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Editorial Reviews
When two Texas border guards unearth the skeletal remains of a man at the wheel of a jeep buried in the desert, they also discover a box containing $800,000 in cash and two phone numbers. One can be traced back to a person in Washington D.C., while the other dates back twenty years as the number or the Dallas Police Department. Now someone out there wants the two cops buried deeper than the $800,000, as it soon becomes apparent that they've stumbled onto more than just a murder. They may have stumbled on evidene that leads to the forces behind THE murder- the assassination of J. F. K.
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26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Flashpoint" is one of those films that pay cable channels put into heavy rotation after its initial release back in the 1980s and one that still occasionally turns up nowadays as one of those middle of the night flicks on TBS or TNT. I first saw it eons ago, and never forgot its conspiratorial tone and desert atmosphere. When I first started getting into DVD in a big way, I looked for this movie right from the start only to discover it had not yet crossed that oftentimes impassable gulf between digital video disc and VHS tape. It is the type of film I knew--through long and painful experience with big studios and their total disrespect for DVD technology--would only appear on a disc in a fullscreen format with little to no extras, and I was right. It is that obscure. Hopefully its recent reemergence will help this film find a whole new generation of fans. "Flashpoint" is a must watch film for anyone who enjoys the idea of seeing Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, Rip Torn, Kurtwood Smith, Jean Smart, and Miguel Ferrer in the same movie. O.k., a few of those names might not be a selling point, but it's still an intriguing film nonetheless.
The American Southwest is an environment of sand, cactus, heat, and more heat. It's the sort of place where some people still think they live in the Old West, the sort of place where people keep to themselves. It's also a place where secrets can hide under the sand for decades without anyone the wiser. Such is the case in "Flashpoint," a film where a dirty secret from some twenty odd years earlier is about to cause a whole lot of grief for a whole lot of people. Enter Logan (Kristofferson) and Ernie (Williams), two border patrol officers who spend their days roaming through the desert chasing illegal aliens. These two men couldn't be further apart in temperament and manner. Logan is a jaded Vietnam veteran and a once promising government employee who now thinks his job is a real drag. He's just putting in his time and trying not to make waves because he wants people to leave him alone. Ernie, however, is an idealistic younger guy who doesn't hesitate to stand up to injustice when he sees it. For example, an auto accident in town that claims the lives of several illegal aliens finds Ernie confronting the man responsible for smuggling people over the border. The two get along so well because they admire each other's personalities.
Both men also form a bond over the latest shenanigans going on at the border patrol office. The bigwigs in Washington decide it's a great idea to bury thousands of computer-controlled sensors out in the desert to track the movements of the illegals, an idea that will cost agents their jobs. While burying one of these sensors, Logan discovers a jeep buried out in the desert. The skeletal remains of the driver, a driver's license, a box filled with fishing gear and a rifle, and nearly a million dollars in cash form the beginnings of a mystery that will bring about a mess of trouble. The driver's license is dated 1963. So is the money. And the story takes place in Texas. Do you see where this is going yet? Yep, Logan discovered someone involved with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The two officers don't know this at first, but soon will after Ernie insists on discovering this man's identity before he will agree to split town with the loot. Logan grudgingly obliges. Their investigation agitates Sheriff Wells (Rip Torn) and brings in the enigmatic federal agent Carson (Kurtwood Smith) and his goons. Ernie and Logan soon discover that they are facing something far bigger and more powerful than they are, something that won't hesitate to kill anyone in its path to keep the cover up in place. Lots of innocent people bite the dust by the time the credits roll.
"Flashpoint" is a great film, one of those great films largely ignored by both critics and the viewing public. Surprisingly, it's not the connection to the JFK assassination that makes the film as good as it is, although the scenes in which the two men begin to unravel the connection between the jeep and the crime are truly eerie. The film also never really explains the parameters of the conspiracy Ernie and Logan are up against except to hint that it's something large and powerful beyond belief, powerful to the point that it can kill law officers with ease and without any fear of interference. What does make the film a winner, aside from the wonderful performances of the principal actors, has a lot to do with the atmospheric desert environment. It is frightening to consider what secrets lie under the sand out in the middle of nowhere, and even more frightening to think the government knows what's hidden out there. That a cabal of powerful individuals could sweep into the desert and do whatever they want to anyone they want is an extremely horrific proposition, and one that works wonders in this movie. After all, it's awfully difficult to find witnesses out in the middle of the desert.
"Flashpoint" also boasts a great score from Tangerine Dream that perfectly meshes with the sweeping vistas and mountain backdrops. Sadly, the fullscreen transfer doesn't look too great, and the absence of extras really bothers me. I'm not one of these viewers who must listen to every commentary track or watch every little extra on a disc, but I sure would have appreciated seeing such things on a "Flashpoint" DVD. I'll endorse this Warner disc anyway since the movie is such a great way to spend a couple of hours. I'd like to see a special edition, though.
The American Southwest is an environment of sand, cactus, heat, and more heat. It's the sort of place where some people still think they live in the Old West, the sort of place where people keep to themselves. It's also a place where secrets can hide under the sand for decades without anyone the wiser. Such is the case in "Flashpoint," a film where a dirty secret from some twenty odd years earlier is about to cause a whole lot of grief for a whole lot of people. Enter Logan (Kristofferson) and Ernie (Williams), two border patrol officers who spend their days roaming through the desert chasing illegal aliens. These two men couldn't be further apart in temperament and manner. Logan is a jaded Vietnam veteran and a once promising government employee who now thinks his job is a real drag. He's just putting in his time and trying not to make waves because he wants people to leave him alone. Ernie, however, is an idealistic younger guy who doesn't hesitate to stand up to injustice when he sees it. For example, an auto accident in town that claims the lives of several illegal aliens finds Ernie confronting the man responsible for smuggling people over the border. The two get along so well because they admire each other's personalities.
Both men also form a bond over the latest shenanigans going on at the border patrol office. The bigwigs in Washington decide it's a great idea to bury thousands of computer-controlled sensors out in the desert to track the movements of the illegals, an idea that will cost agents their jobs. While burying one of these sensors, Logan discovers a jeep buried out in the desert. The skeletal remains of the driver, a driver's license, a box filled with fishing gear and a rifle, and nearly a million dollars in cash form the beginnings of a mystery that will bring about a mess of trouble. The driver's license is dated 1963. So is the money. And the story takes place in Texas. Do you see where this is going yet? Yep, Logan discovered someone involved with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The two officers don't know this at first, but soon will after Ernie insists on discovering this man's identity before he will agree to split town with the loot. Logan grudgingly obliges. Their investigation agitates Sheriff Wells (Rip Torn) and brings in the enigmatic federal agent Carson (Kurtwood Smith) and his goons. Ernie and Logan soon discover that they are facing something far bigger and more powerful than they are, something that won't hesitate to kill anyone in its path to keep the cover up in place. Lots of innocent people bite the dust by the time the credits roll.
"Flashpoint" is a great film, one of those great films largely ignored by both critics and the viewing public. Surprisingly, it's not the connection to the JFK assassination that makes the film as good as it is, although the scenes in which the two men begin to unravel the connection between the jeep and the crime are truly eerie. The film also never really explains the parameters of the conspiracy Ernie and Logan are up against except to hint that it's something large and powerful beyond belief, powerful to the point that it can kill law officers with ease and without any fear of interference. What does make the film a winner, aside from the wonderful performances of the principal actors, has a lot to do with the atmospheric desert environment. It is frightening to consider what secrets lie under the sand out in the middle of nowhere, and even more frightening to think the government knows what's hidden out there. That a cabal of powerful individuals could sweep into the desert and do whatever they want to anyone they want is an extremely horrific proposition, and one that works wonders in this movie. After all, it's awfully difficult to find witnesses out in the middle of the desert.
"Flashpoint" also boasts a great score from Tangerine Dream that perfectly meshes with the sweeping vistas and mountain backdrops. Sadly, the fullscreen transfer doesn't look too great, and the absence of extras really bothers me. I'm not one of these viewers who must listen to every commentary track or watch every little extra on a disc, but I sure would have appreciated seeing such things on a "Flashpoint" DVD. I'll endorse this Warner disc anyway since the movie is such a great way to spend a couple of hours. I'd like to see a special edition, though.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
"Flashpoint" is a unique amalgam of suspense, conspiracy thriller and action. A picturesque movie that has the south Texas desert as much a part of the film as the actors. The movie's plot swirls around the discovery of a skeleton, a rifle, and over 800,000 dollars in cash in an almost-buried jeep on the border. Viewers will enjoy the allure of secrecy and cover-up, with protagonists determined to solve the answer why a man would be driving at night through the desert in a rainstorm with a rifle and almost a million dollars in cash. The characters played by Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams, are similar to Elliot Gould in "Capricorn One" and Warren Beatty in "The Parallax View"(If you enjoyed these movies, you'll definitely like "Flashpoint"). Lastly, the film allows you to figure out the mystery on your own, and gives enough clues along the way to an unpredictable conclusion. P.S. I disagree with Leonard Maltin, I thought the title track at the end credits was a good, true-blue 80's tune( "I'm caught in a flashpoint...!")
21 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
In this movie two Border Patrol officers (Treat Williams and Kris Kristofferson) find a jeep buried under sand.This jeep has
a high porered rifle and $800,000 in cash in it.When the government finds out about their find a massive drive is conducted to discard the evidence. The two Border Patrol agents
are forced to run for their lives. The agent played by Kristofferson is told the real story about the jeep.the rifle and the money.The truth is stunning. This is a very good movie
that is well worth watching.It will leave you wondering.
a high porered rifle and $800,000 in cash in it.When the government finds out about their find a massive drive is conducted to discard the evidence. The two Border Patrol agents
are forced to run for their lives. The agent played by Kristofferson is told the real story about the jeep.the rifle and the money.The truth is stunning. This is a very good movie
that is well worth watching.It will leave you wondering.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Flashpoint review
Very good movie! great plot,good acting! Makes you want the good guys to win,even when they don't! Saw this movie years ago and had to have it in my collection!
Published 3 months ago by Ronald W. Mayhew
makes you think
Our government isn't benevolent. Although this is fiction, it does make you think about possibilities. What really goes on? Who can we trust these days?
Published 7 months ago by wyochef
Boz's Review of Flashpoint
Flashpoint was a really good film. I was impressed with it as a "Who Did It" Cop Thriller. But if you want a film on who actually killed JFK and why, this is not the film for... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Boz
it's cut.
this is one of my favourite films. the problem is the dvd has scenes missing compared to the VHS version, I sold my original VHS copy after getting the dvd. Read more
Published 16 months ago by S. Haralambous
They Edited Out Some Crucial Lines
This was and is a great movie. Unfortunately, there are a couple of areas that have been over-dubbed at the end of the movie, and this has resulted in the loss of one critical... Read more
Published 16 months ago by John Collins
Flashpoint
From 1984.I believe this was HBOs first movie ever.
2 U.S. border patrol agents on the Mexican border find a jeep in a dried up river bed with a bag full of money. Read more
2 U.S. border patrol agents on the Mexican border find a jeep in a dried up river bed with a bag full of money. Read more
Published 17 months ago by freebird
Hey Flash, What's your Point ??
Recently I have been seeing a bunch of Kristofferson stuff, starting with Heavens Gate, which everybody agrees was a dud, but which I came to like, somewhere in the second time... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Magier
An overlooked diamond - first rate
I LOVE this movie. How many really GOOD films combine some good action, mystery and suspense, conspiracy, grand themes that are compelling, well-written characters acted very well... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Greg Winston
Flashpoint. (1984).
This movie, was produced by HBO in the early 80's & stars kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams as 2 modern day,U.S Border patrol agents & Rip Torn as the county sheriff. Read more
Published on February 3, 2010 by Bradley K. Helms
Glad I went Back
I saw this movie when it was first released on video and I liked it well enough but figured I never needed to see it again. Read more
Published on January 18, 2010 by Eric Sanberg
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