Ricochet
Tags: revenge, neo noir, murder, violence

Plot synopsis:
In 1983, rookie Los Angeles police officer and law student Nicholas Styles (Denzel Washington) meets his future wife Alice (Victoria Dillard). He drifts away from his childhood friend Odessa (Ice-T), who is drifting into a life of crime in South Central Los Angeles. Styles and his partner Larry Doyle (Kevin Pollak) patrol a carnival, where they encounter hitman Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) and his servile accomplice Kim (Josh Evans). Styles catches Blake at gunpoint and is forced into a standoff when Blake takes a hostage. After stripping his equipment and uniform off, Styles uses a hidden gun in his athletic supporter, shooting Blake in the knee and subduing him. The incident is caught by an amateur videographer and is shown on television, making Styles a hero. He and Doyle are subsequently promoted to Detective, while Blake is sent to prison.
Eight years later, Styles has moved on to be an Assistant District Attorney, is married to Alice, and has two daughters. At the same time, Blake has degenerated into further violence fighting against the Aryan Brotherhood. He also strikes a deal with the leader of the gang to plot an escape. Having been incarcerated with Blake, Kim is paroled and plans to assist in Blake's escape and revenge. Blake and the AB members stage a violent prison escape during a parole hearing, which only Blake and the AB leader survive. Blake murders the gang leader and burns his corpse.
Styles finds Odessa, who has become a major drug-dealer in the neighborhood. Blake and Kim later kill the city councilman, staging his death to appear as a suicide. Styles is abducted by Blake and Kim outside his home and is held hostage in an empty swimming pool for several days. Blake and Kim regularly inject Styles with heroin and cocaine while engaging in arm wrestling. Blake hires a blonde white female prostitute Wanda (Linda Dona) to have sex with Styles. As she stripes naked, Wanda ignores Styles' weak objections and proceeds to rape him as Blake records the incident on video. After Blake and Kim deposit Styles' unconscious body on the steps of City Hall, Alice overhears Styles' phone conservation and thinks he cheated on her with a prostitute. Styles witnesses a video of Blake going up to his daughters' room and holding a hatchet over them just before the tape cuts out. Terrified and enraged, Styles heads to the park, sees a black-clad figure who is a clown, and holds him at gunpoint. After the tape has been substituted with the video recording of Styles' rape, he vehemently protests his innocence and Blake's complicity to District Attorney Priscilla Brimleigh (Lindsay Wagner), who suspends Styles. After receiving evidence of Blake's obsession, Styles and Doyle go to the bookstore that night, and Styles beats information out of the owner. Blake ambushes Doyle, fatally wounds him in the alley, and escapes.
Desperate, Styles contacts Odessa for help, evacuates his family from their home, and takes them to the housing project Odessa uses as a drug lab. Styles then goes to the roof and raves to the street below, appearing to be suicidal. Blake arrives at the project, while Styles fakes his own death by starting a fiery explosion in the building and escaping. Odessa's gang abducts Kim, and Odessa sends a message to Blake that Styles is alive and intends to get him, challenging him to come to the Watts Towers. Blake finds Kim tied to the scaffolding and kills him. On the towers, Blake and Styles fight until Styles knocks Blake off the tower, fatally impaling him on a spike. Styles reunites with his family and calls out to Odessa one last time, inviting him to basketball. The television news crews are there, broadcasting the latest events that have dramatically proven Styles innocent. When a newscaster (Mary Ellen Trainor) asks Styles for a comment, he turns off the news camera.

Review: This is a typical Denzel Washington film: well-acted, rough language, a racial theme and an involved story that holds your interest.
It gets predictable in the end but I like the analogy in the film to the classic movie, "White Heat."I was sorry to see a few things: once again, white people are all the bigots; Lindsay Wagner, television's nice lady of the past, now using very profane language here and looking hard.Overall, this sometimes looks like a "B" action film more than a classy one but it's still an interesting crime film that sports a few different angles.
Denzel Washington, in a full, maniacal "Die Hard" mode, is Nick Styles, a maverick cop who is framed fro murder after Blake (Lithgow, in electric psycho mode) escapes form prison seeking revenge on Styles, the man that put him on cold seven years ago.
Sure, it has the very same conventionalisms and clichés of every other action movie (Styles partner dies, et al), but still, Ricochet goes over the average thanks to bravura performances by the two leads and some damn fine action sequences and camerawork.But now, Russell Mulcahy has stepped into oblivion and John Lithgow has become somber family fodder in mind numbing sitcoms about aliens and rock..
Ricochet is an intense movie that stars Denzel Washington,John Lithgow,and Ice-T!I really don't want to say much in case you haven't seen it.
I will point out a few things though.Lithgow really steals the show here as he puts on a great performance as a very mean villain!There is one small sex scene and a little nudity in a bard but it really doesn't show it that long.The music is excellent by Alan Silvestri!I love it when the haunting music starts when Lithgow shows up in some scenes.There are some really intense moments.Jesse Ventura is in the film for a while and boy does his character look different than his others in previous movies.Washington and Ice-t were very good.Anyway it a cool film directed by Russell Mulcahy!If you haven't seen Ricochet before than now is the time to check it out!.
And the scene with the hooker when she walks up to a drugged out Denzel who is begging her in his drugged state to not have sex with him (she does anyway) and she says "I love it when they beg" Over the top music score helps push this into bad movie heaven as does the "making crap great" director R.M. working at the top of his bad movie MTV form.
Rookie Cop (Two Time Oscar-Winner:Denzel Washington) has come a long way from the tough streets of L.A., Nick's life changed forever when he becomes a celebrity.
Together with the help of another friend (Kevin Pollak) to set a trap for Blake.Directed by Russell Mulcahy (Highlander, Resurrection, The Shadow) made an entertaining, lurid, action/thriller.
Over-the-top vehicle for Denzel Washington, here playing policeman-turned-District Attorney who puts slimy killer John Lithgow away, but quickly becomes the psycho's main target after Lithgow escapes from prison (in what must be the most nondescript prison-breakout in movie history!).
If you are looking for an action movie that provides plenty of thrills, conflicts, drama, chases, and breathtaking suspenses and actually has a PLOT, then this film is for you.Washington and Lithgow are both first rate, as always, and this movie does not disappoint.
I swear, the Oscars get more meaningless with each passing year.John Lithgow puts in a fine performance as the bad guy, but in the end, you wind up rooting for him because Denzel Washington's acting makes one believe that he just doesn't give a damn.
Unlike other actors who do this, such as Russell Crowe or Jack Nicholson, he cannot even do it in an interesting way.One thing this film does have going for it is the violence, which was graphic enough to get the film an R-rating in Australia during a period when the OFLC was a touch more relaxed, but unfortunately there is not enough of it to make the film interesting to watch, as was the case in Virtuosity (another steamer in which Washington is out-acted by the pot plants).I used to enjoy Ricochet as a guilty pleasure, but after seeing Denzel Washington get the highest of accolades for a film that was out of theatres here almost as quickly as it was released, I won't be watching it again.
Styles goes on to achieve fame and lands the job of Assistant District Attorney, whilst Blake is sent to prison from where he plots a mission from hell that will destroy Styles life wholesale.Whilst not amounting to more than your standard revenge thriller, Ricochet does have grizzly devilment within its plot to make this a recommend for those who enjoy the popcorn thriller.
Denzel Washington is routinely good as Styles, handsome and believable as the cop done good who gets his life flipped upside down by the revenge thirsty Blake.
The film is tight on action (including a couple of gross scenes for those inclined), no little suspense, and a wonderful homage to White Heat into the bargain.It's no award winner, it's for those who like to be entertained with a bowl of no brain popcorn on their laps.
Lithgow plots revenge while incarcerated and breaks out violently at his parole hearing.He turns the tables on Washington in several ways including the killing of his friend and fellow officer, nice played by Kevin Pollak.
The main problem with this film is that it tries too hard to establish Denzel as good and Lithgow as evil, and both end up as simply unlikeable characters.Lithgow is so evil that there's nothing to sympathize with.
Ice T who plays a bad guy relative of Denzel's, who helps in Denzel's plan to outwit Lithgow, while also bringing some rapping lyrics, though was really wasted or forgotten, in the fact that he wasn't really needed in this film.
An Impressive film, directed by Aussie's Russell Mulcahy (Razorback, Highlander) fans of Denzel's should view it, and also if craving revenge, it's a bonus, Lithgow, a villain here, who can't be dead enough.
Denzel Washington as a district attorney who is hunted and teased by a crazed escaped convict (John Lithgow) that he had put away when he was still a police officer.
Laughable dialogue, and an insane ending, so preposterous they need a final scene of a news lady to explain what the tower execution of always awesome John Lithgow would mean for protagonist Denzel Washington and his career.
> Somehow the plot just does not come through, although the actors try to pull it together with some good acting, particularly Lithgow and Washington.
Now, unfortunately, the rest of the movie wouldn't be on the level of Training Day but it was still good.Earl Talbot Blake (John Lithgow) was put behind bars in 1984 by Officer Nick Styles.
It offered action, a decent plot, and of course good acting from Washington and Lithgow.
The D.A. will soon be on the run from the law, having to team with old street gang members in order to clear himself.Denzel Washington is the cop/D.A. and John Lithgow, incredibly, the psycho killer who seemingly can't be stopped.
Action fans who just want to go on a free wheeling ride and don't care about logic may enjoy it while others may be turned off by a film that becomes pretty hysterical in its presentation, particularly the climax with television cameras there to record all the action.In the prison Lithgow has a cell wall covered with photos of Washington, a reflection of his clear obsession with him.
A Terrific,Entertaining Action-Thriller With Brilliant Performances From Denzel Washington And John Lithgow..
All of those elements make Ricochet an effective Action-Thriller that Denzel Washington and John Lithgow at their best.Set in Loos Angeles,California,Ricochet tells the story of criminal Earl Talbot Blake(John Lithgow)who wants revenge and payback against Cop and Assistant District Attorney Nick Styles(Denzel Washington)who busted Blake years before.During the 1970s,80s and early 90s there were a bunch of Action and Thriller films that weren't huge Blockbusters or Box Office hits in the movie theaters but still managed to find a a second life and audience on Cable Television and Home Video one of the prime examples of this would be the release in 1991's Ricochet,a fantastic and underrated Action-Thriller that wasn't a huge Box Office hit but is one of those films when you see you never forget it.
This is a movie that wears it's Political Incorrectness on it's sleeve and it's the kind of film that has an brutal edge While Ricochet is still a Popcorn movie with good guys,bad guys and plenty of thrills this is also a movie that takes you on a dangerous journey dealing with various themes such as revenge,obsession and violence told in a wild and dark way.
We see Nick Styles go from rookie Cop to Assistant Distrjct Attorney and media sensation becoming a star over night while Earl Talbot Blake is a prisoner plotting his revenge following Nick's career and becoming more and more obsessed with getting back at Nick.
There is also a terrific Hip-Hop title track Ricochet by Ice-T.In final word,if you love Action-Thrillers,Denzel Washington or John Lithgow,I highly suggest you see Ricochet,a terrific and entertaining Action-Thriller that will be worth your time.
It's quite an eye-rolling, but barnstorming action thriller starring Denzel Washington, John Lithgow, Kevin Pollack, Lindsay Wagner and Ice Cube.
After his daring and bloody escape that leaves many dead – according to the authorities Blake among them – he easily and painlessly infiltrates Nick's family, career and inner circle within mere days, somehow managing to turn Nick from a local law abiding hero into a pariah wanted by the law, hated by the public and mistrusted by his own friends and family.In case you haven't guessed by now Ricochet is unbelievably silly, but unbelievably silly fun, back in the days when R rated movies were still allowed that indulgence.Lithgow has a ball as the profane, violent and intense Earl Talbot Blake, some of his disgusting statements and retorts are blackly quotable, and his over the top mannerisms and facial gestures are so serious they're hilarious.
Denzel too allows himself to get a little dirty, he swears up a storm and even though it is not his intention manages to bang a hooker and ingest a powerful cocktail of illicit substances, all in the one scene.Having Ice T around as a smack talking ne'er do well just adds flavour to proceedings, and Kevin Pollack gets to try a couple of his character impressions as Nick's former partner and best buddy.Ricochet is violent, silly, implausible and somehow absurdly entertaining.
I can't say that it is that great a movie, but you'll never be bored, and the film pulls out all the stops to hold your attention, even if for much of the time your eyes are bugged and you are mouthing 'Really?' incredulously.I liked Ricochet as a gormless kid in my late teens, I am pleased to say I enjoyed it almost as much today, but perhaps for slightly different reasons..
Some things work very well, such as the performances of the two leads, Denzel Washington and John Lithgow, but the character of Kim (Josh Evans) is completely unnecessary and detracts from the intensity of the film.
Impressive plot and story for a suspense-thriller, but poorly executed, mostly by Washington, who goes beyond the annals of overacting to play egotistical Nicholas Styles, once a policeman who made it big by putting away hit man Blake, played by John Lithgow.
i found this to be a very exciting,action packed movie,with a few good twists.Denzel Washington is great here as a rookie cop.John Lithgow is also very good here.Ice-T has a smaller role,but is also very good.look for Lindsay Wagner(the original Bionic Woman) in a supporting role.once the movie gets going it(and it doesn't take long)it keeps going.it's a real nerve shredder.i was glued from the get go.there's a lot more action than character development in this one,but you are given enough information on the characters to have some investment in them.if this movie doesn't get your blood pumping,i'd be very surprised.but then again,it's all a matter of opinion and taste.for me,though,i enjoyed every second of it..
If you are a Denzel fan, you'll be able to get thru this one, otherwise, you'll probably turn it off.A young Denzel gets to strip naked and talk all kinds of talk in this role as a high profile cop who hits it big after a key arrest of John Lithgow who plays the bad guy.
I suggest you skip Ricochet unless you are trying to watch all the films Denzel ever made, both bad and good..
There are Individual Set Pieces that are Effective and Brutal and There are Scenes that are Cringe Inducing, Like a Switch of Allegiance with a Backstory that is Barely Hinted and Does Not Ring True.Denzel Washington and John Lithgow are the Right Actors in the Right Roles but are Betrayed by the Lame Script, Inept Storytelling, and a Style that is Pedestrian.
Denzel Washington is the LA cop responsible for the arrest of psycho-killer John Lithgow, who escapes with a plan to ruin the career of his crime-busting nemesis (instead of simply killing him, which would have been a lot easier).
The racial overtones, the rough language, the hard action - all in Denzel's films, but in others it is a little more polished.John Lithgow plays the criminal out to get revenge and boy, is he scary!
de Souza, who wrote the screenplays for "48 Hrs.," the "Die Hard" films, "The Running Man" and "Commando." So what, exactly, went wrong here?Well, here's what I put together.The cop-buddy bit with Denzel and Kevin Pollack is borrowed from "48 Hrs." The battle between Lithgow and Washington (which ends in a battle on a tower) comes straight from "Die Hard," while the idea of a man taking on an army of disbelievers, or bad guys, is ripped-off of "Commando." I wonder if Steven realized he was ripping-off his own work so much while he wrote this script.1.5/5 stars -John Ulmer.
Drama starring Denzel Washington and John Lithgow.
Nick Styles (Washington) is a rookie cop who captures the quite sadistic Earl Blake (Lithgow) in an unusual fashion.
It is another example, perhaps the most obvious, of the trend I have discussed above.RICHOCHET opens with young cop Nick Styles (Washington), taking down a treacherous villain named Blake (John Lithgow).
There are no new revelations or twists in RICOCHET, and the movie concludes with a ridiculous finale, which finds both hero and foil talking and climbing.The role of Nick Styles gives Washington very little to do, except to react to the evil devices employed by Blake.
de Souza, from "48 Hrs." ('82), "Commando" ('85) & "Die Hard" ('88) fame, wrote the screenplay, so what went wrong here, for so much talented individuals present a ludicrous final draft ?Mulcahy's handling of the film is no better, some scenes are way 'off' and just inserted in for the sake of the director's egocentrism, like the out of place / silly behind bars' swordfight between John Lithgow and Jesse "The Body" Ventura (the former W.W.F. Superstar, better known for playing Blain in John McTiernan's "Predator" ('87), which was reminiscent or better, a "homage" to Mulcahy's previous "Highlander" films.Denzel acts too straight serious for the movie's ridiculous tone, looking like he was thinking that he was in the next "The Silence of the Lambs" and John Lithgow plays his usual screen personna: the wicked and demented individual which is also very intelligent and stylish and then makes a stupid move out of nowhere for the hero to save the day.
Lithgow is always exquisite & over-the-top / hammy in this kind of roles, but his fans will love him no matter what, 'cos the actor never disappoints.The rest of the cast are as useful to the overall plot as umbrellas in a sunny day: Kevin Pollak is totally dull and his death scene / line exchange with Denzel is near Ed Wood's material; Lindsay Wagner plays it better, but lacks screentime and Ice-T, playing himself once again, is so irritating to follow and acts so lousy that makes Keanu Reeves' a Sir Laurence Olivier in comparison.The only way you can enjoy "Ricochet" is if you're a fan of Golan-Globus produced B-films from the decade earlier, and even Cannon Group released far better and entertaining action flicks that, at least, did not take themselves so seriously.In short, "Ricochet" only wins in its polished visuals and scores at a "so bad, it's good" level that worths a watch, besides that it may be for Denzel nowadays what "Bachelor Party" is for the now established and respected Tom Hanks, but at least the latter is funny and entertaining, whereas "Ricochet" is a failed attempt at whatever they were suppose to be doing and an almost embarrassing product for the resumé of the all involved..
Smart and ambitious rookie cop Nick Styles (an excellent and engaging performance by Denzel Washington) launches his career and rises all the way to assistant district attorney after he arrests vicious and cunning psycho Earl Talbot Blake (splendidly played with deliciously wicked lip-smacking relish by John Lithgow).
They keep telling him things like, "Denzel -- John Lithgow is dead." Blood work reveals both cocaine and heroin in his system of course.
The story is simple enough Denzel Washington plays Nick Styles, a cop/attorney who busts a psychopath named Earl Talbot Blake(John Lithgow) at a drug ring gone sour.
Earl Blake plots his revenge on Nick Styles in jail and escapes from prison.
John Lithgow plays Earl and he goes on a limitless hunt trying to destroy the reputation of the former cop, now a respected district attorney played by Denzel Washington.
It also succeeds with Lithgow playing an scary antagonist stealing the show from everybody, and Denzel does his routine acting, very good.However, this film cannot be viewed just for those things.