Walter Hill's terrific 1978 thriller about a cop's obsessive pursuit of a seemingly uncatchable criminal clearly anticipates Michael Mann's Heat, for which it may have provided an unacknowledged template. It's a much leaner picture than Mann's portentous epic, however, but just as stylish and a lot more exciting, with a series of stunningly orchestrated car chases, a satisfyingly complicated plot and a couple of instances of eye-popping violence. Ryan O'Neal is surprisingly good as the ace getaway driver in a part Hill offered originally to Steve McQueen?but it's the demonic Bruce Dern who walks away with the acting honours as the uncompromising cop determined to bring him in.
Walter Hill’s terrific 1978 thriller about a cop’s obsessive pursuit of a seemingly uncatchable criminal clearly anticipates Michael Mann’s Heat, for which it may have provided an unacknowledged template. It’s a much leaner picture than Mann’s portentous epic, however, but just as stylish and a lot more exciting, with a series of stunningly orchestrated car chases, a satisfyingly complicated plot and a couple of instances of eye-popping violence. Ryan O’Neal is surprisingly good as the ace getaway driver in a part Hill offered originally to Steve McQueen?but it’s the demonic Bruce Dern who walks away with the acting honours as the uncompromising cop determined to bring him in.
