While this is an enjoyable Film, It suffers from an inability to stick to one fprm: comical with slapstick one moment then deadly serious the next, then filled with action and nonstop violence. It's Steve McQueen's last film, a good one for him, playing a bounty hunter who finds that he is a subject of revenge by someone he won setup who now wants him dead and will stop at nothing when it comes to harassing him before he makes his move. McQueen's a good guy, arresting a twenty-something charming young black man, LeVar Burton, then arranging for his release and hiring him to do chores around the house to give him a new start. Girlfriend Kathryn harrold is pregnant with their child but upset by all the kinds of danger he always ends up in, and wants to leave him after she is confronted by the stalker outside her classroom. Who can blame her with a new baby on the way?
With Eli Wallach as his boss and Tracey Walter as the crazy stalker, there's also Ben Johnson and Richard Venture. Along the way, there are some over the top gay references, a chase in a cornfield with McQueen actually in a large reaping machine chasing them being chased by some criminals, and later, a chase under an elevated Subway in Chicago. Burton is more or less just there for comic relief, being Mr. Fix it and destroying everything he touches.
In spite of the weaknesses and the variety of moods, the film is very entertaining and never slows down at all. Great Chicago locations help as well, and Walter's harassment of Harrold is quite frightening. McQueen does look frail but he gives his all, on the scene all the elevated Subway is filled with excitement especially when McQueen gets on the top of the speeding train car. Pretty formula stuff but definitely a crowd-pleaser that would require a lot of popcorn.
With Eli Wallach as his boss and Tracey Walter as the crazy stalker, there's also Ben Johnson and Richard Venture. Along the way, there are some over the top gay references, a chase in a cornfield with McQueen actually in a large reaping machine chasing them being chased by some criminals, and later, a chase under an elevated Subway in Chicago. Burton is more or less just there for comic relief, being Mr. Fix it and destroying everything he touches.
In spite of the weaknesses and the variety of moods, the film is very entertaining and never slows down at all. Great Chicago locations help as well, and Walter's harassment of Harrold is quite frightening. McQueen does look frail but he gives his all, on the scene all the elevated Subway is filled with excitement especially when McQueen gets on the top of the speeding train car. Pretty formula stuff but definitely a crowd-pleaser that would require a lot of popcorn.