Ensofter Overrated and overhyped

GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

Catangro After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Haven Kaycee It is encouraging that the film ends so strongly.Otherwise, it wouldn't have been a particularly memorable film

SnoopyStyle Arkansas firefighters Vince (Bill Paxton) and Don (William Sadler) find a treasure map to stolen church gold hidden in an abandoned building in east St. Louis. They are surprised by the resident Bradlee (Art Evans) and take him prisoner. Then the local gang with King James (Ice-T) and Savon (Ice Cube) run across the situation. Vince and Don manages to capture King James' brother Lucky and an extended stand off ensues.These are some stereotypical characters. Walter Hill is making a B-movie but it is kinda fun. Bill Paxton is a bit too whiny. The performances are generally really broad. Ice-T and Ice Cube are doing their best gangster strut. It's got some action but not a terribly deep movie.

ttron2000 i've always been a fan of this flick. as a kid it was a blast and it's held up well ever since. director Walter Hill (a truly underrated director) brings his hard-ass, tough-talking schtick to this dark, claustrophobic action flick that deserves more love than it gets. when two Arkansas firemen, Vince (Bill Paxton) & Don (William Sadler) uncover a treasure map in stolen gold, they decide to collect. it leads them to an East St. Louis project building and all seems easy enough, until they witness a crew of sharp drug dealers, led by King James (Ice T), kill a traitorous punk. this sets off a showdown between the firemen and the crew, turning bloody and maddening as true sides and desperation surface in midst of greed and gunfire. this thing really gets moving once both worlds collide and the final showdowns between certain characters were certainly not what i expected (and that's a compliment). in between is when it's most interesting. Don's greed clashes with Vince's desire to escape in one piece; James, looking to save his brother (taken hostage by don in the commotion) wants an easy solution, angering his vicious, trigger-happy henchman, Savon (Ice Cube); and homeless vagrant, Bradlee (Art Evans) ends up an unwilling participant caught in the middle. Paxton and Sadler, always reliable in everything they do, hold the film together, their dynamic providing the overall moral of the story. Evans provides the comic relief and comes off as the film's most sympathetic character. Ice T is terrific as the controlled villain while Ice Cube steals scenes left and right as the violent wreck-loose (i've always wished these two would be in another film together). it's not a perfect film, but hill's direction and a solid cast keep this fast-paced bad boy together. at worst, it's a b-movie with a lot of class to back it, but at best, it's a decent action movie that's sure to please. it's tense, loud, violent, and dark; everything an urban action movie should be. i love Walter Hill and i love this cast.

krycek19 First of all I hate those moronic rappers, who could'nt act if they had a gun pressed against their foreheads. All they do is curse and shoot each other and acting like cliché'e version of gangsters.The movie doesn't take more than five minutes to explain what is going on before we're already at the warehouse There is not a single sympathetic character in this movie, except for the homeless guy, who is also the only one with half a brain.Bill Paxton and William Sadler are both hill billies and Sadlers character is just as much a villain as the gangsters. I did'nt like him right from the start.The movie is filled with pointless violence and Walter Hills specialty: people falling through windows with glass flying everywhere. There is pretty much no plot and it is a big problem when you root for no-one. Everybody dies, except from Paxton and the homeless guy and everybody get what they deserve.The only two black people that can act is the homeless guy and the junkie but they're actors by profession, not annoying ugly brain dead rappers.Stay away from this crap and watch 48 hours 1 and 2 instead. At lest they have characters you care about, a sense of humor and nothing but real actors in the cast.

preppy-3 Two firefighters (played by Bill Paxton and William Sadler) find a map that leads to stolen gold. It's located in a huge abandoned factory. Unfortunately it also happens to be where a band of black drug dealers have their headquarters. Soon it's blacks vs. whites to the death.A dynamite thriller on full throttle--full of non-stop swearing, plenty of gun fights and gruesome killings. The plot doesn't really make a lot of sense but once this movie kicks into gear you won't care. The action is virtually non-stop and there's a loud pounding music score that propels the movie along. There's also some intentionally funny humor in here so it's always clear that this is not to be taken seriously. The acting is mostly just OK--but who watches this for the acting? Paxton is the only one who gives a really good performance. The only debit here is that the movie constantly keeps switching from color to b&w (the POV of a gang member filming all this). It's jarring and unnecessary.This was a bomb at the box office and didn't hit it big on video either. That's really too bad because it's one of director Walter Hills best film. Tough, violent and exciting. An 8 all the way.