3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Low Quality Is Immediately Apparent., July 23, 2005
This review is from: Nails [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Dennis Hopper is properly designated as a film personality rather than as an actor because he essentially plays himself, regardless of role requirements, and as with most performers of that type, Hopper is seldom able to rise above the quality of his material; therefore, when a production is as poorly written as in this instance, it can be no surprise that his showing is preordained to be awkward, at best. As action opens, a contract hit is being arranged to dispose of veteran Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective Harry "Nails" Niles and his partner Jack, and while it is never explained why, it is possibly not worth knowing and, soon after, the two whisky swilling (while on duty) lawmen are uncannily duped into an ambush which they stupidly abet by not requesting assistance, Jack thereby being gunned down. This naturally disturbs Niles who, still in clothing saturated with Jack's blood, meets with his estranged wife (Anne Archer) for a session of role playing sex, after which he grimly proceeds to locate his ex-partner's killer, additionally discovering in the process a large-scale heroin smuggling operation, and whereas his investigative methods are brutal, there is no longer a question of their appropriateness, due to his suspension from duty. Shot atmospherically by cinematographer Mac Ahlberg in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, and smoothly edited by Michael Knue, the film's screenplay reveals a complete lack of knowledge regarding policing procedures along with wholesale failings in logic, and while many of the supporting cast are clearly enjoying their turns, acting honours go to Cuban Tomas Milian as a detective nearing retirement cajoled into aiding Niles, an ably created part but not nearly enough to save this poorly directed and scripted affair.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved This Movie, February 20, 2010
This review is from: Nails [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I really liked this movie and thought both Anne Archer and Dennis Hopper did a great job with it. Definitely worth a look. How about releasing this in a DVD format?
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1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Unsubtle action picture, October 28, 2007
This review is from: Nails [VHS] (VHS Tape)
This movie stars Dennis Hopper as Detective Harry Niles ,whose nickname is Nails .He is a good cop with a bad attitude -a rough ,tough old school cop with a robust attitude to law breakers .His partner is ambushed and killed while working on a big case .Harry decides to administer his own brand of vigilante justice to the bad guys
There is a touch of Dirty Harry Callahan in the character of Harry Niles but the picture lacks the mythic resonanace of the Eastwood movie being an altogethrr less subtle and thoughful piece of work .Instead we get a slick action movie ,high on testosterone and low on subtlety .Hopper gives a quirky and idiosyncratic performance that gives the movie a boost and director John Flynn who made the superior modern noir The Outfit as well as streamlined actioners like Best Seller and Lock Up knows how to keep then action bubbling along nicely
Its a reasonable bet that if you like Hopper this movie will be to your taste .Just dont expect subtlety or liberal politics because neither are on display in a streamlined action picture
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