Review of The Fugitive (1993) by Johnnyhollywood — 16 Jan 2012

Is it just me...

...Or are all American thrillers basically the same movie, just slightly altered and repackaged each time? Okay, I know at heart that there are some obvious details in each film that make it different to ones before it, but I can't be the only one who's thought that, by simply pulling a bunch of dangerous-sounding buzz words out of the air (words like 'prosecution', 'corruption', 'mistaken identity' and 'manhunt') I could form the foundation of the next big action thriller. So why, then, is Andrew Davis' The Fugitive, a film that contains all these base ingredients and more, so much fun to watch? Short answer: a solid story, good acting and a cast of characters that fit into their respective roles like a favourite pair of pyjamas. Long answer: by all means, read on.

Harrison Ford is Dr. Richard Kimble, a respected man sentenced to prison for murdering his wife, despite being adamant that it was not him, but a mysterious one-armed man, who committed the crime. On the bus ride to the big house, the other prisoners stage a daring escape, allowing Kimble to flee and begin a life of anonymity whilst seeking out the real killer. That is, until he crosses paths with Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones), a hard-nosed US Marshal who cares not for Kimble's excuses, and whose only concern is restoring the status quo.

Excluding the excellent Indiana Jones trilogy (notice I've left out the fourth instalment, which I refuse to mention by name), Ford has made this genre his forte, making him a natural fit for the desperate, determined Kimble. Jones earns the Best Supporting Actor Oscar by playing the typical Jones role to great effect: a no-nonsense tough guy with a sideswiping sense of humour. And Joe Pantoliano, best known as Ralph Cifaretto (or Cypher, if you're no Sopranos fan) makes under-appreciated contributions as Gerard's right-hand man.

Suspense is on high supply throughout. My personal favourite is Kimble's attempt to hide in plain sight at the hospital, a tense and dramatic set piece that sets a paranoid tone for the rest of the film. But there is a plethora of energetic, 'edge-of-your-seat' moments to satisfy film connoisseurs and action junkies alike, including the sewer chase, the St. Patrick's Day parade and the rooftop climax, all of which comply with the conventions of an action thriller nicely against the backdrop of a bleak, but not quite noir, Chicago CBD.

Speaking of conventions, it's clear that Davis has made a tight pace the top priority in The Fugitive, as the entire film is determined to remove any and all obstacles that would otherwise slow the movie down. Character development is restricted mainly to Ford's character, but is sprinkled in just enough to keep the rest of the cast from looking like cardboard cut-outs. But most pleasing was the omission of a romantic subplot. At different times during production, both Julianne Moore and Jane Lynch were scripted as Kimble's love interest. Despite the obvious pitfalls this would create from a logical perspective (considering Kimble spends the whole movie trying to avenge his beloved wife), it also sounds like the director has dodged a minefield of clichés by avoiding the beaten path; something I am very grateful for.

Admittedly, the film becomes a little convoluted in the third act. Depending on how much you've enjoyed The Fugitive, this alone might be enough to warrant a second viewing, but otherwise it's nothing that a quick trip to the IMDb won't fix. If you're looking for a theme to take away, I suppose the movie could act as an exposition of human nature in desperate times. However, I doubt that was on the agenda during filming, and so the film should instead be enjoyed as was intended: an absorbing, high-drama roller-coaster, which I expect will remain a staple of this genre for many decades to come.

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