Review of Streets of Fire (1984) by Steven B — 16 Jan 2009
As cheesy 80s action movies go, this is a very entertaining one. It's got something for everyone too, it can also be considered a musical or comedy, and its unclear time period makes it seem almost like a post-apocalyptic sci-fi flick.
Michael Pare as Tom Cody makes a great testosterone fueled hero, like a cross between Clint Eastwood and Sylvester Stallone. One thing that saves this film from being truly bad is its length. It is not too long, which saves it from becoming tiresome.
Good job by the editor. No character is given really great dialogue. Many lines that are meant to be serious are so bad they are funny. Another great bad guy performance by WIllem Dafoe, and Diane Lane is stunning here in her younger days as the pop star Ellen Aim.
The music is meant to hold the film together, but the range of song types is uneven, from 80s pop anthems, the skanky bar song, to R&B. I really enjoyed the extended songs at the beginning and end of the film, which were stage productions in concert sequences.
One more thing- a young Bill Paxton never fails as comic relief.
This review of Streets of Fire (1984) was written by Steven B on 16 Jan 2009.
Streets of Fire has generally received positive reviews.
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