Review of No Way Out (1987) by Sinisteris T — 06 Feb 2015
Directed by Roger Donaldson (The Bounty (1984), Cocktail (1988) and Species (1995)), this thriller is based on a 1946 novel called The Big Clock by Kenneth Fearing, which was republished under the title of No Way Out in 1980.
The film version is a very complex but exciting thriller where nothing is what is what it seems. It also has a very good cast and it keeps it's suspense and tautness up throughout. U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) is given a job working for Secretary of Defense, David Brice (Gene Hackman) at the Pentagon.
Meanwhile, he's been seeing Susan Atwell (Sean Young), who is seeing another man, who Farrell learns is Brice. In turn Brice learns that Susan is seeing another man, and he kills her in a jealous rage.
Brice panics, and his General Counsel Scott Pritchard (Will Patton) decides to blame someone else, and Brice asks Farrell to lead the investigation as to who it could be, but Farrell knows this could implicate himself in the investigation, and when the Pentagon is under lockdown, Farrell finds himself under scrutiny.
It's a very good film, and while a lot of thrillers from the 1980's tend to be dated, the only thing dated about this film are the computers and fashions, but the plot is well executed and it keeps the viewer guessing until the end.
It shows what an underrated director Donaldson is, and he made loads of good films at the time.
This review of No Way Out (1987) was written by Sinisteris T on 06 Feb 2015.
No Way Out has generally received positive reviews.
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