Customer Reviews

48 HRS.

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

"48 HRS." is a terrific action-comedy that gets everything right for its genre. The action is tough, but not overdone; the comedy is funny, but not over-the-top; the direction by filmmaker Walter Hill is skillful, edgy and playful; the San Francisco location shooting makes for a wonderfully dark, atmospheric and gritty backdrop; the dated-but-effective soundtrack is awesome in its own "1980s" sort of way; and the script is tight and witty, with sharp characterizations and crackling dialogue that is sometimes vulgar, yet always smart. Best of all, the two leads are at the apex of their star power, making the film a joy to watch.

Indeed, this is the film that made Eddie Murphy a superstar, and it's easy to see why; Mr. Murphy's charisma is on full-on display throughout the film. Young, lean and hungry, Murphy plays a semi-tough street hustler/convict with just the right combination of streetwise smarts, slick charm and youthful defiance. While Eddie exudes a certain level of cockiness throughout the film, there are (thankfully) very few signs of the (often unbearable) egocentric smugness that would later come to define much of Mr. Murphy's later 80's film roles. On the other hand, Nick Nolte is no less great, playing a burnt-out, casually racist cop that somehow manages to retain a gruff charm even as his character alternates between being obnoxious and racially offensive. The two actors have distinctly different acting styles, yet the contrast works, as the two performers have genuinely great chemistry when performing together.

If I have one caveat with the film, it's the rampant male chauvinism (a typical characteristic trait that many of Walter Hill's films share) that permeates throughout "48 HRS.", a quality that hasn't aged particularly well over time; fortunately, it's not enough to taint one's overall enjoyment and respect of the film's achievements as a superior piece of pop culture entertainment. Thanks to the many knock-offs' this film has spawned over the years (e.g. "Midnight Run", "Lethal Weapon", "Bad Boys", "Rush Hour", etc.) aspects of "48 HRS" undoubtedly seem hackneyed by today's standards, but even so, the film manages to engage and thrill in a way that still feels fresh after all these years. A five star film (out of five).

Unfortunately, Paramount has never seen fit to release this highly influential film in a home video release worthy of its quality. The first DVD release from 1999 is in non-anamorphic widescreen, and barren of any type of special features. The second DVD release from 2007 is a decent (if minor) step-up, a budget title that paired up "48 HRS." with its inferior sequel "Another 48 HRS" on one dual-layer, single-sided disc with no extras. While this guaranteed a rather anemic bit-rate for both films, the presentation for both films is in 16x9 anamorphic widescreen and (surprisingly) both look and sound pretty good, all things considered; unfortunately, as with the 1999 release, the 2007 edition contains no special features. Finally, a third release followed shortly in 2008, an "I Love The 80's" DVD edition of "48 HRS.", which unfortunately is the exact same bare-bones non-anamorphic widescreen edition that was released in 1999. It seemed that "48 HRS." would never get its due respect on DVD, leaving fans to hope that the inevitable Blu-Ray release would finally do the film some justice.

Well, prepare to have your hopes dashed, as Paramount has released an incredibly weak Blu-Ray catalogue title. The 1080P picture quality is certainly sub-par, as the master used for this Blu-Ray release looks worn, faded and tired; in other words, the film master used for this release is crap. There is dirt and excessive film grain rampant throughout. Contrast is mediocre, with blacks alternating between looking pretty good and dark grey. Colors pop slightly better than the DVD, but generally come across as muted and flat. Sharpness wavers from scene to scene, with some scenes looking pretty good, and other scenes coming across as so soft, you'll swear you're watching a shoddy DVD. About the only thing this Blu-Ray picture has going for it is that there isn't any noticeable DNR or edge enhancement... but considering the overall disappointment of this Blu-Ray release, this is a small consolation at best. This is not the worst Blu-Ray title I've ever seen, but it is certainly one of the most disappointing, considering the caliber of this film.

The audio fares little better, with the Dolby True HD 5.1 sound coming across only slightly better than earlier DVD iterations. Bass is decent at times, but stereo separation overall sounds weak and muddled, even for a 1980's action film. Overall, about the only thing you'll notice different about this Blu-Ray soundtrack from its 5.1 Dolby Digital DVD counterpart is that its mixed louder.

To add insult to injury, there are no extras to be found outside of the included trailer.

At a ridiculous sticker price of $24.99, this throw-away catalog release is absolutely sure to disappoint both hardcore and casual fans. While the picture and sound quality is a step-up from the non-anamorphic 1999 (and 2008) DVD release, it is in fact only barely superior to the 2007 16x9 anamorphic widescreen release, and has no special features to speak of. Therefore, unless you can grab the Blu-Ray for $10.00 or less, I recommend the 2007 double-feature DVD release of "48 HRS" over the Blu-Ray release. The picture and sound quality on the 2007 edition is good for a DVD (especially when upconverted), the price is right at 9-12 dollars brand new, and it's the only home video version of "48 HRS." that comes with any special features, namely the sequel "Another 48 HRS" (as a side note, the "48 HRS." DVD double feature is still the only way to see "Another 48 HRS." in 16x9 anamorphic widescreen, as the stand-alone release is presented in non-anamorphic widescreen only).

If Paramount chose to release "48 HRS." on Blu-Ray as a double bill feature similar to the 2007 DVD release, the $24.99 sticker price would be far more tolerable; in fact, this is exactly what Warner Brothers has been doing recently with the release of some of their catalog titles (e.g. "Analyze This"/"Analyze That" and "Presumed Innocent"/"Frantic"). While those double feature releases carry no special features, the comparable $24.99 sticker price certainly feels a lot less painful. Of course, the most ideal situation would be for Paramount to wake up and (finally) show this film some respect, by giving "48 HRS." a proper home video release, remastered and full of special features... because ultimately this is what a classic film like as "48 HRS." really deserves. Chalk this up as yet another Blu-Ray disappointment.

This is absolutely Eddie Murphy's best movie! Certainly better than most other stuff he's done this century, and the past decade! I saw this movie for the first time in the theater, and also have it on VHS. I have watched this movie easily 50 times. I'm sure it might be more though.

It is a true classic, highlighting the true natural talent of Eddie Murphy. He and Nick Nolte play off each other well, and Nolte isn't too bad himself in the comedy department. Though his type of humor is much more subtle. He does get his digs in, on Mr. Murphy's expense, mind you.

To the best of my knowledge, this was one of the first movies that combined excellent humor scenes with extreme violence and emotion. And while many tried to duplicate it, in later years, including other Eddie Murphy vehicles, such as Beverly Hills Cop, nothing can compare to the original!

A true classic. I will probably buy this on DVD soon, but I'm kind of holding out for an "extras loaded" special DVD, if it were to come out! Don't know that for a fact, but I'm still holding out hope!

Two very enthusiastic thumbs up!!!

MC White said: Check it out!!!

When i look back at the films of the 1980's "48 Hours" has to
be one of the best and most memorable films of that particular
time periord. What is shown here is a slam bang mix of action
and rasict comedy when Murphy is sprung out of jail on a weekend
pass to help a tough no-nonsense cop(Played by Nick Nolte in his
good attempt at playing these type of roles) in tracking down
Murphey's ex-partner who is ine search of hidden loot from a
previous heist. The chemistry between Murphey & Nolte is realistic and times very funny. This is the film that pretty much
started the whole "buddy buddy" craze which was very popular back
in the eighties especally films like THE LETHAL WEAPON films
The standout performaces was when Murphy masquarades as cop
in a local redneck bar. Very funny film and is indeed one of
Eddie Murphy's best.

Jack Cates is a cop who doesn't exactly play by the rules and is not a team player. He works alone. When he runs into two cops who are going to arrest someone for a misdemeanor, he joins them. When they knock on the door, they're shot at. Eventually Jack comes face to face with them and when one of them has his gun trained on the other cop, the other guy tells Jack to give up his gun which he does. He then shoots the cop and tries to shoot Jack but misses. Later part of the department thinks Jack was a coward for giving up his gun and the others think that Jack's wild ways got the cops who was with him killed. Jack learns that the guy who told him to give up his gun is an escaped convict and the other guy was the one who busted him out. Jack also learns he's been killing his former associates. Jack learns that another associate, Reggie Hammond is in prison. Jack goes to see Hammond; initially Hammond doesn't want to help until he learns of the man's escape but insists that Jack has to get him out to help with him. Jack does and Hammond takes Jack all over town hoping to find the guy but Jack suspects Hammond is holding back. The movie is exciting and tight, one of the best action movies of the eighties.

Director: Walter Hill
Cast: Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole, Frank McRae, James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, Sonny Landham, Brion James, Kerry Sherman.
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rated R for violence and language.

Walter Hill is one of those directors who seems never to make an average film, mainly because his movies are, generally-speaking, either very good or very bad. "48 Hours" is one of his "very good" offerings, giving Eddie Murphy one of cinema's most unforgettable movie debuts and invents the conventions of the buddy cop genre that were to become blueprints for years to come. The film opens with psychopathic Albert Ganz (James Remar) escaping from a chain gang. Determined to track down Ganz, tough cop Jack Cates (Nick Nolte) springs a fast-talking convict named Reggie Hammond (Eddie Murphy) from jail for forty-eight hours, during which time the mismatched duo must find their quarry. Cates doesn't like blacks, and Hammond doesn't like cops, so before they can even get to the business of tracking down their man they first have to come to terms with working alongside each other.

Fast-paced, energetic, foul-mouthed and funny, 48 Hours is simply a great ride. Nolte underplays brilliantly, wisely allowing Murphy to handle the loud and showy role while he etches a gruff, rugged characterisation as a cop on the warpath. The leading characters are rounded off wonderfully by James Remar, as a genuinely bad villain. If the plot to "48 Hours" sounds like a collection of all the clichés and predictabilities that ruin most films, it's important to remember that before this film nothing like it had really been done. These plot devices and conventions are only considered "cliches" nowadays because "48 Hours" was so influential, not to mention frequently-imitated, in the ensuing years. James Horner's music score is perfectly judged too. There are numerous exciting and hilarious moments, but none rival the bit where Murphy causes a stir in a redneck bar. More often than not famous movie scenes fail to live up to their lofty reputation, but in this case that simply isn't so. It really is an electrifying screen moment in a film that really is an electrifying screen experience. Paved the way for Murphy's great film career and buddy cop successes such as "Lethal Weapon" and "Rush Hour".

48 Hrs Is very funny although it takes long to be funny when the movie first starts,and I am not a Nolte Fan
per se. I enjoyed it and Part 2.

48 HRS, a nifty actioner from director Walter Hill, is considered as the buddy movie upon which future films of this ilk would be judged. Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy certainly had a sharp chemistry in this tale of a veteran cop who "borrows" convict Murphy for the titular 48 hours to nab a prison escapee and cop killer, played luridly by a young James Remar. The action is fast and furious and Murphy in his first big screen breakout overcomes his foul mouth with a good turn, especially in the critically lauded scene at the redneck bar. Sonny Landham and David Patrick Kelly are suitable villains but lovely Annette O'Toole is wasted in the role of Nolte's sometime lover. However, this is a very entertaining film and shows why Murphy became such a hot box office property at the time.

While I don't agree that this movie still holds up after 20 something years, it is still a classic example of a pairing of unlikely allies, in this case an ex-con and a cop on the edge. Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte give dynamite performances. And while the movie has an unexpectedly high level of violence, the comedy shines through. Eddie Murphy's brilliant scene in a redneck bar is unforgetable.

Bad, crappy, horrible picture quality!!! 48hours is the best action comedy of all time! Why doesn't the director, producers , studio, or someone involved with it feel the same way I don't know. Someone needs to fix the picture quality. Don't buy this Blu Ray version unless you have to have it.

This is absolutely one of the best cop flicks ever. It combines fantastic performances by Nolte and Murphy together with lots of excellent action, a solid and engaging storyline, and some incredible humor. This film made Eddie Murphy a box office sensation and also propelled Nolte's career into the big time.

The storyline is simple. Nick Nolte is a tough San Francisco detective known to be a little too quick on the trigger. When one of his fellow cops gets shot by a convict on the run, Nolte goes after him. He quickly discovers that one of the convict's ex-partners, (Murphy) is incarcerated, and he gets him sprung to help track down the convict. At first there is hostility, but gradually the two manage a tenuous bond of mutual respect. Lots of first-rate action punctuate the story. As if that were not enough, this film features a scene by Murphy (the "cowboy bar scene") that is one of the funniest scenes in any flick ever. (This one scene both makes the movie and made Murphy a first-rank star.)

There is not a dull moment in this film. From the very first scenes it grabs the viewer's attention and never lets go. The supporting cast is just about as good as Nolte and Murphy. Highly recommended. RJB.