Customer Reviews

Switchback

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

SWITCHBACK is a good movie. I felt it had some great suspense scenes and the climax is a different one. Director Jeb Stuart has orchestrated some beautiful snow shots, and utilizes the special effects quite well. The main problem with the movie is Dennis Quaid's performance. I have enjoyed many of Quaid's roles, particularly in "Frequency" and "Innerspace." In this one, however, his stoic, emotionless FBI agent is so wooden and lifeless that I didn't find myself sympathizing with him on the kidnapping of his child nor his quest to find the serial killer. Danny Glover, however, is superb. He demonstrates a wide range of emotions, and even though you know where his role is going to take him, it's a pleasure going along for the ride. The suspense he creates in the scene in the convenience store is acutely eeerie. Jared Leto is okay as the mysterious hitchhiker, but a little more sinister behavior could have enhanced the mystery. William Frichtner as the newly elected sheriff did a commendable job with his underwritten role. (He was also excellent in "Perfect Storm."). This is the first movie I liked R. Lee Ermey. Usually playing the redneck villian, he gets a chance to play a redneck good guy and he seems to relish the change. Ted Levine, the bad guy from "Silence of the Lambs" plays Ermey's deputy with such downhome fervor, he too emerges a winner in the casting department. Basil Polodorous' score was also effective. Not a classic, but it deserved more than it got on its initial release; just wish Quaid had been directed differently.
RECOMMENDED.

While watching The Bone Collector at a theater recently I was reminded of Switchback and the similar theme of a killer leaving intentional clues and daring the police to find them before they killed again. Although both movies suffered from Hollywood's habit of providing unlikely coincidences I enjoyed both films. Switchback on DVD is close to reference quality with a great picture enhancing the beautiful scenery and tremendous audio provided by the Dolby Digital soundtrack. The fight scene toward the end is particularly exciting with the sound cranked up. The movie's locales are off the beaten track and that alone can sometimes be recommendation enough. See it...at least once.

I loved this movie. It was refreshing to see Danny Glover as a bad guy again. And while the movie can sometimes fall into predictable lines, that does not detract from the appeal. Quaid as a hardened FBI agent is casting against type and Jared Leto as the unspecting friend of Glover leads to wonderful if not suprising twists. While not totally orginal it is still a good way to spend two hours.

I enjoy movies with male bonding or female bonding. A good example of the former is Rio Bravo, and the latter Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. This movie is generally overlooked from this perspective. I personally liked the relationship between the sheriff and Quaid, and in a different way that between Glover and the hitchhiker. It has my vote as one of the best movies of this type in recent years. I cannot understand how anyone can call its plot "predictable" -- I thought Quaid might get Glover in the end but did not anticipate the final scene, which was made all the more impressive by the absence of dialogue.

There appeared to be enough mystery and strangeness to start out with.
Two fine actors - performance very good - story [predictable?] oh well.
A bit gory! but then --- what makes a movie? the back and forth suspense kept your attention. Certainly enjoyed the Sheriff - FBI appeared ineffectual - Quaid's determination to find the seriel killer was understandable - Glover's motive not quite clear but played with panauche.
Hey, it was worth seeing - definitely recommended if your not squeamish! [1997] not bad.

I would recommend this movie if you like a tense thriller. Danny Glover's role is creepy, he plays it well. Several plot twists to mislead but that's what makes it interesting and kept us on the edge of our seats for the entire 2 hours. Not for kids because of language and violence. Some reviews stated this movie was slow moving, possibly a bit midway through, but tension mounts as the story goes on. Beautiful high altitude mountain scenery.

Why don't I remember this movie at my local multiplex? Switchback ranks up there with the best action/mystery flicks. Plenty of action to keep you on the edge of your seat and plenty of guessing who did what to keep you from turning into a drooling shoot-em-up junkie. Good performances all around and excellently written. I would have liked to have been kept guessing for a little bit longer, though.

Hell's bells. Citizen Kane it ain't, but I liked the damn thing.

The Amazon reviewer should learn to relax a bit.

This is a guy's type film that some women might enjoy watching too(I did). Danny Glover gives a dual,edgy and eerie performance. One of Dennis Quaid's better dramatic roles.

The veteran sheriff of Amarillo (Buck Olmstead) is anxious to solve the recent murders before his opponent,to win the reelection for sheriff. FBI agent Frank LaCrosse (Dennis Quaid) shows up and informs Buck that he is charge of tracking down a serial killer they believe committed these crimes too.

The plot has several twists and has its surprises. NOT a movie for young children OR Family viewing due to some intense situations.

Switchback is a 1997 thriller that offers great performances and excellent scenery, but a plot with holes so big you could drive a train through them. The good news first -

Dennis Quaid is terrific as the buttoned down FBI agent who is doing his best to control his rage and impotence as he hunts the serial killer who has eluded him for months and recently killed his sister-in-law and abducted his son. Quaid has made a good career out of being the charming guy next door in films like "The Right Stuff" (1983), "The Parent Trap" (1998), "Frequency" (2000), and my favorite Quaid flick - "The Big Easy" (1987). So it's refreshing to see a good actor stretch his limits and he does so admirably.

Jared Leto plays one of two possible suspects. Leto has appeared in 20 films since 1994. He played the title role in the docudrama about the long distance runner "Prefontaine" (1997), a heroin addict in "Requiem for a Dream" (2000), and John Lennon's killed in "Chapter 27" (2007).

R. Lee Emery almost always puts in a great performance, and he doesn't let us down in this film. In more than 100 films since 1978, Emery is probably best known for "Full Metal Jacket" (1987), a role he was originally hired to be technical advisor for, but Kubrick had the good sense to put him in front of the camera. In addition to his busy film career, Emery hosts two TV shows - "Mail Call" and "Lock n' Load" - both of them with a military basis reflected his 10 year career as a Marine.

Ted Levine plays Emery's devoted deputy. You'll remember Levine from his unforgettable role as "Buffalo Bill" in "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) and TV fans will known him as the ever fretting Captain Stottlemeyer who puts up with the antics of his obsessive consultant "Monk". Levine leads an active career averaging one film a year and includes roles in "Shutter Island" (2010), "The Manchurian Candidate" (2004), "Fast and the Furious" (2000), etc.

William Fitchner is a face you'll recognize even if you don't recall his name. He's appeared in more than 50 films and had recurring roles on "Grace under Fire" as Ryan Sparks (1994-5), "MDs" as Dr. Kellerman (2002), "Invasion" as Sheriff Tom Underlay (2005-6), "Prison Break" as Alex Mahone (2006-9), and "Entourage" as Phil Yagoda (2009-10). He plays another law enforcement official in an election race against Emery. His role is brief but he does his usual effective job.

Walton Googins has a small role as a deputy. Googins is best known as the agonized and ultimately ill fated detective Shane Vendrell from the great TV series "The Shield" (2002-8) and the born again Boyd Crowder from "Justified" (2010-11). His considerable talents are wasted in the small role he plays, but it's always good to see an actor at an early stage in his career. This was his fourth film.

The film is written, directed, and produced by Jeb Stuart. Stuart started "in the biz" as the screenwriter for "Die Hard" (1988) and then wrote a string of hits including "Another 48 Hrs" (1990) and "The Fugitive" (1993). This gave him the credits to move to producer which he did for the box office and critical clunker "Fire Down Below" (1997) and producer director for this film. Stuart's progression is clear evidence for the existence of the Peter principle "in the biz". The plot has so many holes in it, and unbelievable coincidences, and unlikely events, that it's really hard to watch. Only the fine performances from the cast and the beautiful scenery will keep you attracted to the screen.

Like "Fire Down Below", "Switchback" was a commercial failure, costing $37,000,000 to make and grossing a mere $2.7 million on the opening weekend. More than ten years would go by before Stuart had another project to make it to the screen.