Final Justice (1985)

User Rating:

1.6/10   

Director:

Greydon Clark

Writer:

Greydon Clark (written by)

Release Date:

May 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

His name is Thomas Jefferson Geronimo. His brand of justice doesn't stop at the Texas border.

Plot:

Texas cop escorts a prisoner to Europe.

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Chase | Exploding Boat | Shotgun | Stripper

Cast

Joe Don Baker	...	Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III
Rossano Brazzi	...	Don Lamanna
Venantino Venantini	...	Joseph Palermo
Patrizia Pellegrino	...	Gina
Bill McKinney	...	Chief Wilson
Helena Abella	...	Maria
Lino Grech	...	Supt. Mifsud
Tony Ellul	...	Young Officer
Joe Theuma	...	Fosta
Bettina Amato-Gauci	...	Anna
Joe Quattromani	...	Bartender
Odetta Balzan	...	Stewardess
Josie Coppini	...	Taxi Driver
John Suda	...	Man Who Pours Beer
Elvisio Cannori	...	Tony Palermo

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:(Banned) (1985-2003) (cinema release) | USA:R | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Malta

Company:

Arista Films

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): Palermo claims to have given Geronimo a lethal injection. An injection is not lethal if it does not kill the person injected.

Quotes:

Deputy Sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III: Think you can take me? Well, go ahead on. It's your move.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Final Justice (#11.8)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

Carnival Music

I've seen it un-MSTed...

I notice from the comments that most of the people discussing this movie are basing their remarks on the MST3K airing. That's fair enough (that is, after all, how it got its widest exposure), but, having had the misfortune of seeing "Final Justice" in its original form, I'd just like to share a few thoughts and comments on the uncut version.

First off, it must be admitted that the original version is slightly more coherent than the MST3K broadcast, owing primarily to an expository scene between Rossano Brazzi and Venantino Venantini (I COULD use the characters' names instead of the actors', but I just love typing the words "Venantino Venantini"), explaining why Venantini's fugitive character can't just leave Malta right away. (It's not a very CONVINCING plot point, but at least the filmmakers tried to cover it.) Whether this scene was cut just for time or because it didn't provide much fodder for riffs, I don't know.

Another plot point missing in the original: The stripper's betrayal of Venantino Venantini to Joe Don Baker, seemingly unmotivated in the MST3K version, is explained by an earlier, extremely unpleasant scene in which Venantini rapes her in the shower. While this does give her a motive for turning against him, the whole scenario is just really...icky. (There's no other word for it.)

Some of the MST-worthy moments (the perpetual truncated shouts of "Son of a--" and the "deja vu" shooting of the sheriff) were purely the result of the edited-for-TV print they worked with, and were absent from the original movie.

One scene I wish had made it into the MST3K version: Before entering the bar to question some people, Joe Don asks the Maltese policewoman accompanying him to stay outside, because "they see that uniform, they won't cooperate." However, Joe Don himself is wearing his ridiculous cowboy-slash-sheriff outfit, complete with shiny badge! I can't imagine why they passed on that great opportunity to make fun of him...

One final observation on the original, uncut version of "Final Justice": Why, oh why, did they feel the need to put Venantino Venantini's naked butt up on the screen?