Broken Arrow (1996)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

John Woo

Writer (WGA):

Graham Yost (written by)

Release Date:

9 February 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

Prepare to Go Ballistic

Plot:

Terrorists steal nuclear warheads from the US military but don't count on a pilot and park ranger spoiling their plans.

Plot Keywords:

Die Hard Scenario | Blockbuster | Locker Room | Exploding Helicopter | Blood Splatter

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

John Travolta	...	Maj. Vic 'Deak' Deakins
Christian Slater	...	Capt. Riley Hale
Samantha Mathis	...	Terry Carmichael
Delroy Lindo	...	Colonel Max Wilkins
Bob Gunton	...	Pritchett
Frank Whaley	...	Giles Prentice
Howie Long	...	Kelly
Vondie Curtis-Hall	...	Chief Sam Rhodes
Jack Thompson	...	Chairman, Joint Chief of Staff
Vyto Ruginis	...	Johnson
Ousaun Elam	...	Lt. Thomas
Shaun Toub	...	Max
Casey Biggs	...	Novacek
Jeffrey J. Stephen	...	Shepherd
Joey Box	...	Frakes

MPAA:

Rated R for strong action violence and language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (re-rating) | France:Unrated | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Malaysia:18SG | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #34096)

Filming Locations:

Barstow, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

In an interview on "Parkinson" (1971), Halle Berry recalled that the producers turned her down for the role of Terry Carmichael and told her "there are no black park rangers".

Goofs:

Factual errors: The episode where the traitor pretends to be incapacitated by radiation from the "exposed core" of the B-83 nuke is pure fiction. The whole point of refining the material for a plutonium/uranium core is to get rid of isotopes that radiate; otherwise the bomb would not function. Nukes radiate so little that you can't even find one with a geiger counter.

Quotes:

[Terry attacks Max with a hammer. He easily blocks her and throws her aside]
Max: We haven't met. I'm Max.
[she tries again and fails]
Max: You probably thought I was a computer nerd, didn't ya?
[laughs]
Max: Wrong! I was a Navy SEAL, lady. You really should see what I can do... with just my thumb.
[he draws a pistol, Terry picks up the hammer and throws it killing him]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Basic (2003)

Under-Rated Action Flick

"Broken Arrow" is a good action film about a Stealth pilot (John Travolta) who steals nuclear weapons one night during a practice mission. His goal is to sell the weapons back to the United States government by blackmailing them. Old partner Christian Slater is willing to stop Travolta at all costs with the help of ranger Samantha Mathis. Howie Long makes an impressive film debut as Travolta's evil henchman. The screenplay is smart enough to work and the direction is fast and furious. A film that is about as good as it can be. 4 stars out of 5.