ROH On HonorClub - (Mar 29th)
Taking the Stand - (Mar 29th)
The Trades - (Mar 29th)
Family Guy - (Mar 29th)
We Were the Lucky Ones - (Mar 29th)
Royal Crackers - (Mar 29th)
Summer House - (Mar 29th)
The Nature of Things - (Mar 29th)
Manhunt - (Mar 29th)
The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy - (Mar 29th)
A Gentleman in Moscow - (Mar 29th)