Against the Law (1997)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Jim Wynorski

Writers:

Steve Mitchell (writer)
Bob Sheridan (writer)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

A trigger-happy outlaw goes on the run and a burned out, disillusioned cop gives chase. They end up head-to-head in a Los Angeles shoot out.

Plot Keywords:

Showdown | Cop Killer | Policewoman Killing | Gunfight | News Reporter

Cast

Nancy Allen	...	Maggie Hewitt
Richard Grieco	...	Rex
Nick Mancuso	...	Det. John Shepard
Steven Ford	...	Lt. Bill Carpenter
Thomas Mikal Ford	...	Det. Siegel
Gary Sandy	...	Chief Leitner
Leslie Bega	...	Lucia the Liquor Store Clerk
James Stephens	...	Det. Ben Hamada
Herb Mitchell	...	Carl Stensgard
Heather Thomas	...	Felicity
Jaime Pressly	...	Sally the Waitress
B.K. Byron	...	Lars Reder
Tim Colceri	...	Officer I.Q.
Randy Crowder	...	Lt. Fuller
Billy Gallo	...	DJ

Also Known As:

Gunslinger (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

90 min | UK:81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Certification:

USA:R (Certificate #35294) | Germany:18 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | UK:15 | Iceland:16

Company:

Sunset Films International

Goofs:

Continuity: During the car chase Shepard fires many more shots than his revolver could hold.

Quotes:

Lt. Carpenter: Did you get any sleep last night?
John Shepard: Yeah. Yeah, lots; why?
Lt. Carpenter: You look like hell.
John Shepard: Thanks. How do I smell?
Lt. Carpenter: Lemon fresh.

Well above-average low-budgeter

An unusually straight-faced actioner played by a cast and filmed by a director who obviously took the material seriously. Imperfect, as is to be expected from a film clearly shot on a tight budget, but the drama is involving-- it's one of those films that when it gets repeated ad nauseum on Cinemax 2 or More Max or whatever they call it, you end up watching 40 minute blocks when you're supposed to be going to work. Along W/ "Deathstalker 2", "Chopping Mall", and "The Assault", a reminder that Wynorski is a much more talented director than many of his fellow low-budget brethern, who has a real ability to pace a genre film, when he actually's interested in the material (i.e., don't bother watching any of his Shannon Tweed flicks with a 3 or a 4 after the title!) Actors who've had too little to do recently (Mancuso, Ford, even Gary Sandy for chrissakes) really put their all into some of their best roles in years -- as for Grieco, he has the right look, although his acting is a bit one-note -- it's clear his character is supposed to be self-destructing throughout the film, but Grieco doesn't quite convey it. I checked IMDB and I see the writer also wrote "Sorority House Massacre 2" & "Dinosaur Island" for the director -- both minor classics in their own rights, but obviously "silly" Roger Cormon-like Cinema -- this one's more like some of the better Jonathan Demme and Jonathan Kaplan B-pictures of the 70's -- giving you the exploitation element but offering involving drama at the same time -- a real step forward. Not "Citizen Kane," and the comic final moments are a bit disruptive, but a well-written, character-driven above-average straight-to-video actioner. Small achievements like this should not be overlooked when they come along, which is rare enough (as I was reminded as I tried to sit through an Albert Pyun monstrosity called "Heatseeker" the other night -- this low-budget stuff isn't as easy as it looks -- but that's another story!)