Customer Reviews

Dead Bang

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a good movie, but just what was "Warner Home Video" thinking when they released it in full-screen ?. Obviously they weren't thinking at all, since this film is already letterboxed when shown on TV sometimes. So why didn't they bother ?. -Who knows, maybe they hope someone will buy it now and possibly again one day. One thing's for sure, it looks a million times cooler in widescreen so you're a lot better off waiting for that to happen. (-You'll also get to see a tiny bit more of biker extra Ron Jeremy !.) Gary Chang's music is great as always, though.

I don't agree with some of the other reviewers comments about this movie. It moves along at a fast pace with sarcasm and witty
dialogue that keeps me entertained and laughing throughout. I say give Dead-Bang a chance. It's one of the best movies Don Johnson ever did.

YOU REALLY HAVE TO SEE A MOVIE LIKE THIS TO GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT SOME 'REAL COPS' GO THROUGH. ALTHOUGH DRAMATIZED, THE BASIS FOR THIS FLICK IS THE REAL LIFE EXPLIOTS OF L.A. COUNTY SHERIFFS HOMICE INVESTIGATOR JEROME BECK.

IT IS A RIVETING CHARACTER STUDY OF WHAT THIS JOB CAN DO TO A MAN, HIS MARRIAGE, HIS KIDS AND HIS PSYCHE.

DON JOHNSON DOES AN EXCELLENT JOB OF PLAYING THE MORBID, BURNT OUT COP ON THE EDGE. HE'S DRINKING EXCESSIVELY, GOING THROUGH A BITTER CUSTODY BATTLE WITH HIS EX, LIVING IN A DUMP AND BREAKING EVERY RULE IN THE BOOK TO GET A NEO-NAZI MANIAC WHO KILLED A DISTANT POLICE CAMPADRE.

THE ONE OBVIOUS FLAW IN THE FILM IS THE TOTALLY PROCEDURALLY INCORRECT WAY THE VICTIM OFFICER APPROACHES AN ARMED ROBBERY/MURDER SUSPECT. ANY REAL COP WATCHING THE SHOW WILL BE TEMPTED TO HIT THE 'STOP' BUTTON ON THE V.C.R. THERE. BUT IF YOU CAN WADE PAST THIS NONSESICAL SCENE ITS A PRETTY DECENT FLICK.

JOHNSON SHINES IN A MEMORABLE SCENE WHERE HE IS ORDERED TO UNDERGO PSYCHOLOGICAL COUSELING DUE TO HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOUR.
AS THE PENCIL NECKED ANALYST'S EGO IS STEPPED ON HE PREPARES TO END THE SESSION 'RUSHING TO JUDGEMENT' ON THE VETERAN OFFICER'S
MENTAL STATE. JOHNSON'S 'BECK' USES SOME PURSUASIVE PSYCO BABBLE OF HIS OWN TO DETER THE COUSELOR FROM ENDING HIS 'BECKS' CAREER.
IT IS A GREAT SCENE AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE FILM.

THE THING THAT MAKES THIS CHARACTER DIFFERENT FROM 'SONNY CROCKETT' OR 'NASH BRIDGES' IS THE REALNESS OF THE GUY. HE DOESNT SPOUT POLITICALLY CORRECT ONE LINERS. HE DOESNT WEAR FASHIONS THAT NO REAL COP COULD EVER AFFORD, AND HIS LIFE IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF GLAMOROUS.

CRITICS AND AUDIENCES ALIKE WERE QUICK TO LAMBAST THIS MOVIE WHEN IT PREMEIRED IN EARLY 1989 BECAUSE IT DOESNT HAVE A SUPER HERO MAIN CHARACTER WHO JUMPS OFF OF BUILDINGS OR DRIVES A FLASHY CAR. AND THAT IS JUST THE REASON IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PRAISED. IT HAD THE GUTS TO BE DIFFERENT!

THE ACTION SCENES ARE WELL ORCHESTRATED WITH JOHNSON ACTUALLY LOOKING 'PUMPED' AS HE ATTEMPTS TO SURVIVE THE SHOOTOUTS.

NO, 'DEAD BANG' IS NOT A TIMELESS CLASSIC, BUT IT WORKS WELL AS A DRAMATIC ACTION PLAY WITH A FLAWED BUT VERY INTERESTING PROTAGONIST.

Don Johnson plays Jerry Beck a tough cop who doesn't play it by the book everytime. He's got an arduous task of tracking down & bringing to justice a group of white supremists who are responsible for knocking down among other things a black store owner, a hispanic restaurant owner and also kill a cop in the process. His obsessive chase takes him far & wide across the country until he hits the mountain plains of Denver ( Canadian location used cleverly instead of the mile high city ) . The climax especially with an unhelpful FBI agent leads him to an isolated church where the final action takes place. Without doubt the last 25 mins or so, is excellent action and veteran director John Frankenheimer shows an eye for DETAIL ! Don Johnson does full justice to his role with some clever humor thrown in as well. The editing and cinematography is sharp and one definite plus point is the music of Gary Chang.

Dead Bang is an exceptional cop film from a great director. John Frankenheimer created a nice, engaging film here. I may be biased because I'm a Don Johnson fan, but I also love cop films so I know what I'm saying. Willim Forsythe and Don Johnson are both good in this, but Penelope Ann Miller is wasted. The plot may be a little cliche , but it gets the job done. If you liked this, I recommend Seven Days In May, The Train and French Connection 2 for other great Frankenheimer films.

14. DEAD BANG (action, 1989) Detective Jerry Beck (Don Johnson) is a LA cop whose life is falling to pieces. His wife has just left him so he drowns himself in liquor and despair. Because of his volatile nature he has been restricted to see his kids and slapped with a violence order. Assigned to a cop killing that seems routine, Beck sees his chance at redemption by immersing himself in the case. His dogged pursuit uncovers that the murder has ties to a ruthless and tightly controlled Neo-Nazi sect. He starts a cross-country chase that inevitably leads him to rural America. With the help of a FBI agent (and the local police) Beck intents on proving his up Don Johnson's acting. With a squeaky (almost childish) voice, boyish looks, and sparse acting (plus an endless array of `cool' wardrobes), he became something of a cult favorite playing Det. Stubbs in the hit TV-show Miami Vice (1984-89). Since the end of that show, his movie career has been a total loss. . .well, almost. At least he can look back proudly on his (literally) action film. Taking his Stubbs character to new heights (or lows for that matter) he plays the consummate `burn-out cop'. He has been given a great script to work from, professional direction by old-hand Frankenheimer, and a good supporting cast including John Forsythe. Based on the real life experiences of LA Det. Jerry Beck, this is Johnson's only "I got a splittin' headache, I'm seeing double and. . .I think I'm gonna throw up again.

i have to admit i like this movie. sure you could drive a truck through the plot holes, but for some reason this one clicked for me. don johnson gives a very good preformance as a cop to beat down to let this case of a cop killer go, and as is always the case it leads to a much bigger problem than he though. like i saidnot a great film,but i did enjoy it,so if you like don johnson sit back and enjoy

The problem with so many reviews are the incessant comparisons to actors previous work that conjure up completely unrelated images, scenes, dialogues, and characters. This tends to taint the actual movie being reviewed based solely on it's own merits. If you never saw Don Johnson before you'd better appreciate this movie as he perfectly embodies a gritty hardened character who happens to be a police officer of dubious repute, and who is besieged with self-created problems - emotional, bad marriage, work related, social - but, the strength of the character pulls it all into a thrilling ball of chaotic pursuit of some very dangerous dudes indeed. His many interludes with a overly sensitive shrink, the local racist redneck sheriff, uptight a regressed FBI agent, a black officer and squad of local police he has to trust, and an overtly powerful minister shows the range of skills he has. In spite of his many faults and tribulations as Beck, the very last scene confirm what a sound person he is with a very definite grip on the terrifying reality that threaten us all and what one must to do to solve it. Dead Bang is dead bang on the money for bringing the story that it is, to life.

This DVD format makes this film a bit of a waste of time for me. In the full-screen this movie loses much of the visual flair and style that director John Frankenhiemer provides for what is nothing more than late 80's action junk. Other than Frankenheimer's in-your-face direction and lensing in some of the action scenes, this film will leave the average viewer very, very flat. If you can sit through the almost unbearable dinner party scenes with Penelope Ann Miller, you at least get the pleasure of witnessing Don Johnson vomit on a suspect! Without the widescreen presentation the only benefits this DVD offers is the ability to jump through some awfully slow and meaningless dialogue(and pause the barf scene if your into such things).

I like Don Johnson most of the time. This is not one of those times.. Just not a very good movie. Just not very engaging. A fair amount of action but after I watched it, I had to look at the back to remember it. Enough said.