No Way Out

I can't remember the last time that a single movie got so many stellar and terrible reviews. In a sense I get it - while this movie was probably flawed in several ways (and much of it didn't age well because the technology changed so fast) there are a few things to really like about it. I'll be honest - I thought that I had the movie figured out. And for much of it I did.... just not all of it. I was really mad at myself later on, and I loved that feeling of being punched in the face by a movie. I did see a quote about this movie that is probably true (and I am paraphrasing here): it is better than it has to be but probably not as good as it ought to be. After the movie ended I realized that I had enjoyed it but thought that it could have been a classic. Some of the stuff in the latter third of the movie (before the final scene) was just plain goofy. follow me at https://IHATEBadMovies.com or facebook IHATEBadMovies

It takes quite a while to get going and the film is firmly rooted in the 80s, not just from a storyline perspective, but also in terms of its production. The only meaningful female role is poorly developed, although Young does her best with what she has and the relationship between her and Costner feels forced. The score is also dreadful. But once the main plot kicks in, this becomes an intriguing conspiracy thriller as Costner attempts to stay one step ahead of the investigation he is heading. Hackman is surprisingly low-key here, but Will Patton as his right-hand man and Costner's main antagonist is good value. It is also a film that is defined by its great ending, a scene that is surprisingly low-key in its delivery, but works extremely well in the context of the overall film. It's a shame that repeat viewings don't really offer much to reevaluate characters and plot points as a result but it still makes for a clever resolution.