warning : anyone offended by blatant , leering machismo had better avoid this film . or lots of blood & guts , men against men and mano - et - mano stuff .
in other words , it 's a walter hill film !
with a john milius script !
i always picture these guys getting together and producing a movie between arm - wrestling matches .
these films always contain male characters i have a very hard time identifying with ,
probably due to the likelihood that any meeting between them and me would result in my arm being ripped off
and then my subsequent death by beating with said limb .
and we got tough guys galore , here ; drug - running banditos by the dozens , all dirty and sweaty and pretty ill - tempered , overall ; a secret task force of army commandos who are in the area to cover - up ( supposedly )
any connection between the government and the drug runners ; and lots of shit - kicking texas dirt farmers who 'd as soon shoot you between the eyes as look at you .
in particular , we got nick nolte as one hard - ass texas ranger , powers boothe as the drug kingpin , michael ironsides as the leader of the secret army , and rip torn as the local sheriff .
torn is the sympathetic figure of the group ; he smiles before shooting anyone .
as to women .
. .
well , i 've never seen jane fonda or meryl streep in a walter hill film , and at this rate , i doubt i ever will .
women exist here to look good , comfort the man , and get argued over .
gosh !
just like the old days . . . frankly , this is a pretty good movie , if you can accept the premise and can take the macho stuff .
the cinematography is excellent ,
the cast of characters is broad and has texture , the script is quite good , and the film lets you keep up with what 's happening yourself , without spelling it out to you .
i appreciate a film that makes me have to think to keep up .
finally , there 's lots of sam
peckinpah slow - motion shoot - ups .
this is a pretty good movie i appreciate a film is quite good the cinematography is excellent the cast of characters is broad and has texture