Blown Away (1994) User Reviews

Decent thriller about a mad bomber including nail-biting scenes , tense , intrigue and explosion

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 28 June 2023]

An Irish bomber , Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) , getaways from prison and targets a member of the Boston bomb squad , Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) . The latter starts investigating and finds out that his worst nightmare has gone back from his past . While Irish radical and compatriot Ryan Gaerity's taken his bombing expertise onto Jimmy's new turf . And Dove significantly concerned that he didn't get his purports . Haunted by grisly flashbacks, Dove soon figures out the identity of the mad bomber . Along the way , Jimmy wants to keep his unsavory past from unsuspecting wife (Suzy Amis) .The fuse has been lit...! Boom baby !. Sweet dreams.5. 4. 3. 2. 1......Time's Up.

This bone-chilling film packs thrills , intrigue , grisly events , quick cut edition and tension enough . A nice and suspenseful thriller that moves on predictable path toward explosive climax . Special effects create the suspense , as everyday objects become lethal in Gaerity's knowledgeable hands . The final blow up was more than even the special effects coordinator desired , that's why the windows were unintentionally blown out in nearly buildings. Interpretations are uniformly good , including four Academy Award winners: Tommy Lee Jones , Jeff Bridges, Cuba Gooding Jr and Forest Whitaker. Stars James Bridges playing Jimmy Dove who works for the bomb squad in Boston and he is always the one who is on the tough jobs . While Tommy Lee Jones equally gives fine performance -though overacting at times- as Gaerity who seems adequately obsessed with making things go boom . They're well accompanied by a good secondary cast , such as : Suzy Amis , Forest Whitaker , Cuba Gooding Jr , John Finn , Ruben Santiago-Hudson and special mention for Lloyd Bridges ; though they are really father and son, Lloyd Bridges and Jeff Bridges are cast as uncle and nephew in the film. The movie is dedicated to the memory of officer Jeremiah Hurley of the Boston Squad , and to more than three thousand certified bomb technicians throughout the world who risk their lives for our safety every day.

It displays a thrilling and intrusive musical score by Alan Silvestri , including a lot of songs of the band U2 and singer Bono. The motion picture was compellingly filmed by director Stephen Hopkins (Lost in space , Predator 2 , Under suspicion , Night on El Street 5 : The Dream Child , The Ghost and the Darkness , Blown away, Judgment Night , Race) , he uses to work with his longtime collaborator Peter Levy to be the film's cinematographer, who carries out a splendid and colorful phototography. Rating : 6.5/10 . Above average . Well worth watching .

Boom, boom, boom

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 14 May 2009]

Tommy Lee Jones wants Jeff Bridges and anybody he knows "Blown Away" in this 1994 film, also starring Suzy Amis, Forest Whitaker and Lloyd Bridges. Bridges, caught up in the Irish trying to get the English out of Ireland, worked with Jones in Ireland, but when one of the bombings goes bad, he splits, and Jones gets arrested. Jones escapes from an Irish prison and traces Bridges to Boston, where he plans on getting revenge on Bridges, his family, and the entire Boston Police Bomb Squad.

This movie really needed to be seen on the big screen because of all of the special effects - huge, frequent explosions.

The accents are all over the place, but the performances are good, with Lloyd Bridges on hand as a bearded character actor. It was a little too stereotypical for this viewer.

The script is by the numbers and derivative, but the actors and the tension engendered from defusing bombs attached to people helps hold interest.

Okay, but see it on a large flat-screen TV.

Extremely Entertaining Pyrotechnics Showcase.

[dvc5159 · 6/10 · 12 October 2007]

Mad bomber formerly associated the IRA escapes from prison and appears in Boston to exact revenge to the man who put him there in the first place - bomb expert Jimmy Dove, a loving family man, with a dark past...

If this plot seems easy to predict, it is. but it is defended by the superb action sequences filmed, the excellent explosions and also by the great acting by Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones. The standout goes to Jones, who gives an on-his-own performance as a deranged bomber at war with Jimmy Dove. And although the storyline has a few plot holes, it still manages to carry on as if nothing happened. Director Hopkins, who helmed the gory 1990 sequel to the 1987 action hit Predator, shows his potential for making action sequences as realistic as possible. One example is the abandoned ship explosion. That has what I think the biggest live action film explosion ever! On the MGM DVD the picture is a clear anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen with super good Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, thus packing a punch for you home theater system.

Overall, solid entertainment, you're not looking for anything like To Kill A Mockingbird, now are you? A treat for action fans and a must have for home theater enthusiasts.

7.65/10 for entertainment, 6.7/10 overall.

Delton

A classier action thriller.

[Motoko · 20 November 1998]

How did "Speed" ever get better reviews than this? Whilst De Bont's runaway bus is certainly good, "Blown Away" is by far the better bomb movie as it relies on suspense driven thrills rather than big budget stunts to deliver the kicks. Admittedly the film starts slowly but the pace steadily keeps increasing until the final half-hour where things (literally) explode in one of the best fight scenes ever put on celluloid. Stephen Hopkins plays every scene for as much tension as he can (I defy you to watch the kitchen scene without cringing at every slomo) and displays a De Palma like understanding of virtuoso camerawork. Jones menaces away as his usual psychotic prankster (think Two-Face with an Irish accent) and J Bridges is good but never truly called on to do anything special. Amis, Whitaker and the rest of the support are perhaps a little under-used but the film is never about them. This is about Jones and Bridges in a deadly, vengeful face-off and the final showdown is everything you could ever want from an action thriller. Watch it and enjoy.

A better 'bomb' movie than Speed.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 6/10 · 22 July 2000]

Most IRA movies made in Hollywood are always criticised for the actors not sounding like real Irishmen. I have never once found this to be true and certainly not for Blown Away. Tommy Lee Jones is quite convincing as a deranged bomber who goes after Jeff Bridges in revenge for betraying him 25 years earlier.

Stephen Hopkins uses his fave cinematographer and composer Peter Levy and Alan Silvestri to bring some visual style and a powerful musical score to accompany the action and explosion scenes. The final encounter between Jones and Bridges is WAY cool. Trust me. It's one of the best showdowns in history.

A cool use of widescreen photography captures a pleasant and eye-pleasing view of Boston. I only ever saw this city in Cheers previously and now it makes wanna visit. This film was overlooked in the summer of 1994 because the audience was too busy with the other BOMB movie Speed. By that I mean movies with bombs. Not movies that are bombs. Speed was about a bomber wanting money. But Blown Away is a more personal, character-driven film and definitely the superior of the two.

One of those movies that isn't very memorable.

[Aaron1375 · 6/10 · 14 March 2003]

There are just those movies you have a hard time remembering five minutes after you leave the theater. This is one such movie. Not that it was entirely bad, in fact it was an OK movie...it just wasn't very memorable at all. Jones plays a mad bomber and Bridges is a bomb squad member. Jones and Bridges though know each other from their Irish days. Some good scenes here and there, though for a movie called Blown Away there aren't as many explosions as one would think. At times this one gets quite boring in places too. Jones and Bridges are pretty good though and so is the elder Bridges as well. Some areas of this film are weak though like the scene where Bridge's wife walks through her house flipping switches and the screen flashes to these scenes where it shows what happens when you turn something on making you think there is a bomb somewhere. It is an OK movie, but nothing that will make you think long afterward.

A Thrilling, Fast & Furious Suspense Action Thriller!!!

[lukem-52760 · 7/10 · 10 August 2021]

The 90's was a great time for the Action Thriller genre & here the Awesome yet underrated Director, Stephen Hopkins, had his go at a sweaty, thrilling actioner & cast Jeff Bridges as his main Cop lead & he's pretty damn good in the role & makes for an ordinary type guy in an extremely dangerous situation. Bridges plays a good guy Bomb Specialist Cop with a dark past & he's Irish American & the film is set in Boston during a sweaty hot summertime with an extremely deadly terrorist that escaped from prison, is blowing things up & targeting Bridges squad/Bomb unit becomes of their dark past.

The psycho bomber is played manically by the Awesome TOMMY LEE JONES (The Fugitive, Men In Black Trilogy, U. S Marshalls, Volcano) & here Jones is off his nut & reminded me of his crazy & cartoony performance as Two-Face in Batman Forever, he's fun & mental but his Irish accent is pretty bad but he does give it his all as a memorable villain.

Jeff Bridges starts the film dressed & looking exactly like Ace Ventura which made me laugh but he does give a very tense & exhausting performance as he panicks & tries to outwit his arch enemy accross the city. Now I've never been a fan of Bridges simply because he's never done anything I've really liked but here he is great on screen & gives a fine performance for an action Thriller & works well against Tommy's wacky terrorist.

I didn't like the silly music/songs throughout the film & i didn't like the stupid "Irish" themed dreary music at the opening of the film, should've been an exciting & beefed up score for it's opening especially as the score is done by the Legendary Alan Silvestri (Predator, Predator 2, Judgment Night) but his score when the action kicks-in is fine later on in the film.

Cinematography is great & really captures the gritty look of Boston during the summertime.

Stephen Hopkins is such a great Director who made two of my all time favourite films with his PREDATOR 2 (1990) & JUDGMENT NIGHT (1993) & this "Blown Away" came after "Night" in 1994 & it's another classy film from Hopkins.

Another great performance in this suspenseful Thriller is that of the excellent, Forrest Whitaker as the new cocky member of the Bomb Squad.

With plenty of thrilling set-pieces & intense moments with memorable performances i think Blown Away is a very good 90's Action-packed Thriller & little known underrated film too.

Familiar but enjoyable.

[gridoon · 6/10 · 6 April 2001]

Nothing more than a formula action picture, a studio product, but well-done and fairly enjoyable. Stephen Hopkins proves (again, after "Predator 2") to be adept at filming frenetic action scenes and he shows confidence in the way he uses the camera, especially in the "long shots". Tommy Lee Jones is kind of one-note as the villain, and not very satisfying, but Jeff Bridges gives depth and credibility to his role, and the supporting cast is above-average. Oh, and there ARE some spectacular explosions. (**1/2)

boom !

[myriamlenys · 7/10 · 6 April 2018]

Vastly entertaining but superficial movie about the deadly duel between one Jimmy Dove and one Ryan Gaerity. Both men evolve in a parallel universe where (ex-)members or associates of terror organisations can cross an ocean and move around the USA without noticeable problems. More : such a background is no bar to an employment with the police or a bomb disposal squad, two organisations that, by all logic, should be somewhat wary of hiring people with a criminal or fanatical mindset. The same parallel universe suffers from terrible diseases such as Wandering Accent or Slow-motion Running.

"Blown away" has high production values. The special effects, props and stunts are very well done, resulting in enough ingenious bombs, booby traps and explosions to satisfy the most demanding of viewers. It would have been nice if at least some of that money and care had been spent on things such as a good, coherent plot, in-depth character development and solid backstories. As it now stands, the movie entails a considerable underuse of competent and charismatic actors and actresses.

I don't think that I will surprise you, by now, if I say that "Blown away" is not the place to go if you would like a profound analysis of the Anglo-Irish or, as the case may be, Irish-Irish problems and conflicts. Because : U2 and Guinness !

one other mistake I noticed and not listed

[erickoeppen · 6/10 · 4 November 2005]

In the movie, James Dove is a bomb squad LT. who has a heavy conscious of blowing up civilians when he was with the IRA or whatever fanatical organization he was with. There is no way he would be a police officer with that kind of background, I don't care how great a bomb person he is....police backgrounds are so thorough a TRAFFIC TICKET doesn't get by without notice, and whatever isn't revealed through word of mouth ...the polygraph reveals...and it WORKS..believe me...I tried several times to get on with my city police department, and to no avail...and I have a squeaky clean record, (never did pot) if you can believe it!! and this terrorist becomes a LT in the Boston PD...come on.

Eric

Unbelievably dumb and clichéd

[trprt77 · 2/10 · 17 July 2011]

We were perusing the On Demand list, and saw this title, with Jeff & Lloyd Bridges, Tommy Lee Jones, and Forest Whitaker, and thought it sounded like a great movie. I should have been forewarned when I didn't recall ever having heard of it before. The opening segment in the prison, where the inmates speak Gaelic ( I believe) and is subtitled, allowed for a bit of confusion when Jones dispatches his cell mate, and says something over his body. Even with repeated viewings, none of us could make out what exactly he says, or even if it's in English. Was the murder done for a reason besides needing a bomb bunker, or was there a back story? Then to watch him assemble his bomb, using all kinds of devices including machine-threaded pipes, explosives, and other unusual items hat would seem to be a bit difficult to accrue in a max security prison, he blows a hole in the wall, and apparently makes his way from that desolate area without any problems, although they don't bother to show how. He next appears in Boston, living in a decrepit, rusty old boat on an abandoned pier, which miraculously not only has electricity, but also has cable TV ( as the orchestra promo mentions that it's on A&E, not an over the air channel). He also has unlimited funds to obtain everything he needs, from explosives, to electronics, to transportation to get around the Boston area. Bridges character, as we soon find out, is also a fugitive IRA guy, wanted by Interpol, yet he apparently had no problem getting past the Boston PD's background check to get hired under his phony identity. He also exhibits almost every Hollywood cliché about the maverick cop, riding a m/c to a bomb scene while smoking a butt and wearing a Hawaiian shirt to let us know how cool he is. He also ignores basic safety procedures while disarming bombs, even though he is supposedly the one who instructs everyone on EOD protocol. Jones also exhibits the troubling Hollywood syndrome of being able to single handedly surveill multiple people and locate their homes, even their vacation homes, and also gain employment with Boston PD as a janitor ( once again, bypassing the pesky background checks a large agency like BPD conducts even for civilians) with not a care in the world. They also never bothered to explain how Jones was able to get Lloyd Bridges from the bar bathroom out the door, and to the school yard , where he was able to secure him with an unbelievably complex device, without a single person noticing. Then of course there is the TV screen continuously showing Bridges wife in closeup even though she is just one person in the Boston Pops. The story just kept getting more and more ludicrous, and of course there had to be the obligatory Hollywood fight where the bad guy is almost indestructible, no matter what he is hit with. If you come across this, keep on going, it was 2 hours that I'll never get back. I can only imagine that the Dude and the rest were in a slump and needed a quick payday, without regards to the script. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was for the Boston scenery.

Blown Up, But No Overly So

[ccthemovieman-1 · 8/10 · 28 April 2006]

This movie was made during the period (early '90s) in which Hollywood was absolutely in love with blowing things up. The more explosions, the better, seemed to be the prevailing attitude.

At least they weren't overdone in this film, as they were in so many others. However, the accents might have been overdone as none of the stars - Jeff Bridges,Tommy Lee Jones, Forest Whitaker, Suzy Amis and Lloyd Bridges - sounded like a true Bostonian.

It's especially odd to hear Jones attempt his Irish-Boston accent, although he's more adept at it than the younger Bridges. Jones plays an Irish terrorist in this revenge movie, wreaking his havoc in Boston. The film's best asset is the suspense it builds for the two hours and the fact it keeps you interested the entire way, right from the opening scene.

The negatives are too much profanity and a contrived story in spots, particularly at the end when the fight between Bridges and Jones goes on forever as does the scene with Jones trying to save his wife. It's just too much. A lot of modern-day action films just don't know when to quit, and this is a prime example. Yet, it's definitely worth at least one look.

Not quite "Speed" but too close

[view_and_review · 6/10 · 13 August 2020]

"Blown Away" and "Speed" weren't quite the same movie same year like "Big" and "Vice Versa" in 1988, or "Leviathan," "DeepStar Six," and "The Abyss" in 1989, or like "The Prestige" and "The Illusionist" in 2006, but they were close enough.

"Blown Away" featured a Spy-vs.-Spy type plot with Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) as the good spy and Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) as the bad spy. Gaerity was a savant when it came to explosives and he had a thing for Jimmy. When Gaerity broke out of prison in Ireland he headed straight to Boston, Massachusetts in order to blow up Jimmy's world.

Jimmy was an explosives expert with a near death wish. He was always throwing caution to the wind to save whoever he could, much to the chagrin of his fiancé, Kate (Suzy Amis).

Unfortunately for this movie, though it had amazing pyrotechnics and cool close up shots, it was a little to similar to the more successful movie, "Speed." There was even a scene at the end in which Kate couldn't tap the brakes on her car or else it would've blown up.

"Blown Away" went for more dramatic flare and emotionality juxtaposed to the action-packed "Speed." I think they made it too passionate and emotional. It seemed like every other scene Jimmy aka Liam was in a slow motion run to save someone's life with his mouth agape in a desperate yell. You gotta limit those types of scenes to maximize their effect. Too much drama equals desensitization-just like a T.V. show in which main characters are killed left and right.

Blown away is what should happen to the guy that wrote this bunk

[helpless_dancer · 1/10 · 6 April 1999]

This is one of the most dull action films yet. The IRA is at it again with their bombs. Hasn't this horse been beaten long enough? Jimmy Cagney was doing this act back during the depression. Enough, already. And what was with all these brogues? Tommy Lee is a great actor, but that irish lilt of his went over like a led balloon. What a stupid movie. Oh well, top 'o the mornin' to ya'!

Solid All Around Movie

[teaparty_48 · 14 December 2002]

From reading the other comments on this site, I was surprised at all the negativity surrounding this film. Sure, the accents are probably bad, but everyone knows that Hollywood can't do accents and aging.

This is not a movie to be picked apart, but one to be enjoyed. Sure, the characters aren't completely fleshed out, but there is enough depth for you to feel for them. The action is good, and despite many contrary opinions, I think the pacing is good too.

One of the high points of this film was the sequence where the wife and daughter are in the house and the audience is left suspecting there may be a bomb plant. The camera shots that frame the stove turning on, the light bulb, the phone jack, etc. were done very well, and suspensefully, though I suspect this well done sequence is what is making many people call this film "slow."

Finally, the use of "The Joshua Tree" by U2 was a really nice touch.

Overall, this film is not outstanding, but if you want a movie that is relatively light, but has some comedy, drama, suspense and action all mixed in, then check it out.

It's ok

[squacakeit · 6/10 · 7 July 2020]

It could have/should have been better. The accents are horrible. Stop trying to imitate the Boston accent.

Tommy Lee Jones pushing the 'mad bomber' trope up to 11...

[ElMaruecan82 · 6/10 · 25 June 2022]

On the paper "Blown Away" sounds like the action thriller that would live up to its title. Everything's there: the bomb squad expert keeping his cool even when the place is three seconds away from turning into a Jackson-Pollock-like representation, the family man with a painful secret, the mad bomber and former nemesis back with a vengeance, and so many elaborate devices creating bombs out of the most mundane objects. The film toys with many elements of plausibility but I had no problem believing that men like Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) existed who could create bombs out of chocolate powder, vinegar, a vacuum hose and a toothpick.

Add to that Boston as the backdrop, several references to Irish culture and a terrific cast that includes (besides Jones) Jeff Bridges as Lieutenant Jimmy Dove (or so everyone thought), his uncle O'Bannon played by his father Lloyd Bridges, Suzy Amis as the future wife and Forest Whitaker who can steal the show with one drop of his sweat. Granted the film wouldn't have been a masterpiece of originality and couldn't do without common tropes of the bomb films, it's quite sad that director Stephen Hopkins left such a high-potential story at the mercy of so many tired clichés: the climactic car race, the melee fight, the dramatic "Nooo!", the past resurrecting when the cop is about to retire (a nod to "High Noon" that starred Daddy Bridges?) and the most misused one: the psychopathic villain.

To tell you what's wrong, let me share an early memory. As I mentioned in many reviews, I used to watch action films with my Dad when they aired on Sunday nights. We were an easy audience, for as long as good action sequences and interesting characters were displayed, we didn't feel like playing critics; we saw "Blown Away" in 1996 and couldn't care less whether the film was better or worse than "Speed". And then came the part where Ryan, having snuck into Jimmy's house, starts jumping on the daughter's bed, manically laughing at the idea that the universe started by an explosion. My father who seemed to be receptive all along said "now, he's trying to play the maniac, it doesn't work". That commentary hit a chord and made me stop looking at the film seriously, not the villain anyway. Watching it again, I've got to say: Dad was right.

Tommy Lee Jones is a terrific actor but with a slight tendency to ham it up. While it worked for his character in "Under Siege", a film that had elements of pop corn comedy à la "Die Hard" and that was calling for an over-the-top villain, channelling the same personality in "Blown Away" creates a stark contrast with the serious burden he carries, and that should justify his grudge against Jimmy. It's a film about Ireland, about past memories, terrorism and so that comedic angle from Jones is both misguided and counter-productive.

The film was often compared with "Speed" but I found a stronger kinship with "Patriot Games", especially the way they insisted on Ryan being too crazy for IRA. Now, I'm not a big fan of the whole madness/vengeance angle to being with, as it makes the adversity so straightforward and gratuitous no room is left for any sympathy toward the bad guy (at least in "Patriot Games", we see Sean Bean's brother dying). "Blown Away" doesn't make the slightest effort whatsoever to make us feel a little for Ryan, except maybe during one specific scene where he shares a pint of Guinness with Lloyd Bridges, for some reason that little Irish bond has an air of authenticity... not that it lasted though.

The rest of the film is an alternate source of enjoyment and frustration. Jimmy's establishing moment consists of defusing a bomb placed in a computer and forcing a female student to keep typing and typing, which is good. Jimmy cuts the right cable one remaining byte away from the explosion, which is laughably cliché. Another scene where he tries to desperately prevent a huge explosion should have been a dramatic highlight, alas it did struck me as a rip-off of John McClane trying to prevent the Windsor plane to crash in "Die Hard 2". Other moments work perfectly, when Franklin (Whitaker) has a bomb placed in his headphone, and a squad member freaks out when he remembers his horoscope. By the way, the chemistry between Bridges and Whitaker almost equals Mel Gibson and Danny Glover in "Lethal Weapon 2".

The 'private life' part is effective, too. Suzy Amis as Kate Dove has some good moments with Stephi Lineburg as the daughter although the film once again exploits the family element by using tropes from other movies. Just like in "Patriotic Games", you get some strong "Fatal Attraction" vibes and you know you've got to worry for the pet animal when there's a psycho stalking a good family. These clichés do interfere with the film's attempts at seriousness. A shame because I loved the premise of a former terrorist trying to atone for his sins until a former nemesis unburies the past... with a vengeance. But there's a limit to which I could accept Ryan's creativity and it lost me with the whole Rube Goldberg device during the obligatory climactic fight (basically, two clichés at once).

It pains me to give a bad review to the film because there were some standout elements besides the two Bridges and Whitaker's acting. I especially loved that scene where Kate and Lizzie were alone at home and kept using familiar objects, each one of them likely to trigger a bomb device placed by Ryan. This sequence intersected with a race around the clock (one that worked at least), was of pure Hitchcockian delight... and one of the truly original moments from "Blown Away", one that was not borrowed from a previous 90s action picture. The rest is pretty generic.

I wasn't blown away by it.

[sammie_now · 7/10 · 24 January 2005]

This movie starts out nice, you don't know what the connection is between the two. But the connection is soon to be told and was unlikely. Unlikely for Mr. Dove. Unlikely for the Irish guy(i forgot his name) to do what he does. Unliky that Mrs. Dove married him without ever knowing his real name. Who is the old guy who chooses to be blown up. What is his deal in this? Just a few of the many questions that came up in my mind. This movie stars nice,(could have been pretty good but) then quickly takes the obvious turn to oblivion where it will lie forever with a lot of other movies.

I gave it a 7 out 10, because some bits where entertaining

A fair spin off to "Speed" but it is still quite a good flick

[charlessmith702210 · 6/10 · 20 June 2007]

The premise of the movie seems clear to me:

There is a Irish immigrant living in the USA who is stalking a person affiliated with the Boston Police Bomb Squad because he married a very beautiful and very musical Irish woman. That Irish immigrant, who had ties to the Irish terrorist group called the IRA, was trying to bring Boston into fear by creating a short-scale wave of bombings in Boston as well as stalking that police member.

This is what basically the flick is about.

Well, the only problem is that the movie is not exciting until the very end of it. Little does the bomb squad person know that his wife's car was rigged with a bomb. She was going to ride the car after she plays in the Boston Pops 4th of July Spectacular at the Esplanade.

Suzy Amis (who plays Katy Dove in the film) was in the Boston Pops Orchestra as a violin player in the 4th of July Spectacular. Her appearance in the violin section almost reminded me of Rachel Barton--the newest quintessential icon of American violin playing who is now extremely famous.

The orchestra reaches the climactic ending of the 1812 Overture by Tschaikovsky. The crowd at the Esplanade--as well as the orchestra--- awaits the 4th of July fireworks that would come immediately after the overture is over. At that point, the husband rushes through 4th of July crowds and barricades on his police motorcycle to meet up with Katy as the overture music ends (as well as the concert) and the fireworks go off. Before that, I liked the part when one of the Dove's daughters in the concert seats said, "Where are the fireworks?", and Dove's mother says that they will be coming soon.

As Katy goes back to her car with her family, his husband warns her not to use the brakes because the bomb was rigged in the car, and the bomb would blow the car up if she slows down. This is almost like the flick "Speed". The husband then goes into her car at full speed and finds the main trigger for the bomb in a shape of an illuminated puppet doll. He does pulls off half of the doll (which happens to be the main trigger for the bomb) and finally he does his job, and the lady puts on the brakes and fortunately the car does not explode.

How can he do that? I never heard anyone trying to disarm a bomb rigged in a car going at full speed...

A Decent Formula Film Nearly Ruined by Trite Dialogue

[northbonmot · 6/10 · 9 May 2022]

It is what it is. Fairly typical 1990's action thriller that brings nothing new to the genre. Plot is so predictable you could list every character who's going to live and every one who's going to die twenty minutes into the film. The dialogue is mostly recycled tropes from every other action thriller that came before it.

Number One cringe: The bomb squad cop's wife learns that there's a genius mad bomber seeking vengeance on her paramour, finds out he's been in her house in a direct threat to her and her young daughter. But when her hubby manically orders them to go hide out at the family beach house, she responds with the unbelievable "This is my home! I'm not running away!" trope. Yeah. Right.

*** SPOILERS *** Your typically 90's action, with a very odd & particular style?

[Sooner_88 · 6/10 · 26 May 2022]

Directed by Stephen Hopkins and written by three different joint writers who have worked on several projects together bring Jeff Bridges, Tommy Lee Jones, Suzy Amis, and Forrest Whitaker together in a star-studded cast of current or eventual Oscar winning actors. But his style of direction and the beats of the film become very contrived and borderline mundane compared to other films in this particular genre of 90's action films.

Jeff Bridges playing bomb squad daredevil (Dove) carries the burden of his troubled past, and the fight to keep his social life from unraveling in present day Boston. He is constantly challenged by his rival and soon to be friend Forrest Whitaker (Franklin) who he himself pushes Bridges to doubt that his days in the bomb squad profession are numbered. This likely paring of the two, is brought together by the manhunt for Irish/Boston speaking Tommy Lee Jones, which I found laughable in some parts and great in others. Especially the whole dancing scenes where Tommy Lee Jones is known for taking to the extreme when he doesn't take a role seriously. Suzi Amis plays the mom, and wife of Bridges, and does her best to keep the tensions high in the family life but has very little to do other than act in a contrived role that most woman played in these roles back then.

The camera work is another one thing I found to be a bit odd, and sometimes comical. The angles and close ups made this fill very slap sticky, almost on the level of a Sam Raimi imitation that wasn't to my liking.

Jeff Bridges dry sense of tone, Suzy Amis and her one note performance as home mom, and Tommy Lee Jones over the top joker style acting mixes into a 2hr movie that is saved by the sheer fact that you are watching an action movie that lives up to its title. Which saves the movie in my opinion, because compared to other films of its time in the likes of Live Wire, Detonator, Speed, Broken Arrow, Die Hard with a Vengeance, this film finishes last on that list.

All in all, I enjoyed the action, but the film itself overall could have used more rewrites and a better direction for its actors. But I will also say the movie at its core delivered what the title suggests and that I say give it a try and see if it compares to action films of its time.

6/10.

Total and utter manure

[gb901 · 1/10 · 17 June 2020]

How on earth did this crap ever get made? IRA terrorists ups sticks and moves to USA and joins Boston police? Glorifies the IRA and period of time known as the troubles here in the UK by referring to "the cause"! Classic Hollywood depiction of de oirish, which makes patriot games look like a master class in character study by comparison Endless playing of u2 - cos theyre oirish you know! God awful oirish accents all round!

Catch you at a bad time?

[nickelreviews · 10/10 · 17 June 2013]

I may never hear the end it from people on why I love this movie so much, but it is one of my favorite Hero/Villain movies ever! It was received very poorly both critically and commercially, but I love it! It goes from Ireland to Boston. There's Guinness drinking, explosions, and at least two songs from U2's Joshua Tree Album, used in parts of the film that fit perfectly. You also have father/son Jeff Bridges/Lloyd Bridges starring together as former IRA members. I don't know what draws me so close to this film. Perhaps my fascination with Ireland, curiosity over the years of conflict there, having done my internship there or what? Maybe that I've just always liked Tommy lee Jones and Jeff Bridges. The pair worked well together in Blown Away. I don't care what the critics said, or how well it did at the box office. Reviewed by AN/NR 11-14-11

Not To Be Mistaken For That Alyssa Milano Fiasco

[statuskuo · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

Look, I'm no expert on Irish accents. But truth be told listen to Brad Pitt's in "The Devil's Own" and you'll see what REALLY bad Irish accent sounds like. There was a big run on Irish crime movies. This, the latter mentioned "Devil's..." "Patriot Games" "The Crying Game" and "State of Grace" Here's one about mad bombing. About revenge and betrayal and deep roots. And it's pretty effective. IF...and it's a big IF, you are okay with 90's action style. Which is a weird pull considering it is a lot more realistic than the pea brains here who are okay with the Marvel universe (yeah, I hate comic book movies). And it is about suspense. Remember that? Jeff Bridges does a pretty decent drunk Irishman slurring words and sweaty and looks like he reeks of Bushmills, whilst Tommy Lee Jones segued his brilliant "Under Siege" bad guy into a more deep dimensional bad guy. It's a nostalgic flick for me, so take that for what it's worth, boy-o's!

One of the worst films I've ever seen

[sedenhansen-61849 · 1/10 · 16 May 2020]

This is one of the few films that so alienated me when saw it that I whispered to my wife "this movie isn't doing it for me" less than a quarter of the way in, a sentiment with which she concurred. The film is in trouble from the opening shot, in which the camera pans over a rocky, wave-swept shore before settling over a moonlit prison which is obviously a model. "Inside" the "prison" is a far- from-model prisoner, Ryan Gaerity. Played by a long-haired, Gaelic-speaking (both for this scene only) Tommy Lee Jones, he fatally stabs his cellmate, then combines chemicals he's hidden in various places, including inside himself (yuck), and using the cell's filthy toilet (more "yuck") as a casing , he sets of an explosion that blasts a large hole in the stone wall (rather than doing something sensible like destroying the much more fragile toilet). Having gotten out of the cell block in about the most conspicuous way imaginable, the movie asks the audience to believe he then gets away scot-free.

The action then shifts to Boston, where crack bomb squad member Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) is on a tough assignment. A young woman's estranged boyfriend has rigged her computer with explosives which will detonate if she stops typing or the computer's drive runs out of space, then shot himself (making this murder/suicide the only one ever in which the suicide part is done first). The rest of the bomb squad brings in a robot to take over the typing, but when the robot malfunctions, Jimmy shoos everyone else and the robot out of the room and puts the poor woman back behind the keyboard; one of the cops could have done this, but you gotta have a damsel in distress (groan). As Jimmy gets to work on the computer/bomb, the sight of the shot-dead man on the floor causes him to have a vivid flashback of an injured woman lying on the ground and calling "Liam", to let the audience know "Jimmy" has a secret. The flashback trigger is bizarre, since other than the horizontal position of the person, nothing else is the same. Plus, the flashback is in black and white; is Jimmy/Liam color blind? Wouldn't that be a serious handicap in his line of work?

The film continues in this illogical vein, with the shared past of the two main characters revealed, lots of bombs, some explosions, convoluted twists and turns, weird photography, cliches, shifting characters, bad writing, and overacting. In a film about bombs, the film itself was the biggest bomb of all. The film "Speed", released around the same time (keeping with that odd 1990's pattern of two movies with the same subject matter being released close together) had plenty of flaws, but worked a whole lot better than this film. A case study in bad cinema.